Chapter 76

Chapter 76: Chapter 76

Tristan’s home was nothing like Valemont.

That was the first thought that crossed Evelyn’s mind as she stepped inside.

It was beautiful, certainly. Warm wooden floors, tall windows, a modest sitting room, and a staircase that curved gently toward the upper floor.

But it was not Valemont.

Compared to Valemont, it was small. Valemont had been built to impress. Every corridor seemed to stretch endlessly, every room large enough to host a gathering. Even the gardens felt like they belonged to an entirely different world.

This house felt lived in, despite the fact that it clearly hadn’t been.

Evelyn turned in place, looking around. "It’s a very beautiful house, Tristan."

Tristan nodded as he moved around the place, trying to clean up. Evelyn’s brows raised on seeing him clean, clearly embarrassed at the sight.

"You know, you don’t have to do that at all, Tristan. How long has it been since you’ve been here?" she asked. Behind her, Clara carried a bucket and a wet towel to clean.

"In all honesty, I’ve only been here twice," Tristan said truthfully. Evelyn’s brows raised.

"Twice?"

"I only bought it as a retirement piece. For keepsake, one might say. I was staying in the Silver Creek pack and didn’t have a use for this, but I did ask someone to clean up every once in a while when they were chanced."

Evelyn hummed, taking a piece of cloth herself to dust.

Tristan and Clara snapped their gaze toward her, both panicked. "Luna! What do you think you’re doing?" Clara asked, her voice raised.

"This isn’t a job for you, my Lady. Please don’t insult us by doing that."

Evelyn paused, the cloth still in her hand. She looked from Clara to Tristan.

"I’m dusting."

Clara stared at her as though she had announced she intended to climb the roof. "You’re not supposed to be doing that."

"Why?" Evelyn asked, and Clara stared at her like she couldn’t believe her ears.

"Because you’re Evelyn Valemont," she stated.

Evelyn blinked. "And?"

Clara looked genuinely offended by the question. "You are a lady. You have people for this."

Evelyn glanced around the dusty room. "Well, the people aren’t here."

"Please leave it for me, my Lady. I’ll make sure to clean it, but if you do it yourself, I’ll—" She trailed off, suddenly looking hurt.

Evelyn laughed softly and returned the cloth to Clara. "Fine, here you go. Clean all you want. I won’t interfere."

Tristan watched Clara take the cloth and begin wiping down the nearest table.

"You really have no idea how dusty this place is," he muttered, moving toward the windows. He pulled one open, letting the air sweep through the room. "I clearly haven’t been here in far too long."

"You said you had someone clean it."

"I did." He glanced around, looking mildly offended on behalf of his house. "Apparently, ’every once in a while’ was not a sufficiently detailed instruction."

Evelyn laughed softly.

Tristan moved from one room to another, opening curtains and shifting furniture while Clara began cleaning with the determination of someone who had just been given an important military assignment.

"I’ll hire more hands," Tristan said eventually. "Maids, a cook, guards. Whatever you need."

Evelyn looked at him. "Tristan, you don’t have to—"

"I do." He cut in, shaking his head. "This is your home now, my Lady. Treat it as such."

Evelyn’s expression softened. She looked around the sitting room again. It was smaller than Valemont, quieter too. But perhaps that wasn’t such a bad thing.

For years, she’d lived in houses that belonged to someone else.

First was Kael’s. Then Valemont, though she had always considered it hers by birthright. Perhaps it was time she had somewhere that belonged to her simply because she chose to stay there.

"Thank you," she said quietly.

Tristan gave her a small smile. "You don’t need to thank me."

"I do." She replied, but he shook his head, looking away. A moment passed, something unreadable crossing his face.

Evelyn noticed, her brows furrowed. She waited till Clara was out of the room before speaking.

"Tristan—"

"My Lady, I have something to tell you." The two of them said at the exact same time.

Evelyn blinked, caught off guard by the sudden seriousness in his voice. "What is it?"

