Filed To Story: Veiled Desires of the Alpha King Novel
“Aww,” Yasmin gushed. “Newly mated. How sweet.”
“What’s with that reaction?” Axel huffed from the side. “We are also sweet. Come here. Let me hug you.”
Yasmin rolled her eyes, but she didn’t bicker with him. Just like any other Alpha, Axel saw everything as a competition.
“Don’t hurt my babies,” Yasmin said to Violet in a low voice. “Val is prideful, but she means no harm.” Yasmin overheard quite a bit of what had happened before, and she was also aware that Valeria carried some bitterness as she always wanted to be at the top. Axel said that was normal for an Alpha, but Yasmin was not so sure about it.
Violet understood that Yasmin spoke as a mother, but that kind of protocol worked in private. Here, in front of the pack members, Violet was a future Alpha Violet Blake, and she needed to act like it.
Violet raised her chin. “I won’t hurt them more than necessary, Aunt Yasmin.”
In truth, Violet had no intention of going easy on Valeria. It was one thing when they were kids, but now they were both of age, and Valeria dared to look at Ashton in front of their people. Violet’s wolf was itching for a fight.
Dayson taught her from a young age that image is everything. If she allows Valeria to act out in public, it will reflect poorly on Violet as an Alpha, and it can plant a seed of doubt in the hearts of her people. That doubt will open the gates to treachery, and Violet will have none of it.
“Vi?” Yasmin called pleadingly. Violet’s expression told her Violet meant business. It was the same face Dayson would make when he disconnected just before he did something reckless.
Axel put a hand on Yasmin’s shoulder and shook his head. “Let the kids sort it out. They need to establish themselves, and we shouldn’t be in the way.”
Axel looked at Violet gratefully. “Thank you for taking this seriously. Anything less would be an insult to Val and Ed. Teach them well. As their future Alpha, it is your duty to show them the way.”
Yasmin never approved of the pack hierarchy where the strongest one rules. If it were up to her, she would cast a spell to isolate bickering parties until they came to their senses and made up. However, Axel pointed out that was precisely the hierarchy of the strongest rules, but in this case, it would be Yasmin using magic to get her way.
‘The strongest makes the rules,’ Axel would say, ‘It was always that way, and it always will be. People might praise leniency, but they will follow power…’
Yasmin raised her hand, and the magical barrier cracked open for Violet and Ashton to enter.
Edgar rolled his shoulders when the magic barrier closed behind Ashton and Violet. “Are we following any specific rules? Can we use abilities?”
“Don’t hold back because of me,” Ashton said, and Edgar’s eyes flashed in surprise.
Ashton’s confidence was evident, and Edgar wondered if there was a genuine reason for it or if Ashton was boasting in front of his mate.
“How do we determine the winner? And what does the winner get?” Valeria asked.
“I’m sure you had time to think about bets,” Violet said. “Whatever it is, we will take it. We are that confident.” Violet felt her powers changing in the last month. She didn’t get to test her abilities, but everything was clearer and sharper, and she was certain she had an advantage. A big one.
“If you manage to put a finger on Vi, you win,” Ashton declared.
Violet’s stomach dropped. How can she fight if she can’t be touched? “Ash? What are you doing?”
Ashton tilted his head to the side, and his neck cracked. “I’ve seen how your people are looking at you. You have their trust. I am a new face, and I need to prove myself.”
“And you think that fighting Val and me will help you prove something that will go in your favor?” Edgar asked.
Ashton ignored him as he was focused on Violet. He looked at her deeply. “You trust me. Right? I won’t embarrass you.”
She put her hand on his cheek. “You can’t embarrass me, Ash. I am proud to be your mate regardless of this or any other fight. However, if you get hurt, I won’t forgive you.”
He grinned. “If I get hurt, you will nurse me to health. I look forward to it.”
“Let’s not go there.”
“Hellooooo!” Valeria called impatiently. “We are here to fight, not to watch your PDA.”
Ashton pecked Violet’s lips, and by the time she opened her eyes, she was looking at Ashton’s back.
His broad shoulders looked like an impregnable obstacle that would keep all the bad things away, and if he was not facing two tricky opponents, she would hug him and never let go.
“If any of us touches Vi, we win?” Edgar asked in disbelief, still processing this information. “How do you win?”
“When you can’t fight or admit defeat.”
Both Valeria and Edgar gaped at him, wondering if their ears malfunctioned.
“Confident much?” Valeria asked with a sneer, feeling that Ashton was looking down on them.
Ashton was painfully aware of his reputation. No matter what his achievements with fighting rogues were, people saw him as a mellow Alpha who was good at politics and strategizing, but not much when it came to fighting. In order to stand by Violet’s side as her equal, he needed to trim down all other Alphas by a notch or two. He wanted Violet’s pack to approve of him as their Alpha because of him, not because he was Violet’s mate. This was important.
Violet was aware that this was much more than a spar. Everyone was fighting with pride on the line, and they needed to show what they could do. If Valeria and Edgar lost, they would be ashamed. If Ashton lost, his image would crack, and their people will think of him as weak.
Violet could use her aura to suppress her cousins’ abilities, and Ashton would finish them off, but Ashton declared she would stay on the side, which was a problem.
If Violet was honest, she didn’t think Ashton could take on Edgar and Valeria, and even less in a two-on-one fight, but then… she never saw him fight, and his confidence spilled on her, and she decided to trust him. If anything, Ashton had a good head on his shoulders and he wouldn’t jump into a fight he couldn’t win.
