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While Alaric was placing a call to Violet, Asher, Roman, and Adele remained deep in conversation.

"There's something I don't understand," Roman shook his head. "Who would create Violet to harm us?"

"Probably someone who hates all of your asses," Adele replied dryly.

"Alpha King Elijah," Asher said, and the words struck the room like a judge's final verdict.

"No way," Alaric muttered, having heard him even while on the call.

Asher said to them. "When I went to District One, I discovered that Violet's supposed father had been sending her messages since she was a child. Not that Violet knows, Nancy kept them hidden from her because of how disturbing they were."

"Messages like what?" Alaric asked, still holding the line.

Asher found his phone beside him and quickly unlocked it. "Something like this," he muttered, handing it over to Roman.

Roman took the phone, eyes narrowing as he read aloud:

"My beloved purple heir,

You are the best thing that ever happened to me.

My gift from the goddess. I sowed you in patience, watered you with silence, fed you with purpose, and soon, I will reap in abundance.

The world will tremble when you take your rightful place by my side.

You were never meant to be ordinary. You were forged for me.

For war. For glory. For the reckoning to come. And soon, the world will know that."

Roman's voice trailed off into silence.

"Holy shit." He said when he recovered from the shock, "Elijah has an heir? How the hell is that possible? I thought he was sterile?" He turned to his cardinal brothers, eyes full of questions. "Then what does that make us?"

Asher's face was grim. "Adele was right, I've been played. Elijah has been using us all along. He has been feeding us hope, with the intention of destroying us in the long run. With us out of the way, his daughter Violet would then be crowned and our people would have no choice but to accept her."

Roman muttered a curse and ran a hand through his hair.

Alaric said, "Not trying to ruin the moment of truth or something, but I've been trying to reach Violet with no answer. Do you think she's asleep or something?"

"Try Griffin," Roman snapped, trying to hold in his temper. "They left together yesterday."

"I did," Alaric said. " His line's not connecting either."

At the announcement, Asher stiffened immediately. "What do you mean none of their lines are going through?"

"You heard me, right. I've tried both Griffin and Violet but neither of them is picking up. There's no connection."

Without another word, Asher snatched his phone and called both numbers. First Violet's and then Griffin's. But just as Alaric said, there was no answer. He tried again and again and there was still nothing.

This time around, panic flashed in his eyes which he tried to contain. He asked Roman. "When you sent Violet back with Griffin yesterday, who else did you send with them?"

"Who else? Of course, no one. Griffin's a cardinal Alpha and he's more than capable of protecting Violet. Sending anyone else would've drawn attention, we're trying to keep this whole thing quiet, remember?"

"You could've sent Jeremiah!" Asher barked, furious.

Adele stepped in, trying to de-escalate. "Asher, calm down. For all we know, they might be in bed or something."

Asher's eyes darkened. "What kind of sleep would make Griffin ignore a ringing phone? With his werewolf hearing? That's not normal."

Without hesitation, Asher yanked out the IVs, tearing the wires off his body as monitors began to beep in protest.

"Asher Nightshade! What the hell do you think you're doing?" Adele shouted, shocked.

"I'm going to find Violet myself!" he growled, already swinging his legs off the bed.

"You are in no condition to move!"

"I'm not sitting still if something's happened to her," Asher snarled. "And none of you are stopping me."He threw a warning glance at Alaric and Roman, daring them to try and stop him.

But neither of them moved. Seeing what was going on, Adele told him. "And what if Violet is behind this? We just discovered she's Elijah's heir. For all we know, she could've done something to Griffin. If not, kill him? She tried to kill you too. Think about it."

Asher stopped in his tracks.

Adele added, " I care for your wellbeing, Asher. All of you."

Looking her dead in the eyes, Asher told her sternly. "Violet can be a lot of things, confused, reckless, dangerous. But she's not a liar and definitely not a killer."

Silence settled over the room for a moment before Alaric said to him. "Then let's go, brother."

He tossed the shirt from the night before. Asher caught it and threw it on without hesitation. "See you, Adele."

But as they made for the door, Adele shouted, "Wait! I'm coming with you."

Asher turned, eyebrows drawn in confusion. "Why?"

Adele met his gaze without flinching. "Because someone needs to make sure you don't pass out and crack your skull on the way. Whether Violet is Elijah's heir or not, if anything happens to you, it'll destabilize the entire pack, and I am not going to get between that mess."

Without another word, the four of them left the hospital and climbed into the car.

The drive to Asher's place was tense, every minute dragging like forever. As they pulled into the driveway, Roman leaned forward, nostrils flaring.

"I smell something off. There's an unfamiliar scent in your territory, Asher."

Asher slammed the brake down hard. Before the car had even rolled to a full stop, he was already out and running.

"Violet? Griffin?!" he shouted, bursting through the front door like a madman.

But the house was eerily silent, so he rushed toward the kitchen, where the scent was strongest.

The second he stepped inside, he saw the dry, dark blood smeared across the floor and his pulse thundered.

"They're gone," he breathed, chest heaving. "They've taken them."

Adele caught up, eyes sweeping the room. "Who's taken who?"

Asher, Alaric, and Roman answered together with a grim expression.

"Rogues."