Chapter 457: Unexpected Visitor

Asher Nightshade was a monster.

And no, Violet didn’t mean that literally, though that didn’t mean she meant it in a good way either.

Six hours.

Six grueling, soul-sucking hours.

That was how long he kept her in the so-called foundation class.

Apparently, Asher Fucking Nightshade had not appreciated the fact that she’d been breathing like a buffalo with a deviated septum after just a one-minute chase from Griffin.

And in his own words, not hers:

"You think your enemies will wait while you catch your breath? This isn’t a game, Violet. It’s a fight for your life. Now move."

"But I have the power to decimate them on the spot!" Violet had snapped back, glaring.

"Oh, you have powers? That’s cute," Asher had said, his voice as flat as his patience.

"You mean the same powers you can’t summon at will? Powers mean nothing if you collapse after two minutes in a fight."

"He’s right, princess," Griffin had chimed in with zero remorse. "Your enemies won’t care how powerful you are if your knees give out before your magic does."

"Not to mention," Alaric added, lounging like he wasn’t secretly invested, "what if you’re in a situation where your magic is suppressed? It’s the skills you build that’ll save your ass."

And of course, Roman, who couldn’t resist putting his voice in the mix, said,

"Powers will get you attention, princess. Stamina will keep you alive."

Then, to top it all off, Asher had looked her dead in the eye and said, "So tell me, would you rather keep whining or start training? Your choice, Princess."

His voice had practically dripped with sarcasm.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, was how Violet found herself roped into the most torturous training session of her life, all thanks to one discipline-drenched, emotionally constipated Alpha named Asher Nightshade.

Nonetheless, Violet understood it was for her own good even if she didn’t like it one bit.

And that was how she ended up collapsed on the long couch, freshly showered but still feeling like she’d been steamrolled by a stampede. She hadn’t felt the ache while in the bathroom probably because her body had gone temporarily numb and no, she hadn’t offered any noble guard to join her. Asher had taken that position all on his own — and she was too tired to tempt him.

Now, with her muscles screaming and her limbs stiff as stone, reality was back with a vengeance.

Asher, of course, hadn’t taken Lunaris Academy’s training schedule into account.

According to the alphas, combat class was good but not thorough. If they’d relied solely on Commander Malakai’s curriculum, they wouldn’t be the good fighters they were today. Each of them had been trained for the role of Alpha because it was their birthright.

Commander Malakai was skilled, no doubt, but Violet wasn’t like them. She was a conscripted student, shoved into the academy only in her final year. She’d missed everything that came before.

"Do you think she’s sleeping?"

Violet heard Roman’s quiet and cautious voice from the corner, as if he was afraid he might actually wake her if she was.

"Don’t think so. Her breathing—"

Violet rolled over before Alaric could finish, cutting him off and drawing both their attention.

"Oh. There she is."

She flopped onto her back with a tired sigh just as Roman and Alaric eased onto the sofa. Roman settled near her feet, and Alaric guided her head gently to rest on his thigh.

"How do you feel?" Roman asked, brows raised.

"Horrible," Violet groaned, exhaling dramatically. "I can’t even lift a finger."

"That’s as expected," Roman said with a shrug. "Don’t worry, you’ll get used to it."

Violet made a grumpy, guttural noise at the back of her throat knowing getting used to this meant she’d have to do it every single day.

"I know how to ease the pain," Roman said suddenly, and Violet lifted a brow that no doubt questioned those very words.

Roman rolled his eyes then took her leg without permission and hauled it onto his lap.

"I’m not trying to get into your pants." Roman said.

"Mmhmm," Violet didn’t believe him and was about to say something when Roman’s thumbs pressed into her calf muscle and the breath left her body in a traitorous sigh. God, this felt good. His hands were good. Roman was unfairly skilled at this.

"Yes," Roman murmured, his voice silky like seduction, "Relax and let the professionals work."

Before she could ask who had credited him in the art of massage, Alaric’s fingers slid beneath the fabric of her shirt to knead at the sore muscle near her collarbone. A jolt of warmth shot through Violet and her entire body tensed, only to melt like butter in the sun.

"Just relax and let us take care of you." Alaric told her, pressing deeper into the knots.

