Defy The Alpha(s)

Chapter 160: It Was Time

~ Alaric and Griffin ~

The party carried on as if nothing had happened. Laughter rang through the bonfire clearing with students drinking freely, and the rhythmic pulse of the music keeping the energy alive.

Violet was back with her friends, enjoying the rest of the party — or so they he believed. Nonetheless, everyone was cool and It was almost as if the earlier tension had never existed.

Griffin and Alaric sat hunched over at one of the tables, slightly apart from the crowd, their drinks in hand as they brooded over their failed attempt at wooing the lady of their choice.

"Perhaps we came on too strong," Alaric muttered before downing his drink in one go.

"Perhaps," Griffin said dryly, tilting his head back and swallowing his own drink with unnecessary force.

The alcohol burned on the way down, but it wasn’t enough to drown out the sting of rejection. Not even close.

Their faster metabolism tore through human liquor like air, leaving them only with the memory of the burn, not the intoxication. And right now, Griffin wished more than anything that he could get drunk.

Unfortunately, tonight was the night of the initiation, so he couldn’t get drunk either way. He needed to be fast on his feet seeing this was a tradition, he especially as a cardinal alpha, couldn’t ignore. The fate of the new pack members—and apparently, Violet—would be decided tonight.

Her name alone made his chest tighten.

Griffin didn’t hate her for rejecting him. He respected her choice. But that didn’t mean it didn’t hurt.

For the second time in his life, a girl he had sincerely liked had turned him down. At least Violet had been polite. Not like Elsie, who had shredded his heart and stomped on the remains as if they were nothing.

voice cut through his thoughts. "Don’t tell me you’re giving

out a scoff. "You heard the lady. She

Alaric countered smoothly, leaning forward. "She doesn’t know our way. She needs time. Time to be convinced. Time to be taught." His lips curled into something almost wicked. "Time to be

heavy and unspoken emotion flickering

sensing his hesitation. "I didn’t take you for a quitter, Griffin. The Ironlady would be disappointed." He mimicked his mother’s

growled in warning, but

struggling with her feelings about you, about us, proves she’s not like Lucille. it confirms that Asher doesn’t

swirling his drink. "Think about it. Lucille didn’t give a damn about anyone as long as she got what she wanted. Asher

not Lucille. But just like she said, Asher Nightshade is still winning. He wants us all chasing after her. Maybe Violet

won’t be," Alaric assured him. "We’ll deal with Asher while Violet

"I don’t know about that.

furious, sure, but she hadn’t given up on him.

out in the end," Alaric

as he took another

attention. They both turned in time to see Violet’s roommates giggling as they dragged her toward the dance

and reluctant posture, but it was obvious her roommates weren’t

something slow, and sensual, the bassline thrumming through the air. It was a sultry and magnetic rhythm made for

Violet’s movements were hesitant, rigid, as if she was painfully self conscious of the eyes

to sway, slow and smooth, matching the rhythm effortlessly. She rolled her body in a fluid motion, her arms lifting

energy, with their hands

yet, even among them, Violet stood out. She wasn’t trying to draw

back, tilting her head as she