Betrayed and Claimed by the Lycan King Chapter 224

Ezra's POV

I let the phone settle back into its cradle with deliberate precision, the soft click echoing in the silence of my office.

Doctor Larson's words still rang in my ears—clinical, professional, damning. I leaned back into the supple leather of my chair, closing my eyes as I pressed my fingers against my temples》

A heavy sigh escaped my lips, the sound carrying the weight of my frustration and anger.

*Evanthe. Evanthe. Evanthe. Evanthe.*

Her name repeated in my mind like a mantra of disgust. She really thought I was a fool, didn't she? All this time, playing the grieving mother, the wronged woman, the victim of my mate's jealousy.

The performance had been flawless, I'd give her that. But this time, she'd gone too far. This time, I wouldn't let her slip away with another manipulation.

*She's crossed every line,* Prime snarled in my head, his voice dripping with contempt. *We should have dealt with her permanently long ago.*

"This time, I won't let her get away with it," I muttered to the empty office, my jaw clenching as golden fire flickered behind my closed eyelids.

A sharp knock at the door interrupted my brooding. I straightened in my chair, schooling my expression into one of controlled authority.

"Come in."

The door opened to reveal Orion, his familiar broad frame filling the doorway. Behind him walked a woman I recognized—Thalia, one of the Moon Alliance Program members. Her posture was respectful but confident, a stark contrast to the usual submissive demeanor most displayed in my presence.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Silverwood," Thalia said, inclining her head in a gesture that managed to be both respectful and dignified.

I studied her for a moment, noting the way she held herself, the steadiness of her gaze. "Good afternoon, Thalia. You may look at me directly."

As they settled into the chairs across from my desk, I couldn't help but observe the natural ease between Orion and Thalia. There was something there—a connection, an understanding that spoke of more than professional acquaintance. The way his hand briefly touched her elbow as she sat, the way she glanced at him with complete trust...

A sharp stab of something that felt uncomfortably like envy pierced through me.

*If I had marked Isolde the first day I met her in the Moon Alliance Program, none of this would have happened. I'm such an idiot. A complete and utter idiot!*

*Your hesitation caused this chaos,* Prime agreed, his mental voice carrying a note of accusation that made my chest tighten.

I pushed the regret aside, focusing on the matter at hand. "Orion mentioned you have important information to share."

Thalia nodded, her expression growing serious. "I've been in contact with some of the Moon Alliance Program members who were involved in the various schemes against Isolde. With the right... pressure and conscience talks, I was able to get them to admit their connections to events orchestrated by Evanthe."

She reached into her bag and withdrew a sleek, encrypted phone, sliding it across the polished surface of my desk. "One of them, a girl named Nyssa, even shared a recording of her last conversation with Evanthe. You'll be shocked by what they discussed."

I picked up the device, its weight seeming heavier than it should. "A recording?"

"Nyssa is a combat trainer," Thalia explained. "She recorded this conversation because she sensed Evanthe was about to ask her to do something dangerous. She was right."

I pressed the play button, and Evanthe's voice filled the room—smooth, confident, utterly without shame.

*"This new renovation turned out beautifully, don't you think?"*

*"Yes, it's gorgeous. You have excellent taste, Evanthe."*

The conversation continued, Evanthe accepting praise for her luxurious office, discussing Nyssa's bruised jaw from training with Isolde. Then came the words that made my blood run cold.

*"If I wasn't pregnant, I would have beaten that bitch to a pulp for what she did to you."*

*"Congratulations on your pregnancy, by the way. Ezra must be over the moon."*

*"Of course he is. The child is his, after all."*

I felt my hands clench involuntarily as Evanthe's voice continued, dripping with false confidence and delusion.

*"I've always been his favorite, you know. Even when he's with that pathetic excuse for a wolf, he can't resist me. The board members and pack elders all adore me—they'll insist he get rid of Isolde and choose me instead."*

*Evanthe's ambition has reached the point of near-delusion,* I thought grimly.

The recording continued, and I heard Evanthe make her request—silver ion extract. My jaw tightened as Nyssa questioned the purpose, and Evanthe's light laugh filled the air, promising she had "no malicious intent."

When the recording ended, I let out a long, heavy sigh, my fingers drumming against the desk as golden light flickered in my eyes.

"Evanthe is the worst thing that ever happened to my life," I said quietly, not sure whether I wanted to laugh bitterly or roar with rage.

"This... this is very compelling evidence," I said, looking up at Thalia. "But I'm curious—why would Nyssa record her conversation with Evanthe in the first place?"

Thalia's expression softened slightly. "Before her combat match with Isolde, Nyssa had a deep conversation with her. Isolde opened her eyes to Evanthe's true nature, though Nyssa didn't believe it at first. After thinking about Isolde's words and observing the Sybilla incident, Nyssa decided to be cautious around Evanthe. When Evanthe called her to the private office, she started recording on her phone, sensing that Evanthe would ask her to do something dangerous."

"Smart girl," I murmured, my gaze drifting to the city skyline beyond my windows as I processed this information.

"This recording is solid evidence proving that Evanthe poisoned herself and that Isolde is innocent," I said, turning back to face them. "Now, to prove that she terminated the pregnancy because the child wasn't mine—that's where the hospital report comes in."

I reached for the black leather folder on my desk.