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."

the fight had gone out of him, his white hair shadowing his eyes. But it did nothing to hide the storm boiling behind them. His whole body trembled with disbelief, then shame, right before

lifted his gaze again, his eyes were glowing with the

there was nothing soft in

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

she saw the storm truly build. The air trembled around them, its pressure climbing

away just in time, intercepting the crackling bolt of electricity

Alaric with a grunt. "Easy!" he

Griffin contained his lightning with his extraordinary

his teeth, Griffin barked at Jeremiah, "Get

touching the bitch. I don’t want to catch whatever darkness is oozing out

shot him a look that screamed, Seriously, now? He wrestled Alaric’s

scowl, Roman strode over to Elsie

Elsie protested as Roman

in an equal blend of anger and disgust. But at least he had enough control to stop short

She peered out with the expression of a woman two seconds away

is the meaning of this?"

missing a beat, "Practicing reconciliation.

the weariness of a thousand lifetimes, shook her head and closed the door behind her. She was officially done

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

was a luxury Elsie had forfeited the moment she lit a match and threw it at the bridges

back against the wall with

made you a deal! Everything was under control, Elsie! And then

teeth, defiant. "That deal was bullshit to begin