Defy The Alpha(s)

Chapter 471: Alone With A Monster

The last thing Violet ever imagined was sprinting buck-naked through the woods, dodging branches and praying she didn’t die with no clothes on.

They hadn’t given her a second to breathe, let alone dress. One minute, she and Griffin were lying together, warm and safe, and the next, they were running for their lives.

She didn’t know whether to be terrified or oddly grateful that no gunmen had caught up to her yet. Maybe they were far away, or maybe she was just their prey, meant to tire herself out before the real hunt began.

Violet had no idea where she was, nor how to find the others. And if those bastards found her first, unless her unpredictable power decided to show up, she was fucking screwed!

Still, more than fear for herself, it was Griffin she couldn’t stop thinking about. The only thing keeping her from losing her mind was the bond pulsing in her chest. He was still alive.

But for how long?

Violet heard the distant roar of rushing water and she veered toward it on trembling legs and lungs that were on fire. She broke through the treeline and found a quiet pool tucked between the rocks with no one in sight. The moment she saw the water, her body gave up the fight.

She dropped to her knees and cupped handfuls into her mouth, drinking greedily. Her throat burned and her chest heaved but the cold water soothed her.

But even through the haze of thirst, something prickled at the edges of her senses.

Danger.

Every instinct she had screamed run.

She shot upright, ready to bolt, then cried out as something sharp struck her foot. Violet gasped, staggering backward, reaching down only to find a dart lodged in her skin.

A tranquilizer.

"Oh, no..."

cold numbness spread up her leg. She dragged her foot, fighting it, but didn’t

She ripped the dart out, but the weakness was spreading fast. Her limbs had already turned to lead and her knees

hit the earth, skin scraping rock and dirt. She couldn’t

to see

Henry Nightshade.

Violet’s blood ran cold.

God, no.

into the clearing like a nightmare made flesh. His boots crunched the leaves with unhurried leisure as his eyes dragged over

amusement. "Finally, just

responded. Her fingers barely twitched and her jaw clenched. But even the rage that burned in her blood was no match for the toxin flooding her

she bit out, each word gritted between

tranquilizer rifle slung in his hand, examining it like a trophy. "Gift from an old ally. Patrick. You remember him, don’t

he want with her? Was it because she got involved

crouched beside her, close enough for her to smell the metallic

voice dropped, low and chilling. "You’re not going to black out, by the way. No, no." He tapped the gun lightly. "This one’s special. You’ll stay wide awake and be painfully aware for every single thing that happens

Her skin crawled.

Violet wanted to scream, to claw his eyes out, to disappear into the forest. But all

he murmured, his smile turning sleazy. Then

he whispered,

from the cold. That sick glint that told her exactly what kind of monster crouched before