Defy The Alpha(s)-Chapter 766: Violet Will Join Me

Duskmoon Village

"It’s been confirmed," one of the wolves reported to Angus. "Your brother has found the doctor, Patrick."

Angus and his advisers were gathered in their meeting place, planning their next course of action, especially with the disturbing news that had reached them lately.

Angus scoffed. "My little brother must have finally woken up from his slumber after my last visit."

"What do we do now?" his beta, Jericho, asked, his eyes fixed on him.

"We do nothing," Angus replied. "The time is not ripe."

"Are you sure about that?" another adviser pressed. "There are reports of humans turning into... cannibals—"

"Zombies," Ziva supplied casually. "That is what they call them."

As was common in every meeting her father permitted, the witch made sure she was in attendance.

The older man glanced at Ziva, slightly flustered, then waved a hand. "Fine. Zombies." His eyes gleamed with determination. "That makes this the perfect time to step out and be the hero our people need, Alpha."

"No," Ziva said. "It is not."

All heads turned toward her at once, murmurs rippling through the room. None of them ever liked Ziva speaking in their meetings — she was female, young, and, in their eyes, far too bold. But if Angus allowed it, who were they to object?

Ziva felt the displeasure rolling off the men, but she did not care one bit. Left to her, she would not have surrounded her father with these old fools at all. But it was her beloved daddy’s choice, and she respected it.

Holding their gazes boldly, Ziva continued. "There isn’t enough death yet."

A hush fell.

"Enough death?" one of them lifted a questioning brow.

"It’s too early for Father to step out," Ziva declared. "If he does, he’ll dilute the impact of his return. But if he waits—" her lips curved slightly, "—until enough blood is shed to form a river, until werewolves cry out for help with no one to answer... when there is nothing left but pain and sorrow—"

She paused, letting the image sink in.

"Then Father appears like the messiah he is and takes control. With his army, we cleanse the vermin, and my father takes his rightful place as Alpha King."

For a moment, no one spoke. The wolves at the table simply exchanged looks, as though her words had finally settled and begun to make sense.

Even Angus wore a proud expression. "I’m impressed," he said.

Ziva’s cheeks flushed at once. She liked it when her father looked at her like that.

Then Jericho spoke up, his tone cutting through the moment. "Your plan is good," he said, "but it isn’t foolproof."

Ziva turned to him with a sour expression. She hated that man.

"You’re relying on waiting for things to escalate," Jericho continued, "and that’s dangerous. You forget that humans are like the sands of the earth—countless — and unlike them, we are numbered. If the werewolves are wiped out, who exactly will your father rule over in the end? Zombies?" He scoffed. "And with what army will he fight?"

Ziva opened her mouth to answer, but Jericho wasn’t done.

"The second reason why your idea of waiting is flawed," he added. "You’re counting on the werewolves becoming helpless, but they aren’t, are they."

Ziva closed her mouth, scowling as he pressed on.

"There are still the Cardinal Alphas," Jericho reminded her, "And your powerful sister, Violet Purple."

A sharp tick appeared in Ziva’s jaw at the sound of that name.

"—And Elijah," Jericho went on. "Elijah will not sit back and do nothing while wolves are slaughtered like animals. Even now, he’s already captured the doctor, hoping to produce a solution for this virus."

He looked around the room, making sure everyone heard him.

"Our people see that," Jericho finished. "And they’re not stupid. They already love him."

This time, loud murmurs broke through the room as the wolves broke into heated discussion, voices overlapping as they debated the problem.

Ziva, however, no longer looked so confident.

She lifted her gaze slowly, locking eyes with Jericho. He met her stare without flinching, his expression pointed.

That fucking bastard.

Ziva’s fingers dug into the arm of her seat, nails biting into the wood. If he hadn’t been her father’s beta, she would have ripped his face off already and watched how quickly that confidence bled out of him.

"Silence," Angus finally commanded.

The room went dead at once.

His gaze moved between Ziva and Jericho, measuring them both. "You both make valid points."

Ziva’s jaw tightened, her displeasure obvious. She did not appreciate her father handing that compliment to Jericho, especially when it should have been hers alone.

"Yes," Angus concurred. "Elijah is doing everything he can to preserve himself as the ruling king. And that is precisely why his fall will be so much louder."

Eyes gleaming, he said, "He lied to the wolves. Told them their king was dead. They will not forgive him easily. And as for the Cardinal Alphas and my daughter—" his mouth curved coldly, "—I will handle them."

"And how exactly do you plan to do that, Father?" Ziva asked.

A ripple of unease moved through the room.

"My sister has made it very clear she will never work for you."

Ziva knew she had crossed a line by questioning him so openly, in front of his men. But she had no choice. Every time she raised the matter of Violet, he dismissed her or treated it like a minor inconvenience. So here, under the weight of their gazes, she had forced his hand.

Angus turned slowly to her.

The intensity of his stare pinned Ziva to her seat, those hard eyes stripping her bare. Her throat tightened and for a moment, she couldn’t breathe.

Then, abruptly, he looked away, redirecting his attention to the others.

"Previously," Angus said calmly, "I intended to take the easy path. I wanted my daughter, and my mate, to join me of their own free will."

At the word ’mate’, Ziva’s hands balled into fists, nails biting into her palms until she nearly drew blood.

Why was he still clinging to that woman?

She had done everything for him. Everything. Wasn’t that enough?

"And that," Angus continued, his voice hardening, "is no longer an option."

He declared, finality in his tone.

"My daughter Violet will stand at my side, whether she wishes to or not."