Defy The Alpha(s)

Chapter 612: The King’s Arrival

"Huh?" Violet blinked, caught completely off guard by the question. She hadn’t seen it coming.

Alaric’s gaze stayed fixed ahead. "You must feel relieved," he murmured, "that you didn’t have to go through all these betrayals."

"Well, technically..." Violet said, her tone thoughtful. "I wasn’t exactly an orphan. I had Nancy, and she was a pain in the ass. At least, back then."

Alaric pressed, "But you still lived like one. That must’ve been easier than mine."

"No, it wasn’t," Violet said flatly.

That made him turn to her, curious despite himself.

"There wasn’t a single day I didn’t wonder who brought me into this world and why they left me alone," she continued, her voice tightening. "I used to stare at myself in the mirror, look at my hair, and think, maybe it’s because I’m a freak."

Her fingers reached for a strand of that same purple hair now, running through it absently. "I cut it more than once. Thought if I chopped off the color, maybe I could start over. But it kept growing back, same damn purple, as if mocking me."

She let out a bitter laugh. "Those thoughts ate me alive, you know? I’d imagine what life would’ve been like if I’d had a real family. I had no identity, no roots, just me and Nancy, and she wasn’t exactly the model guardian. But she kept me alive, and protected me from the predators in District One. That was something."

Her tone softened, almost wistful. "Still, it couldn’t replace what it felt like to belong, you know, to have a name that meant something, a home that didn’t feel borrowed."

anyway since you’re comparing. If that’s the case, then your life was easier compared to

everything anyone could wish for. You never had to starve for days, or finally find food only to wonder how you’d survive the rest of the week. Your family was complete.

shot back, "My mother is a manipulative bitch, you saw it. She was willing to endanger my life just

"And it was one time, after you finally decided to stand up for yourself. But I’ve seen things, Alaric. Been through situations your princely life wouldn’t have survived.

it’s nothing. But right now, I’m speaking for Ace. What he did was

firmly, "you need people on your side right now, most of all, family. Because whether you see it or not, a war is coming. Finn was already bitter long before that letter. Whether

Alaric’s brow deepened. It was clear the gears were turning

something impossible. An apology wouldn’t have been enough for him. He would’ve demanded more... " Her voice dropped lower, thoughtful. "Maybe he even wanted your father to cast your mother aside to make his own mother Luna again, just to soothe

scowled at her, but Violet only shrugged. "Just

treated him like an Alpha. Just like your father, you were too wrapped up in your own world of science

through him because his mate was right—he had played

it hadn’t been Finn," Violet concluded, "Patrick would’ve found someone else. The North pack was his target, he would

deeply. "So you’re telling me to

let guilt crush Ace. Don’t push him so far he breaks. He was a kid who made a stupid mistake.

his fingers through his hair and sighed longer this time, as if the

murmured, "for thinking living as an orphan was

Violet said dryly, "you

frowned