Betrayed and Claimed by the Lycan King Chapter 229

Ezra's POV

The security guards at Silver Moon Tower snapped to attention as I approached with Evanthe clinging to my arm like a damn parasite.

"Good evening, Alpha Ezra," they chorused, their voices respectful but their eyes carefully averted from the woman pressed against my side.

I nodded curtly, my jaw clenched so tight I thought my teeth might crack. Every fiber of my being wanted to shake Evanthe off and bolt, but I forced myself to maintain the facade. The smug smile on her face made my stomach turn—she actually thought she'd won something tonight, thought this little performance meant she was closer to becoming my Luna.

*I'd rather spend eternity in that cold detention cell with Isolde than share the same air as this manipulative bitch,* I thought grimly as we walked toward the elevator.

"Tonight was wonderful," Evanthe purred, pressing her body even closer to mine. Her fingers traced patterns on my arm through my jacket, and I had to fight every instinct screaming at me to pull away. "I can't wait to see your penthouse properly."

I managed what I hoped passed for a smile, though it felt more like baring my teeth. "Of course."

Just as we reached the elevator, my phone buzzed against my chest. The screen lit up with Orion's name, and for the first time tonight, my entire body vibrated with anticipation rather than revulsion.

"I need to take this," I said, already stepping away from Evanthe's possessive grip. The relief of putting even a foot of distance between us was almost overwhelming.

"Ezra—" she started, but I was already answering.

"Yes," I said into the phone, turning my back to her.

"Alpha, are you available? There's been a development. The individuals Thalia identified—they're here now."

My pulse quickened. "I'm at headquarters. What's the situation?"

"Significant. You need to hear what they have to say."

"Understood. I'll be right there."

When I turned back around, Evanthe's eyes were boring into me, her perfect mask slipping just enough to show the displeasure underneath. "Who was that?" she demanded.

"Business," I replied curtly. "I need to return to my office."

"But we just got here!" Her voice pitched higher, losing some of its sultry manipulation. "You can't just leave me alone."

"I'll contact you when I'm finished," I said, already moving toward the elevator. "Get some rest."

She grabbed my arm, her perfectly manicured nails digging into my jacket. "At least give me a goodbye kiss."

The rage that surged through my bloodstream at her touch was so intense I saw red for a moment. My wolf wanted to shift right here in the lobby and show her exactly what happened to people who thought they could manipulate an Alpha. Instead, I let out an impatient sigh and firmly removed her hand from my arm.

"Take her upstairs," I ordered the nearest security guard, not even looking at Evanthe as I stepped into the elevator.

The doors closed on her shocked expression, and I finally allowed myself to breathe. My heart was pounding—not from arousal or affection, but from the sheer anticipation of what Orion had discovered. If Thalia had managed to get useful information from them...

The elevator couldn't move fast enough.

When the doors opened on my floor, I strode quickly toward my office.

I pushed open the door to find exactly what Orion had promised: him, Thalia, Nathaniel, and two young men I'd never seen before.

The anxiety radiating from everyone in the room was palpable, but it was the two strangers who caught my attention immediately. Their faces were painted with unmistakable fear and unease, like they'd rather be anywhere else in the world.

"You'll be very interested in what they have to tell you." Orion told me.

I studied Thalia for a moment, genuinely impressed. "You managed to get information from Sybilla while she was in detention? That's remarkable. We'll need more talents like you."

Thalia nodded grimly. "It wasn't easy, but she had her own reasons for talking."

"Terry," Orion said, gesturing to the first young man—thin, nervous, constantly fidgeting with his hands. "Why don't you start?"

Terry cleared his throat, his voice shaking slightly. "I'm—I'm one of the IT engineers responsible for Silver Moon Group's surveillance systems, sir."

I leaned back in my chair, crossing my arms. "Go on."

"Evanthe... she's approached me multiple times over the past several months, asking me to locate and delete surveillance footage. Videos of her conspiring with other women to frame people. Sometimes the footage showed her participating directly in... in harmful activities."

My hands slowly curled into fists on the desk. "What kind of activities?"

Terry's Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed hard. "When I refused to cooperate the first time, she had my pregnant mate kidnapped. Kept her in some hidden location for days without food or water, just to show me what would happen if I didn't follow orders."

The temperature in the room seemed to drop ten degrees.

"After that," Terry continued, his voice getting stronger, "I did what she asked, but I didn't destroy the files like she ordered. I kept backup copies of everything because I knew someday I'd need them to protect myself or others. That day has come."

Instead of the fury I'd expected to feel, I was hit with a wave of relief and gratitude. "You're telling me you have video evidence of every illegal thing Evanthe has orchestrated?"

"Yes, sir. Everything is stored on my encrypted drives." Terry's hands steadied slightly. "I showed them to Mr. Hawthorne and the others. They confirmed it's all there."

I turned to Orion, who was shaking his head gravely. "You need to prepare yourself for what comes next. This information will shock you."

My heart sank into my stomach. "What are you talking about?"

Orion gestured to the second man, who'd been silent until now. "Atlas has something to tell you."

Atlas looked like he wanted to vomit, but he met my eyes directly. "Evanthe and I are mates."

The words hit me like a freight train to the chest. My blood turned to ice, and I stared at him in complete disbelief, my mind struggling to process what he'd just said.

A low, cold laugh escaped my throat before I could stop it. The sound seemed to echo in the suddenly silent room, and I could feel everyone holding their breath.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me," I said, my voice deadly quiet.

Evanthe'd been lying about everything, manipulating everyone, and all while betraying her own mate.

"How long have you known?" I demanded.

Atlas's voice was barely above a whisper. "Six months."