Defy The Alpha(s)
Chapter 453: The Fight

Chapter 453: The Fight

Violet jolted upright with a loud gasp, like a drowning victim breaking the surface for air. Her chest was heaving, while her eyes were still wide and unfocused with panic.

Beside her, Asher, Alaric and Roman—who had apparently slipped out of her nightgown and shifted back into his human form sometime during the night — also woke.

There were shouts of her name, but Violet was too busy feeling her neck, which throbbed with a sore, burning ache. The boys’ eyes were now fixed on her too, their gazes dark with dread.

She didn’t wait. Violet jumped off the bed, rounded the corner, and stormed straight into Asher’s bathroom. Violet froze the second she saw her reflection on the mirror and the breath left her lungs.

Holy shit.

Large, angry bruises bloomed across her neck, raw proof of the pain she felt.

It might have been a dream, but the consequences were brutally real.

Had Asher not severed the connection in time, she would’ve died. For real.

Violet would have spent more time in the bathroom if not for the sudden shouting that came from the room. She rushed out just in time to see Asher land a solid punch to Roman’s jaw.

Oh God. No.

Griffin must’ve arrived while she was inside because the only reason Asher hadn’t launched a second blow was because he and Alaric were holding him back. Not that it helped calm him in the slightest.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Asher roared, eyes blazing. "Your impulsiveness nearly got her killed! This was already dangerous, but what if something worse was waiting behind that door? You could’ve walked us all to our deaths! Why can’t you think with your damn head for once?!"

"Alright, that’s enough!" Violet cut in sharply, stepping between them just as she saw the flash of hurt across Roman’s face. Asher’s words had bite far too much and she wasn’t about to let him draw blood with them.

Roman whimpered as if in pain, then turned without a word and stormed out of the room completely naked.

"Roman!" Violet called after him, but he didn’t stop.

"That was harsh," she said, turning back to Asher.

But Asher let out a defiant growl. He didn’t share the same opinion.

Violet sighed. "I’m going after him."

Asher still didn’t look her way. His jaw tightened, his expression unreadable like he couldn’t care less if Roman jumped off a cliff right now.

"Roman?" Violet called as she stepped into his room, but there was no answer, nor sign of him either.

She checked the lounge, the dining room, and even the hidden corridors of the lodge, yet there was nothing. That’s when it hit her that Roman had a habit of disappearing into the woods whenever he was upset.

Of course.

And just like that, Violet found herself trudging into the pine forest.

The morning mist was thick in the air, swirling around her ankles and drifting like smoke between the trees. The ground was soft beneath her feet, still damp from yesterday’s rain. Hence, it was no wonder the cold and crisp air stung her skin.

"Roman?! Where are you?!" Violet shouted, cupping her hands around her mouth.

Silence.

"Roman! Please talk to me!"

Suddenly, something whipped past her, rustling the trees. Violet turned sharply, her

heart racing.

Roman. He was here. She could feel it.

Well, she hoped that was him or she was toast.

"Roman?" she tried again.

There was still silence.

Fine. If he wouldn’t come to her, then she’d make damn sure he had no choice but to face her.

So Violet let herself slip just slightly and landed on the forest floor with a convincing "Ow!"

Right on cue, Roman burst through his hiding place.

"Are you okay?" he asked with a voice full of concern, and eyes that scanned her body as if he expected to find bones sticking out in odd places.

Violet tried to keep a straight face but she just couldn’t hold it in. She burst into a loud, wicked and guilty laughter.

Roman stiffened as it hit him what just happened. Just like that, his expression shifted from panicked to downright betrayed.

"You—" He was speechless. Then Roman growled, turning on his heel. "I’m done."

"Wait! Roman!" Violet scrambled to her feet to follow him except this time, it wasn’t a trick. Her leg seized up with a vicious sting and she fell with a loud cry. "Shit—Roman! Help!"

But Roman didn’t bother and kept walking, not even glancing back.

"Roman!" Violet hissed in disbelief. "Oh my God, this is actually happening—" she groaned, holding her calf. "Why do I do this to myself?"

For a moment, it seemed Roman planned to leave her there out of pure pettiness. But then, he suddenly paused, then turned with a guttural groan that was half frustration, half surrender. Roman’s face was screwed up like it physically hurt to care.

Violet grinned like a fool. She knew it. He could never really leave her.

In a moment, Roman was crouched beside her, grumbling, "What is it?"

"Cramp."

"Where?"

"My calf. I think."

With a heavy sigh, Roman reached for her leg, muttering under his breath about helping her else he’s blamed for this. Violet frowned at those words but said nothing. His fingers found the knot of pain and began to knead slowly and firmly. Violet tensed at first, but then melted into his touch.

Unable to help the warm flutter in her belly, Violet stared at him. Roman looked quite sexy with that focused look on his face.

"Don’t look at me like that," Roman warned, not meeting her eyes.

"I’m just making sure you’re doing the right thing." Violet said, her gaze still trained on him.

Roman shook his head knowing she wasn’t going to stop. Violet Purple was hellbent on bothering the life out of him.

"Alright," he muttered gruffly. "It’s done. You should be able to move now."

He began to rise, clearly ready to vanish back into the woods and brood like the emotionally constipated wolf he was.

But Violet wasn’t done.The second she felt Roman start to pull away, she threw her arms around his neck with a dramatic gasp.

"Oww—it still hurts," she cried, clutching him tighter. "I don’t think I can walk. You have to take me back to the lodge."

Roman froze.

Of course, he could see through her act. Violet was trying to get him back to the lodge and a grim line carved into his jaw at the thought of seeing Asher’s obnoxious face.

But then, he couldn’t keep hiding out here in the woods like a kicked puppy, licking wounds that weren’t going to heal in silence. And maybe this was her way of offering him a way back without forcing him to admit anything.

Roman let out a long, soul-deep sigh that said, I hate this but I’ll do it anyway and slipped his arms under Violet, carrying her as if she weighed nothing.

Violet blinked, caught off guard by how quickly Roman gave in, but said nothing as he hoisted her against his chest. Aww, this was so sweet.

And just like that, Roman strode back toward the very place he’d stormed out of just minutes ago.