Defy The Alpha(s)

Chapter 618: Union With A Fae

"I’m sorry," Asher said bluntly, "but I’m not a fan of anyone getting into my head without my permission, especially with magic I don’t understand."

"You’re right to be wary," Queen Seraphira nodded her head. "Caution has kept many alive. However, I am a healer, and I don’t just see wounds of the body, I sense the ones buried deeper too. And I worry that the darkness you carry might one day harm my daughter."

She admitted, "I once believed I could mend broken men, and it cost me dearly. I won’t let my daughter make the same mistake."

Asher’s jaw clenched, and Violet’s heart skipped a beat. She knew that look in his eyes — the one that said no one, not even the gods, would stop him from getting what he wanted.

Violet expected Asher to start raining threats, but to everyone’s surprise, he bowed his head, not out of submission, but sincerity.

"I love your daughter with everything I am," Asher said, his voice raw. "I would never hurt her. If anything, I’d lay my life down for her. And if you want me to prove it, I’ll do it without hesitation."

There was no mistaking the conviction in his tone. It rippled through the throne room, and everyone present felt the truth of his words deep in their bones.

For a heartbeat, no one moved. All eyes were on Queen Seraphira, every breath held in anticipation. The final decision rested with her.

Then the queen lifted her head proudly. "Then that makes you my son. May the Goddess favor your bond as well, if she wills it."

Violet exhaled a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. Thank the heavens. It would have been a nightmare having to reject her mother just because she couldn’t accept Asher.

Roman made a dramatic sniffle. "Okay, that’s it. I’m crying. Someone hold me."

"I swear, if you

burying his face

sighed, letting him

hadn’t expected the queen to yield that easily. In his mind, she would have given him impossible tests to prove his

sure your transition to the Fae realm has been a difficult one," Queen Seraphira said. "You all need rest. We’ll have plenty of time to get to know each other

Mother." Violet mentally face-palmed the second the word slipped

the queen said, turning away and climbing the dais once more. Her tone carried the finality of

Lilarin said, gesturing for

Violet hesitated, turning back for one last glance. Her mother stood tall under the filtered glow of the hall, regal yet somehow gentle. When Queen Seraphira

smiled back and followed the others

as they were gone, the smile vanished from Seraphira’s gaze and was replaced by exhaustion instead. She slumped on

dispersed, all except one. Rhara, the second in

you think?" Queen

to three Beastmen, with one other bond waiting to happen?" Rhara sighed. "The people are going to throw a fit. It’s not enough

the Fae called any supernatural capable of shape-shifting. Some among the Fae possessed the gift as well, though they never leaned fully into the beast side the way most werewolves did. And those who did were not limited to taking only the form of

rumored that werewolves were descendants of certain Fae who had left the Fae realm to settle in the human world. Whatever differences existed between the "Fae beasts" and "werewolves" were

those

as an attempt by lesser creatures to claim divine lineage. Hence only a few radical ones believed that the first werewolves were born of Fae blood tainted

was not a topic one spoke of openly. To imply that a

it is already what it is. We cannot go