Defy The Alpha(s)

Chapter 521: Deflecting The Alpha King

Violet should have felt like a small celebrity being escorted by this many people, but nerves prickled instead. She was about to meet Alpha King Elijah—her jealous uncle, the kind of man who wouldn’t think twice about snapping her head off if he discovered she was yet another abomination his brother had created.

But it wasn’t so bad, not when she had Griffin and Roman by her side, and Alpha Irene leading the way. Warmth bloomed in Violet’s chest at the thought of so many people being concerned about her. She had gone from that orphaned girl with a nonchalant foster mother to a girl blessed with two bonds and a new family.

Every corner they turned, they ran into one or two people whose eyes widened at the sight of her, or more precisely, at the mating rune etched into her body.

Knowing what they were bound to face, Violet had dressed for the occasion. She wore a simple black crop top that allowed her to flaunt Roman’s mating rune on the side of her belly while Griffin’s rune spilled boldly down her neck, impossible to miss.

Because of Alpha Henry’s unexpected death, many people—werewolves and humans alike—were flooding the Alpha King’s residence to offer condolences, if not for grief then for appearance’s sake. That only made her stand out more. Those unaware of the situation simply stared at her with curiosity and intrigue, wondering who she was.

It was not long before they arrived at a door and the guard stationed at the entrance let them in. The first thing Violet noticed was that the sitting room was too big, too bright, and too full of eyes. Elijah had guests and now their eyes were on them, following their every movement.

There was no throne-like chair in the hall. It looked just like every other rich man’s living room with its high ceilings, polished wood gleaming beneath golden chandeliers, and walls crowded with expensive art and artifacts that probably cost more than most families earned in a lifetime.

Griffin had told her this was Elijah’s private residence. The king’s palace was back in the wolf region. Thanks to that, it made Elijah a little hard to locate.

Violet followed close behind Irene, who

hadn’t faltered once, walking with a straight posture and her head lifted high. There was no hesitation in the way she cut through the room toward three men in quiet conversation.

Irene stopped before them, bowed her head slightly, and said to the one in the middle, "Your Majesty."

The men fell silent.

Irene stepped aside, and Violet’s gaze collided with Elijah’s. For a heartbeat, she forgot how to move, or rather, how to breathe.

was that she was staring into the eyes of

since nearly every werewolf carried that same hot, impossible kind of beauty. He could have easily passed for someone

she’d been gaping until his voice cut through

Purple," Elijah said, smooth and

remembered her manners at that moment and

felt Roman

to catch Elijah staring at her intently. The intensity

wouldn’t be standing here. She’d already be cooling her heels in a

Elijah

spiked, and she remembered too late that werewolves could pick up on more than words. They could smell lies, fear, and even the rise of someone’s pheromones. And right now, hers were probably over the roof. She couldn’t give anything

how rare it is for a human to

him, yet her thoughts wandered miles away. She thought about Griffin’s abs, those ridges etched deep like

on him, she thought of Roman, sliding between her legs with that wicked tongue of his, making her lose herself completely. The thought

and was punctuated by a low growl from Griffin, vibrating from his chest, while Roman’s lips pulled back in a grin that was all teeth

caught the scent

me—?!" He cursed out. "While I speak,

with embarrassment, even as the ghost of Griffin’s

tension in the room could have snapped a bone

slightly in deference. "They are young children, and with a

tone carried no judgment. Great way to announce to

"if they are allowed to settle down and burn off some steam, they might be in a better state

defending them, but was shielding

said nothing. His jaw ticked, his eyes still pinned on Violet like he could rip the truth out of her. From the sharp lines on his face, it was clear he wanted to grill them until he got what he wanted. But Irene had put him in the spotlight and