Defy The Alpha(s)

Chapter 421: The Loving Mate

Violet took the same route back to the shack, only to stop short when she saw a silhouette waiting there.

Her heart skipped a beat and she panicked internally.

Whoever it was could probably scent Roman on her. And then what? Questions would probably arise why she’d left her mate, alone, to seek out another male deep in the woods. Suspicions would snowball and rumors would spread. Whatever chaos comes afterwards, Violet wasn’t even sure she could contain it.

She had always told herself she didn’t care what the public thought but that was easier said than done.

Sure, she might be able to rope her men back in with the help of the prophecy, but not their parents. Someone like Zara already hated her ass. And Henry? Who knows what he’d do to drive Asher away from her?

How was she supposed to balance all this? How could she fight for her men without destroying lives in the process?

If the goddess truly destined the cardinal alphas for her, then when would the mate bond strike them too?How long could she wait because time was seriously slipping.

At that moment, the only option Violet could think of was to sneak away. But before she could move, she felt a gentle tug through the bond and her shoulders relaxed even before Griffin stepped out fully.

They stared at each other for over a minute in silence, a tentative tension between them. Then, without a word, Griffin opened his arms, and Violet ran into them without protest.

He hugged her so tightly it nearly knocked the air out of her. Pressing a kiss to her forehead, he said, "I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have stopped you. Not when I know about the prophecy. But Violet..." He sighed. "I’m just worried. There are—"

"Shhh." Violet pulled back to look at him. "I get it. I have to be careful. There are bigger forces at play. But Griffin, my feelings haven’t changed, and if the others are really mine, I’m not giving up on them. I just won’t sneak around anymore. I know how badly this could backfire on me. On us."

She looked up at the darkening sky with a sigh. "I just wish the Moon Goddess would give me some kind of hint, or a manual on how to go about this. This is too much."

"I know it is," Griffin said, rubbing his arms. "And I won’t lie, it stings watching you run off before we’ve even had a chance to settle down. Our home means something....." He scratched his scalp, clearly nervous. "It’s a mate thing and it’s important to the male when the female feels safe enough to make it hers too."

Violet stilled. "Oh." It hit her. "Shit."

Griffin gave a crooked shrug. "It’s stupid, I know. You basically lived in my East House room already. But I would’ve made this one special, maybe painted it purple. You’d like that, right?"

Violet sighed. "Griffin—" noveldrama

But he kept rambling. "I could build you a wardrobe if you don’t want to share mine. And if you need a bigger sleeping space—"

"Griffin—"

"You can have my shampoo now that my hair’s gone—"

"Griffin!" Violet shouted, and finally, he shut up.

After a moment of silence, Violet apologized sincerely.

"I’m sorry. I didn’t know about this."

Griffin shrugged, trying to play it off. "It’s not a big deal. It’s just living together."

But Violet wasn’t fooled. She knew Griffin too well. He might downplay things, but these small gestures mattered to him. That was the difference between Griffin and the others. He was grounded, thoughtful and the kind of man who found meaning in small rituals.

Violet rose on her toes and kissed him softly on the lips. "I won’t promise to be perfect," she whispered, "but I’ll try not to neglect your needs while trying to claim my other boyfriends."

Griffin smiled. That slow, warm smile that always melted something inside her. He leaned down, kissing her again, gentle and lingering. Then he pulled back, his nose twitching slightly.

"You reek of Roman," he teased with a smirk. "Did the two of you make up?"

At that, Violet stepped back with an exasperated groan. "We didn’t even have time to talk."

"Mmmhmm," Griffin hummed, the suggestive tilt of his brow saying everything. It was the kind of sound that dripped with innuendo, as if "of course" something had gone down.

"Stop it." Violet rolled her eyes, half amused, half mortified. Then she confessed. "He called me a whore for even suggesting we date despite the bond with you."

Griffin’s face darkened instantly. "That bastard," he growled, fury flashing in his eyes.

"Don’t worry," Violet said, keeping her tone calm despite the ache in her chest. "It’s just Roman Draven’s classic style." She added air quotes with a wry smile. "He’s trying to push me away."

Griffin exhaled and shook his head. "Roman can act like a kid sometimes, but I know exactly who can handle him." His gaze burned into hers, full of proud certainty.

"God, stop that, you’re making me blush." Violet laughed, pushing him playfully.

Griffin chuckled, clearly enjoying himself. Then he turned and walked toward the front of the shack where he’d been standing earlier. He returned with a small bag in hand.

"I figured this might happen," he said, pulling it open. "Brought a change of clothes and snacks." He held up a pack of granola. "You haven’t eaten since you got back."

For a second, Violet couldn’t speak, her throat tight with emotion. What had she done in her past life to deserve someone like Griffin? Someone who was loving and attentive to her needs.

Without a word, she closed the distance between them and kissed him. This time, it wasn’t soft, but a deep, and heady one. She poured everything into it, her gratitude, and hunger for him. It didn’t help that Roman had lit the match and left it burning. Now, she needed release.

Legs wrapped around him, Violet pulled back just enough to pant against his lips. "Shack. Now."

"Yes. Shack," Griffin agreed immediately, one arm locking around her waist while the other grabbed the bag. With urgency in every step, he carried her straight to the door.

This was going to be a nice evening.