Defy The Alpha(s)

Chapter 644: Finally Meet, Daughter

"You mean the same daughter you left powerless in the human realm?" Asher said, his unflinching gaze locked on hers.

The queen’s composure faltered. The polite warmth in her eyes vanished, replaced by a chill that made the entire hall feel smaller.

Violet did not know it, but her aura shifted too as her dark magic stirred, ready to defend Asher if the need arose. Seraphira might be her mother, but she was still a queen, and Asher was overstepping. This was supposed to be her conversation.

Just as expected, there was darkness in the Queen’s gaze. Like Violet, her aura pulsed, a dangerous glint flashing in her amethyst eyes.

Seraphira’s voice trembled with leashed anger. "You think I was happy to leave my daughter in the human realm?" There was no softness in her voice now, only fury and pain tightly coiled together.

But Asher wasn’t intimidated, even as the air they breathed thickened with power, sharp as pins and needles.

"I don’t fault the circumstances," Asher replied evenly. "But from what I’ve gathered, Lila found Violet months ago, if not earlier." He hinted that Lila might not have told the full truth.

"That was enough time to train her, to prepare her for what lay ahead, especially knowing the kind of husband you had. Maybe then Baron wouldn’t have nearly killed her during her dreamwalk."

Asher’s words struck like lightning.

For a heartbeat, Seraphira’s mouth parted in disbelief, guilt flashing in her blazing eyes. Just like that, the pressure of her magic in the air eased.

Even Violet, who sat ramrod straight, gripping her spoon so tightly her knuckles had gone white, exhaled shakily. The suffocating tension began to dissolve, replaced by guilt and shame.

The queen’s eyes softened, the fire in them dimming into sorrow. For the first time, Violet saw not the immortal ruler of the Fae, but a mother who had made impossible choices and was now forced to face them.

he wouldn’t let emotions dull his instinct to

Seraphira admitted, staring at them

was scared of leaving Violet with powers that Angus might exploit, and at the same time, I was terrified of unlocking powers that would draw Angus to her like a moth

gained focus now, pinned on Asher. "But do you dare judge me when you have not walked

I have cursed the bonds that kept me chained to both wretched men while my daughter grew up without me. Do you know what it means,

with such intensity it was unsettling, almost as if she could

pursue perfection. You seek control. Yet you forget, Asher Nightshade, life is anything

his seat. He hated being under scrutiny, and right now the Queen held him under her gaze like a specimen

softly, "have you not committed mistakes? Not even

need to answer, because Violet

Lucille.

like a puppet master, he had played games with the girl, and the

hadn’t forgotten that. Neither

he remembered from the way he flinched, as though struck by

Queen Seraphira picked up the goblet before her, paused, and said, "However, protect her as fiercely as you challenge me, wolf. The day may come when she will need someone unafraid to stand against even a queen." Then she sipped her pale green

intentionally stirring the conversation from that

Seraphira was just about to respond when her nose flared.

turned at the same time Asher did, and the growl that rumbled from his chest perfectly mirrored the

were some eyes one could

could lure anyone in without even trying. But Violet knew better. Those eyes hid

the kind that made it seem like the world