Chapter 99

Chapter 99: Chapter 99

Kael let out a breathless laugh, leaning into Sophia. "Finally," he muttered. "Finally, she gets what she deserves."

Soren’s face went pale. He stepped forward, his chest tight. "The game was a test of skill, not a legally binding—"

"Enough," Vane snapped. "She agreed to the terms. Take your woman and leave before we have you escorted out."

Evelyn didn’t move. She’d always known Lucien would win—hence she had a different approach to things.

Her gaze shifted from Vane to the man standing rows behind him. She looked dead at Kael and smirked.

"Not quite," she said.

Lord Vane frowned. "What did you say?"

Evelyn stood up, ignoring the chessboard entirely. She pointed a finger directly at Kael.

"Today, in the presence of Alpha Nathan of Netherreach," she said, her voice ringing out, "Alpha Kael publicly insulted a member of the First Houses. He insulted Alpha Soren. He called him names and mocked the Ashbourne pack in front of this entire room."

Kael’s smirk vanished. "What? That has nothing to do with—"

"The laws of this gathering," Evelyn interrupted, her voice rising, "state that if an unprovoked insult is dealt to a member, the insulted party has the right to demand reparation. Is that not true, Supreme Alpha?"

Lucien’s jaw tightened as he stared at her. He knew now that she’d predicted it all. She’d only used the game to buy time. She had set a trap, and Kael had walked right into it.

"It is true," Lucien said, his voice clipped. "Regardless, it is a matter for the First Houses, and you are not a member." He gritted out.

Evelyn smiled. "I am not a member of the First Houses. But my escort, Alpha Soren, is. And I am speaking on his behalf."

She looked at Lucien. "I demand reparation. I don’t want his blood, and I don’t want his gold. I want what I came here for. I want access to this hall. I want to pitch my healing house to the Alphas present. Right now."

"This is absurd!" Vane shouted. "She lost the game! She’s using a loophole!"

"The laws of the First Houses are built on loopholes," Evelyn shot back. "If the First Houses won’t enforce their own laws of respect, then this gathering is nothing but a tavern brawl for rich men."

She looked directly at Lucien. "So what will it be, Supreme Alpha? Do you throw Kael out for violating the laws of hospitality, or do you give me my time?"

Lucien stared at her. The silence in the room was suffocating. Kael was staring at Lucien, his face white as a sheet. If Lucien threw him out, Kael’s reputation would be finished.

Lucien’s eyes locked on Evelyn. He looked like he wanted to kill her, but she had cornered him in front of Nathan, in front of the entire First Houses. He couldn’t break his own laws.

"Ten minutes," Lucien said, the words dragged out of him like a physical pain. "You have ten minutes."

Evelyn grinned and gave a curt nod. "Thank you, Supreme Alpha."

The Alphas were forced to settle and listen to her as she began. Evelyn stood at the edge of the platform, her ten minutes ticking away. The hall was dead silent. The Alphas were staring at her, their faces a mixture of anger, humiliation, and curiosity.

"I am not here to beg," Evelyn began, her voice carrying effortlessly through the room. "I am here to offer you an opportunity. The Valemont healing house will be the largest in the realm, serving every pack—noble and common alike. We will produce medicines, train healers, and stabilize trade routes that have been bleeding coin for years."

She didn’t drag it out. She laid out the numbers, the projected returns, and the economic benefits of a healthy workforce. She spoke for exactly four minutes.

Lord Vane smirked, leaning back in his chair. "A pretty speech, Lady Evelyn. But we aren’t going to invest our gold based on the words of a—"

"One hundred million silvers."

The voice cut through the hall like thunder. Every head snapped toward the back of the room. Alpha Nathan of Netherreach was there, his hands clasped behind his back, his expression completely unreadable. He’d listened to everything she’d said.

Evelyn blinked, her heart lurching into her throat. "What?"

"I said," Nathan repeated, his voice calm, "one hundred million silvers. I will donate to your healing house, Lady Evelyn."

For a second, Evelyn genuinely forgot how to breathe. One hundred million. That was enough to build ten healing houses. That was enough to make her untouchable.

But the shockwave in the room wasn’t just hers.

The other Alphas were staring at Nathan in disbelief. Then, a terrifying realization seemed to wash over the room. If Alpha Nathan—the wealthiest, most stoic man in the Northern Territory—was investing in her, they couldn’t afford to be left out.

Lord Vane cleared his throat, his face turning red as he scrambled for a piece of paper. "Well! Well, of course, the First Houses are always looking to support innovation. I will pledge... fifty million silvers!"

"I’ll match that!" another Alpha shouted, jumping to his feet.

"Thirty million from the Crystal pack!"

"Forty million!"

The hall descended into a frenzy. Men who had just told her to go back to the kitchen were now practically tripping over each other to throw their money at her feet.

Evelyn stood in the center, fighting to keep her face completely neutral. Although, she truly only needed one man’s donation.

Kael watched from the sidelines, his mouth hanging open. His hands were shaking while Sophia held on tight. He had come here to secure an investor, to save Silver Creek. Instead, the men he needed were emptying their treasuries into Evelyn’s pockets. She was taking everything.

Just as Evelyn was about to step down from the platform, a familiar deep voice rang out, shocking her to her core.

"Five hundred million silvers."

She looked up toward the voice, eyes nearly popping out of her head. "Alpha Lucien?"