Defy The Alpha(s)

Chapter 392: Something Human In Him

Violet didn’t know how long she’d been screaming, an hour or two? It felt like an eternity since Griffin, no, The Beast, had tossed her over his shoulder like a sack of flour and taken off.

They hadn’t just been running. He had been leaping from one treetop to another, over gorges, across cliffs and through clouds, for all she knew.

The world had become a blur of wind, roaring leaves, and nausea. It was just endless suffocating trees. So when he finally stopped, it took Violet a second to realize the blur had stopped.

He dropped her unceremoniously onto the ground and the moment her feet touched solid earth, Violet’s legs gave out with a dramatic tremble. Her knees hit the mossy forest floor, and she crawled weakly forward, only to hurl up whatever remained in her stomach. She gagged and retched until there was nothing left.

When it was over, Violet crawled away from the mess and collapsed on her back beside a smooth rock. The coolness of it felt so good. So she lay there for a long moment, trying to remember what air felt like in her lungs.

Above her, the sky was painted in hues of deep indigo and fading gold as the sun began to make its descent, bathing the clearing in amber light.

The scent of earth and moss was thick in the air, but just beyond, a spring poured from the side of a rock, cascading in a silvery curtain into a shallow pool. The small stream was clear and peaceful as it winded through the dense trees.

Not that Violet cared where they were anymore. She just wanted to breathe. But peace, of course, was short-lived.

The sound of heavy breathing came next, followed by a low snarl with the ground trembling slightly as "he" appeared.

And yes, Violet was talking about an eight feet massive being looming over her with that primal look in his eyes. His thick hair fell in disheveled waves down his back, and his arms bulged with animalistic power. He was a beast through and through.

The Beast bent low, sniffing her with exaggerated huffs like a predator scenting its territory. Violet didn’t even bother to flinch and just lay there, eyes half-lidded and emotionally bankrupt.

"Do your thing, buddy," she muttered. "Just don’t drool on me."

After a moment of very invasive sniffing, The Beast suddenly froze. His nostrils flared and his eyes narrowed into a frown of confusion. He growled low, as if he didn’t like her scent.

gravelly and guttural.

At

when your giant nose keeps blowing hot air to my face!" She flipped him the middle

with a guttural snarl,

"Mate. Bath."

weight of authority, like a child emperor commanding his kingdom. He gestured toward the waterfall

groaned. "Let me catch my freaking breath,

really needed a moment

and completely tone-deaf to human emotion,

to crack twigs and quake the

that movement gave Violet the opportunity to notice something she hadn’t until

the sight of The Beast

during transformation and knew he was er.. well blessed. And

the

and stars, no." Violet whispered, backing

no. That’s not happening. He would destroy her with that thing. They

oblivious to her

Smell. Not like Mate." He grunted, trying to pass a message as he

yes, it

time hoisting her up and marching straight toward the waterfall. Before she

thrashed wildly, bubbles escaping her lips

trying

broke through the surface with a loud gasp, coughing and sputtering as water streamed down her

breaths,