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Alaric stormed away through the woods, anger practically sizzling off of him. "Alaric!" Griffin called, but he didn’t stop.

"Alaric, listen to me!" he tried again, finally grabbing him by the arm. But the moment Alaric turned, fire burned in his eyes.

"No! Don’t you dare touch me!" he spat, jerking away. His voice was sharp and laced with raw pain. "This was all your idea, and look how it turned out!"

"Alaric—" Griffin tried to speak, but Alaric cut him off.

"At least if I had settled with the fact that she had chosen to be cut from me, it would have been better than being left with that... that—" His voice broke, his breath shuddering.

Alaric couldn’t even say the word. His fists were clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white.

"With that memory!" he finally spat bitterly, his entire body shaking. Tears burned at the corners of his eyes, but he refused to let them fall. He would not cry, not for her. Instead, he would let the heavens hear his cry.

Griffin gave him a sympathetic look, placing a careful hand on his shoulder. "It might not be what you’re thinking—"

But Alaric flinched away from his touch like it burned.

"And what exactly is it, then?" His voice was keen with accusation.

His hands trembled at his sides, his breathing ragged.

"Don’t act coy, Griffin. You too saw exactly what happened.

She and Roman were fucking kissing. This was why she rejected the houses because she wanted to be with fucking Roman! "

Griffin clenched his jaw, shaking his head as if he didn’t want to believe it.

"No, it can’t be. I know Violet to an extent and she hates Roman’s fucking ass. Perhaps, she might have an explanation for this and you of all people know how Roman can —"

Alaric let out a hollow, bitter laughter. "What reason could that be? " He shook his head apologetically, "I’m sorry, but I’m not like you who always try to see good in everyone even when they don’t deserve it.

His voice was raw and heavy with betrayal as he continued. "Violet knew exactly what she was doing. She played me. Just like Julia They’re all the same." His eyes turned cold. "And I’m done with Violet Purple’s games."

A mournful sound left Griffin’s throat. "Alaric..."

"Don’t. Follow. Me." Alaric warned, his eyes sparking with electricity

Griffin let out a low wolf-whine. Both of them might be Alphas, but Alaric was his friend, and werewolves were pack creatures. Right now, Griffin could feel Alaric’s pain, and wanted to fix it but the North Alpha unfortunately didn’t want comfort.

So Griffin stayed frozen, watching as his friend disappeared into the darkness of the woods. And not long after, the sky split apart.

A violent crack of thunder shook the forest, and seconds later, rain poured down in sheets, soaking through Griffin’s clothes in an instant.

Griffin stood there, unmoving, rain streaming down his face, mixing with the sweat and anger simmering beneath his skin. Then his nose flared as rage rose inside of him. He turned, using his wolf senses to track down Roman.

When he finally found him, Roman whipped around in surprise, glancing back toward the shack not too far off. His lip curved.

"Have you come to sample the Rogue Queen as well?" Roman asked, his tone laden with mockery. "I have to applaud Violet. Making all four Cardinal Alphas lose their heads over her..." He chuckled, "Her cunt must really be magical —"

He didn’t get to finish. Griffin slugged him with a solid punch that knocked him to the ground.

Instantly, Griffin followed, yanking Roman up just enough to pummel him again. "Do you realize what you’ve done?"

His voice was a snarl, raw with fury.

Roman grunted at the force, blood trailing from his split lip, but before he could react, he was met with another punch. Then another.

"Must you ruin Alaric?" Griffin roared.

Even as he beat him down, Roman looked confused, his dazed eyes trying to process the accusation.

Griffin raged on, "You kissed her, knowing full well what she meant to him, and yet you snatched her away like you always do. Why do you enjoy wrecking other people’s lives?"

Oh. So that was it?

Something snapped inside of Roman and

In a sudden burst of strength, he shoved Griffin off, the force sending him slipping on the wet soil. Griffin fell, cursing as he hit the ground. Before he could get up, Roman was on him, pinning him down.

And then he started punching his turn.

"Think the worst of me," Roman snarled between hits, his knuckles cracking against Griffin’s jaw. "But I saved his life! Violet is trouble!"

Griffin flipped him over in one swift motion, reversing their positions, his fist slamming down next.

"Fucking hypocrite!" Griffin bellowed, his voice raw. "Trouble, you say? A trouble you can’t help but put your lips on?"

Roman growled, his wolf flashing to the surface, and he flipped Griffin back, landing a single punch before spitting out, "I had my reasons."

Both men broke apart at once, stumbling to their feet. They crouched low, their muscles tensed, and eyes locked, letting out dangerous growls that reverberated through the stormy night. Griffin and Roman were panting heavily, their bodies covered in mud.

Roman let out a breath and suddenly laughed.

"Look at us." His voice was dry, bitter. "Aren’t we pathetic? Fighting over a girl we can’t have?"

Griffin wiped the blood from his mouth, hissing. "I’ll have her if I want to."

Roman’s smirk disappeared.

"It won’t happen," his voice rose, "Elijah wants us fighting over Elsie, not Violet Purple. And all of you are fucking putting the girl in danger."

Griffin snorted. "One would think you actually cared about Violet if I didn’t suspect you’re only after something else." His gaze darkened. "Stay away from Violet."

Roman’s jaw tightened, but his voice remained resolute. "I’m not head over heels in love with her like the rest of you. Unlike you guys, I know what I want, and I go for it."

Griffin took a step forward, but this time, it wasn’t to attack. He stopped at a distance that wasn’t threatening, and spat out the words like a curse.

"Keep on with your tricks and ambitions, and one day you might find yourself truly alone."

With that, Griffin turned and stomped off, anger brimming in his stride.

Roman stood in the pounding rain, watching him leave. Suddenly, the cold, impassive mask on his face slipped and was replaced by stark sadness.

"I’m alone already." He muttered.