Defy The Alpha(s)

Chapter 588: Interrupted Fever

They took their lovemaking to the bathroom, where Alaric worshipped her body in so many ways Violet could no longer walk. By the time he was done with her, every inch of her ached, a delicious soreness that made her breath hitch with every tiny movement.

She was so sore it hurt.

Alaric, thoroughly pleased with himself, scooped her up in his arms like a princess and carried her back to the room, his grin full of dark satisfaction.

They were not alone in the room. Servants were bustling around, and Violet had no idea if they had been standing outside waiting for them to finish. Still, the evidence was clear: the sheets were changed, the bed neatly arranged—well, until Alaric tossed her onto it.

"Alaric...!" Violet squealed, half laughing, half protesting as she tried to scramble away. But he was already pinning her down, his weight caging her in.

To make matters worse, they were still not alone. Two servants were hurrying to finish the last of their cleaning, moving like their lives depended on it, clearly desperate to leave before another show began.

Violet’s gaze snagged on one of the maids, and something about the girl felt off. There was a strange aura around her that felt off, almost like she was carrying dark shadows around her. Violet blinked, thinking maybe it was exhaustion messing with her senses. But when their gazes met, the girl flinched slightly, startled.

Violet’s instincts screamed at her, a prickling sensation crawling along her skin. She was about to look deeper when Alaric’s mouth captured hers.

"Wait—" Violet tried to protest, her words muffled against his lips.

But Alaric wasn’t having it. He deepened the kiss, and every coherent thought in her brain promptly disintegrated. Heat surged through her as she melted into him, one hand wrapping around his neck, the other tangling in his silky white hair.

past her lips when his tongue teased the roof of her mouth,

apart, breathless, Alaric’s eyes were glowing with

"Wow," Violet whispered, stunned.

of the sweet, slightly nerdy Alaric she’d

remembered the strange maid. She turned quickly, scanning the room but there was

hungry," Alaric said, noticing the

Alaric chuckled, then rose

hit Violet first and

Well, his queen. There was a spread of food fit for royalty: steaming bowls of rich venison stew, warm buttered rolls, slices of sweet honey bread, a platter of roasted root vegetables glistening with herbs, and a

before she

drawled

throwing her head back dramatically. "If you keep

"I don’t care at all," he said firmly. "You can be lazy all you want. You have four mates, and we’ll

guys, huh? I don’t want to be that mate that just takes and

gift."

unyielding. "And all four of you being my mates is a blessing too. So I’ll take care of you all, just like you take care of

"Fine," he surrendered. "But just

"Fine, young master

had no idea how the nicknames "Prince Alaric", "Young Master Alaric", got associated with him, but he suspected it had something to do with the strict way his bloodline operated— they were almost monarch-like