Rise of the Banished She-Wolf Chapter 24

Evelyn

Devon’s words—“You’re in my territory”—echoed in my mind, stirring something long dormant deep inside me. My wolf was restless and uneasy under his gaze.

I looked away first, unable to bear the intensity of his gaze. The Alpha energy radiating from him was making my dormant wolf whine and pace. It confused me—terrified me even. For three years, I'd been empty inside, my wolf nature locked away so thoroughly I'd almost forgotten what it felt like.

But here, now, with Devon so close, I could feel her scratching at the walls of her prison.

Memories flooded back—painful, searing memories. Devon had been there the night of my exile, standing silently among the council of Alphas who condemned me. He hadn't spoken a single word in my defense.

"Why are you helping me now?" I whispered, my voice barely audible. "Three years ago, you stood by while they drove me away."

Devon's expression tightened, but before he could answer, the doctor entered the room.

"Good news, Ms. Gray," he said, flipping through my chart. "Your old wound has stabilized, and the silver poisoning is under control. You were also suffering from low blood sugar, but that's improving now." He looked up with a reassuring smile. "After you finish with the police statement, you'll be free to go home tonight. Just make sure to rest properly for the next few days."

Relief washed through me. I couldn't bear another night in this hospital.

The door opened again, and Lily bounded in, her face lighting up when she saw me awake. Despite the scratches on her face, she looked remarkably well.

"Eve! You're okay!" She rushed to my bedside, nearly knocking over a chair in her enthusiasm.

"I'm fine," I assured her, touched by her genuine concern. "How are you?"

"Just a few scratches." She waved dismissively. "But Mom will freak if she sees them. Can I... can I stay at your place tonight?"

Before I could answer, a police officer appeared in the doorway. "Ms. Gray? I need to take your statement about the kidnapping incident."

I nodded, then looked at Devon. "Could you take Lily to my apartment? I'll come back once I'm done here."

Something flashed in Devon's eyes—concern, perhaps? "Are you sure?"

"I'll be fine," I insisted. "Take care of Lily. I'll be there soon."

After they left, I gave my statement to the police, carefully omitting any mention of wolf abilities or silver poisoning. I described the fight at the amusement park as best I could, making it sound like I'd simply used self-defense training to overcome Jessica's hired thugs.

When I finally stepped outside the police station, night had fallen over Seattle. I took a deep breath of the cool air, savoring my temporary freedom.

The events of the past few days had changed something inside me. My wolf, so long suppressed, was becoming more perceptible with each passing hour.

As I hailed a cab back to Moon Bay Apartments, I thought about Devon—about the conflicting emotions he stirred in me. Hatred for his role in my exile. Confusion at his current protectiveness. And something else, something I wasn't ready to acknowledge.

My wolf stirred again, responding to the mere thought of him. This was dangerous territory. I couldn't afford to forget what he'd allowed to happen to me.

Yet I couldn't deny the way my heart had raced when I woke to find him holding my hand.

Lily

The ride to Evelyn's apartment was unusually quiet. Devon seemed lost in thought, his hands gripping the steering wheel too tightly. I'd never seen him so affected by anyone before.

"Is Eve going to be okay?" I asked, breaking the silence.

"Yes," he replied curtly. "The doctor says she can leave tonight after giving her statement."

When we arrived at Moon Bay Apartments, Devon used his own key to unlock Evelyn's door. I stepped inside and immediately noticed an older woman arranging fresh flowers in a vase.

"Mrs. Whitmore? You are still here?" I gasped, recognizing our family's longtime housekeeper.

She turned with a warm smile. "Hello, Miss Lily. I've prepared the guest room for you."

I glanced between her and Devon, realization dawning. "Uncle Devon, you’d already arranged for someone to look after Eve, hadn’t you? The moment I first saw Mrs. Whitmore, I knew—I just never said anything."

Devon avoided my gaze, busying himself with setting down my overnight bag. "She needs someone to look after her while she recovers."

Once Mrs. Whitmore excused herself to prepare the guest room, I couldn't help myself. "You really like her, don't you? I've never seen you this concerned about any woman."

Devon's expression immediately closed off. "You should be worrying about your injuries, not my personal matters."

"But—"

"We need to tell your parents about what happened," he interrupted, changing the subject. "They have a right to know you were kidnapped."

Panic shot through me. "Please don't tell them! Mom will be terrified!" I begged. "And she will never let me out of her sight again!"

He studied me for a long moment, then sighed. "Fine. But you're staying in the guest room tonight. Otherwise, I'm calling Olivia right now."

"Deal!" I agreed quickly.

After Devon left, I changed into the pajamas Mrs. Whitmore had laid out for me. I settled on the couch, determined to wait up for Evelyn to return. But exhaustion soon took over, and I drifted off to sleep.

---

Morning sunlight streaming through the windows woke me. I sat up, momentarily disoriented until I remembered where I was. The smell of bacon and eggs made my stomach growl.

"Good morning, Miss Lily," Mrs. Whitmore said cheerfully from the kitchen. "Miss Gray returned very late last night. She's resting in her bedroom."

Relief washed through me. Evelyn was home and safe.

As Mrs. Whitmore set a plate in front of me, the doorbell rang. I went to answer it, expecting Uncle Devon.

Instead, my mother, Olivia Pike, stood there. Her expression tightened when she saw the scratches on my face. I caught the brief flash of gold in her eyes—her wolf responding to her cub being injured.

"What happened to you?" she demanded, stepping inside.

I couldn't hold back anymore. Tears sprang to my eyes as I threw myself into her arms.

"Mom," I sobbed, "I was so scared. Jessica kidnapped me and took me to that old amusement park..."

I told her everything—how Evelyn had come alone to save me, how she'd fought all those men despite her injured arm.

"She saved me, Mom," I whispered. "Eve came all by herself to rescue me..."

Mom's expression hardened. "I'll be thanking her for saving you—and then I'm going to find this Jessica girl."

Her gaze suddenly shifted past me, and she stiffened. "Mrs. Whitmore? You haven't been at the old house for days. So this is where you've been?"

I turned to see Mrs. Whitmore standing nearby, looking slightly uncomfortable.

Before she could answer, a door opened down the hall. Evelyn emerged, dressed in a simple t-shirt and sweatpants. Her left arm was still bandaged, but she moved with surprising strength.

Her silver-gray eyes took in the scene—my tear-streaked face, my mother's protective stance, Mrs. Whitmore's presence.

"Mrs. Whitmore is your family's employee?" she asked, her voice carefully neutral.

The tension in the room suddenly thickened as the implications became clear.