Rise of the Banished She-Wolf Chapter 35

Evelyn

"Evelyn! Oh my God, I can't believe you're here!"

I turned to see Lily rushing toward me, her golden-brown hair bouncing as she moved. Behind her, Devon followed at a more measured pace, his intense blue eyes fixing on me immediately.

"Hi, Lily," I smiled, genuinely happy to see her friendly face after the tension-filled family dinner. "I was just attending my grandfather's event."

"This is perfect timing!" Lily exclaimed, grabbing my hands. "You absolutely have to come with me to Emilia's celebration. She just launched her jewelry collection, and it's amazing!"

I raised an eyebrow. "Emilia? I don't know her."

"Oh, it's Emilia Redwood. She's fabulous," Lily continued, enthusiasm bubbling over. "She's from one of the oldest wolf families in the northwest. Her designs are inspired by our... you know." She lowered her voice slightly, referring to werewolf culture without explicitly saying it.

"I appreciate the invitation, but I should really head home," I said, trying to find a polite way to decline. Social gatherings weren't my thing, especially not after the emotional drain of dealing with my family.

Devon stepped closer, his scent—pine and wilderness—hitting me with unexpected force. "They're all friends, Evelyn. Why not sit for a while? I can drive you back to Moon Bay afterward."

His voice was deep and steady, but there was something beneath it—an invitation that went beyond mere words. I felt the power of his Alpha presence, not intimidating but somehow... reassuring. It was strange how his proximity affected me, like my wolf recognized something in him that my human side was still wary of.

"Well..." I hesitated, looking between Lily's hopeful expression and Devon's intense gaze.

"Please?" Lily added with a winning smile. "It'll be fun, I promise."

Against my better judgment, I nodded. "Alright, but just for a little while."

Lily squealed in delight and linked her arm through mine, leading me toward the restaurant section of the hotel. Devon followed behind us, and I could feel his eyes on my back the entire way.

The private dining room was elegantly decorated with silver and blue accents. A small group of people were gathered around a display of intricately designed jewelry that glinted under the carefully positioned lights.

"Dev, darling! You finally made it!" A striking woman with auburn hair detached herself from the group and approached us. Her wolf's scent was strong and distinctive—mountain air and wild roses. She moved with graceful confidence, her designer dress accentuating her perfect figure.

This had to be Emilia Redwood. The way she looked at Devon, the familiar way she touched his arm—there was history there, intimate history. My wolf bristled slightly, a reaction that caught me off guard.

"Emilia," Devon greeted her with a slight nod, his tone polite but noticeably cooler than hers. "Congratulations on your collection."

She beamed at him before turning her attention to me, her green eyes assessing. "And who is this?" The question sounded friendly enough, but I caught the subtle shift in her posture—slightly defensive, territorial.

"This is Evelyn Gray," Devon said, his hand coming to rest lightly on the small of my back as he made the introduction. "Evelyn, this is Emilia Redwood."

"Gray?" Emilia's perfectly shaped eyebrows rose slightly. "From the Moonheal pack?" She leaned closer, inhaling subtly. Her expression changed to one of confusion.

I tensed, uncomfortable with her scrutiny. "Yes, I'm from Moonheal," I confirmed, offering nothing more.

"Evelyn is William Gray's granddaughter," Lily added helpfully, seemingly oblivious to the tension.

"Huh, interesting," Emilia said, her smile failing to reach her cold green eyes. "I didn't know William had a granddaughter named Evelyn. I only knew about Kate..." She left it hanging there, looking at me like she was trying to figure out what my deal was.

"Ancient wolf traditions inspire Emilia's jewelry collection," Lily said, changing the subject. "The moonstone pieces are absolutely gorgeous."

"Thank you, Lily," Emilia said, her attention shifting back to Devon. "Dev, I've been trying to reach you for days. You never answer my calls anymore."

Devon's expression remained neutral. "I've been busy with work."

"Too busy for old friends?" Emilia pouted, placing a perfectly manicured hand on his arm.

I observed their interaction closely. Emilia's body language screamed possession, while Devon maintained a careful distance. Though he was polite, I could sense his discomfort. Throughout our conversation, I noticed how Emilia's eyes constantly darted between Devon and me, assessing, calculating.

After viewing the jewelry display, Lily suggested we head to the entertainment room. "They have the latest games there! Come on, Eve, let's check it out."

Grateful for the escape, I nodded. "Devon, I'm going with Lily for a bit," I said, not wanting to appear rude by just disappearing.

"Go ahead," he replied. "I'll join you shortly."

The entertainment room was spacious, with several gaming stations set up around a central lounge area. Lily immediately gravitated toward a racing game, challenging a young man I recognized as Jack, whom I met at the Moon Valley

I was watching them play when Emilia appeared beside me, two controllers in hand. "Care for a game? I'm quite good at 'Wolf Shadow Combat.'"

The challenge in her voice was unmistakable. "Sure," I agreed, taking one of the controllers. I hadn't played in years, but I remembered the basics.

On screen, Emilia selected the Alpha wolf character, the most powerful in the game. I chose the ordinary white wolf, smaller but faster. As we played, I quickly remembered the mechanics, using speed and strategy to counter her character's raw power. When my white wolf executed a perfect counter-attack and won the match, Lily let out an excited howl-like cheer from across the room.

"You're good," Emilia said, her smile tight. She set down her controller and turned to face me directly. "Which pack did you say you were from again?"

"Moonheal," I repeated, suddenly alert to her shift in demeanor.

"I'm surprised," she said, lowering her voice. "Your wolf scent is so... diminished. I almost wouldn't know you were a werewolf."

Here we go again - every werewolf I met just had to point this out.