Chapter 67

Chapter 67: Chapter 67

The summit had barely been underway for an hour when Evelyn decided she needed air.

She slipped away from the hall without announcing her departure to anyone, following a pathway that led toward the gardens behind the estate.

The noise faded almost immediately. Here, there were no Alphas trying to impress one another, no Lunas smiling politely while calculating what they could gain, no servants constantly passing with trays of wine.

There was literally no one except her. Evelyn shut her eyes and took a deep breath, allowing the wind to simply breeze through.

"I didn’t realise this was no longer a sacred place."

Evelyn’s gaze snapped open at the sound of the voice, but she didn’t turn. "A sacred place for you, perhaps?"

"I see you have a habit of taking what isn’t yours." He continued, "My trades, my money—" His footsteps grew closer until he was beside her. "And now this place."

Evelyn turned to him, the corner of her lips lifting a bit. "Didn’t realise this place also bore the crest of the Supreme Alpha."

"It doesn’t... but I found it first. It’s always been my—" He trailed off for a bit.

"Your special escaping corner? Safe haven?" Evelyn continued.

"You think you’re funny, but in reality, you’re not." He said dryly.

Evelyn sighed, turning to face him. "Tell me what you’re doing here, Alpha Lucien. I believe your last words were hoping we do not cross paths again. Why have you then chosen to intentionally cross paths with me?"

"Intentionally is such a way to put it, isn’t it?" He turned to her too. "The summit hasn’t even started, and you’re already taking a break? How shameful."

Evelyn smirked. "The same could be said for you." She glanced sideways at him. "The Supreme Alpha, slipping away from the most important event of his realm. How tactical."

Lucien’s mouth curved faintly, though he didn’t quite let it become a smile. "I needed air. Unlike you, I don’t have the luxury of disappearing for long."

"Then you should return." Evelyn turned back toward the scenery. "Wouldn’t want the realm to think their Supreme Alpha has abandoned his own summit."

"They’d survive a few minutes without me." He didn’t move. "Besides, I told you before—this is my corner."

Evelyn scoffed. "You keep saying that as if repetition will make it true."

"It is true."

"Then I suppose we’ll have to share it," Evelyn said simply, "since I have no intention of leaving before you do."

Lucien glanced at her, something flickering behind his eyes, but it was gone just as quickly as it appeared. "Stubborn."

"Persistent," she corrected. "There’s a difference."

Silence stretched between them again, though this time it didn’t feel forced.

After a moment, Lucien cleared his throat as though he were preparing to leave. "The donations will begin soon. That’s the highlight of today’s event."

"Now?" Evelyn glanced at him, brows lifting slightly. She thought it would be longer... had everyone arrived yet?

Lucien’s brows raised. "You didn’t know? Didn’t your boyfriend tell you?"

Evelyn looked confused for a minute... her boyfriend? Then her eyes widened in understanding. "Alpha Adrian is not my boyfriend."

Lucien hummed, now turning to face her fully. "Alpha Adrian of the Celestial Realm, is it?" He continued, as though she hadn’t spoken. "He must have been the one who helped you block my trade, then."

"What?"

Lucien scoffed, as though he were piecing things together in his mind. "That’s a lot of nerve, I must say. Blocking my trade, making me lose billions for his girlfriend, then he comes waltzing into my realm, introducing himself to me, my mother."

Evelyn’s expression hardened. "You really can’t see past your own assumptions, can you?"

"Enlighten me, then." Lucien crossed his arms. "Tell me I’m wrong."

"You are wrong." She stepped closer, voice sharpening with each word. "I’m a healer, Lucien. I saved his sister’s life. That’s the entire story. There’s no grand scheme, no hidden alliance built to spite you. He owed me. He repaid the debt. That is all this ever was. But can you ever understand such? No! You’re so shallow you can’t see past your own self. It’s truly pathetic, Lucien."

She took a step back. "I have a summit to return to, and so do you, Supreme Alpha."

Just as she turned to leave, he stopped her once again. "Dinner—my mother invited you to it. Cancel it. I’ll pass on your message as to why you can’t attend."

Evelyn glanced at him, not fully turning. "You think so highly of yourself, Lucien. We’ll be seeing each other soon. For dinner."

