Defy The Alpha(s)

Chapter 507: Janice Is Dead

"I was too angry to see what I was doing. In my childish mind, my mother deserved to be punished not just for betraying my father, but for betraying me.

"So this was why she sent me away? Not because of my animals, but because she wanted to have her fun. She chose that man over me.

"Even when the room swarmed with animals—birds clawing at their faces and hair, rodents biting at their feet until they bled—I didn’t stop. I could hear my mother’s hoarse, panicked voice begging me to call them off, but I was already gone, swallowed whole by the rush of my own power.

"It’s easy to give in to the thrill when you’re emotional. In that moment, you feel untouchable, like a god, while everyone else is just an ant you could crush between your fingers. And at that moment, I wanted to crush them all."

Roman’s gaze shifted to Violet, testing her. He was searching for the flinch, the judgment, the fear anyone else would have shown. But she met his stare head-on, unshaken.

If he thought that was enough to scare her, he was in for a loss.

Violet’s steady gaze didn’t falter, and when she offered no condemnation, he finally looked away. Then Roman went on.

"Thankfully, my father arrived in time and snapped me out of it with his Alpha command. The animals scattered, and when the chaos settled, I realized the gravity of what I’d done. My mother’s lover was dead.

"I’ll never forget the sight of those empty eye sockets clawed away by birds, and the strips of flesh torn from bone. It was a grotesque sight, one I couldn’t move away from.

easier on her than on him. But that didn’t change the fact that I hadn’t meant for it to go that

to. I told myself I’d be a normal kid again...

for the rest of my life. So maybe you’ll think I’m weak for not developing it. But I’d appreciate it if you didn’t push

to keep an eye on Griffin through the bird,

sorry. It’s just, most people who find out I can control animals think it’s

powers as long as you’re not hurting anyone. Besides, you did the bird thing on your own, so I believe you’ll get

lips curved into a sly smile. "They’re only saying that because they haven’t seen you turn into a dragon yet." She tilted her head, studying him. "You have turned into a

in movies and books. I have to get every detail right. The only one I’ve managed is a yeti.

laughed too, because if there was one constant in the world, it was

it would drain a lot of power..." Then his gaze softened, locking on her. "But for you, I’ll pull

warmed at the sincerity in his voice. "Aww, that’s so sweet," she

the glassy black of a bird’s. The transformation was so abrupt that Violet instinctively tensed, her fingers twitching as though

Roman said, his voice quite low as if he was speaking from

lingered on him, noting how his pupils seemed to dart as though following something she couldn’t see. Roman had told her before that when he linked with an animal like this, it was like borrowing their

there entirely. Hence, he was extremely vulnerable to attack. Her job right now was simple: protect him, or

her," Roman murmured, his tone almost conversational but his eyes fixed on an unseen world. "There’s a shack behind the house.