Defy The Alpha(s)

Chapter 563: Lock Griffin Up

Chapter 563: Lock Griffin Up

"I have to say..." Zara began as she settled on her seat with a regal posture, "it’s a real surprise seeing you here."

"Really?" Griffin said, giving her the look. "But should it be?"

"Excuse me?" Zara gave a light, awkward laugh, feigning confusion.

Griffin didn’t take his eyes off her. "You took Alaric back to the North Pack while every other cardinal alpha fulfills their duty in the West Pack. Did you really think I wouldn’t come back for him?"

Zara blinked, momentarily stunned, but quickly recovered, her pleasant mask slipping back into place. "Griffin Hale, I understand where you’re coming from, truly I do. But I have a very solid reason for my actions. "Compared to the rest of you, Alaric has always been... fragile..."

She paused, as though savoring the word before continuing, "After such a traumatic experience, even though he wouldn’t admit it, I knew my baby boy needed time away from all that chaos. My husband, Caspian, is in the West representing the North well. Alaric doesn’t necessarily need to be there, wouldn’t you agree?"

"Is that why I haven’t been able to reach him on the phone?"

Zara’s lashes lowered, her tone still sugarine sweet. "When the mind is unwell, the body suffers. Alaric doesn’t need distractions."

Griffin raised a brow. "I didn’t realize, Luna Zara, that even I had become a distraction." His lips curved into a humorless smile, his tone soft but cutting, "A distraction who risked it all, walking away from the West Pack to see how his friend was doing."

Zara gasped dramatically, pressing a hand to her chest. "Oh my! Griffin, dear, that wasn’t my intention at all. Please accept my apologies."

"It definitely sounded that way," Griffin retorted.

He was pushing her on purpose, dragging this conversation out to buy Violet time. His instincts screamed that something here was wrong. Very wrong.

the North. Zara had never once been this guarded or possessive over

bond. Times like this, he wished they could communicate telepathically like most mates. But for some reason, it didn’t work between them. Not that

offered him a polite smile. "I truly didn’t mean to

fake warmth

to freeze when he abruptly said, "So, can

mask cracked.

clearly not a distraction," Griffin said firmly, "I’d like to see

moment, panic flashed in Zara’s eyes. She recovered quickly, lacing her fingers together on her lap. "About that..." she began, her

arms, giving her a look that was nothing short

"Alaric suffered deeply from recent events. I’ve enrolled him in a specialized restorative program for the mind and spirit." She gestured vaguely, her tone posh and clinical. "It’s a form of advanced therapeutic meditation combined with sensory recalibration. During this process,

yes, I

didn’t understand a single

one peek at my Alaric and I’m good to go. The others have been very worried about him too. Who knows, maybe we’d all

and demand the truth about what was really going on. But

slightly against her lap. She was smart,

Time was running out and who knew what might be going on in the

"But first, make yourself

speak, Zara’s expression shifted. Her sharp mind caught

didn’t answer quickly enough, she turned

alone, right?"

guard froze, startled by her tone.

a whip, the word filled