Defy The Alpha(s)

Chapter 276: The Goddess’ Game

The first thought that came to Violet’s mind was that Asher wanted to kill her. That he had finally lost it and was ready to silence her for good.

But then she caught his glowing eyes in the dark and realized his pupils were unfocused. He wasn’t seeing her at all.

Oh fuck. It hit her like a slap. He was still caught up in the nightmare. Asher was going to kill her, and he wouldn’t even know it.

So she began to struggle, panic clawing up her spine. And that was when it hit Violet just how wide the gap between their strength really was.

Asher was like a boulder crushing her windpipe, and no matter how she pushed, nothing budged. It dawned on her that Asher had let her win that day in combat training, because right now, she couldn’t even move him an inch.

"Asher, wake up! It’s me!" Violet cried desperately, her fingers clawing at the arm crushing her windpipe. If anything, his grip only tightened, her vision beginning to blur at the edges.

Goddess help her, she was actually going to die.

Violet thrashed with all she had left, kicking beneath Asher in a fit of desperation. Then, summoning her last ounce of strength, she slapped him hard across the face.

"Wake up, you asshole! Wake up right now!" she screamed.

And it worked.

She caught the flash of panic in his eyes right before the tension drained from his body. Asher jerked back, horror dawning on his face as he scrambled off her, stumbling to the side table and flipping on the lamp.

The glow wasn’t enough to light the whole room, but it was enough for her to see him clearly. Not that Violet could focus, not when she was busy coughing, and dragging in air into her raw, burning lungs. That was a close brush with death. Too damn close.

"Asher," she rasped, reaching for him.

But he flinched like she’d burned him. Asher backed away, wide-eyed and his chest heaving. Violet watched him slowly unravel, his hand raking through his hair over and over again. He was shirtless, dressed in nothing but black boxers, and he looked completely, utterly lost.

here?" he demanded, voice rough.

trying to calm her breath. "I was asleep in my room when suddenly I started moving. At first I thought I was sleepwalking, but I couldn’t stop it. I tried, but then I ended up here. You were having a nightmare, and I just wanted to

it wasn’t a kind

he said,

true. He had called out to her. Yes, it was not intentionally, but

been angry at the manipulation. But how could she after what she’d seen? She couldn’t blame him.

had already

"Asher, I—"

her off, immediately, having sensed what she was about to say. He didn’t need her

should leave. Right

Then her face

had summoned her right into his broken

she told him fiercely. "You called me because you needed me. So I’m

blinked, as though her words genuinely shocked him. But then his

flatly.

turned

Wait—what?

him, but he was already in the bathroom, the door

banging on the door. "Asher,

Silence.

here! Isn’t that proof enough you want someone to share it with? It’s not a weakness to be vulnerable, Asher. It’s

there was

know this, Asher—none of what happened was your fault. I don’t blame you. And

away from the door. She couldn’t push him any further. As much as she wanted to help, the decision to let her in had to

hard. Although he heard her footsteps

knew.