Rise of the Banished She-Wolf Chapter 94

Evelyn

I gently pinched Lily's cheek as we sat under a large oak tree in the courtyard, the morning sun filtering through the leaves. "Stop looking at me like I'm made of glass. I'm fine, really."

"But all those horrible things your family did to you..." Lily's brown eyes were wide with concern. "The videos showed everything—how they set you up, how they let you take the blame. Aren't you furious?"

I shrugged, keeping my expression neutral. "What's the point? It happened three years ago. I've moved on."

That wasn't entirely true. I remembered everything—every accusation, every betrayal, every night I spent alone after being cast out. The memory of my father's face twisted with disgust as he threw me out still haunted me. But I'd learned to bury those feelings deep down where they couldn't hurt me anymore.

"Besides," I added with a small smile, "I have a better family now. I have you, Devon, Lydia... people who actually give a damn about me."

Lily looked like she wanted to say more, but the bell rang, signaling the end of our break. We gathered our books and headed toward the main building.

"Lunch at the cafeteria?" Lily asked as we approached the entrance.

"Sure," I replied, already dreading the stares and whispers that had followed me since the videos went public. But I refused to hide anymore. Let them stare.

---

The cafeteria buzzed with the usual lunchtime chaos. I spotted Samuel sitting alone at a table near the center of the room, his leg extended awkwardly. He winced slightly as he shifted position—my kick to his knee apparently still bothering him. Good.

"Why is he staring at you again?" Lily whispered as we sat down with our trays. "It's creepy."

"Just ignore him," I muttered, stabbing at my salad.

My advice proved useless when Samuel suddenly rose from his seat and limped over to our table, sliding into the chair directly across from me. The motion was graceful despite his injury—too graceful for a human.

"What do you want?" Lily snapped, her protective instincts flaring. "Can't you see we're trying to eat in peace?"

Samuel ignored her completely, his eyes fixed on me. "I saw the videos," he said, his accent thickening his words. "What your family did to you... it was unforgivable."

I maintained a neutral expression, though my wolf stirred uneasily within me. There was something about Samuel that had always felt off—predatory in a way that even Devon's intensity never was.

"Only a coward would use their own daughter as a scapegoat," he continued, leaning forward. "Just say the word, Evelyn, and I can make sure they never set foot in Seattle again."

Lily's eyes widened at the casual threat, and I felt a chill run down my spine. This wasn't just talk—there was something dangerous in his eyes that told me he meant every word.

"Whatever issues I have with my family are my business," I replied coldly, my silver-gray eyes flashing with warning. "I don't need your help."

Samuel's lips curved into a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "We all need allies, Evelyn. Especially those of us who are... different."

The way he emphasized "different" made it clear he knew about my white wolf. My fingers tightened around my fork.

"I have all the allies I need," I said, standing abruptly. "Let's go, Lily."

Lily didn't need to be told twice. We were barely out of the cafeteria when a girl with tear-streaked cheeks ran up to me, her face contorted with rage.

"It's all your fault!" she screamed, drawing stares from everyone in the hallway. "Kate's on the roof of the science building! She's going to jump because of you and those videos you posted! You're a murderer, Evelyn Gray!"

My blood ran cold. Kate might be manipulative and cruel, but she was still my sister. Without a word to the hysterical girl, I dropped my bag and ran.

---

The science building was only three stories tall—the shortest building on campus. As I burst through the door to the roof, I immediately spotted Kate sitting on the edge, her legs dangling over the side. Even from behind, I could sense the chaotic emotions rolling off her—anger, humiliation, and something else that surprised me: fear.

"Kate," I called out, keeping my voice steady as I approached. "What are you doing?"

She turned, her face streaked with tears, mascara running down her cheeks. For a moment, she looked genuinely broken. "You've ruined everything," she said, her voice cracking. "Everyone knows now. Sebastian's family is questioning our engagement. Father's business partners are calling, demanding explanations."

I stayed a few feet away, not wanting to startle her. "So this is your solution? Jumping off a building?"

"I want you to take down those videos," she demanded. "And publicly apologize. Say it was all lies—that you edited the footage."

"You know I can't do that," I replied. "It's the truth, Kate. For once in my life, I'm not letting our family bury it."

"You hate me that much?" Her voice was small, almost childlike. "You want to destroy me?"

"I don't hate you," I said honestly. "But I won't protect you from the consequences of your actions anymore."

"I'll jump," she threatened, edging closer to the ledge. "And everyone will blame you."

I studied her for a moment—the trembling in her hands didn't match the calculation in her eyes. "You won't jump," I said with certainty. "You picked the shortest building on campus. At worst, you'd break a leg, which would heal in hours given our physiology. This is just another performance."

Kate's expression hardened, the vulnerability vanishing as quickly as it had appeared. "You think you're so smart."

"I think I know a manipulation when I see one," I replied. "I've had plenty of practice, thanks to you."

I moved closer, remembering the day my father had beaten me and thrown me out of our home. I'd been eighteen, just accepted to college. Kate had watched from the stairs, not saying a word in my defense.

"You know what's funny, Kate?" I said quietly. "I've always envied you. You had everything I wanted—our family's acceptance, our mother's love. Even when you framed me, part of me understood. You were protecting your position."

Something flickered in Kate's eyes—surprise, perhaps even a hint of guilt.

"I can apologize," she said suddenly, her tone shifting to conciliatory. "I'm sorry for what happened. But please, delete the videos. Just say they were edited or something."

I felt a plan forming in my mind. "Come down from there, and I'll consider it."

Hope flashed across Kate's face as she quickly scrambled away from the ledge. "Really? You'll do it?"

"I said I'd consider it," I repeated as we walked toward the stairwell.

"Thank you," Kate said, sounding genuinely relieved. "I'm sorry about three years ago. It was our parents who decided to do that. I couldn't stop them."

I waited until we reached the bottom of the stairs, then leaned close to her ear. "I never said I forgave you," I whispered, feeling a cold satisfaction as her body tensed. "Living is my revenge. Because now you get to watch as I take everything you thought was yours."

I pulled back to see her face had gone pale. Without another word, I turned and walked away, leaving her frozen in place, finally understanding that the sister she'd helped destroy was gone—and the woman who returned was someone else entirely.