Chapter 31: Chapter 31

NOAH

In the midst of a meeting with Sawyer, Greyson, and Jack, a sudden tightness gripped my chest.

Sawyer was quick to notice, his eyes narrowing in concern. “You okay, Alpha?”

I pressed my hand to my chest, my mind reaching out to Evie. I was familiar with this sensation—it was her emotions I was feeling. But I couldn’t decipher what she was experiencing.

Sawyer, sensing my distress, offered to check on her. “Do you want me to go check on the luna?”

I gave him a silent nod, and he was out the door in a heartbeat.

Greyson, looking up from the map spread across the table, asked, “Should I keep going?”

I nodded again, my mind elsewhere.

We were scrutinizing our territory borders, trying to identify the weak spots that had allowed rogues to infiltrate our land more than once.

As Greyson and Jack continued their discussion, I found myself half-listening, my attention focused on awaiting news from Sawyer. I trusted Greyson and Jack with the borders—they had always handled it flawlessly.

I felt someone approaching my office and assumed it was Sawyer. But when the door burst open, it was Evie standing there, her face wild and eyes filled with tears.

I was on my feet in an instant, crossing the room to her. “What’s wrong?” I demanded, my eyes scanning her body.

A growl escaped my lips when I noticed a hand-shaped bruise forming on her upper arm. “Who did this?” I snarled, my gaze fixed on the mark.

Greyson and Jack moved to stand behind me as Evie’s lower lip trembled. Before she could answer, Sawyer appeared behind her, looking worried.

“Oh, thank the Goddess, there she is,” he panted. “I couldn’t find her anywhere and…” His voice trailed off as he took in the scene. “What happened?” he echoed my question.

I could feel Evie trembling in my arms. I pulled her close, stroking her hair as she sobbed against my chest.

While my touch was gentle with my mate, my expression was deadly as I looked at my gamma and brothers. They were ready to hunt down whoever had hurt their luna.

Eventually, Evie pulled back slightly, looking up at me with tear-filled eyes.

“Everleigh, my love, please tell me what happened,” I urged her, my voice softer.

“I was trying to find you, and I got lost,” she began, her voice shaky. “I met your father.”

My heart dropped. I knew then what had transpired.

“He did this to you.” I struggled to keep my voice steady, my anger flaring as I looked at her arm.

She nodded, biting her lip.

“Sawyer, take Evie back to her room. Greyson and Jack, bring our father to me,” I ordered, my voice dangerously low.

Greyson and Jack left immediately, while Sawyer waited for Evie.

“I want to stay with you,” Evie protested, looking small and vulnerable in my arms.

I had never seen her so fragile.

“I need to deal with my father, Evie. His actions are unacceptable,” I told her, my hand gently caressing her face.

“I know, I want to be here when you do,” she surprised me.

“Everleigh…”

“He needs to take me seriously. That won’t happen if you hide me away,” she said, her eyes narrowing with determination.

I sighed in frustration. She was right. Evie needed to be seen as a strong luna, but my instinct was to protect her—to keep her safe from harm.

“You don’t have to do this now,” I tried to reason with her, but I knew it was futile.

“Yes, I do,” she insisted, wiping away her tears.

I nodded at Sawyer, who took his place at Evie’s side. We settled back into the office, with Evie seated next to me and Sawyer standing guard behind her.

Greyson and Jack ushered my father into the room a few moments later. Their faces were stormy, while my father wore a smug grin. That is, until his gaze fell on Evie. His expression morphed from smugness to shock and then to fury.

“What the hell is she doing here?” he bellowed, jabbing a finger in Evie’s direction.

“She’s my luna. She belongs here,” I replied, my voice steady as Greyson and Jack forced our father into a chair.

His eyes widened in disbelief as he looked at his sons.

“That woman has turned all of you against me. Can’t you see that?” he shouted, his face flushing with anger.

I felt Evie tense up next to me.

“You have no right to speak to your luna in that manner!” Sawyer’s voice echoed from behind Evie.

“And you have no right to speak to your former alpha in that manner!” my father shot back.

“Enough. Quiet,” I growled, my glare causing my father to flinch. “You hurt the luna,” I said, my voice dangerously soft.

The smugness drained from my father’s face as he realized the gravity of the situation. “I had to put her in her place,” he defended himself.

“The luna outranks you, Dad,” Greyson chimed in.

“That’s her place,” Jack added, his gaze hard on our father.

“A human does not outrank me,” my father retorted, his tone dismissive. “She has no business being in your office. This is no place for a woman.”

I pinched the bridge of my nose, fighting the urge to throttle my father right there. He was proving to be an even bigger jerk than I had initially thought. And that was saying something.

“I’m beginning to understand why Mom left the state,” I muttered.

“What did you just say?” My father sprang up from his chair.

“Sit down!” I commanded in my alpha voice, a command he had no choice but to obey. “You hurt the luna,” I repeated, daring him to argue.

He remained silent this time. I turned to Evie and took her hand. “The punishment is your call, my luna,” I told her, pressing a kiss to her knuckles.

