Defy The Alpha(s)

Chapter 616: Her Rightful Place

The palace was as eerie as it was breathtaking. The foyer wasn’t guarded by soldiers but by colossal statues of stags. It was carved entirely from white stone and—call it strange—but the creature looked alive when she stared into its eyes.

Violet swallowed nervously. This place practically hummed with power. Yet she was struck by the grandeur of divine beauty that seemed to echo through every wall.

The hall stretched endlessly, its high vaulted ceiling inlaid with starlit glass that mimicked the real night sky. The floor was made of smooth moonstone tiles that reflected the stars above, giving the illusion that one walked on air. Floating lights drifted lazily through the air like fireflies.

A fountain stood at the center, its water glowing with magic, rising and falling in gravity-defying shapes—wings, crowns, and celestial patterns. The air smelled faintly of sweet jasmine, while hauntingly beautiful melodies echoed through the corridor, though no singer could be seen.

"Wow," Roman breathed, his eyes gleaming like a child taken to a one-of-a-kind amusement park. Violet could only wonder about the chaos he could cause in a place like this.

She silently prayed her mother had a sense of humor. If not, they were doomed.

"Come this way," Lila said, leading them toward a throne room at the far end, framed by an arched entryway.

The throne hall was vast, illuminated by natural light streaming through a dome of glass and leaves. The throne itself was imposing, but Violet’s attention was on the woman standing on the dais, her back turned to them.

They kept walking until Lila suddenly halted and turned.

"This is where you stop," she said to the cardinal alphas.

None of them protested. They knew this moment was private, belonging to Violet alone.

Violet felt their gazes on her back as she followed Lila forward. Her heartbeat quickened with every step until the dais loomed ahead, draped in soft light from the open dome above.

Lila dropped to her knees and bowed

through the vast chamber, "the princess

Violet froze.

do. Was she supposed to bow? Or

on the dais turned, and the breath

sight of her mother

was

a cascade of Violet, silky and long. It was braided in

and held light. Even her lashes shimmered faintly, tipped

ethereal that anyone looking at them could have mistaken them for sisters

graceful, and deliberate as though the very air parted for her. She took her time,

looked at each other, mother and daughter, strangers

I mean, greetings... your majesty? Or should I say mother—Queen—uh..." Violet stammered

lips curved, and

sound Violet had ever heard, like bells ringing in a

her chest doubled,

Queen reached out and took Violet’s hand. She lifted it and pressed their palms together, fitting them

energy burst through her veins. It was nothing like the thrill of Alaric’s lightning. It flooded her, wrapped around her, and filled her until

her magic instinctively rising to meet it. For a fleeting moment, mother and daughter’s auras intertwined, Violet

The Queen’s eyes softened.

of my blood," she

whispered back, barely able to speak

father would whisper those words to you when you were in my womb," Queen Seraphira said, her gaze growing