Page 108

"And here I thought you missed my wonderful cooking," Griffin joked, intentionally trying to ease the awkward tension lingering in the air.

He turned toward Alaric, who sat across from him on the couch, his fingers drumming nervously on the armrest. "Alright, spit it out."

Alaric hesitated, then swallowed hard. "There’s... something I didn’t tell you about that incident with Violet last time."

"Dude," Griffin deadpanned, "spit it out already."

The pressure finally got to Alaric, and he blurted out, "Violet is immune to my lightning."

For a moment, Griffin froze, staring at Alaric with an expression of utter disbelief. Alaric, in turn, waited with bated breath for the inevitable explosion of questions.

"No fucking way!" Griffin shouted, springing to his feet as if jolted by a current himself. "Are you serious?"

Alaric watched as Griffin began pacing back and forth, running his hands repeatedly through his hair. The shock was clearly hitting him hard.

Alaric stood up, grabbing Griffin’s arm to steady him. "Stop pacing, you’re making me dizzy."

But Griffin shook his head, still processing. "Tell me you’re joking. That’s impossible. Even the smallest jolt of your electricity can paralyze me on the spot. How can she be immune? Maybe you made a mistake?"

"It’s not just once, Griffin," Alaric said firmly. "The first time it happened in the classroom, I thought I was imagining it. But I confirmed it today. Not to mention, it was the both of us wielding that lightning storm today. She really is not affected by it."

This time around, Griffin did not move around, he just remained on the spot as if the energy had been drained out of him, finally coming to acceptance.

"So, what are you saying? She’s not human?" He asked with an expression of awe and confusion.

"Probably. " Alaric said at first unsure, only to change his mind the next seconds, "Yes, she’s not. I mean she fucking has purple hair, Griffin. And no human can withstand electricity."

"Wow, this is too much information to take in all at once. " Griffin breathed, as if the weight of the revelation had knocked the wind out of him.

"But..." He asked, "if she’s not human, then what is she?"

"I don’t know for certain," Alaric admitted. "But we’ve been running theories and she thinks she might be a witch. Or even fae."

Griffin snorted. "Witch, maybe. She’s got that wicked edge. But fae? Please. She doesn’t have their grace."

Alaric chuckled dryly. "I made the mistake of saying that to her face. Let’s just say I got the death glare of the century."

Griffin burst into laughter, shaking his head. "Sounds about right."

Alaric grew serious again. "But honestly?

I think she’s a hybrid. Violet is an orphan and with the rise of intermarriages between humans and werewolves, perhaps, her mother got entangled with a werewolf that she shouldn’t and that led to her birth?"

"She doesn’t smell like a wolf," Griffin pointed out.

"She might be an imp, leaning more to her human side than werewolf trait." Alaric argued.

"It still doesn’t explain her purple hair?" Griffin countered.

"Fine, " Alaric groaned, "Violet Purple is a mystery that we can’t figure out in one day... except that’s the problem... " He suddenly said with an ominous tone.

"What do you mean by that?" Griffin sensed his unease as well.

"You do know what’s happening tomorrow."

Griffin’s amusement faded, and his demeanor shifted. "Asher," he muttered.

Alaric nodded. "Griffin, Asher can’t have her."

"It’s Asher we’re talking about here, Alaric." Griffin said grimly. "Whatever that psycho wants, he always gets it. If he wants Violet, he will get her no matter what you do."

"Except Violet’s not human, which is why we need to act now. " Alaric insisted. "If Asher knows what Violet is—and I’m sure he does by now—we’re in trouble. God knows what he’ll do with her."

"God." Griffin rubbing his hand down his face from exasperation. "Perhaps if you hadn’t taken her to that hill, Asher wouldn’t have figured it out. And then, there’s the Oracle as well who must know the truth as well because her fucking spies are everywhere.

The gods help you, Alaric. Are you planning to let the whole school find out?

Where the fuck was your brains, Alaric? Not to mention, do you know what those people at the hospital would do to Violet if they found out there’s something special about her? !" He growled angrily at him.

"Okay, you’re right. That was a shitty move out there. But that was the release Violet needed at that moment. She was freaking out and I needed to do something. But you’re right, it’s not an excuse for my mistake."

He took a deep breath, "I’ll handle the Oracle and pay her to shut her mouth up.

We’ve been turning a blind eye to her business because she’s been handy, she wouldn’t risk incurring our wrath now.

As for the hospital, I would rather die than let them lay a hand on Violet.

However, it’s Asher we should be worried about the most here.

Violet Purple would not remain in the west house.

" Alaric hoped that was convincing enough.

Griffin sighed. "Fine, I’ll help. However, Alaric, you do know we can’t win, at least not without Roman’s help."

At that, Alaric’s expression darkened. "Oh, hell no." He might hate Asher, but not as much as he hated Roman’s ass.

"You know I’m right," Griffin pressed. "We might have the numbers but Asher’s pack is disciplined and strategic. Roman’s cunning is the perfect counterbalance. We need him."

"Roman wouldn’t betray Asher for us, the same way I wouldn’t betray you for them." Alaric said coldly. "The two are practically the same."

"Not necessarily," Griffin said. "Unlike Asher, Roman has a heart. He might help us if he knows what’s at stake."

"And what if he plays us for a fool and it’s all for nothing."

"Then so will it be. However, we have to try first."

"Fine, do whatever you want. But don’t expect me to be polite." Alaric grumbled. He could never forgive Roman for what he did to him.

"As long as your grudge doesn’t get in the way, I don’t care," Griffin said.

"Fine. I’ll be on my best behavior. "

Then, they sat in silence for a moment until Griffin said. "So... what exactly were you and Violet doing before you figured out she was special?"