Defy The Alpha(s)

Chapter 245: Uncovered

The moment the Alphas stepped out of Jameson’s office, Alaric launched after Elsie like the storm he was, closing in on her. He grabbed her arm and slammed her into the nearest wall with such force the plaster cracked.

"What the hell was that back there?" Alaric snarled, his face mere inches from hers. His breath was hot with rage, muscles rigid beneath his shirt. Energy snapped in the air, the faint static hum of lightning beginning to bleed off his skin.

"You promised to leave her alone!" he seethed. "You said if I humiliated her like you wanted that you’d back off. That you wouldn’t say her name to the Alpha King until graduation!"

His voice thundered in the passageway, and behind him, Griffin, Roman, and Jeremiah halted in place. Griffin, especially, his face was twisted with a dawning realization, like he was finally piecing together the broken puzzle of what Alaric had done and why.

Alaric had not hurt Violet out of raw spite, thank the gods. Because he had planned to hurt him in return, just fine.

Elsie blinked up at Alaric, her face incredibly calm as if nothing moved her.

"I never broke the deal," she said with conviction. "I’m just being proactive. If Violet pushes back, I need the authority to silence her before she ruins everything. I’m protecting what we agreed on."

"Protecting?" Alaric echoed with anger. "You call pushing for her expulsion protecting? You call making me do that to her protection?"

He slammed her harder against the wall, growling, "Don’t fucking play games with me, Elsie."

Elsie’s confidence faltered slightly beneath Alaric’s fury, but she managed to hold her ground. "It’s not a game, Alaric. It’s reality. There can’t be two queens in one kingdom. And in Lunaris? I am the reigning one, not that filth from the slums."

Alaric recoiled like she’d slapped him.

"You made me..." he choked out, the horror dawning across his features, "You made me become her nightmare. I destroyed her in front of everyone—her dignity, her trust— all for you."

"My bad," Elsie said, popping her lips, unapologetic. "It just needed to be done. Now she hates you enough never to bother you again and that’s good enough for me."

shadowing his eyes. But it did nothing to hide the

his gaze again, his eyes were glowing with the dark

he whispered, but there was nothing soft in his tone. "You used me.

from his gloves, lightning lacing through his veins, and he gripped her shoulders hard—so hard she gasped—blood blooming

face finally paling as she saw the

the crackling

anchored Alaric with a grunt. "Easy!" he growled. "She’s

but Griffin contained his lightning with

Griffin barked at Jeremiah, "Get her

hands, stepping away. "Nope. Not touching the bitch. I don’t want to catch

Seriously, now? He wrestled Alaric’s arms down, fighting

a harsh scowl, Roman strode over to Elsie and grabbed her wrist. "Come on," he

You’re hurting me, Roman!" Elsie protested as Roman

face twisted in an equal blend of anger and disgust. But at least he had

Jameson’s ears because her door creaked open. She peered out with the expression of a woman

is the meaning of this?"

the scene, replied without missing

was contemplating early retirement, then slowly, with the weariness of a thousand lifetimes, shook her head and closed the door behind

Elsie out of the school building , not stopping even when she tried to slow him down. He didn’t stop until they were outside, somewhere near a side building that offered privacy but not enough to shield them from

that point Roman didn’t care if they were stared at. Privacy was a luxury Elsie had forfeited the moment she lit

her back against the wall with a

her. "I made you a deal! Everything was under control, Elsie! And then you fucking went back on it. You went nuclear without even telling

defiant. "That