Chapter 0348

Lucas Adler

Evelyn's grey eyes fixate on me. "You don't know anything about me!"

"I see everything I need to see."

"What's that supposed to mean?" She glances toward Athena. "Do you have Witches here too?"

I let out a low chuckle. Why did they always assume that? "You can't scent me, can you?"

"I told you, this is what he does. He takes everything. I lost everything because of him. Seraphina has lost everything because of him. I know she did terrible things. She confessed everything to me. But this man will hunt her. He will come here."

"He can go to hell because he won't find her here!" Alexander snaps.

"I know that. You know that. But he doesn't." Evelyn frowns.

"It's interesting that you haven't mentioned a name." Zachary mutters, still partially shielding Athena.

"His name is Levi, if that's even his real name." Evelyn runs her fingers through her long blonde hair. "He doesn't just hurt Lycans. He hurts Wolves too. He strips our abilities. Do you know what that feels like? To not be able to smell or hear like I used to? To get breathless from simple exertion? To lose the ability to heal? It destroys your soul."

I snort.

"It's not funny!"

"Being stripped doesn't destroy your soul."

She glares at me. "Like you would know anything about it."

I watch Athena, but she remains silent. If anyone here understands, it would be her.

"Why did he do that to you?" I press.

"I don't know."

"Yes, you do. You're withholding information."

She narrows her eyes and clenches her jaw. I was hitting nerves she didn't want touched.

"Stop talking like you know everything."

"Never claimed I know everything. But I can tell when someone isn't sharing the full story."

Her cheeks flush with irritation. "Seraphina was right. You people only care about yourselves."

"Interesting," Athena murmurs. "I could say the same about Seraphina. Be careful she doesn't betray you. That's something she enjoys doing. Just ask her mother."

Evelyn sighs. "She's changed. What he did to us... it makes you question everything. All the bad. All the good. All the mistakes. Maybe on some level Levi was right. Maybe it's the punishment we deserved."

She's actually telling the truth about that.

"Almost six years ago, he convinced me he was my mate." She shakes her head. "I had killed a human and someone witnessed it. I bumped into him and caught this divine scent. It's ironic now—I can't even remember what that scent was. He played this game of getting to know me. Made me fall for him in ways I never imagined. He led me away. I remember being struck on the head. Something injected into my neck. Nothing was ever the same again. I'm not the first. I definitely won't be the last."

"So he lures women away?" Alexander asks.

"No. There were men kept there too. The point is, he punishes those he thinks deserve it."

Athena laughs.

"You think that's funny?!" Evelyn mutters in disgust. "You're the Lycan Alpha. You should be protecting us."

"How much has Seraphina told you?" Athena asks.

"Everything."

"Did she tell you she wanted to be Alpha? That she refused to accept the gene didn't pass to her because it came from my mother's side? Did she tell you she destroyed her mate to the point he lost his mind? Did she tell you her mother is here in my pack along with her brothers and baby sister? Did she tell you she knows exactly how to manipulate people to get what she wants? Should I continue?"

"She's not like that anymore." Evelyn cuts her off.

"She killed a pregnant Wolf and stole her toddler. Sold the child to humans." Zachary growls, speaking of my little girl.

Evelyn lowers her eyes. "She didn't tell me all of that. But that doesn't mean she hasn't changed."

"Where is she?" Athena demands.

"She's not here. She said you would kill her."

"Smart move." I muse.

Athena rolls her eyes at me. "What do you want from us?"

"Nothing."

"You came here to tell us all this, but you want nothing?"

She shakes her head again. "I thought I did. But I prefer my new life. Levi goes to places he knows we would have sought refuge in the past. That's what he does. He tortures people for information. He will look for Seraphina. He will come here, just like I said. He wants what he thinks belongs to him."

"And you people think I have a God complex." I muse.

"It isn't funny." Evelyn snaps at me and turns back to Athena. "I don't care if you think Seraphina and I deserved it. We're better off on our own. But what do you think he's going to do when he comes here? He doesn't like anyone he thinks is better than him. You have two Alphas in one place."

"He's one man." Athena mutters.

She looks Athena dead in the eye. "There's always someone worse." Evelyn turns away and strides down the driveway.

"Do you believe her?" Alexander asks me.

"She believes what she's saying. Her soul didn't falter once like it would if she were lying."

"How could someone strip abilities that are way beyond binding someone?" Zachary asks. "Because surely if it could be done, Dominic would have done that to Athena."