Defy The Alpha(s) novel Chapter 723

Chapter 723: Not In My Harem

It wasn’t until the last minute that Violet realized why her back hurt so much.

"Fuck," Roman cursed "What have you done, love?"

Violet glanced back, her heart dropping when she saw one of her wings twisted beneath her at an impossible angle. The rich purple membrane was bent and the spot stained dark where blood seeped through.

"Oh," she whispered, a sudden chill creeping through her. "That’s not right."

Violet hadn’t felt the pain earlier because the adrenaline had dulled it, completely drowning it out. But now that the rush was fading, the agony hitting her full force.

Almost instantly, all four of her mates crowded around her.

Griffin swore under his breath, panic spreading across his face.

Asher unleashed a stream of colorful curses.

"What the fuck were you thinking?!" he snapped, his hand hovering helplessly near her wings, afraid to touch them and hurt her further.

Roman looked straight at Alaric, eyes wide. "This is supposed to heal, right?"

"It will heal..." a new voice cut in from behind them.

They all turned to see Lucen standing there.

"But," he added grimly, "you should be worried about how well it heals."

The moment Lucien stepped closer, the air turned hostile.

Low, feral growls rolled from Griffin’s chest first, and it was deep enough to vibrate the ground beneath them. Roman followed immediately, his hackles raised, lips pulled back to reveal sharp teeth. Even Alaric snarled, electricity crackling along his skin, while Asher Nightshade was no less dangerous, his stare cold and pointed enough to kill.

Griffin moved instinctively, placing himself squarely between Lucien and the others, or more precisely, Violet, his massive frame blocking the Fae’s path.

"What are you doing here?" he demanded, his voice rough with warning.

Lucien stopped a few steps away, unbothered by the aggression aimed at him. He merely tilted his head, taking in the scene before his gaze returned to Griffin.

"Rhara asked me to take the princess for her first proper flight lesson, and it seems she had reason to worry."

Alaric took a step forward, lightning sparking at his fingertips. He growled, "You can leave, we’ve got this under control."

But Lucien’s lips curved, slow and unimpressed. "Do you?" he asked. "Because the last time I checked, I’m the one with wings."

And to prove his point, his black wings snapped open. Wide, broad, and powerful feathers rippled as they spread, casting a dark shadow over them.

Of course, the display was deliberate, and the growls from Violet’s mate deepened instantly. All of their shoulders tensed, muscles bunching as they were seconds away from tearing Lucien apart. None of them liked the guy, not when he already made his interest in Violet obvious.

Seeing the tension, Violet tried to speak, but the pain ripped the words right from her mouth and the sound that escaped her was a strained hiss instead.

That changed everything because all four of her mates turned to her at once.

"Violet."

They were all worried.

"Don’t fight please, I’m good." Violet finally said, trying to put on a brave face, but they knew she was only pretending.

"I understand the protective instinct that comes with being mated, but she’s in pain. Are you really going to let her suffer because you’re threatened by another Fae?" Lucen added slyly, "Or worse, be added to the harem."

Asher bared his teeth, and for a split second, it looked like he would attack him. Only suddenly, his body language changed. The tension drained from his face, and he looked so calm it was unsettling.

"I like your confidence," Asher said. "It’ll make it more satisfying when you fall."

Lucien’s smile widened, unshaken.

Asher turned to the others. "Make space for him. Violet’s health comes first."

But even with his words, none of them moved.

"Move," Asher said again, this time speaking gently. After all, he wasn’t their leader here, and they were the mated ones. The decision belongs to them, not his.

Reluctantly, Griffin, Alaric and Roman parted just enough to create a narrow path, and Lucien stepped forward.

But every inch the Winged Fae advanced was met with snarls, low growls, and naked hostility. Griffin loomed at his shoulder, Roman flanking him from the side, subtly boxing him in, with Alaric taking over from the other sides. They were ready to strike if Lucien so much as breathed wrong.

Nonetheless, Lucien ignored it all.

Violet tried to stand the moment Lucien came closer but pain shot through her back like fire and she groaned.

"Don’t," Lucien warned her, and for once there was no mockery in his voice. "If you move like that, you’ll only make it worse."

Violet stopped and yes, she was naked. She had shifted quickly to her human form and in her current state, putting on clothing was close to impossible.

Lucien, surprisingly turned his head slightly, his eyes fixed on the ground as he crouched beside her, intentionally keeping his gaze off her body. It was a small gesture, and it calmed her mates who definitely were looking for an excuse to deal with him.

Lucien reached out slowly, giving Violet time to brace herself. His fingers skimmed the edge of her left wing first, carefully, and noticed the way the membrane twitched under his touch.

It was sensitive and raw. Violet sucked in a breath.

"I saw the moment you landed, you should have trusted your wolf." Lucien chided her.

Violet wanted to say something but thought better. She had no excuse after all.

Lucen traced farther, following the structure of the wing until his fingers reached the point where the pain exploded anew.

Violet gasped, sweat breaking out across her skin.

"There," he said. "That’s the damage."

Griffin leaned forward. "Is it broken?"

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