h4Chapter 521: Deflecting The Alpha King/h4

    Violet should have felt like a small celebrity being escorted by this many people, but nerves prickled instead. She was about to meet Alpha King Elijah—her jealous uncle, the kind of man who wouldn’t think twice about snapping her head off if he discovered she was yet another abomination his brother had created.

    But it wasn’t so bad, not when she had Griffin and Roman by her side, and Alpha Irene leading the way. Warmth bloomed in Violet’s chest at the thought of so many people being concerned about her. She had gone from that orphaned girl with a nonchnt foster mother to a girl blessed with two bonds and a new family.

    Every corner they turned, they ran into one or two people whose eyes widened at the sight of her, or more precisely, at the mating rune etched into her body.

    Knowing what they were bound to face, Violet had dressed for the asion. She wore a simple ck crop top that allowed her to unt Roman’s mating rune on the side of her belly while Griffin’s rune spilled boldly down her neck, impossible to miss.

    Because of Alpha Henry’s unexpected death, many people—werewolves and humans alike—were flooding the Alpha King’s residence to offer condolences, if not for grief then for appearance’s sake. That only made her stand out more. Those unaware of the situation simply stared at her with curiosity and intrigue, wondering who she was.

    It was not long before they arrived at a door and the guard stationed at the entrance let them in. The first thing Violet noticed was that the sitting room was too big, too bright, and too full of eyes. Elijah had guests and now their eyes were on them, following their every movement.

    There was no throne-like chair in the hall. It looked just like every other rich man’s living room with its high ceilings, polished wood gleaming beneath golden chandeliers, and walls crowded with expensive art and artifacts that probably cost more than most families earned in a lifetime.

    Griffin had told her this was Elijah’s private residence. The king’s pce was back in the wolf region. Thanks to that, it made Elijah a little hard to locate.

    Violet followed close behind Irene, who

    hadn’t faltered once, walking with a straight posture and her head lifted high. There was no hesitation in the way she cut through the room toward three men in quiet conversation.

    Irene stopped before them, bowed her head slightly, and said to the one in the middle, "Your Majesty."

    The men fell silent.

    Irene stepped aside, and Violet’s gaze collided with Elijah’s. For a heartbeat, she forgot how to move, or rather, how to breathe.

    It wasn’t just that Violet was looking at a king. It was that she was staring into the eyes of her uncle, the man whose blood was tied to hers. To her father.

    The pictures hadn’t done Elijah justice. Her uncle was a handsome man, which wasn’t all that surprising since nearly every werewolf carried that same hot, impossible kind of beauty. He could have easily passed for someone in histe forties, though she knew he was much older than that. All thanks to those werewolf genes.

    Violet hadn’t even realized she’d been gaping until his voice cut through her thoughts.

    "Violet Purple," Elijah said, smooth andmanding, "finally, we meet."

    Violet remembered her manners at that moment and bowed her head slightly. "Your Majesty."

    Beside her, she felt Roman and Griffin bow in courtesy.

    Then she lifted her gaze only to catch Elijah staring at her intently. The intensity made her skin prickle.

    Did he know something? No, impossible. If the Alpha King had any proof they killed Henry or caused that explosion, she wouldn’t be standing here. She’d already be cooling her heels in a prison cell, or worse, waiting under the executioner’s block if he wasn’t feeling merciful.

    "Golden eyes..." Elijah muttered suddenly.

    Violet froze. Her pulse spiked, and she remembered toote that werewolves could pick up on more than words. They could smell lies, fear, and even the rise of someone’s pheromones. And right now, hers were probably over the roof. She couldn’t give anything away!

    Elijah continued, brows arched. "...Do you know how rare it is for a human to have those?"

    Violet should have been intimidated by Elijah’s stare, but instead her mind drifted. Her eyes stayed on him, yet her thoughts wandered miles away. She thought about Griffin’s abs, those ridges etched deep like stone she could trace with her tongue.

    She imagined him fresh from training, his skin slick with sweat, the salt sliding down in rivulets she could lick and savor. And while she feasted on him, she thought of Roman, sliding between her legs with that wicked tongue of his, making her lose herselfpletely. The thought alone sent heat rushing straight through her, her thighs pressing together to contain it.

    Of course, with a thought like that, her body betrayed her. Desire coiled low in Violet’s belly, her scent wafting into the air. It was her mates who caught it first and was punctuated by a low growl from Griffin, vibrating from his chest, while Roman’s lips pulled back in a grin that was all teeth and hunger. Their eyes gleamed, fixed on her as if they would im her right there in front of everyone.

    Then Elijah’s nostrils red as he caught the scent too and his face twisted with anger.

    "Are you kidding me—?!" He cursed out. "While I speak, you’re busy lusting after your mates?"

    Violet’s face burned with embarrassment, even as the ghost of Griffin’s body and Roman’s tongue lingered in her head. Goddess help her.

    The tension in the room could have snapped a bone but Irene took over.

    "Your Majesty, do not be offended," she said, dipping her head slightly in deference. "They are young children, and with a bond like theirs, it is only natural their heads be filled with lustful thoughts."

    Her choice of words made Violet flush hotter, even though her tone carried no judgment. Great way to announce to a room full of people you were horny.

    "Perhaps," Irene continued, her voice calm but edged with meaning, "if they are allowed to settle down and burn off some steam, they might be in a better state to talk another time."

    Irene wasn’t just defending them, but was shielding them.

    For a long moment, Elijah said nothing. His jaw ticked, his eyes still pinned on Violet like he could rip the truth out of her. From the sharp lines on his face, it was clear he wanted to grill them until he got what he wanted. But Irene had put him in the spotlight and now every eye shifted toward him, waiting for his decision.

    His lips pressed into a hard line. "Fine," he said atst, voice tight. "Rest and be in a better state tomunicateter."

    "Yes, Your Majesty," Violet, Griffin, and Roman all answered at once.

    "Come," Irene said, stepping forward immediately. She guide them out before Elijah could change his mind.

    Irene did not utter a word as they left the living room. Her strides were brisk, her faceposed, and not once did she look back at them. The silence stretched, heavy and tense, until she finally led them into another room and closed the door behind them.

    Then, as if a dam had broken, Irene burst into wildughter. It was so sudden and so intense that for a moment, Violet feared the woman had lost her mind.

    "Good work," Irene managed between peals ofughter, her hand pressed to her chest. "That was a good strategy for deflecting those questions."

    Violet blinked, heat rising to her face. She hadn’t been strategizing at all—just embarrassingly distracted—but Irene didn’t need to know that.

    However, the humor in Irene’s expression soon shifted and she said, "But that won’t work next time. You only have tonight here, then it’s to the West pack. There we can avoid Elijah’s presence more easily. For today, you three work together. You don’t slip, and don’t give him a reason to dig further."

    Violet’s throat tightened at those words but Roman’s hand brushed hers, a silent reassurance, while Griffin gave a short nod of acknowledgment.

    "Good," Irene said finally, straightening up. "Now freshen up. I’lle back for youter. I can’t stay here for long, there’s too many eyes here before the old bastard begins to think I’m plotting something else."

    To Roman, Irene told him, "I’ll inform your father you’re busy. You guys better be good."

    With that, she swept out of the room, leaving them alone.

    It was only then Violet noticed the space prepared for them. The room wasvish, the walls draped with rich fabrics, and a bed sorge it could have easily fit three—maybe more—its velvet sheets a deep crimson. Violet stared at it, her cheeks heating again. Irene gave them this room on purpose.

    Before Violet could say a word, Roman had already crushed his lips against her hard while Griffin leaned in, kissing her neck.

    She had started this fire and now, would quench it.