With that, she walked off. Lucien’s jaw ticked at her retreating figure, though he made no move to stop her again.

She hadn’t gone far before she noticed Soren standing near the hedges, his expression carefully arranged into neutrality, though not quite carefully enough.

His eyes flicked toward the direction she’d come from, then back to her. "Evelyn," he called. "Was he troubling you again?" He asked, clearly having seen her with Lucien.

"Nothing I can’t handle, Soren." She replied and continued her walk into the hall.

By the time Evelyn reached the summit hall, the crowd had thickened considerably, Alphas and Lunas mingling near the entrance in preparation for the donations.

She spotted Kael and Sophia almost immediately, freshly arrived. Kael was already in the midst of his fellow Alphas, while Sophia was scanning the room with sharp, assessing eyes. She was dressed in an ivory dress, her hair curled and down.

She looked good—but not nearly as beautiful as Evelyn.

Sophia’s gaze found Evelyn, and a frown settled on her face seeing her. She’d spent days preparing for the summit when Kael told her about it. She’d prepared so diligently, making sure she would be the most beautiful woman in the hall tonight. But somehow, standing in the hall and watching Evelyn, it was clear she didn’t stand a chance.

She grabbed a glass of wine from a waiter and gulped it in one go, then dragged Kael from the midst of his Alphas and walked toward Evelyn.

Sophia stopped a few feet away from Evelyn, Kael standing beside her.

"Evelyn." She called, and Evelyn turned slowly, her expression giving away nothing.

"Sophia." She called, gaze flicking to Kael but not acknowledging him.

Sophia slid her hand into Kael’s, puffing her chest out. "You look... different."

"I guess." Evelyn replied dryly, while Sophia’s lips tightened.

She had imagined this moment several times. She had imagined Evelyn arriving alone, looking uncomfortable among the other Alphas and Lunas, perhaps even regretting the decision to leave Silver Creek.

Instead, Evelyn stood there as though she belonged. As though the room had been waiting for her.

"I see you came alone to such an important event like this?" She tsked, shaking her head. "Wouldn’t it have been less humiliating if you’d just stayed home?"

"Humiliating implies I have something to feel ashamed of, Sophia. I don’t." Evelyn replied smoothly.

"Do you?" Sophia’s smile sharpened. "A woman like you, standing here without a man to your name. No title beside yours, no one to claim you. It must be lonely, watching everyone else arrive paired, accounted for, while you stand here alone." She tilted her head in mock sympathy. "It really is a pity."

"Careful there, Sophia." Evelyn smiled, her gaze shifting to Kael for a second, then back to Sophia. "I might be tempted to go back to the man I left just so I don’t feel... humiliated on nights like this again."

At her words, Kael’s ears perked up. He hadn’t said a word since Sophia had dragged them to her. Unable to look away, his gaze moved over her face, her hair, the white streaks that had become such a familiar part of her appearance, and finally the gown.

He had seen Evelyn, but somehow, Evelyn had never looked like this to him.

"Evelyn..." Adrian called as he walked toward them, stopping next to her, hand on her back. He stretched his hand forth.

"I don’t believe we’ve been introduced. Alpha Adrian of the Celestial Realm, and Lady Evelyn’s date."

Kael’s gaze snapped to the man, looking him over as though he were an enemy. He looked back at Evelyn, his jaw tight. What was Evelyn playing at?

His mind returned to seeing Lucien with her—and now, this man? Adrian of the Celestial Realm?

Meanwhile, Sophia’s mouth parted, whatever venom she’d been preparing dying somewhere in her throat. Her eyes darted between Adrian and Evelyn, recalculating.

"Alpha Adrian," she managed, recovering her composure a beat too late. "I—of course. It’s an honour."

Adrian’s attention had already returned to Evelyn. "Am I interrupting?"

"Not at all," Evelyn said. "Sophia was just leaving. After all, the donations are starting now." She gestured to the Alpha now on the platform.

Sophia’s jaw tightened, but with Adrian standing there—an Alpha of a realm far more influential than Kael—there was little room left for the taunt she’d walked over with.

"Yes, of course. Please excuse us." She said, pulling an unmoving Kael away.