Defy The Alpha(s)

Chapter 243: [Bonus Chapter] Dirty Secret

Violet didn’t resist as Micah led her through the hallway toward his office. All she wanted now was to be far away from everyone. So she stumbled along, her breath ragged, as if the air itself was too heavy for her lungs to bear.

As soon as the office door shut behind them, everything came crashing down on her like a collapsing dam and Violet broke down in tears.

She had always thought of herself as strong. That she could withstand anything. But how wrong she was because right now there was a chasm inside her chest, swallowing every last piece of her.

The pain was unbearable. It hurt so much she could hardly breathe. How could he do this to her? Had it been Roman, she could have understood. She had expected it even. Not just Alaric. Not him of all people.

Micah stood awkwardly in the middle of the room, clearly torn between wanting to help and not knowing how to. Sadly for him, whether he liked it or not, he was the school counselor. That meant he had to do something.

"Are you okay?"

He winced the second the words left his lips.

What the hell kind of question was that? Of course she wasn’t okay, dummy! His inner mind chided him.

Violet lifted her tear-streaked face, her expression twisted with agony. "My mother..." she managed, voice quivering. "I— I want my mother..."

Micah blinked. Her mother? His throat bobbed, struggling for an answer.

"Uh—unfortunately, I can’t help you with that right now." He hesitated, rubbing the back of his neck. "It would take hours for her to get to Aster City."

"Your phone," Violet broke in, frustration in her tone. "I lost mine in the chaos." Tears choked her as she tried to speak. "Please, I just need to call her. I need to hear her voice..."

Her eyes—gods, her eyes— were filled with so much pleading Micah felt something twist uncomfortably in his chest.

He quickly reached into his pocket and handed her his phone, watching as her trembling fingers fumbled over the screen, tears spilling and making her vision blur. But despite several mistakes, Violet finally dialed the number, pressing the device to her ear.

with pleading. "Mom,

down on her lips nervously as she tried over

she picking up? Why wasn’t the call going through? Where

attempt disconnected with a flat beep and a strangled sound escaped Violet’s throat—half sob, half scream—before she suddenly threw the phone across the room. The device clattered against the wall and hit

at the phone for a long moment, his lips pressing into

Oh well. Teenagers.

deal with that later. Right now, his priority was the

even refuse him when he gently pulled her against his chest. Instead she clung to him as if he was the only thing keeping her from

Micah stroked her hair, murmuring. "Yes, little one. Let it out. You’ve been holding it in

buried her face in his chest, gripping his shirt in fistfuls as she cried

grief that steals all breath. And Micah stood there, saying nothing more, just holding her while she sobbed out the shards of

*********

up at the ceiling as if

finally broke through her

long are you

Earlier, she’d seen him devour chocolate-covered pretzels, a ham-and-cheese

it, he ate

"Tired of

almond to his lips and chewing obnoxiously loud in the otherwise quiet

hide

crossing her arms. "Think of

phone and

student’s phone in

have been canceled for the day. Principal Jameson summoned the culprits to her office and word is she’s tearing them a

rolled her eyes.

Jameson’s authority, half of the bullshit that happened in this