Defy The Alpha(s)

Chapter 422: Alone

"You’re finally awake."

Those were the first words Asher Nightshade heard when his eyes fluttered open. He turned to the side and saw his father seated beside the bed, a deeply amused expression tugging at his face.

"I was beginning to think you’d sleep for eternity," Henry said. "Would’ve solved most of my problems considering you’ve been a real pain in my ass lately. But alas, I still need an heir, and I’m not exactly in the mood to start over with another one who’ll just betray me in the end."

Asher didn’t respond. He shifted his gaze around the room instead. He was in the hospital again. The steady beep of a heart monitor echoed annoyingly in his ears and his body ached like hell. If this was what living felt like, then maybe being dead wouldn’t have been so bad.

No. He couldn’t think like that. He’d promised his purple queen a lifetime.

With a grunt, Asher pushed himself up into a sitting position. His eyes landed on a bouquet on the nightstand, and hope surged in his chest.

"Don’t get excited," Henry said, following his gaze. "It’s not from the girl. Alaric brought those. Since when did you two become so close?"

Asher stayed silent.

Henry narrowed his eyes. "Well, you boys were once united at one point."

Yeah, they had once been united against Patrick after Elijah had handed them over to be experimented upon, so he could figure out what made them "tick".

If Alaric had come, what about Violet? Was she safe? Had they found her?And how long had he even been asleep?

Henry let out another mirthless laugh when Asher still wouldn’t speak to him. "It’s almost funny," he said, "how you’re treating me like this when I’ve been here the whole time, and not even the bitch you nearly died for bothered to visit you."

"Don’t call her a bitch again," Asher warned, his voice cold. "And if Violet didn’t come to visit me, then she’s smarter than I give her credit for. I wouldn’t trust what you’d do to her, not with your track record."

a tense staredown until Henry burst into laughter. It was long, hollow, and dripping with mockery. "Really? Is that what you think? That

the nightstand and turned

panned over a crowd of cheering students, then cut to the two smiling

a bright smile. "Finally, we have some good news to share and what a story it is. Amidst what’s been a particularly dark

fated mate bond has spread like wildfire. And not just any mate bond, we’re talking about Griffin

was a video that had gone viral online and it was of Griffin and Violet sharing a kiss at the haircutting ceremony. Then a perfectly edited clip rolled and this time, from

of the two of them stepping into Lunaris Academy’s campus hand in hand as students screamed their names like fans greeting

called a good omen," Tessa added as the scene faded back to the studio. "Fated mates have always been celebrated in werekind history as signs of divine favor. But what

in. "Exactly. With recent reports of human students being bullied and marginalized within the academy, this changes the narrative. If the Moon Goddess herself paired a human with a Cardinal Alpha, then it sends a strong message. It may even shift inter-species politics

wasn’t

broadcasters continued to gush over the union and speculate on its impact, but to Asher, the world had

locked, and frozen,

just enough to clearly show the mate rune etched into both of their necks. Violet’s face was radiant, her lips

Violet was mated. Not just that, she was fate mated to Griffin? The cold reality settled over him like a fog, numbing every

even feel the tear sliding down his face until

weakness. Pathetic," Henry said coldly, inspecting him like a failed experiment. "This

was back to being that boy from long ago, always

him again, it was harder and painful. And his voice was like

So pull yourself together. If anything, you should be grateful this happened. I was planning to get rid of the bitch anyway,

Asher’s eyes and Henry

should be focused on. No more bitches,