Chapter 54

Evelyn

I rode through the forest like the trees were chasing me. All the while, blood roared in my ears as my hands clenched the reins enough to bleach my knuckles.

Every heartbeat pounded against my ribs like a drum of war. Fear and urgency spurred me on deeper and deeper.

Twenty-four hours. Twenty-four hours. Twenty-four hours. The deadline I had been given echoed in my head mercilessly.

That’s all the time I had before Jesse expected an answer. Within that timeframe, I had to decide between my freedom and a world of bloodshed, or my imprisonment and pack peace.

I knew that this was not a decision I could make lightly, nor was it one I could make entirely alone.

If I were going to throw myself into the fire, I needed to tell my father. He would need to be aware of the ultimatum for many reasons. But I suspected that I already knew which way his decision would lean.

Leaves snagged in my hair, and thorns bit into my exposed skin as I blurred by, but I didn’t slow down. As the sun began to strengthen in the gray sky, the werewolf camp lights glimmered in the distance like a promise. I spurred my mare even harder, eager to get on with it.

By the time I reached the palace, my boots were caked in mud, my braid was unraveling, and my lungs ached. Tiny scratches covered the skin of my arms and shins.

I didn’t care. Perhaps someone else would have been embarrassed by this appearance as they stood before the Alpha King, but there was no time to waste on vanity.

I climbed the stairs two at a time. A few servants watched me go, some of them undoubtedly recognizing me as the princess. They scurried out of my way, regarding my frantic ascension with deep concern.

My hurried feet carried me down the familiar corridors to the room I had only been in a handful of times before. But I knew he would be in there, and the sound of a muffled conversation from within confirmed it.

I barely paused before shoving the doors of the Alpha King’s study open.

They were both inside.

My father was sitting at his hulking lacquered desk, stoic as ever. He swiveled his eyes to me, at once unhappy and intrigued by the unannounced intrusion.

Standing beside the hearth with a glass of untouched scotch was my brother, Prince Alex, looking utterly at ease. That was until he heard the door bang open and tensed.

Their conversation stopped mid-sentence.

“Eve,” Alex said. He put down his drink on the mantel and met me at the door in three long strides. I must have looked unsightly because he took me in with wide eyes.

I looked past him to meet my father’s gaze.

“I need to speak with you. Now,” I said breathlessly.

My father’s eyes narrowed, but Alex asked the question for both of them, his voice softened with distress. “What happened?”

“The negotiations just ended,” I said, “I went to the rogue camp. Jesse sent me back, but not before he made his terms.”

My father’s expression didn’t change. “Let me guess: he wants a kingdom, a crown, and my head on a silver tray.”

I stepped forward, pushing slightly past Alex. “He wants me. As a healer. In their camp.”

That got his attention. His lips parted for a brief second before pressing into a thin, pale line. Finally, he stood, slowly, as though taking his time.

“Absolutely not.”

“Father, listen—”

“No.” His voice thundered through the study. “You are not throwing yourself into a den of criminals to become their leashed pet. I might have bent on anything else, but I will not allow him this.”

I took another step toward him, refusing to back down. “I will not be their pet. I would be a peacekeeper. I would be their healer. This treaty could end the war before more lives are lost. That matters.”

“It’s a trap, Evelyn. Can’t you see?”

“Maybe,” I said. “But what if it’s not?”

“You are my daughter,” he growled. “Are you so eager to throw your life away? I will not hand you over to that bastard like some bargaining chip.”

“I am not something to be handed over. I’m not a lantern or a spoon. I’m a person who can make her own choices,” I snapped. “This is my decision.”

“Then why did you even come here to tell me?” my father asked.

“You are the Alpha King,” I answered. “It would be wrong not to inform you about how the negotiations went.”

“You’re right,” he said. “I am the Alpha King, which makes me the authority on how these peace talks go. And the answer is no, Evelyn. You will not be trading yourself for the idea of peace. We cannot trust him to keep his word.”

Alex stepped between us, eclipsing my view of our father. “Hey. Listen, both of you. Breathe. We knew that true peace was a long shot when treating with Jesse.”

I staggered back a step, glaring at him. “So you don’t think I should go either.”

“I think you need to take the time to seriously consider whether it’s worth it.”

“It might save hundreds of lives—-of course it’s worth it!” I exclaimed. “This is bigger than just me and my needs. Besides, I don’t have time to weigh it all up. I only have twenty-four hours to come back to him with my decision.”

My father crossed his arms over his broad chest. “It seems you’ve already made your mind up.”

Had I?

I was already breathing too fast, too hot, like my heart was trying to escape my chest. Alex reached out, gently placing a hand on my arm.

“Eve,” he said softly, “I get it. I do. You’ve always fought for the people first, even when no one asked you to. But this is dangerous. Let us help figure this out.”

I didn’t even get the chance to respond.

The door creaked open behind me, the sound soft yet jarring in the middle of our tense discussion.

I knew who it would be before I turned around to confirm it. He had a way of barging in at the worst times, and a part of me sensed him and knew he was there before I could even look behind me.

But then I did, and there he stood.

Logan.

His boots were silent on the floor, but his presence hit the room like a thunderclap. Logan’s eyes immediately landed first on my brother’s hand on my arm like they were drawn to it. Then they slowly, painstakingly crawled to my face. Confusion flared before it was replaced by something darker. His jaw clenched.

He said nothing.

Neither did I.

But in that still moment, surrounded by my family and being glared at by my husband, I felt something strange coil in me that I couldn’t quite name.

“Sorry to intrude,” he said, his voice tight.

And even though he was in the presence of the Alpha King, he spoke to me, his gaze never wavering from mine. When I met his eyes, there was war dancing in his irises.

"What are you doing here?" He frowned and asked me.