Defy The Alpha(s)

Chapter 168: The Unfortunate Lunar Orb

"Violet!" Ivy called out with relief the moment she appeared, and yanked her into a tight hug. Thank the gods she was safe!

She had been scared out of her mind when Violet had gone up against the Alphas, convinced they’d harm her. But time and time again, her friend had proved she could take care of herself.

Violet barely returned the embrace before pulling back. "How much time is left?" she demanded.

Ivy swallowed hard. "A minute."

"Fuck!" Violet cursed, her pulse kicking into overdrive. There was no time. She had to move now.

Without hesitation, she sprinted toward Daisy, her boots splashing mud as she dropped to a crouch beneath the suspended girl. Then she pulled out the blade she’d stolen from Asher, the polished steel gleaming wickedly from the light’s reflection.

"You better brace yourself," she warned.

Daisy let out a nervous squeak. "Oh God. Am I going to land on my face? Maybe you should cut it slowly—wait, no, we don’t have time! Should I hold onto the net? Or maybe...."

The girl was still blabbering from fear when Violet sliced through the snare in one swift motion. The rope snapped.

"Shit—!"

Daisy dropped like a stone.

"I got you!" Ivy made a valiant attempt to play rescuer, but in a tragic twist of fate, she lost her footing just as Daisy crashed into her and they hit the ground in a tangled heap.

"Ugh," Ivy groaned, winded. "I think my kidney just moved."

Violet didn’t have the time to ask them if they were okay because Lila was still trapped, the snare now cutting deeper into her ankle.

With rain-slicked fingers, Violet adjusted her grip on the blade and began sawing through the thick rope. It was slippery and stubborn, but she refused to give up. With a final grunt, the fibers gave way.

Lila dropped, but unlike Daisy, she was better prepared. Twisting midair, she landed gracefully in a crouch before rising with a triumphant grin.

That was so cool, wasn’t it?" she

thin, Violet ignored Lila’s annoying enthusiasm and pulled her into a brief

could’ve left me behind, but you

of ruler abandons her people?" she shot

A horn blared in the distance

knew what it meant. The wolves were

time to go!" Daisy cried,

head. "No. I can’t go with you. I’ll

"No, Violet,

them

howls rent through the air and sent chills down their spine. The wolves were

go!" Violet

"I will get them out!

one questioned it. They bolted, running blindly through the trees, while hoping they

into her pocket, after all, who knew what else Asher had in store for her? She needed protection, especially now

against the rain-slicked ground, their massive body rustling the trees and fallen leaves. They moved relentlessly, like death itself was

running to escape. No, she was running to buy

than she ever did in her life. The intensity of the chase sharpened Violet’s senses to a razor’s edge that every distant growl, every subtle crunch of a leaf registered in her mind, adrenaline coursing through her

as it made her an easy target. Instead, she veered deeper into the forest, using the

cruel amusement as

They were communicating.

Shit. They’d found her.

a glance over her shoulder and what she saw made her

in the darkness. They were closing in fast, their powerful bodies a blur of fur and muscle. It looked like a brutal game of Fangball,

there

and in that split second of distraction, her foot

ground beneath her was uneven. Before Violet