Defy The Alpha(s)

Chapter 452: You Can’t Run Forever

Where the hell was she?

Violet Purple stood in the middle of an unfamiliar hallway, her senses on high alert. Strange looking lights lit up the path toward a bold red door ahead that pulsed slightly as though it was waiting for her.

Her brows furrowed. What the hell is this?

A hand landed gently on her shoulder and she spun around on instinct, already halfway to a defensive strike until she saw the familiar face.

"Asher?" she breathed, stunned to see him. "What are you doing here? What’s going on?"

Before Asher could respond, there was a loud grunt and a dull thud.

Roman and Alaric materialized from thin air, crashing to the floor in a heap.

"Dude, why are you so heavy?" Roman wheezed from underneath Alaric.

"Speak for yourself," Alaric muttered, pushing off him.

But before either could fully stand, a third body fell right on top of them.

It was Griffin.

"I think I just broke a spleen," Roman grunted again, his face mashed against the floor.

"What is going on right now?" Violet muttered, flabbergasted as she stared at the literal pile of alphas.

Griffin rolled off the others, dusting off his pants like he hadn’t just crash-landed on two people. "Where are we?"

"You’re welcome," Roman muttered, staggering to his feet with a scowl aimed at Griffin.

Alaric stood up with a tight expression. "Okay, what the hell is going on? Asher?" He already suspected this was his handwork.

"Don’t look at me." Asher growled at him."I can only link with one mind at a time and I didn’t initiate this. All of us being here at once is not something I can pull off. If anything this feels like a —".

"A dream," Violet finished for him. "Think about it, the last thing I remember is falling asleep."

"Same," Alaric said.

"Well, technically, you fell asleep with us," Roman grinned, wiggling his brows like that was the best part of the night.

"Wait," Griffin said to Violet. "So we’re in your dream?"

even possible?" Alaric asked. "Griffin didn’t even

said. "I didn’t leave my room. I figured you guys needed space. I thought maybe if you all spent more time together, more mate bonds would be

in agreement. "Griffin’s her mate. It makes sense that she dragged him along notwithstanding the distance. We

all stuck inside Violet’s dream. What juicy secrets are you hiding in that subconscious of

with that, he dashed off toward the

but it was too

At once, a searing light exploded from within, forcing all of them to shield their faces as

faded, they found themselves in a vast, sterile white chamber. But that wasn’t

in the name..."

far end of the room was Lila, or

the bark like it had grown around her. Her once-vibrant skin was now ghostly pale with strange green veins pulsing unnaturally in

shut and ringed with massive dark circles. Her lips were cracked, dry, and colorless while her fae grace was gone. Lila looked

of Lila, half-consumed by a

out, stepping forward only for Asher to grab her

don’t know what we’re dealing with here," he shook his

of his grip and walked towards Lila while the boys exchanged concerned looks. They did not trust what

step felt so heavy that by the time Violet reached there,

called out but there was nothing

Violet choked out, lifting trembling hands to feel

tears beginning to blur her face. "That can’t be." Lila can’t be dead. She had gone to

who did this? You have to tell me so

had heard her, Lila’s eyes suddenly snapped

crept

at first only to gain focus.

happily, except Lila did

can’t be here!" her face further paled as she realized what was going on. "You’re

it is?" Violet asked out

alphas with you too. An admirable feat for a first timer if it wasn’t a foolish one. You know nothing about dreamwalking, Violet. You’re making yourself vulnerable to attacks. Baron can get hold of

he the one that did this to you? I’m going

fell into his trap. And it’s that same foolishness to

out of here? What is this?" Violet reached for the tree, trying to pull her free all to

carnivorous tree and you cannot

my mother? I’m sure she’s powerful enough to get you out of here if she knows your situation. How do I reach out

dire than I thought. I don’t know how Baron did it but he’s siphoning powers from Queen Seraphira. That is why

can I

absence and would come for me. That

they focused again, something had changed. Her demeanor was sharper now