Defy The Alpha(s)

Chapter 398: Weakness For Wolves

Cynthia had no idea how she went from hunter to hunted. She sprinted through the woods blindly, running with every ounce of strength she had. Asher couldn’t get his hands on the kind of information she carried. She wouldn’t be the one to bring her darling Patrick’s downfall. So yes, she would die if that was the cost to protect his secret.

She was still holding on to that thought when something slammed into her, hard. Cynthia hit the ground with a gasp, the breath punched from her lungs. She scrambled to look behind her, and it was exactly as she’d dreaded.

Asher Nightshade had found her.

Without hesitation, Cynthia reached for the gun strapped to her thigh, not to shoot him, but to end her own life.

But Asher was faster.

He moved with the brutal accuracy of a werewolf, kicking the weapon out of her grasp in a blink. In the same motion, he hauled her to her feet like she weighed nothing.

"Aren’t you so eager to die now," Asher sneered, his face inches from hers, a gleam of contempt in his eyes.

He added coldly, "Usually, people who behave the way you do are the ones with deadly secrets to protect. What are you hiding, doctor?"

"No! Let me go!" Cynthia thrashed in his grip, struggling wildly. She couldn’t let him get into her head.

But Asher didn’t care. His hand clamped around her skull, firmer than necessary, and without warning invaded her mind.

What Asher met stunned him.

A wall of resistance slammed into him so dense and unrelenting that his knees nearly buckled. For a human, her will was formidable. But then, Asher’s own resolve was iron clad and he pushed harder.

When Asher broke into minds, he usually took care not to press too far knowing how fragile the brain could be. But with Cynthia, he had no mercy to spare. With a grunt of effort, he forced his way in, the sensation akin to a hot knife slicing through thick butter.

In reality, Cynthia screamed, collapsing to her knees as Asher ruthlessly plunged into her mind. Her eyes glazed over, lips trembling while her fingers clawed at nothing. But Asher didn’t look much better either with blood dripping freely from his nose.

And that was the sight Adele, and Lila, stumbled upon when they caught up to them.

Adele cursed, skidding to a halt. "He shouldn’t be using his powers this intensely after barely surviving a brain aneurysm. He’s going to get

bending beside him.

was

could knock him out!" Lila offered, cracking his knuckles with

"Blunt attacks might do more harm than good right now.

brain melts out." Lila deadpanned, pointing at

my God," Adele murmured,

anymore and shouted at him. "Asher Nightshade! Let go

He did not.

"Is discovering her secret more important than Violet? What would Violet do if you die out here? Do you want her to bear the guilt of thinking you

That did it.

recoiled with a sudden

to her body. Her limbs twitched, her breaths shallow and uneven. She was

who made Ignis," was all Asher managed to say before he dropped to the ground with a

hands already glowing as she tried to heal

the confusion and bolted.The branches whipped against her face but she didn’t care. All

had other

in the dark, her foot slammed down onto something taut that

didn’t even see

the treetops with terrifying force. It hurtled toward her like a missile, and before she

such force that the bark behind her split. A sickening crunch followed as her ribcage shattered, the impact crushing her heart.

before her body slumped on the bloodied timber, her head lolling

that, she was

choked out, watching helplessly as the healing glow in her palms faded

line. She could help lend Adele the fuel she needed, but that meant burning through her reserves. And if she

She exhaled shakily.