Betrayed and Claimed by the Lycan King Chapter 227

Orion's POV

I stood in our living room, watching Thalia gather her things with a growing sense of unease.

"Babe, are you sure going alone is okay? Sybilla's not going anywhere—we can still visit her tomorrow," I said, my voice carrying more worry than I intended. The thought of Thalia venturing into Silver Moon's detention area without me made my stomach clench with anxiety.

I regretted agreeing to let her go solo in the first place. My original plan had been to interrogate Faye again today, but that could wait. Thalia's safety mattered more than any confession.

Thalia turned from her bag, her green eyes bright with determination. "But we don't have time," she said, her voice carrying that familiar edge of urgency that meant she'd already made up her mind. "Going to see Sybilla tomorrow means Isolde has to spend another night in that cold, dark detention room... The sooner we end this, the sooner she gets released."

I couldn't argue with that logic. Every hour Isolde remained locked up was another hour of injustice, another hour of Ezra's growing frustration with the pack elders and board members who'd turned against him.

"Alright, you win," I conceded, running a hand through my hair. "But I'm not letting you go alone. I'll send three security personnel with you to the detention area. I need you to promise me you won't dismiss them on the way there."

Thalia's face broke into a smile, and she stepped closer, pressing a soft kiss to my cheek. The warmth of her lips against my skin sent a familiar jolt through me, even in the midst of my concern.

"I won't," she promised, her breath tickling my ear. "See you later."

*She better keep that promise,* I thought grimly as I watched her leave.

---

The detention level felt colder than usual as I made my way to the interrogation room. The fluorescent lights hummed overhead, casting everything in harsh, sterile white. When I pushed open the door, I found Faye sitting in the same chair as yesterday, but she looked like hell.

Her brown hair hung limp and tangled around her face, and her Silver Moon Group uniform was wrinkled and stained. Her lips were cracked and dry, clear evidence that her time in the detention cell hadn't been comfortable. Ezra was right—she was proving to be a tough nut to crack.

"Faye," I said, settling into the chair across from her. "That is your name, right?"

Her voice came out as barely a whisper, dry and scratchy. "Yes."

"So, Faye," I continued, keeping my tone measured but firm, "are you ready to tell the truth about what happened yesterday?"

She met my gaze with tired eyes, but her voice held a note of stubborn defiance. "I already told Alpha Ezra."

I leaned back in my chair, studying her face. "Mmm... he says he doesn't believe your story. He told me to keep pressing until you tell the truth."

That broke through her composure. Faye's eyes filled with tears, and she raised her voice, desperation bleeding through. "There is no other truth! Isolde paid me to—"

I held up my hand, cutting her off mid-sentence. "Stop."

Reaching into my jacket, I pulled out my phone and placed it on the table between us. With a few taps, I found the recording Thalia had given us and hit play.

Evanthe's voice filled the small room, clear and unmistakable.

The color drained from Faye's face as she listened. Her hands trembled slightly, and I could see her mental defenses crumbling in real time. By the time the recording ended, she looked like she was about to collapse.

I started a new recording on my phone and set it down again. "I'm sure you recognize Evanthe's voice in that recording... What you just heard is only a small part of the evidence proving that Evanthe was the one who ordered the poison, and that Isolde had nothing to do with it." I paused, letting that sink in. "Once all of this comes to light, you'll face Silver Moon Group's harshest punishment alongside Evanthe. So if you value your life, tell the truth now and spare yourself the trouble!"

Faye broke down completely, sobbing as she shook her head frantically. "Assist in murdering an innocent fetus? I never did such a thing!"

"But you said Isolde made you—"

"I didn't get poison for anyone!" she interrupted, her voice cracking with emotion. "Not for Isolde, not for Evanthe! Evanthe gave it to me directly and told me to make sure Isolde had it on her when she entered the meeting room. She told me she'd create some disturbance that would lead to a search, and when that happened, I was supposed to tell everyone that Isolde paid me to get the poison. I had no idea she planned to poison herself!"

*There it is,* I thought grimly. *The truth finally comes out.*

"Then why didn't you report this to Alpha Ezra?" I pressed.

Fresh tears streamed down Faye's face as she looked at me with haunted eyes. "Evanthe threatened to kill my sons... She knows everything about them. Their names, the schools they attend, what grades they're in, even their daily routines. She recited it all back to me, making it clear that she had people watching them at all times. She said if I stepped out of line, they would die. I had no choice... If she finds out I told you this, she'll kill them."

A cold fury settled in my chest. *My sister is now involving innocent children in her power games. She's completely lost control.*

I leaned forward, my voice softer now. "Your sons will be fine. I'll arrange protection for them immediately. If you keep quiet about our conversation, Evanthe won't know we talked, and your children will be safe. Understood?"

Faye nodded through her tears, relief visible on her face. "Understood."

"Ezra will give you protection for telling the truth. You'll be relocated when this is over," I added, standing from my chair.

As I headed for the door, Faye was still crying behind me.

Things were becoming clearer and clearer.