Violet closed her eyes and focused on her surroundings. Her consciousness expanded to feel every rock and heartbeat and to cover the whole fighting area and a bit beyond it.
Violet didn’t need sight to see clearly. Talia taught her that this type of perception allowed her to sense everything on a deeper level, including the energies that coursed through Valeria and Edgar. Different colors would reveal different natures of energies, and even emotions.
Violet could see that Edgar was pumped with adrenaline, ready to fight, while Valeria had a mix of guilt and anger.
‘Good,’ Violet thought. The guilt in her cousin told Violet that Valeria was not beyond salvation.
Violet sucked in a sharp breath when her consciousness landed on Ashton. He was like a powerbomb with several colors twirling within him, and then two more enveloped him to keep the others in check and prevent his body from falling apart under pressure.
Her heart cracked. What did they do to him? That was not normal.
‘Trust me, love,’ Ashton spoke into their mind link. ‘I can’t move if I’m the source of your sadness.’
‘I love you, Ash.’
‘That’s better,’ he responded cockily. ‘Watch me, love. Let me show you what I can do. Let me show you that I can protect you and your pack no matter who my enemy is.’
Violet’s eyes filled with tears. That was her mate, saying that he would do anything in his power to protect her. It was a big deal.
‘BAM!’
Dust rose when Ashton moved faster than the eyes could follow to block Edgar’s advance.
Ashton tried to grab Edgar, but he was already retreating, and Ashton had to move to the right because Valeria was not in her previous spot anymore.
The three of them were like blurs, making spectators wonder if their eyes were deceiving them, but the dust stirring violently was confirmation that something extraordinary was happening.
Edgar and Valeria stepped back and glanced at each other.
‘They are coming up with a strategy,’ Violet told Ashton. ‘Ed is focusing energy into his legs, so expect speed and maybe kicks. Val is…’
Violet didn’t have time to finish because Edgar and Valeria were attacking already, and Ashton moved to block their paths to his mate.
Even if he could predict their movements, with two Alphas attacking, Ashton could only defend. He cursed under his breath when he realized his vision was foggy. Who did that? Edgar? Valeria?
When sparring with Dayson, Ashton used his reflexes, but Valeria and Edgar were coordinating their attacks from different sides, and it was apparent they were gaining an advantage. He needed an opening, or this wouldn’t end well. If he was facing rogues, he could go all out and not care if he snapped a neck in the process, but these were Violet’s cousins, and he needed to defeat them without causing too many injuries.
‘Ash,’ Violet spoke through their mind link. ‘Close your eyes and let me in.’
‘I don’t think this is a good time to be closing eyes, Vi.’
‘You said I shouldn’t be touched, but that doesn’t mean I can’t help you. Do you trust me?’
Ashton shook his head and closed his eyes. She asked if he trusted her. How could he say no to that?
Valeria and Edgar paused and retreated a few steps.
“Why did you close your eyes?” Valeria asked warily. “Did you give up?”
“I don’t need to see you in order to win,” Ashton responded in a low voice, but three other people within the magical enclosure heard him clearly.
Ashton needed a moment to adjust to this new vision that Violet projected into his mind. There were outlines and colors… he didn’t see things; he could feel them like they were part of him.
‘Do you always feel this connection to the world?’ Ashton asked Violet.
‘Most of the time,’ Violet responded, happy that he approved.
Stimulated by the enhanced vision that Violet shared with him, Ashton could see Edgar’s right hand glowing in yellowish light, and he reached there before he could finish that thought.
“What…?” Edgar’s question was cut short when Ashton punched him on the shoulder, and the unsuspecting young Alpha was propelled backward like a sledgehammer hit him.
Ashton was amazed by the discovery that with his perception changing, his movements became sharper, and it seemed he got a boost in strength. Or maybe that was the mate bond giving him a boost, combined with Violet’s mark. After all, her venom was part of him now.
Ashton flexed his fingers, and he was confident that he could crush a rock with ease. What about a werewolf skull?
He decided to analyze that later. Now it was time to whoop some ass and prove himself, without causing serious injuries to Violet’s cousins. They were a family.
Valeria stared at Edgar, who was tumbling from Ashton’s hit. That was not normal. Edgar was an Alpha with a special ability that allowed him to move faster than his impressive physique would allow. How was Ashton able to subdue him with one hit?
She rushed to her brother. “Are you OK?”
Edgar spat on the side and jumped to his feet. “Do I look OK?” His right arm was numb.
He narrowed his eyes at Ashton. “How did he do that? And he is not even looking!” Other than Edgar’s shoulder, his pride was also hurt, and it riled him to take this seriously. Unless it was a fluke, Ashton was a bigger challenge than Edgar thought he would be.
“It’s Vi,” Valeria said. “I’m sure she is channeling some ability into Ash.” Why else would her eyes be closed?
“So, we need to take her out first,” Edgar said.
Valeria smirked. “Wasn’t that the plan from the beginning?” Ashton foolishly proclaimed that if they managed to put a finger on Violet, he would admit defeat.
Who would accept such a lame victory? Violet and Ashton will need to suffer a heavy defeat.
Valeria and Edgar didn’t need their mind link to communicate. The twins were close, and they knew what the other one was thinking without a word spoken.
Valeria and Edgar started walking away from each other, splitting up so they could attack from different sides.

New Book: Returned To Make Them Pay
On her wedding anniversary, Alicia is drugged and stumbles into the wrong room—straight into the arms of the powerful Caden Ward, a man rumored never to touch women. Their night of passion shocks even him, especially when he discovers she’s still a virgin after two years of marriage to Joshua Yates.