Rise of the Banished She-Wolf Chapter 19

Evelyn

The voice on the other end left no room for refusal. In the end, I had no choice but to give in.

“Cornerstone Café,” I snapped, annoyed, then hung up.

When I got back to the table, Aiden’s sharp eyes were already on me, scanning my face like he was trying to read my mind.

"Aurora, what happened? Who was that?" he asked in a lowered voice, fingers lightly tapping the table with concern.

I sighed, switching my phone to silent before slipping it into my pocket. "Someone from Seattle... a friend. He insists on coming here to see me. Sorry, but I won't be able to show you around Seattle tonight after all."

Aiden narrowed his eyes, carefully observing my reaction. "Is it someone from the pack? Does he know about your 'Aurora' identity?"

I shook my head firmly, my heart rate involuntarily increasing. "He's a local figure, but he absolutely doesn't know I'm Aurora, and he can never find out."

Looking at my watch, I realized time was running short. "You should leave now. He'll be here soon. Remember to send those files to my encrypted email."

Aiden stood up, preparing to leave. "Take care, Aurora. Contact me if you run into any trouble."

After he left, I sat alone sipping red wine, contemplating how to handle Devon's imminent arrival.

Soon, a commotion at the Café entrance caught my attention. I looked up to see Devon striding purposefully into the café, each step radiating undeniable authority. The scent of pine and wilderness reached me even from across the room.

The café manager immediately rushed forward with deference. "Mr. Hall, welcome to—"

Devon ignored the manager, his gaze locked directly on me as he walked straight to my table. His Alpha presence caused people to instinctively clear a path for him.

He sat down across from me without invitation, his eyes immediately zeroing in on the wine glass in my hand. "Your silver wound hasn't completely healed yet, and you're sitting here drinking wine?" His tone was sharp with disapproval.

I raised an eyebrow in defiance. "Mr. Hall, I don't recall needing to report my lifestyle choices to you." I placed the glass down, noticing how his nostrils flared slightly, obviously catching the lingering scent of another person in the air.

A dangerous light flashed in Devon's eyes. "Who was just here with you?"

I immediately became guarded, my heart rate quickening. "Just a friend. It doesn't concern you." I struggled to keep my voice steady, but Devon's gaze was too piercing, as if he could see through my facade.

Devon stared at me for several seconds before abruptly standing. "Let's go. You need to go back to the hospital for a check-up."

"What?" I looked at him in shock. "I don't need a check-up. I'm fine."

"Your wound isn't recovering as well as you think," his tone brooked no argument. "And drinking alcohol with silver still in your system is dangerous. You're coming with me now." The look in his eyes told me this wasn't a request.

I wanted to protest, but Devon had already paid my bill and was practically forcing me out of the café. His hand gripped my arm with just enough pressure—not painful, but not allowing me to break free either.

Once inside his luxurious black sedan, Devon started the engine. The car immediately filled with his scent, making me feel both secure and suffocated at the same time.

"I heard about what happened at the university today," he said while driving, his eyes fixed on the road. "Why would you plagiarize someone else's code? That doesn't seem like you."

I turned to look out the window, jaw clenched tight. "You don’t know anything about me, Mr. Hall. And I didn’t plagiarize anything."

He studied me for a moment, then leaned forward slightly. "Then why couldn’t you explain the similarity? You know Aurora, don’t you?" His tone was calm, curious rather than accusatory.

A flicker of panic rose in my chest. Without thinking, I suddenly rubbed my silver-marked arm, forcing a slight wince. "No, I don’t know her," I said quickly, voice steady but edged with a hint of pain. "I’ve only studied the code she wrote. Ah, it’s hurting." The pain was all in my act—I just needed him to drop the subject.

Devon glanced briefly at my arm, then looked back at the road, no longer pressing the issue.

At the medical center, the doctor injected me with a special serum. The silver-blue liquid slowly entered my bloodstream, bringing a warm sensation with it.

"Ms. Gray, I specifically instructed you to avoid alcohol for at least two weeks," the doctor chided. "Silver toxins are still present in your system, and alcohol accelerates their circulation, slowing the healing process."

"This will help neutralize the silver toxins," the doctor explained sternly, "but you need to follow my instructions this time. No alcohol, plenty of rest, and take the herbal supplements I prescribed."

Just as I was about to respond, my phone suddenly rang, the screen displaying "Grandfather."

"Grandfather, hello..." I answered, my voice automatically softening.

William's voice came through, warm but firm: "Evelyn, come home for dinner tonight. I have something important to tell you."

I glanced at Devon standing nearby and replied quietly, "Alright, Grandfather. I'll be there soon."

After hanging up, Devon immediately said, "I'll drive you. You're in no condition to travel alone right now."

I hesitated, considering the temporary weakness the silver medication might cause, and finally nodded. "Thank you, but please stop at the territory boundary. I don't want to cause unnecessary trouble."

The car fell silent again until Devon suddenly spoke. "The Gray family exiled you, but you're still their blood."

I smiled bitterly as I watched the tree shadows passing by outside. "Only my grandfather still treats me like family. Everyone else has long considered me an outcast. Especially after they discovered I was a white wolf."

Devon pulled up right at the edge of Gray family territory. Just as I was unbuckling my seatbelt to get out, he suddenly grabbed my wrist. “If anything comes up, you call me. Got it?”

I paused for a second, then nodded.

I started walking toward the Gray family mansion, feeling his eyes on me the whole way—watching until I was halfway there.

When I reached the entrance, Kate suddenly appeared in the doorway. She looked at me suspiciously, then glanced toward the black sedan driving away in the distance. "Who was that man?"

I stopped at Kate's question, her eyes narrowing as she studied me from the doorway.

"So this is what you've been up to," she said, her voice dripping with venom. "Barely back in Seattle and already being kept by some older wolf? Is that how you've survived all these years—selling yourself for protection?"

My blood boiled at her insinuation, but I kept my expression neutral. Three years of living alone had taught me to control my reactions better than any Pack training.

"Some wolves are just naturally vicious, Kate," I replied coolly. "They see betrayal everywhere because it's all they know how to do themselves."

Kate's eyes flashed with golden wolf-light for a split second—a momentary lapse in her usually perfect control. I'd hit a nerve.

"You have no right to—" she began, but was cut off by the sound of heavy footsteps.

"Dad's home," she said, her entire demeanor transforming instantly.

The vicious snarl disappeared, replaced by a sweet smile that might have fooled anyone who hadn't grown up watching her perfect this act.