Left with no choice, Violet groaned in surrender and shifted, sitting up just enough to lean back against Alaric’s chest. His arms bracketed her as he dutifully rolled the knots from her shoulders with the kind of pressure that made her toes curl.

These two men would be the death of her.

Roman moved to her other leg, still circling his thumbs into the tight knots and Violet sighed, her head tipping slightly to the side, eyes fluttering shut.

This was bliss. Absolute, treacherous bliss.

But that moment lasted until Roman’s hands slid higher up her thigh. Quite too high to be overlooked.

Violet’s eyes flew open just in time to lock with Roman’s, shivers creeping up her spine. He was already watching her, smirking like he knew exactly what he’d done. The devil.

And just like that, Roman withdrew his hand like he hadn’t just danced on the edge of temptation.

Violet stared at him, stunned, her cheeks flushed and heartbeat quicker than normal. Most of all, she was definitely not protesting.

But neither of them said a word and Roman just resumed massaging her outer thigh carefully, and respectfully now, while Alaric continued working her back and shoulders.

Small sighs, and occasional breathy moans that made Violet want to slap herself escaped her lips. But gods, it felt too good to tell them to stop. Roman and Alaric’s hands moved in sync, tugging tension from every inch of her body, coaxing her deeper into their rhythm.

At some point, her muscles gave out and her mind drifted. Her body was completely relaxed now, sinking fully into Alaric’s warmth.

And before Violet even realized it, she fell asleep.

And just like last night, she was not alone in the dream space.

"You are quite powerful, little sister. It took me quite a lot to walk into your dream."

"Micah?" Violet was stunned when she saw her half brother waltz into her dream space like he owned the place.

Micah was tall, broad-shouldered, with a muscled build that made it far too easy to understand why he easily got into the pants of nearly the school’s entire female population. His dark wavy hair was tousled effortlessly, while his hazel eyes flecked with gold and green was totally bewitching. Micah was sex incarnate.

But in the dream, though, something was different about him.

Micah was dressed in dark clothes, the kind that didn’t reflect light but swallowed it whole. And his eyes that were usually warm and complex seemed darker now. Like something buried inside him had clawed its way closer to the surface. He looked like the same Micah and yet not. Like a version of him that had stopped pretending to be soft.

Like the demon side of him.

"How are you doing this?" Violet blinked, stunned. This was supposed to be her doing this, not the other around.

"I’m an incubus," Micah said with a shrug. "Dream manipulation is kind of our thing. How do you think we got the reputation?"

Violet scowled. "Okay, point taken. Still, what are you doing here, Micah?"

"Can’t I visit my little sister?" he asked, a ghost of a smile playing on his lips. "We didn’t exactly part on great terms. This was the only way I could talk to you without the Alphas’ interference."

Violet crossed her arms, not sold but not pushing him away either.

"Alright," she said. "Talk."

"Believe it or not, I came to check up on you." Micah replied casually.

Violet narrowed her eyes at him. "You mean to check if our father has taken hold of me?"

Micah didn’t flinch. "That as well."

He continued. "You have to go back to the academy, it’s the safest place for you."

"I’ll go back," Violet said, "as soon as I’m done here."

Micah’s expression didn’t change, but his eyes darkened. "By ’here’ you mean spending time with the others who aren’t your mate yet?"

Violet didn’t answer. She didn’t have to. Micah had always been too good at pulling truths out of silence.

He stepped closer, his voice dropping. "I don’t know how it’s even possible you can stand to be around them like this, maybe because you’re different. But unless the Moon Goddess has suddenly decided to mate you to all four of the cardinal alphas, you shouldn’t dream of keeping them. Not all of them. It would cause political instability."

Violet clenched her jaw.

"If you think Elijah banishing me to the school is much then wait till he realizes you’re a threat" Micah laughed without humor. "You don’t want Elijah’s eyes on you, Violet. Trust me on that."

"I can take care of myself."

Micah was about to say something but then he stopped. He signed. "And your other boyfriend is here. Be safe, Violet."

And with that, the dream snapped shut.

Violet’s eyes flew open only to connect with Asher’s.

"Who was it this time?"