Betrayed and Claimed by the Lycan King Chapter 163

Sybilla's POV

Evanthe continued, examining her perfectly manicured nails. "Word is they might opt for public execution rather than imprisonment. A statement to others who might consider crossing Alpha Ezra."

Her words sent ice through my veins. "Public execution?" My voice trembled uncontrollably.

"If you ask me, it's better than rotting away in a cell for the rest of your life." She shrugged as if discussing something trivial.

I couldn't process what was happening. This woman—this monster—was calmly discussing my death like it was nothing more than an inconvenient business matter.

"Evanthe, you really think you can get away with this?" I found my voice, shaky but desperate.

She sighed dramatically. "Well, you don't need to worry about me. Alpha Ezra and Orion uncovered everything. I had no choice but to hand over the surveillance footage of you administering the poison."

"So you sacrificed me to save yourself!" I accused, the betrayal cutting deeper with each passing second.

"Well, one of us had to survive to continue our plans," she admitted with a small, cruel smile.

My heart hammered against my ribs. "Evanthe, I'm your ally... friend even!"

The laugh that escaped her lips was cold enough to freeze blood. "You're not my friend. You never were my friend, and you never will be." Her eyes hardened. "You were merely a tool I used against Isolde."

The words hit me like physical blows. My body trembled with rage and disbelief, and I lunged forward instinctively, wanting nothing more than to wipe that smug expression off her face. The cuffs yanked me back painfully, nearly causing me to fall.

Tears threatened to spill, but I fought them back. I wouldn't give her the satisfaction.

*She used me,* my mind screamed. *Now she's throwing me away. She's been lying to me all along.*

I realized with sickening clarity that Evanthe had never gotten her hands dirty. She'd always been careful to let me do the actual crimes while she remained safely in the background, giving orders.

Finding my voice again, I threatened, "I'll tell them everything... tell them you were the mastermind behind this whole plan."

Evanthe didn't even flinch. "And what proof do you have of that?" she asked calmly. "Your word against mine? I'm the PR Director of Silver Moon Group, from the respected Hawthorne family. You're just a call girl who got caught poisoning someone." She leaned forward. "If you try to implicate me without evidence, I'll sue you for defamation and make what's left of your pathetic life even worse."

My mind raced. She was right. I had nothing concrete to prove her involvement—she'd made sure of that. Every meeting had been private, every instruction verbal. There were no texts, no emails, nothing that could link her to the crimes.

"My brother is head of security," she continued, her voice dropping to a menacing whisper. "My family has significant influence within Silver Moon. Do you really think anyone would believe you over me?"

The hopelessness of my situation crashed down on me like a physical weight. I'd been set up from the beginning, positioned as the perfect scapegoat.

"Remember what happened to Ash?" Evanthe asked, her eyes glittering with malice. "If you dare mention my name, even once, you'll meet the same fate."

My blood ran cold. Ash had died after crossing Evanthe. Terrible things happened to those who betrayed the Hawthorne family.

"And it won't just be you," she continued, her voice soft but deadly. "Your mother's attending that high-society gala next weekend. I'm sure you don't know, do you?"

My head snapped up, eyes widening in horror. How did she know about my mother's schedule?

"Imagine how satisfying it would be if that building caught fire while they were all inside." Her smile was pure evil. "Accidents happen all the time, don't they?"

"You wouldn't dare touch my mother!" I lunged forward again, nearly toppling the chair. "Don't you fucking dare!"

Evanthe laughed hysterically, clearly enjoying my distress. "Try me."

Tears finally spilled down my cheeks as I realized the full extent of her cruelty. She wasn't just destroying me—she was threatening everyone I cared about.

"You're cruel. Heartless. Evil. You're the devil incarnate," I whispered, finally seeing her true nature. Why hadn't I listened when people warned me about her? Isolde had tried to tell me. Even Orion had subtly cautioned me. But I'd been so blinded by ambition, so desperate to take Isolde down, that I'd allied myself with a monster.

Evanthe stood, towering over me. "And you're collateral damage, Sybilla. You're nothing. You're less than nothing." She leaned down, her voice a soft hiss. "You're even less than Isolde, and that's saying something."

The words cut deeper than any knife could. All my life, I'd competed with Isolde, determined to prove I was better, more worthy. And now, at the end, I was being told I wasn't even her equal.

"It's been a pleasure working with you, Sybilla," Evanthe said, straightening up. "I do hope you don't struggle too much when they execute you. Goodbye." She winked at me before turning to leave.

As the door closed behind her, I was left alone with the crushing weight of my mistakes. I wanted to scream until my lungs collapsed. I pulled against the restraints until they cut into my skin, but the pain did nothing to distract from the agony in my chest.

I had been played for a fool. Used and discarded. My ambition, my jealousy, my desperation to be important—all of it had led me here, to this moment of complete ruin.

I was completely destroyed by my own stupidity.