Chapter 158

Evelyn’s POV
The sun was setting, burning the sky in shades of amber and purple.
I turned to Gary. He was stuck to Alexis’s side.
“Gary, take Alex inside,” I said. I kept my voice steady, despite the Alpha at my door.
As Gary led my daughter inside, I rushed to my bedroom. I slipped out of my casual clothes. Meeting an Elder meant I had to look untouchable. I put on a charcoal blazer over a silk blouse. Professional. Immaculate.
I told the housekeeper to take him to the secure room in the back. Unlike the living room, this room was built for secrets. It blocked all mind-links. Soundproof. Windowless. Safe.
I walked in and saw Elder Seymour. Even from a distance, his Alpha aura was suffocating. In our world, few men commanded that kind of respect.
“Elder Seymour.” I dipped my head. “What brings you here?”
Seymour moved like a man who had survived the shark tank of werewolf politics for decades. He was in his sixties but walked with the power of a young Alpha. His silver hair was perfect. His suit smelled of old money. The power wasn’t just in his title—it was in every step.
His Beta, Pierce, was behind him. His pack warriors had already surrounded my house. I noticed them, but I kept my face calm.
Pierce smiled politely. “Ms. Blackwell, Elder Seymour wants to speak privately.”
I nodded and led them inside, leaving Pierce at the door. I went to the bar.
“Whiskey or tea?” I asked. I knew the answer.
“Whiskey. Neat,” he said, sitting in a leather chair.
I poured him a 25-year-old Macallan. Then I poured a smaller one for myself. I sat across from him and waited.
Seymour took a sip. “Excellent taste.”
“Thank you. But why is the most powerful man on the Council standing in my house?” I asked. I was respectful, but I didn’t bow.
He put down his glass. His eyes were cold and calculating. “I heard about your Suppression Reversal research.”
I froze. That project was supposed to be a secret.
“It’s just a concept,” I lied. “We just started testing.”
Seymour leaned forward. “Partner with me. I have the resources.”
The emphasis on “I” was clear. This was personal.
I took a sip of whiskey to think. Seymour was old. He was stepping down from the Council soon. His daughter was invisible in the pack. She never showed her face at social events, let alone acted like a successor.
His interest was weird. For money? Men like him didn’t care about that. For fame? Then why not approach me officially? I stayed calm, but my mind was racing. I couldn’t figure out his angle.
“Your resources are good,” I said. “But why this project?”
“Restoring a wolf without the Goddess’s blessing?” He smiled. “That would change everything, Evelyn.”
He used my first name. He was trying to get close.
“The packs rely on ancient rituals,” he said. “Science would be… revolutionary.”
The word felt heavy. Revolutionary meant dangerous.
“You’re smart, Evelyn,” he said, his voice warmer now. “You have a gift for research. But Ravenshade isn’t Viremont. Without a strong backer, even if you succeed, you might not be able to keep the technology for yourself.”
Was that a threat? or a warning?
“Partner with me, and you’ll have my full protection,” he continued. “We help each other. You’ll be family.”
It was a classic Alpha move: warm words, hidden teeth.
I thought about it. This research was my life. Alexis was “Wolfless” like me. The twins were hurt by the poison. I needed this science. For them.
“Your support would speed things up,” I said. “I accept.”
He looked satisfied. He nodded. “Good. Pierce will handle the details.”
Seymour finished his drink and stood up. The meeting was over. Alphas didn’t waste time.
We walked to the door. Pierce stepped forward with three fancy boxes.
“Gifts for the kids,” Pierce said.
“Thank you, Elder Seymour,” I said, taking them.
I walked them to their black Bentley. The warriors moved fast, surrounding the car.
Seymour paused. “No need to come further. Watch your back, Evelyn.”
They drove off. I went back inside and opened the boxes. Three platinum pendants. Two emeralds. One massive pink-violet diamond for Alexis.
It was worth a fortune.
Gary appeared at the door. “Everything okay?”
I nodded, touching the cold metal. “Tell Jackson to stop the leaks. We found our partner.”
Gary raised an eyebrow but didn’t ask. “Dinner’s ready. Kids are waiting.”
As I walked back, I wondered what Seymour really wanted. Alphas like him always had a plan.
***
The living room rang with happy screams of “Uncle Gary!” after dinner. My heart warmed watching Gary win over my children with two new robot toys. He was exactly the fun uncle they needed.
Alex was obsessed with him. Wherever Gary went, my daughter followed, stuck to him like glue. While I taught Rowan and Rhys how to use their robots, Gary settled on the sofa with Alexis curled up in his arms.
“Hey Alex,” Gary whispered loudly, “tell your uncle, has that grumpy guy been coming around lately?”
Alex looked up from her pink stuffed animal, blinking blankly. “Who?”
“You know, that Ice Cube. The one who always looks like he just ate a lemon.”
My daughter tilted her head, trying to figure out what he was talking about. I hid a smile, pretending to focus on the robots. Gary quickly realized his mistake.
“I mean your brothers’ dad,” he said with a dramatic sigh.
Alex’s face lit up. “He comes,” she nodded hard.
She hopped off Gary’s lap and ran to her toy house. A moment later, she came back proudly holding the diamond-encrusted pink fox Calvin had given her.
“He gave me this!” she announced, her voice sweet.
Gary’s face dropped. “Alex, sweetheart,” he said, lifting her back onto his lap while tossing the expensive fox onto the sofa like it was trash. “We don’t need this. Uncle Gary will buy you a better one. A cuter one.”
I watched them closely. Alexis looked at the discarded fox, then looked at Gary’s hopeful face. She thought about it very seriously, her little brow furrowing.
“Okay,” she agreed simply.
The relief on Gary’s face was immediate. He grinned like he’d won the lottery. “That’s my girl! Uncle Gary’s favorite. I’ll spoil you rotten, Alex!”
“Love Uncle Gary most,” she replied with a big smile.
Gary burst into laughter. I raised an eyebrow. Another victim wrapped around her little finger. Alexis had a gift for charming grown men. It was almost scary.
The next morning, I dressed quickly in a navy pantsuit, ready for the lab. I told Gary to watch the kids since it was the weekend.
As I pulled my car out, I saw them. Two women were arguing with my security team at the gate—Diana and Lydia. Lydia looked frustrated, while Diana looked ready to kill.
“Evelyn!” Diana shouted when she spotted my car. “Get out here right now!”