She glanced from me to my father, her gaze icy. I wondered what was going through her mind.

“I want an apology,” she finally said.

I stifled a surprised laugh, and I could tell my brothers were doing the same. Apologies weren’t exactly my father’s forte.

“What?” My father’s eyes nearly popped out of his head. I’m pretty sure he would have preferred a death sentence.

“I want you to apologize for your behavior and show me the respect I deserve,” Evie demanded.

My father looked at me, and I crossed my arms, a smug smile playing on my lips.

“You heard your luna,” I said. My father’s fists clenched, and his glare swept the room. “You can either do it now, or after a lengthy stay in the dungeon. Your choice.” I shrugged.

My father sighed reluctantly and looked away as he spoke.

“I apologize…”

Evie cut him off. “Look at me when you’re speaking to me,” she commanded.

My father sighed again and met Evie’s gaze, his expression seething. “I apologize,” he started again, “for hurting you and speaking to you disrespectfully. It won’t happen again.”

His voice was flat, but I was honestly surprised he apologized at all.

“I hope not,” Evie said, seeming to accept his apology.

“Our luna is merciful. You’re lucky,” Sawyer grumbled.

He was right. I was ready to banish my father.

My father just grunted in response.

“Leave.” I ended the conversation, turning my attention from my father to my mate.

Greyson and Jack escorted our father out of the room and left themselves. I motioned for Sawyer to leave, wanting to be alone with Evie.

***

“Are you all right, sweetheart?” I asked Evie, my fingers gently tracing her face.

“Thanks for letting me stay,” she replied, her voice trembling slightly.

“Evie, I don’t ~allow~ you to do anything. You’re your own person. Don’t let my dad’s words get to you. I want a partner, not a decoration.” I tried to reassure her, hoping she’d understand.

She nodded, her soft hand reaching up to touch my face.

“I know, Noah. I’m sorry you had to confront your dad like that,” she said.

“My relationship with my dad isn’t great, Evie. But that’s not your fault,” I told her, shaking my head slightly.

She leaned into me, pressing her lips against mine.

“Did you need something?” I asked, my fingers threading through her hair.

She shook her head.

“I just missed you,” she admitted with a shrug.

I kissed her forehead.

“I missed you too, babe. Let’s go upstairs and see how you’re settling in,” I suggested.

“Are you done with work?” she asked. “I don’t want to interrupt…”

I silenced her with a gentle kiss.

“Finished for the day,” I assured her, taking her hand and leading her upstairs.

“Did you see Mack before you came to find me?” I asked, perching on the edge of her bed as she began to unpack.

“Yes,” she replied, her attention focused on her task.

She arranged her school supplies on the desk, draped her favorite blanket over the couch, and organized her books and photo albums on a small bookcase.

“Do you want to change anything?” I asked.

She placed her framed photos on the bookcase, setting one of her family in Hawaii on the bedside table.

“No,” she replied simply.

I smirked, catching her hand as she moved away from the table.

“Evie.” I chuckled, finally catching her attention.

She smiled.

“I asked Mack to bring some art supplies,” she confessed.

“I didn’t know you were into art,” I said, surprised and eager to learn more about her.

She nodded.

“I like to draw and paint,” she admitted, blushing slightly.

“You could use the upstairs office as your art studio,” I suggested.

Her face lit up.

“Really?” she squeaked.

“Of course, love. You can do whatever you want here. We each have an office upstairs and downstairs. You can turn yours into an art studio,” I told her, releasing her hand as she began to bounce around the room.

“I want to see it!” she exclaimed, already darting out of the room.

I followed her, laughing at her enthusiasm. She stopped in front of two office doors.

“The first one,” I directed, coming up behind her.

She flung open the door and stepped inside. The room was empty, stripped of my mother’s belongings by my father, who didn’t want any reminders of her in the house.

“This is perfect!” she declared, clapping her hands together.

I wrapped my arms around her from behind.

“I’m glad you like it,” I murmured into her neck. “We can go shopping this weekend for whatever you need—furniture, supplies, paint, anything,” I promised.

She was practically vibrating with excitement. She turned in my arms and threw her arms around my neck, kissing me passionately.

“I’ll do anything to make you happy, Evie,” I murmured, trailing kisses down her neck.

She hummed in response, her hands running up and down my back as she rested her head on my shoulder.

“Do you know how much I love you, Evie?” I whispered, my hands exploring her body.

A soft moan escaped her lips, and Remi howled in my head. She pulled back, and I feared I’d said too much too soon, but her eyes were wide and intense as they met mine.

“Probably as much as I love you,” she whispered, and I melted; Remi went wild in my head.

“Little mate…” My voice was low and husky, barely concealing my desire.

With a knowing smile, she pressed herself into me, capturing my lips once more.

Her body against mine was a sensation I could never get enough of.

“You drive me crazy,” I confessed. Our lips parted as we both gasped for air.

Evie, my little temptress, untwined herself from me and exited the office. I trailed behind her, shaking my head in amused disbelief at her antics.