Chapter 70

Chapter 70: Chapter 70

The morning after the summit was quiet.

There were no crowds at the Valemont estate this time. No visiting Alphas wanting to invest in the business, no servants rushing around with trays of drinks, no endless discussions about territories and alliances.

For the first time in days, the estate felt almost peaceful.

Evelyn stood near the front steps, watching as Alpha Adrian’s carriage was prepared. Adrian had stayed the night at one of the guest houses after the summit, and now he was preparing to leave the realm.

Adrian’s carriage was already loaded by the time Evelyn found him near the Valemont gates, his coat dusted faintly with the morning chill.

"You’re leaving already?"

"My father expects a full account of the summit before the week is out." Adrian turned at her voice, something warm settling into his expression the moment he saw her. "Politics doesn’t pause simply because I’d rather stay a while longer."

He walked down the steps toward her, dressed in a dark traveling coat, his usual easy expression already back on his face.

"I suppose this is where you tell me you’re relieved to see me go."

Evelyn smiled faintly. "I was actually planning to say that I hope your journey is pleasant."

Adrian cocked a brow, the corner of his lips lifting a bit. "Were you, now? How kind of you, Lady Evelyn."

"I can be kind when I want to be," she argued.

"I’ll remember that."

Evelyn smiled, watching as one of the guards secured the last of his luggage inside the carriage.

For a moment, neither of them said anything. The summit had changed a great deal in only a few days. When Adrian first arrived, their relationship had been little more than a business arrangement. His father had owed her for saving his daughter, and in return for his favor, she had to be his date.

But somehow, somewhere between the tavern incident, the negotiations, and the summit, it had become easier to speak to him.

Adrian glanced toward the carriage before looking back at her. "I suppose I should thank you."

"For what?" Evelyn asked, puzzled.

"For agreeing to be my date."

Evelyn smiled at this. "You have your father to thank then, if he hadn’t made that clause—"

He laughed quietly. "This place and its people have grown to become dear to me. Perhaps very dear." He said, staring at her.

"Adrian..."

"I would have stayed longer if I could. If it were in my hands, I would. But my father requires the account, and my presence at home besides. There’s only so much longer I can justify lingering in another realm entirely."

"You’ve been generous with your time already," Evelyn said. "More than the arrangement required."

"The arrangement required very little of me, Evelyn." His voice had gone quieter, more serious than the teasing tone he’d carried since stepping down from the porch. "Everything beyond that was simply because I wanted to."

Evelyn held his gaze for some seconds before nodding and looking away.

"Just so you know, Evelyn." He began, taking a step closer to her. "I intend to find reasons to return. Sooner, rather than later. Whether that’s business with the healing house, or something else entirely—I suppose we’ll both find out in time."

"Then I suppose I’ll see you sooner than expected, Alpha Adrian."

"I certainly hope so." He reached for her hand, pressing a brief, warm kiss to her knuckles before stepping back toward the carriage. "Take care of yourself. Something tells me this realm isn’t quite finished testing you yet."

"It rarely is."

He offered her one last, lingering smile before climbing inside, the door shutting with a soft click. The carriage rolled forward a moment later, and Evelyn stood at the gates longer than she needed to.

Tristan watched from behind, his jaw clenched. He wasn’t sure of Adrian’s intentions yet. He knew he was clearly interested in Evelyn—or perhaps he was just being his usual overprotective self.

It didn’t matter though. At least for now, the man was gone.

Evelyn turned toward the house. "Let’s go, Tristan. I still have to look at the landscape for the healing house, and that reminds me—" She paused. "I have to pay a visit to Alpha Damon."

Tristan, on the other hand, looked conflicted. "Umm, Evelyn," he began, and she paused, her brows furrowed.

"What is it, Tristan?"

He rubbed the nape of his neck awkwardly. "I have to leave for the day," he said, before she could ask. "I have somewhere I need to be."

Evelyn’s brows drew together, something in his tone giving her pause. "Where?"

"It’s nothing urgent," he said, which wasn’t quite an answer at all. "I’ll be back by evening, or tomorrow morning at the latest."

She studied him for a moment, clearly noticing the hesitation in his voice. "Is everything all right?"

"Yes," Tristan answered quickly. "Everything is fine. I just need to take care of something today."

She studied him a moment longer, searching his face for whatever he wasn’t saying. Whatever it was, he clearly wasn’t ready to share it, and something in his expression asked her, without words, not to press.

"All right," she said finally.

Relief flickered briefly across his face before he masked it. "I’ll send word if anything changes."

"Be careful, Tristan."

"Always, my Lady." He inclined his head and left without further explanation, and Evelyn watched him go. She suddenly felt guilty. Working with Kael, Tristan had a life. She remembered he used to leave the pack every once in a while, but now that he was working with her, he’d barely taken any breaks. He had no social life, hadn’t visited any family or friends.

The guilt suddenly multiplied. Perhaps she had taken him from all that he loved. She couldn’t have that keep happening, and so she was going to have a conversation with him.

---

She had barely settled back into the study when Clara appeared, a sealed envelope in hand, the Valemont crest on one edge.

"My Lady. This came for you."

Evelyn’s brows furrowed. For her? She wasn’t expecting anything.

Evelyn took it, recognizing the elegant texture of the paper before she’d even broken the seal fully.

To my dearest Evelyn,

I would like to have you for dinner at the pack’s residence. Two nights from now. Nothing formal, nothing dreadful. Just the three of us. Myself, my son, and hopefully a great deal less of his infuriating composure than I’ve had to endure watching him perform in public these past weeks. I look forward to seeing you again.

Yours truly,

—Veronica

Evelyn read it twice and smiled. "Well," she murmured to herself, folding the letter closed. "That should be interesting."

"What should?" Varek asked as he walked into the office. Evelyn raised the letter she’d gotten.

"What’s that?" he asked.

"An official invitation to dinner from Luna Veronica. Lucien’s mother."