Defy The Alpha(s)

Chapter 169: A Sudden Ally

Thoroughly drenched and covered in dirt, Violet had no clue where the hell she was. Her initial plan had been to circle back toward the edge of the Silver Glade, but the wolves had driven her deeper into the blackened woods, forcing her into this unfamiliar terrain. And now, she was lost.

It was by sheer luck, she had managed to shake the wolves off her trail while they fought amongst themselves. But Violet knew better than to slow down, not when they were still out there hunting her. At this point, her heart pounded like a war drum, the frantic beat pulsing in her ears as her lungs burned with every breath.

She was exhausted, every muscle in her body screaming for rest, but there was nowhere to stop. Nowhere was safe. The Silver Glade was riddled with unseen dangers, and the moment she let her guard down, she’d be as good as caught. So Violet pressed on, boots splashing through puddles as she trudged deeper into the unknown.

The downpour had lessened from its earlier downpour to a chilling drizzle, a deceptive calm settling over the forest. The idea of hiding out until morning was tempting. If she could just hold out that long, the game would end, and she would avoid capture. But the cold had burrowed into her bones, leaving her shivering violently. Violet had to clench her teeth to keep them from chattering.

She bet her ass this had been Asher’s true intention when he had Alaric summon the storm. No one, especially not a human, could endure this bitter cold for long. It would only be a matter of time before her body gave out.

It didn’t help that she had sacrificed her crop top in a desperate bid to confuse the wolves. Tearing it into shreds, she had scattered the pieces around to lead her pursuers away, hoping to mask her real path. Now, she was exposed to the elements and had nothing but drenched skin and mere determination to keep her warm.

A sudden flash of lightning lit up the forest like a camera’s blinding flash, allowing Violet a brief glimpse of her surroundings. Gnarled trees stretched high, their skeletal branches stretching like clawed hands reaching for her. For a moment, she spotted no movement, no glowing eyes peering from the dark and thought, maybe she had lost them.

Or maybe they wanted her to believe that.

The thought sent a violent shudder through Violet. It was dangerous to let down her guard but her legs could take no more.

Violet made out a thick tree and stumbled toward it, sagging against its rough bark, gasping for air. Just a minute. She just needed a minute to —

A sharp hiss sliced through the silence and a weight coiled atop her head.

Oh. God. No.

Every nerve in Violet’s body went rigid.

slithering movement of scales against her damp skin made her stomach drop. She bit her tongue,

off and curse his

in snake form, then she risked the chance of provoking it and getting bitten. If it turned

body slinking over her forehead, down her cheek, and further still. The moment its tail slid past her chin, it dropped to the ground with a soft rustle of

had time to register the relief before Roman Draven

breath hitched in her throat, shock — and relief — freezing her before her

immediately,

Fuck.

in an instant. After all her efforts, she had still been caught. But

ready to shove him away,

Griffin

her eyes narrowed.

go to him

waver. "Alaric told me you might

Only Alaric knew that. Maybe Griffin, too—since

have figured it out as well and were worried about

words struck something deep in her chest. "So they came to me for help, to

chest twisted painfully. Alaric and Griffin had

at risk to protect her. And how had she repaid them? By rejecting them earlier

Violet swallowed, feeling guilty.

lying, twisting the truth for his own amusement

up on her. Right now, she bet Alaric and Griffin

Same as Asher.

the ominous thought, or the cold, or both, but a violent shudder wracked her body