Defy The Alpha(s)

Chapter 181: Alone

Violet stood paralyzed, watching the chaos unfold around her, her heart hammering against her ribcage. She had known her decision would shake the school, but she hadn’t expected it to unravel into complete madness.

Griffin struggled to keep the peace, but it was a losing battle. Asher was beyond livid, his rage rippling through his pack, igniting an instinctive aggression in them

His wolves had taken aggressive stances, snarling and baring their fangs, their bodies coiled. They were ready to defend their Alpha, to strike down anyone who dared oppose him.

On the other hand, Roman, who had borne the brunt of Asher’s punch was not pushing for revenge, no, it was his pack demanding for violence. Both packs might have been friends in the past but they weren’t about to stand back and let their Alpha be attacked without retaliation, especially when Asher had already sunk his teeth into him.

The agitation was too much, with the low growls and hisses filling the air like the prelude to an all-out war. The human students were frozen in place, unsure whether to flee or stay, while others whispered anxiously among themselves, their eyes darting between the enraged Alphas.

"That’s enough!"

Alaric’s voice thundered across the space, carrying a command so powerful it shattered the air like a storm’s fury.

As if the heavens themselves answered, lightning tore across the sky, striking the earth with a deafening crack. The ground sizzled where the bolt landed, dangerously close to where Asher, Griffin and Roman stood.

The reaction was instant. The Cardinal Alphas recoiled, breaking apart as another bolt of lightning struck closer to their wolves. The scattered sparks sent the snarling pack members scrambling, their yelps filling the night as they backed away in alarm.

All eyes snapped toward Alaric Storm.

He stood at the spot, his eyes sparking with uncontained electricity, his platinum hair glowing under the eerie flicker of lightning. The air around him pulsed with so much power that no one dared to move or speak.

Slowly, Alaric ascended the stairs leading to the entrance, elevating himself above the others and demanding the full attention of everyone present.

He gazed out at the crowd, his expression looking like it was carved from stone. Then he spoke with a voice so cold it felt like a death sentence.

"You heard them. They rejected the four houses. They refuse to be governed. They deny the protection of a pack."

The bitterness in his tone was obvious, and was edged with something close to betrayal and disappointment.

"They have turned their backs on the natural order. They owe no allegiance to the Cardinal Alphas. And we all know what that means."

Alaric let the words settle, his furious gaze sweeping over the assembled crowd, challenging them to speak the truth aloud.

At first, there was nothing but silence until a lone voice whispered. "Rogues."

Another voice picked it up, louder this time. "Rogues."

Then another, and another, until, like a flood breaking free, the entire school chanted in unison, their voices filled with scorn and condemnation.

"ROGUES! ROGUES! ROGUES!"

school ground, the collective

twisted

face paling, ran a hand down her face. "Fuck. I knew this was

eyes wide with panic when one of the werewolves began to circle

prey. His nostrils flared as he inhaled, and

"Violet, what is happening?!"

with unhidden hostility. They weren’t just looking at

stone as she realized this was a mistake. A horrible,

but she never thought it was this serious. Her decision marked her and her friends as

now, she stood amidst the snarling wolves, whose eyes burned with the

toward Roman, the one who had convinced her to do this. The look on his face was indecipherable, but

up for this. And now, there

he mean, Rogues?" Lila cried with disbelief. "We’re not

sacred laws of their kind. Others were lone wanderers, forsaking their packs for reasons of their own. But no matter the cause, the

was a

a pack, there was no structure. Without structure,

danger to the established order of werewolf society. And if a rogue gathered enough numbers, they could pose an even bigger threat to the alphas, to the packs, to

sight. It was an

friends had

werewolves or rogues in the

tight with frustration. "Or have you forgotten that Lunaris Academy operates under a strict werewolf hierarchy?

scathing. "It’s clear to me now why you did what you did." A dry, humorless laugh escaped her lips. "But congratulations, Violet.

sharp breath, the words hitting

to warn them. She had told them not to follow her. And yet, they had still chosen to stand by

Her throat was tight, as if an invisible noose had cinched around her neck. Her mind scrambled for something to say, for a way to explain, but the words refused to form. She hadn’t wanted this. She had just wanted freedom. A way out. She didn’t know it

to apologize, Alaric’s voice rose above the murmurs of the

tomorrow. Enjoy what’s left of your morning." His voice was different now, it sounded

back already turned to her. His broad shoulders, once squared with strength and confidence, now sagged

before. Defeated. It was like a knife through her

wait!" she

never

tracks. A wolf stood in her path, its gleaming fangs bared, hackles raised. Then Finn, Alaric’s beta

from now on, rogue." His voice was as cold as steel,

I just need to talk to

it’s sound vibrating deeply

her fists, her nails digging into her palm. Fine.