Defy The Alpha(s)

Chapter 393: Mating Dance

It was night now and the Beast had left her to go look for food as he told her in two words.

"Food. Mate."

Violet came to an oddly comforting conclusion. The Beast didn’t just operate on animal instinct, he behaved like a child. Not in size or strength but in his emotions.

When he laughed, it was unrestrained, and belly-deep joy. At the same time, when angry, it was fury unleashed like a wildfire. There was no in-between. No shades. Just the extremes.

It made Violet wonder, was he just some split personality hidden in Griffin’s subconscious? Or was it the punishment from the goddess as she has heard so many times? Was this the cost for his power?

Deep down, she knew the answer.

Perhaps if Griffin let him out more often whenever she was around, the Beast would develop past instinct. Maybe even become someone more than just a violent alter ego. Someone Griffin could live with.

Someone she could live with.

The word "Mate" still echoed in her skull. The beast had said it so many times now that it had carved itself into her memory, every syllable melting into her bloodstream like wildfire. Like the mating fever she’d been trying so hard to ignore.

God help her, it was trickling through her veins like molten lava. Her skin had become too warm, her senses prickled, and every inch of her felt tuned to him.

But Violet had to control herself.

She needed Griffin, not his oversized man-child beast with the emotional range of a sugar-rushed toddler and the strength to snap trees in half.

The universe had to be shitting her to slap her with a mate bond at a critical time like this.

Fuck them!

tremor in the earth as The Beast returned from his food hunt, his heavy steps reminding her an inhuman being was

said eagerly, lowering the bountiful harvest in his arms like

in front of her, revealing apples, berries,

blinked in surprise. Okay, this was

mutter a "thank you," The Beast was gone again, disappearing into the trees with the grace of a wrecking ball. Except this time, he came back much faster, and he

the dramatic flair of a child revealing a surprise drawing to their parent, he pulled out a whole-ass boar, freshly killed and dropped it with a thud before her, his eyes gleaming with pride. His chest puffed out like he

she was so

this," Violet said, forcing a smile and gently shoving more fruit closer to her

deflated slightly and Violet quickly added, "You can have that one for yourself. Eat for two!"

Apparently, that worked.

reason, assumed he would skin it, and

like a living meat grinder, tearing into raw flesh with his teeth and gulping it down like it was dessert. Blood dripped from his mouth, staining the ground in wet, sticky splashes, and he

turned a shade

physically swallow

had actually been thinking about helping him smoke the meat. As if

sake, while she had the unfortunate fate of

out a strangled, incredulous laugh. Today was really one for the

wash off the blood. At least he

time he moved, she got an eyeful of Griffin Junior, now

landed on the discarded carcass. She stared at the blood still oozing slowly

across her lips, and for some unholy reason,

What the hell?

the Beast returned right at that moment

wasn’t normal

a word and just lay there, watching her. Then he reached out, his large, calloused, yet surprisingly gentle hand brushing against her arm, and