Tristan hesitated, his gaze dropping briefly to the floor before returning to hers. "It’s about—" He didn’t get to complete his words as Clara came running back into the sitting room.

"My Lady!" Clara’s hurried footsteps echoed down the hallway.

Both Evelyn and Tristan turned toward the doorway as she appeared, slightly breathless. "The head healer is here."

Evelyn’s brows immediately furrowed at her words. "The head healer?"

Clara nodded. "She’s asking to see you. She says it’s urgent."

For a moment, neither Evelyn nor Tristan spoke. Evelyn exchanged a puzzled glance with him.

"How did she find us?" Tristan asked quietly.

"I don’t know," Clara admitted. "She simply arrived at the door and asked for Lady Evelyn."

Evelyn was confused. She hadn’t prepared to meet the woman. She’d only just sent a message to her, and now...

"Take me to her."

Tristan’s expression remained troubled. He stepped forward slightly. "My Lady—"

Evelyn paused. Tristan looked as though he wanted to say something else, something he had already been trying to tell her before Clara interrupted them. But whatever it was, it would have to wait.

"If it’s urgent, I should hear her out," Evelyn said, and he nodded reluctantly.

Evelyn followed Clara toward the entrance, but something about the situation refused to settle in her mind. The healer had never visited her without reason.

And she certainly wouldn’t have crossed half the territory at night simply to check on her.

---

The healer had already been let into the waiting area when Evelyn arrived. She was pacing back and forth, clearly disturbed.

The moment she saw Evelyn, relief coated her.

"My Lady." She called, stepping forward. "I’m sorry for coming here so late. I just couldn’t wait any longer. I had to come."

Evelyn studied her for a moment. The woman looked exhausted, her dress was damp, and there was a nervousness in her eyes that Evelyn had never seen before.

"What happened?" she asked.

The woman took a deep breath while Clara came with a glass of water, passing it to her. Evelyn watched her drink every single bit, then wipe her mouth.

Taking a deep breath, she began. "I’ve been to Valemont. Alpha Varek told me you moved, and he gave me this address. He said you’d just left, so I figured I could still catch up to you." She explained, glancing at Tristan.

Evelyn nodded. She wasn’t bothered about how the woman had found her, but more about the news she’d brought.

"Tell me what has happened."

"I—I followed Luna Sophia out of Silver Creek tonight, my Lady." She paused for a bit. "After everything you’ve told me about Luna Sophia, I just wanted to find out anything, whatever it may be. And earlier today, I saw her leaving Alpha Kael’s office. She looked furious."

Evelyn listened without interrupting.

"So when I saw her leave the estate tonight wearing a cloak, I followed her. I know I shouldn’t have, my Lady, but I remembered your instructions. You told me to find out whatever I could."

Evelyn’s expression sharpened. "What did you find?"

The healer swallowed. "I followed her beyond the town and into the woods. She met a man there. I couldn’t see his face. He wore a black cloak with the hood pulled over his head. He kept himself covered the entire time."

She looked at Evelyn. "He was—his aura scared me greatly, my Lady. I didn’t see his face, but he had a very dangerous aura. He told Sophia she was taking too long. He said her secret was threatening to be exposed if he didn’t get his money."

Tristan’s expression hardened. "What secret?"

The healer shook her head quickly. "I don’t know, but Sophia was terrified. She told him Silver Creek was drying up and that she couldn’t get the money."

"He told her to find another Alpha. He told her to do whatever she needed to do, but he wanted his payment. Otherwise, he would tell the entire world her secret."

"He specifically mentioned Alpha Kael. He told her she didn’t want Kael to find out. He gave her three days to come up with the money, or else he would expose her secrets."

Evelyn couldn’t wrap her head around it. Sophia had always been a greedy person, but even greediness had a limit. Who was the man threatening her, and how did she get involved with him?

More importantly, what secret did Sophia have that she so desperately wanted to keep buried?