Rise of the Banished She-Wolf Chapter 144

Evelyn

The evening sun stretched long shadows across the driveway as I pulled up to Hall Mansion in Eric's car. Devon was pacing by the entrance, his tall frame cutting a sharp silhouette against the dying light. The second I got out, his eyes locked on me—something sharper in them, like he'd picked up on a shift before I even said a word.

He walked over slowly, nostrils flaring just a bit as he got close. "You smell... different," he muttered, his voice dropping low, the kind that always twisted my gut in the best way. "Something's off—or on, I don't know."

I started to answer, but Olivia came barreling over and yanked me into a hug, all warmth and energy.

"Welcome back! I grabbed some new clothes for you while you were gone..." She pulled back, nose wrinkling. "Whoa, what happened? You reek like you rolled around in an herb garden explosion."

I cracked up, and Eric snorted from behind me, hauling my bag out of the trunk.

"You should've seen her with Mrs. Stone," he said. "I'm telling you, that silver poison was backing off like it was scared of her. Never seen anything like it."

Devon's stare stayed glued to my face the whole time, fierce and raw, like it was touching me. My cheeks heated up under it.

"Eric, you're staying for dinner," Olivia declared, hooking her arm through his. "We need the full story."

"So, Evelyn," Richard said during dinner, setting his wine glass down with a clink, "after all the crap Kate's pulled—the betrayal, the lies—why bother helping her? Why put yourself through that for someone who's only ever hurt you?"

I set my fork down carefully, buying a second to think. This wasn't easy to explain; I wanted them to get it.

"She's carrying multiples—triplets," I said. "Werewolf pregnancies like that are brutal, even with top care. Without help, she wouldn't make it two months."

I met Richard's eyes, steady as I could. "Those kids are innocent. Doesn't matter who their mom is—they haven't done a damn thing wrong. I couldn't just walk away and let them pay for it."

Under the table, Devon's hand slipped into mine, giving it a hard squeeze. The pride in his look made my heart flip.

Emma nodded from across the table, a small smile on her face. "Wolves can be vicious when we have to, but pack's about more than that. Protecting everyone, even the ones who've screwed us over."

"To our white wolf and her stubborn sense of right," Richard said, lifting his glass. "Devon, you've got a mate who's Alpha material through and through."

Devon's thumb started rubbing slow circles on my palm, sending little sparks up my arm.

"Watch out for Kyle, though," Richard added, his face clouding over. "Guy's not as straightforward as he lets on."

Eric shook his head. "Nah, I don't think Kyle'd mess with Evelyn now. He knows she's got the Halls in her corner, and she's the one calling the shots on the treatment."

Back in Devon's room, he shut the door, and the air between us thickened, like all that built-up tension from dinner was finally sparking.

"The second you showed up today," he said, stepping closer, deliberate, "my wolf lost it. Sensed something different in you." His voice went gravelly, almost a growl. "A shift."

My heart was pounding with this wild excitement. I grabbed his hands, words spilling out before I could stop them.

"Devon, something nuts happened! Yesterday, when I faced off with Kate at my place, I got so pissed—wolf claws just popped out!"

His eyes went wide as I kept going, breathless.

"And today, during the treatment, my hands started glowing, this silver light! My eyes changed too!" It all rushed out. "I could see the poison in her veins, like a roadmap, guiding where the herbs needed to go!"

He cupped my face, shock and joy mixing on his. "Your wolf's coming back—way faster than we thought."

"There's more," I said, feeling lightheaded from it all. "My senses are cranked up. I could feel body temps, hear heartbeats. Hell, I could even smell how many babies she's got."

He brushed my cheek, soft and full of awe. "Your white wolf's waking up, love."

That moment lit something wild in us both.

His eyes darkened as he pulled me in, voice dropping to a rough whisper. "Maybe... we could try the marking again?"

I nodded, pulse racing, as we started the ritual. His lips grazed that spot on my neck and shoulder—the mating point. His canines brushed my skin, and I felt my wolf stir, stronger than before, responding to him. But even pushing for it, it wasn't quite there to seal the bond.

"Not yet," I sighed, frustration bubbling up.

He kissed the disappointment off my face, lips soft. "Hey, don't sweat it. You're healing quicker than anyone expected."

His kisses turned deeper, hungrier, desire plain in his eyes. He pulled back a little, searching my face with that mix of care and want. "Evelyn... I want to be closer. All the way."

My heart slammed. He meant... making love?

Cheeks burning, I whispered, "I... I've never done this. I'm scared I'll mess it up or something."

His face softened, hands framing my face. "That's fine, love. We'll take it easy. I'll show you, and we stop if you say so. Your wolf's stirring—this might help her come out more. But only if you're sure."

I wrestled with it for a beat, but his warmth, that pull between us... it won. "Okay," I murmured. "I trust you."

He smiled, kissing me deep as he guided me to the bed, fingers fumbling a bit with my blouse buttons, cool air hitting my skin.

"Just breathe," he murmured, voice low and steady, hands tracing my curves like he was memorizing them. "Feel it all—my touch, my heartbeat. Yeah, like that... arch a little, Eve." His mouth moved down my neck, nipping at my collarbone, heat building in waves.

He took my hands, placing them on his chest, showing me how to explore him back, his muscles jumping under my touch.

When he shifted over me, he whispered, "Tell me if it's too much—I'll slow down." That first pressure was awkward, a sting mixed with growing heat, but his careful moves and quiet words eased it.

"You're amazing, Eve. Move with me—feel how we click?" His hands on my hips guided the rhythm, light but sure, while his kisses swallowed my gasps, the room filling with our scents, raw and mingled.

"I feel everything," I gasped, shaky with it all, nails scraping his back as pleasure built. He murmured encouragements, steady as a rock: "Perfect, Evelyn. Let it go... your wolf's there, feel her? Yeah, give in."

Afterward, he said my eyes had flickered gold in the moonlight at our peak, my wolf answering our connection, everything crashing together in this shared rush.

"Seems like... certain things... wake her up," he said later, kissing my forehead, voice rough and content.

Curled in his arms, that wild energy inside me settled into something peaceful. "This... being with you like this... it steadies the wolf. Makes her less chaotic."

His fingers tangled in my hair, thoughtful. "Old stories say an Alpha's bond with their mate balances things out. Creates harmony."

He grinned against my skin, a touch of playfulness in his whisper. "Guess we've found another way to speed your recovery." Soon, you'll shift whenever you want—full control."

With that hope warming us, we drifted off. Moonlight slipped through the curtains, silver on our tangled bodies, wolves finally quiet.