Betrayed and Claimed by the Lycan King Chapter 241

EZRA'S POV

Evanthe lifted her head, and I saw tears streaming down her face. For a moment, she seemed to struggle with what to say. Then her gaze found Orion, and her voice broke the silence.

"Orion." Her voice cracked with desperation. "I'm your only sister. Don't let them do this to me. Please... I swear I'll change... I'll be better... Please don't let them do this to your only sister. I don't deserve this."

She dropped to her knees, her shackled hands reaching toward him. "I don't deserve to die like this!"

Evanthe's words weren't those of someone who'd recognized the gravity of their crimes. They were the desperate pleas of someone who still believed she was the victim in all of this.

*That's why she has to die.* Prime said.

My jaw tightened as I watched her performance—because that's what it was, a performance. Even facing death, she couldn't bring herself to show genuine remorse for the lives she'd destroyed.

Orion's reaction was swift and brutal in its honesty.

"Your last words are as terrible as your decisions," he said, his voice cutting through her sobs like a blade.

Then he turned on his heel and stalked toward the shadows at the edge of the arena, his entire body radiating pain and fury.

I could feel the agony radiating from him—the anguish of a brother who'd been forced to choose between family and justice. Part of me wanted to go to him, to offer some words of comfort or understanding. But this was something he had to process alone.

The rules of this empire were absolute. They had to be, or everything we'd built would crumble. Even family couldn't be exempt from justice.

"Time's up," Nathaniel announced, his voice cutting through the heavy silence.

The security personnel in their black tactical gear moved forward with practiced efficiency, grasping Evanthe's arms as she continued to sob and plead.

That's when the real chaos began.

"No!" Aiden Hawthorne's voice boomed across the arena as he lunged forward. "You can't do this! She's innocent! This is all a setup!"

His wife let out a keening wail that made several pack members wince. "Please! She's our baby! Our only daughter!"

"You bastards!" Aiden continued, his face red with rage as security personnel moved to restrain him. "This is corruption! You're all corrupt! This whole system is fucking corrupt!"

Selena collapsed, her legs giving out beneath her as the reality of the situation hit her. The medical team was already moving to assist her, but her unconscious form being carried away only added to the chaos.

And through it all, Evanthe screamed.

"Ezra!" she shrieked, her voice raw with desperation. "You can't let them do this to me! It's me, Evanthe! Your favorite! We spent so many nights together! You can't just throw that all away!"

Security dragged her toward the gallows that had been erected in the center of the arena. The structure was simple but effective—a wooden platform with a noose hanging from a steel beam above.

"You loved me!" she continued, her voice breaking. "I know you did! You can't let them kill me!"

*Did I love her?*

The question flickered through my mind for just a moment before Prime answered with absolute certainty. *No. We enjoyed her body once, but love? Never. We made that clear from the very beginning.*

He was right. I'd always been explicit about the boundaries of our relationship. Physical pleasure, yes. Emotional attachment, no. She'd chosen not to listen, and now she was paying the ultimate price for that willful ignorance.

As the security team positioned Evanthe on the platform and placed the noose around her neck, I found myself thinking about another execution I'd witnessed years ago—another traitor who'd threatened our pack's stability.

The sight should have moved me to compassion, but all I could think about was what would have happened if Evanthe's plans had succeeded. Isolde would be the one standing on that platform. My mate—my beautiful, innocent mate—would be facing death for crimes she didn't commit.

The thought crushed any sympathy I might have felt.

*This is the fate she designed for your mate,* Prime reminded me, his voice cold and unforgiving. *Now it's hers to claim.*

I watched with detached interest as Evanthe's legs kicked frantically, her body fighting against the inevitable. Her face turned red, then purple, as she struggled for air that wouldn't come.

It took several minutes for Evanthe's struggles to cease. Her body went limp, her head falling to one side, her tongue protruding slightly from her mouth.

The sight was grotesque, but I found it strangely satisfying.

*She's dead,* I observed with clinical detachment. *I can finally move forward.*

The arena remained silent for a long moment, the only sound the creaking of the rope as Evanthe's lifeless body swayed gently.

Aiden's response was immediate and explosive.

"You're a monster!" he screamed, spittle flying from his mouth as security moved to escort him from the arena. "You have no conscience! You're a cold-blooded monster! You don't deserve to rule over us! You don't deserve to be the Lycan King! You're a fucking monster!"

His struggles against the security personnel were futile, but he continued shouting obscenities and threats as they dragged him away. The sound of his voice echoed through the arena long after he disappeared from view.

I shook my head slightly and walked out of the center of the arena. My personal security team immediately formed a protective circle around me as we made our way toward the elevator.

*It's over,* I thought as the elevator doors closed behind us. *That's what matters most.*

Justice had been served. The threat to my pack and my mate had been eliminated. The example had been set for anyone else who might consider betraying Silver Moon Group.

I allowed myself a moment of grim satisfaction. Evanthe Hawthorne would never again threaten the people I cared about.

Now I could focus entirely on finding Isolde and bringing her home where she belonged.