Defy The Alpha(s)

Chapter 199: Blame Violet

"Aren’t you going to come in, Ivy?" Daisy asked, eyeing the girl rooted at the threshold.

Violet had already stepped inside without incident, Daisy and Lila followed soon after. Now, only Ivy remained outside as she stared at the horrible interior.

"No!" Ivy wailed, voice shaky with dread. "This has to be a nightmare! I cannot live in a place like this. I’d rather die than be forced to stay in this shack!"

Everyone sighed, as they were reminded in that moment that Ivy was the aristocrat among them. She had likely never stepped foot in such squalor in her entire life, let alone being condemned to live there.

Unfortunately, even though they sympathized with her , the harsh reality remained the same: Ivy couldn’t stay outside forever. Not that inside was any better. The roof leaked in several places, dripping rancid water that smelled foul whenever it splashed down. Eww

"Can you do something about her?" Violet asked Lila, exasperation in her tone. The morning was distressing enough as it is already. She couldn’t allow Ivy to add to her headache.

A dark smile appeared on Lila’s face. "Very much, Princess."

Daisy lifted a curious brow, while Violet simply shrugged; both of them turned to watch what Lila would do.

For a moment, it seemed like nothing would happen. But then a terrible gust of wind roared through the trees, rattling the decrepit house until it moaned as if it might collapse at any second. Outside, branches snapped in the fierce gale.

"Violet!" Daisy cried, alarmed, as the floorboards rattled beneath them. An old lightbulb overhead shook loose from its socket and smashed against the soaked floor.

"What are you doing, Lila?!" Violet shouted, anxiety spiking in her chest. She had no idea what Lila was up to, but the entire structure felt one push away from caving in.

In that very moment, the wind itself seemed to form a physical force, shoving Ivy forward. She stumbled over the threshold, yet instead of hitting the floor with a bone-jarring thud, a bed of leaves quickly materialized, wrapping around her like a protective cocoon and rolling her closer to the others.

was safely inside, the wind ceased, and those leaves receded, slithering

proudly with a flourish of her arm,

heart thumped, relieved that Ivy was no longer in the storm. "I asked you to find a way to bring Ivy in, not to collapse what’s left of the

were others out there," Lila responded calmly, the mischief fading from her

explanation. It could only be Elsie’s people, lurking somewhere to see how well they were coping with their new

to scare them off before I performed any magic. I’ve already told you: I can’t risk my identity. Not when your safety

having doubted Lila’s intentions even for a second. The girl

me here? I told you I

on her, having reached the end of her patience. "Enough of it,

she put us through this mess? Who wanted to be a rogue? I never asked

heavy sense of guilt, Ivy’s snippy attitude rubbed her the wrong way. "I warned you!" she snapped. "I told

I didn’t know it’d be this horrible!" Ivy retorted. "Had I known being a rogue would

right, so that’s the real issue?" Violet snarled, voice rising with anger. "You were only in this friendship for the good times and what you could get out of it. Because deep down, you know how hard it’ll

second before hardening. "You’re such a

I’m a bitch who owns up to my mistakes,"

fury. "I’m done here. Enjoy your new life, ’cause I’m fucking done with you

it, the wood slammed shut right in

announced with authority, "No one is leaving this

tone brooking no argument.

another second with you three," Ivy insisted, her arms crossed

stepped forward, face pinched with

her brain. "I don’t know. Maybe get a camping tent and spend the rest of my days in it—thanks to a certain person ruining the rest of my school year for me." Her glare