Betrayed and Claimed by the Lycan King Chapter 84

Orion's POV

I slammed my fist against the steering wheel with enough force to make the entire SUV shudder.

"Fuck!"

How could I have allowed that match to happen? As Security Director, I should have intervened the moment I sensed something wasn't right. But I hadn't. I'd stood there and watched as my own sister tried to maim Isolde.

The memory of Evanthe's eyes during that fight haunted me—the pure, bitter hatred burning in them as she pinned Isolde to the mat. It wasn't normal competitiveness or even anger. It was something dangerous, unhinged.

I should have stopped it at the first sign of trouble, when Evanthe delivered that strike that was clearly outside training parameters. If I had, Isolde wouldn't have ended up in the medical center, bleeding and bruised.

The way Alpha Ezra had rushed to her... his anxious expression as he'd checked her wounds, his insistence on personally carrying her to the medical center in his arms like a goddamn bride. The way he'd hovered over her, ensuring she received the absolute best care.

"Fuck, he really likes her!"

In all my years at Silver Moon, I'd never seen Ezra act that way toward any woman—not since his mate died. The realization sent a spike of pain through my chest.

"Damn it!"

I violently yanked off my seatbelt and shoved open the car door. The cool evening air did little to calm my temper as I strode toward the residential building where my family's penthouse was located.

"Good evening, Sir," the guard at the entrance greeted me.

I responded with a stiff nod, too preoccupied to manage anything more. I needed to find Evanthe, needed her to explain why she'd been so cruel in that training match—why she'd used enhancement drugs and tried to permanently scar Isolde's face.

The private elevator whisked me to the top floor. When the doors slid open, Bernard, our family's longtime butler, was there to greet me.

"Good evening, sir."

"Thank you, Bernard. Is Evanthe home?" I asked, softening my tone for the man who'd served our family faithfully for decades.

"Yes, sir. She returned not long ago."

"Looking for me, brother?" Evanthe's voice floated down from the staircase.

The anger I'd been trying to suppress ignited again, burning through my veins like wildfire. She had hurt Isolde.

"Please give us some privacy," I said, not taking my eyes off my sister.

The butler bowed slightly and retreated. Evanthe sauntered into the center of our luxurious living room, crossing her arms over her chest as she maintained several feet of distance between us. Despite what happened in the Battle Arena, she looked immaculate again—perfect hair, designer clothes, and an expression of utter indifference.

"Why did you do it?" I asked, my voice deceptively calm but laced with threat.

"Do what?" she responded, batting her eyelashes innocently.

"Don't play dumb with me, Evanthe. You know exactly what I'm talking about."

A small laugh escaped her lips as she uncrossed her arms. "Oh... that." She moved toward me with a cold smirk. "So this is about her. You're here to accuse me of hurting your precious little Alliance girl."

"I'm here about your inappropriate behavior during training today," I corrected, my voice rough with restrained anger. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

Evanthe rolled her eyes and exhaled impatiently. "If she's so weak, that's hardly my fault, is it? I wasn't even going all out. I was just fighting like I would with any werewolf warrior."

The casual dismissal made my blood boil. There wasn't a hint of remorse on her face. She clearly wasn't worried about consequences, believing her position within the company was secure enough to protect her.

I sighed, placing my hands on my hips. "Silver Moon training protocols explicitly prohibit any form of partial shifting during matches."

"So?" she shrugged.

"So you violated protocol when you shifted your fingers into claws. You were trying to rake her face, Evanthe. That goes beyond training. If Alpha Ezra hadn't stopped you—"

"Why did he throw me against the wall like trash?" she snapped, cutting me off. "And why did you—my own brother—run to check on that debt girl instead of me?"

Her voice rose steadily until she was nearly shouting, her face darkening with rage.

"Because you brought this on yourself!" I shouted back.

"She's a bone in my throat, dust in my eye, a thorn in my flesh!" Evanthe spat, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "She's ruining everything at Silver Moon. She threatens my position, and I will remove her by any means necessary." Her perfect hairstyle began to come undone as she trembled with emotion. "I'm going to kill her. I swear I'll kill Isolde!" she screamed.

I hardly recognized the woman standing before me. This obsession with becoming Ezra's Luna was driving her to madness.

"You're only trying to stop me because of your personal feelings for her," she accused. "If you really like Isolde, go after her... if not, stay out of my way!"

"If either of us is being selfish in their desires, it's you, not me," I countered. "Your sick ambition won't just get you in trouble—it'll tarnish the Hawthorne name. Have you even considered what happens to our family's standing if your schemes backfire?"

She scoffed. "Backfire? Why would they?" Her lips curled into a sneer. "At least I fight for what I want. I go after what I desire. Unlike you, I'm not a coward." Her eyes narrowed accusingly. "You have power and influence as Security Director, yet you don't use those advantages."

"I use my position and influence the right way," I insisted. "And I won't clean up your mess this time. Stop hurting Isolde. I mean it."

Her expression morphed into disbelief. "You're really going to take that girl's side in this? For God's sake, I'm your sister!"

"Then do the right thing!"

The tension in the mansion was palpable, making the air feel thick and difficult to breathe. This was the worst conflict we'd had in years.

"Just fucking leave me alone!" Evanthe cried, tears finally spilling down her cheeks. "Do you have any idea how I feel right now? What I'm going through?"

"If you don't stop, you'll go through worse," I warned coldly.

"Why are you always so cruel?" she whimpered.

"Because I'm your brother and I care about you. I don't want you ruining your life chasing after a man who isn't your destined mate," I explained, softening my tone slightly. "There are plenty of high-ranking Lycans at Silver Moon."

"But none of them are Ezra!" she shot back.

I stared at her in complete dismay. "You're insane! You're fucking completely insane! There's no helping you!"

I turned and stormed out, both furious and worried—not just for Evanthe but for our parents too. I'd warned them about indulging her every whim, about failing to teach her that she couldn't always get what she wanted, even as part of an elite werewolf family.

Now I feared she would destroy everything our family had built at Silver Moon, all our status and reputation.

And I wasn't sure there was anything I could do to stop her.