Defy The Alpha(s)

Chapter 904: Save My Mate

"Alaric!"

All four of them cried out his name at once, but there was no response. He was gone below.

Panic immediately flooded Violet’s chest.

Her mate. He couldn’t be gone just like that.

At once the wings behind her back unfurled completely. Violet beat them furiously, hoping to lift herself into the air before the quicksand swallowed her too.

The powerful flaps stirred the air around her, sending dust and loose debris skittering across the room. For a brief moment she rose slightly, enough to ignite hope in her chest.

Then she sank again.

Across the room, Angus stared at her wings with unconcealed fascination.

"Impressive," he admitted, watching the massive appendages stretch behind her.

There was something almost regretful in his voice. "Such a shame it had to turn out this way."

Unfortunately for Violet, it was kill or be killed. Angus had chosen the former.

His powerful daughter was the final obstacle standing between him and everything he wanted. Once she was dead, the wolves would have nobody capable of protecting them from what came next.

Meanwhile Violet continued struggling with everything she had. Her wings strained against the invisible force dragging her downward, every muscle in her back screaming in protest.

Yet no matter how hard she fought, she could barely gain an inch before being pulled back down. It was as if something had attached itself to them the moment they stepped onto the quicksand. The unseen force anchored them in place and refused to let go.

"No!" Violet cried out when she looked around and saw that her mates were faring no better. Everyone was moments away from sinking completely and Alaric was gone.

"No..." she whimpered.

He couldn’t be. He just couldn’t. Deep inside the mate bond she could still feel him. But it was weak, almost extinguished like a candle flame flickering in the wind. But he was there, and that gave her a little hope.

"Please," Violet begged as she poured even more strength into her wings.

The strain was becoming visible now. The muscles around her shoulder blades trembled violently beneath the effort while veins stood out along her neck. Then a tearing sound echoed through the room. Pain exploded across her back.

"Stop!" Asher shouted immediately. "You have to stop!"

Through the bond he could feel exactly what she was doing to herself and it was tearing him apart too. Instead he reached for her hand and grabbed it tightly.

"We’re getting out of here," he told her firmly. "This cannot be the end of our story."

Although Violet nodded, she knew Asher was trying to comfort her. Because she couldn’t see a way out of this. Not without her powers.

Then she remembered something. Or rather someone.

"Mother," she whispered desperately. "If you can hear me... I need your help."

The quicksand continued climbing higher.

"This is your fight too, you know."

Because of the damage she had done to them, Violet could no longer retract her wings. Instead they dragged behind her uselessly and began sinking beneath the surface as well. The added weight only pulled her down faster.

"I’m here," Asher said as the quicksand reached her shoulders. He tightened his grip around her hand, refusing to let go no matter what happened.

From his throne, Angus watched the scene unfold. A strange emotion shone briefly across his features.

How sad.

But that was it.

Out of nowhere, a portal tore open in the middle of the throne room and everyone froze. Even Angus.

Two figures stepped through and to their shock, it was the twins, Laura and Layla.

"Oh thank God," Micah breathed out with noticeable relief.

Considering half his body was already submerged and he was rapidly approaching a very unpleasant death, the reaction was understandable.

What none of them knew was that after Micah dragged Enya back to Hell and left her temporarily imprisoned there, one of the lesser demons guarding her informed him Laura had regained consciousness.

With a battle raging and time running out, Micah had offered her a simple choice.

Help them, or leave and never come near the people he loved again.

She had chosen the latter.

So seeing her here brought immediate relief at first, only for his stomach to drop at the sight of the twin, Layla.

A terrible possibility suddenly occurred to him. Had they gone back to being the evil twins and reunited to finish what their father started?

Fuck.

Micah closed his eyes briefly. If he had known he was going to die today, he should have spent more time with Adele. Preferably naked time. Definitely naked time.

At the very least he should have enjoyed more of the simple moments with her before being permanently sentenced to Hell. Instead he was half buried in magical quicksand, potentially seconds away from death, and regretting every missed opportunity.

The twins’ gazes fell on them and, with urgency, they began to mutter a spell. At once, every speaker in the room sparked violently and crackled. The chanting pouring from them abruptly cut off, plunging the throne room into sudden silence.

Angus shot to his feet.

"What the hell do you think you’re doing?!"

But the twins ignored him completely. They continued chanting, their voices growing louder and more desperate. For the first time since the trap had been activated, the quicksand ceased dragging them downward.

"No!" Angus roared. Pure fury twisted his features and he charged.

He launched himself from the dais with frightening speed, crossing the distance between them in a single leap. Murder burned openly in his eyes.

The twins saw him coming. They knew exactly what awaited them. Yet neither of them stopped chanting, not even for a second.

Just as Angus was about to reach them, the quicksand in front of him exploded upward and Violet burst from the surface like an angel of vengeance.

Her wings were torn while her clothes were stained with sand yet her eyes burned with fury. She slammed into Angus with enough force to send both of them crashing across the floor before he could lay a hand on the twins.

"Save my mate!" Violet roared at them, darkness swirling within her eyes.

Then her entire focus shifted to Angus.