Betrayed and Claimed by the Lycan King Chapter 185

Isolde's POV

The news of Evanthe's pregnancy with Ezra's child felt like a physical blow to my chest. As the car glided through the morning traffic, I stared out the window without seeing anything, my entire world crumbling around me.

My hands trembled uncontrollably in my lap. Every hope, every dream I had foolishly built over the past weeks—gone. Shattered like delicate glass beneath a hammer. I closed my eyes, but the image of Evanthe's triumphant smile as she delivered the news was burned into my retinas. The pure joy in her eyes as she watched me break apart piece by piece. That bitch had waited for this moment, planned it meticulously to maximize my pain.

"He's going to choose her," I whispered to myself, the words like acid on my tongue. "The elders will insist on it."

Of course they would. A pregnant female, carrying the next generation of the Silverwood bloodline—what could be more valuable to a pack? Especially if it was a male heir. I would be discarded, forgotten, cast out of Silver Moon Group entirely. Just another girl who briefly warmed the Lycan King's bed before reality reasserted itself.

Tears slid down my cheeks, and I angrily wiped them away with enough force to hurt. The worst part wasn't even Evanthe's pregnancy. It was Ezra's betrayal. He hadn't told me. He'd known—he must have known since yesterday—and he'd kept it from me.

My chest constricted with a pain so intense I could barely breathe. The star-shaped birthmark on my shoulder burned as my emotions spiraled out of control.

"Why didn't he tell me?" I asked the empty car, my voice cracking. "Was he ever going to tell me? Why did he lie to my face?"

The idea of jumping from the moving car briefly flashed through my mind. The physical pain would be nothing compared to this emotional agony.

My mind replayed the previous night, when his phone had rung. Orion's urgent call. That must had been about the pregnancy

The car pulled up to the training center, and I hastily wiped the tears from my face. I couldn't let anyone see me like this—broken, defeated. I took several deep breaths, willing my racing heart to calm down.

"Thank you," I murmured to the driver as I stepped out, my voice barely audible.

Standing before Silver Moon's modern training center building, I squared my shoulders. I needed to move, to fight, to do something to escape this unbearable pain threatening to consume me from the inside out.

I needed to be stronger—not just physically, but emotionally. I had survived worse things before. I had survived my mother leaving, my father's betrayal, Kieran's infidelity. I would survive this too.

The underground battle arena was already busy with morning activities when I arrived. I didn't greet anyone, didn't make eye contact. I simply walked to the tiered seating area and dropped my bag on one seat before sitting down beside it.

Every time I thought about Evanthe carrying Ezra's child, a fresh wave of pain crashed through me. My chest physically ached, like someone had carved out my heart with a dull knife.

"What game are you playing with me, Moon Goddess?" I whispered, looking up as if I could see through the ceiling to the sky above. "Why give me a mate bond only to have it destroyed like this?"

*The Moon Goddess isn't fair,* Lyra scoffed. *She never was. We can only rely on ourselves.*

I felt someone approaching before I heard them. A familiar scent—Nyssa. Great. Just what I needed.

"You look like shit," Nyssa said bluntly, dropping down into the seat beside me.

I didn't look at her. "What do you want?"

"I saw you sitting here looking miserable, so I came to check if everything's okay," she replied, her tone surprisingly gentle.

I laughed bitterly. Nyssa, who had once been friendly, was now Evanthe's faithful follower, just like Sybilla had been. "Are you here to personally confirm if Evanthe managed to fire another shot from her trauma box at me?"

"What? No," Nyssa frowned, her scent shifting with confusion. "Why would you think that?"

"Because you think you're her friend," I said, finally turning to look at her. "Which is stupid, by the way."

Nyssa's eyes widened. "This might shock you, but I actually am her friend!"

"Really?" I asked calmly. Nyssa fell silent, her confidence wavering slightly.

"Let me tell you a story about my sister Sybilla," I began, my voice steady despite the storm inside me. "Evanthe approached her, made her feel special, encouraged her to be arrogant. In the end, Sybilla took the fall for crimes they both participated in. Now Sybilla has lost everything, while Evanthe continues as Silver Moon's PR Director without a scratch. And you were part of that too."

Nyssa stared at me, confusion crossing her features. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about how you were at the meeting where Evanthe planned to frame me for the murder of the Alphas," I revealed, watching her face pale. "Do you really think she suddenly likes you because of your charming personality? You're next, Nyssa. You're ambitious but shortsighted."

"You're playing with fire," I continued, leaning closer to her. "You're her next sacrifice. Last time it was Sybilla... now it's you."

Nyssa laughed, though it didn't reach her eyes. "Isolde, I don't need you to care about me." Her tone was playful, but her scent betrayed her unease. "I know what I'm doing. I'm not an idiot. I can handle myself."

"No, you can't," I insisted.

"Yes, I can!" she shot back, her jaw tightening.

"Want to bet?" I challenged. "If Evanthe never uses you as a sacrifice, you win. If she does, I win. And trust me, I'll win."

"She's a selfish bitch who doesn't care who or what she destroys," I hissed, my voice dropping lower. "She doesn't make friends; she makes servants."

Nyssa's expression hardened. "If you're smart, you'll listen to my advice and stay as far away from her as possible." I paused, then added, "A word to the wise is sufficient."

"You should save your scent for training today, not waste it on me," Nyssa snapped, standing up abruptly. "I know exactly what I'm doing, and I don't need advice from an ordinary werewolf like you!"

She stormed off, and I watched her go, shaking my head. "I thought she was a smart girl, but I was wrong. Evanthe will eat her alive."

*In this world, we can only trust each other,* Lyra whispered in my mind, her voice uncharacteristically gentle.

I couldn't agree more. As I sat there alone, preparing for training, I realized that perhaps pain was the greatest teacher of all. Trust no one—especially not a Lycan King who could so easily lie to my face.