Chapter 167

#Chapter 167 – Home again As they pull up to the Walsh estate, Evelyn takes a deep breath, glancing down at Ian.

“Are you ready for this?” she asks. Ian looks up at her, giving her a firm little nod.

They spent all morning going over their roles, ensuring that he knows his part. Emma had thought it would be best if Evelyn left Ian behind, but Evelyn had insisted on taking him.

Her father was very capable of very basic reconnaissance of the Kensington pack that would reveal that one of the boys was missing. If he knew Evelyn had taken Ian, but not brought him with her when she came “home,” he would be suspicious.

Plus, Evelyn trusted Ian. He would make her story much, much more believable.

“Okay,” she says, parking the car in front of the stairs that lead up to the front door. “I need you to be brave, when we’re inside. Because we can’t leave until the job is done. Once we go in, there’s no going back. Are you ready?”

“Yes, mama,” he says, giving her a wicked little smile. “Let’s bury them.”

Evelyn works hard not to laugh, knowing that eyes are on them already. “Okay, baby,” she says, winking at him as she opens her car door. “Let’s do just that.”

Together, Evelyn and Ian walk into the parlor of the Walsh house. Evelyn holds her chin high, as an Alpha woman should, and stares evenly at her father and her mother as she enters. Her mother’s eyes sweep quickly over her daughter, going pale as she takes in her black eye and bruised face.

“Well, Evelyn,” John Walsh says, folding his hands in his lap. “You’re looking poorly.”

He shifts his eyes to his grandson, holding Evelyn’s hand. “You, however, look no worse for the wear.”

Playing the part they discussed, Ian tucks himself closely against Evelyn, half hiding behind her and peering at his grandfather. Of course, in real life Ian would act nothing like this – he’d probably snarl at anyone who told his mother she looked poorly.

But, today was a different kind of day.

“Father,” Evelyn says, ignoring his comment. “We’ve come home, begging sanctuary. Seeking to be let back into the pack, officially.”

“Of course you can –“ her mother says, quickly rising from her chair. But she stills, instantly, when she hears John’s voice.

“Stop,” he says, glancing at his wife before turning back to Evelyn. “How do I know this is not some kind of ploy to get into my good graces.

“My mommy,” Ian says gruffly, letting a little of his personality come through – after all, John has met him before. “She is not a liar.”

“Be quiet, boy,” John snaps, and Ian tucks himself further against his mother.

“I don’t know how to prove it to you,” Evelyn says. “All I have is my story, and my allegiance. You can put me under whatever kinds of commands you want. I fully submit.”

Evelyn forces her lower lip to tremble, allows desperation to come into her eyes. “Please,” she says.

“I… I can’t go back there. Can’t submit my son to that man.”

“Evelyn,” her mother says, pressing her hands to her heart. “What happened there.”

“I…I thought he loved me,” Evelyn says, her very real, very recent heartbreak making it a little easier to fill her eyes with tears. “But he…he just wanted more children. He was impressed with Alvin and Ian, you see – he wanted more. He subjected me…”

She turns her head, staring at the floor, frowning deeply. As if she’s remembering the most humiliating moments of her life.

“Evelyn,” her mother says, taking one more hesitant step closer to her. “Are you…you aren’t…”

“No,” Evelyn says, squeezing her eyes shut. “I’m not pregnant. Thank god.”

She remembers, for just a second, how very much she wanted to be pregnant, back when she thought it was real. But she pushes down the thought. This moment was so not the time.

“A pretty act,” Walsh says, glaring at her. “But where is your proof that this is any more than just words?”

“The proof of my actions tells it all,” Evelyn says, meeting his eyes again. “Send your Betas to check my story. I escaped Victor’s pack and did as much damage as I could on my way. I burned his house to the ground, I emptied the bank account he gave me, I took –“

She squeezes her eyes shut here, as if the memory is very painful. “I took my son with me. I tried to get them both, but he stopped me – he still has Alvin –“

She turns teary eyes to her father, sinking to her knees. “Please. Please father. Please get my little boy back for me. He’s not safe in his father’s hands.”

At that, Ian comes forward, taking a step towards the Walsh patriarch. “It’s true,” he says, raising his own chin. “Our father…he was not kind to us. He said we were…we were bastards.” He blushes as if in shame.

Inwardly, Evelyn is impressed with her little actor. She had thought acting would be more up Alvin’s alley, as a talent, but apparently she was wrong.

Walsh studies them for a minute and then crooks a finger, calling one of his Betas over to him. He whispers to the Beta for a moment, demanding reconnaissance to check what Evelyn has said.

This was all according to plan. Evelyn knew that that would be her father’s next step, but also knew that her father’s Beta team was weak. They didn’t have nearly the spying power that Victor’s pack had, nor the manpower to infiltrate Victor’s land and get any real information.

The best Walsh would be able to do would be to send a few drones to look over Victor’s land, to see if the house had indeed burned. Then send a few spies to see what they could glean from looking into the house with binoculars or telescopes.

The night before, Evelyn and Emma had scoured the gossip networks, but so far no one had leaked the information that the Kensington house had burned. This was lucky. The news would of course break out soon, but Victor was clearly getting his story together before he released it.

Likely, Victor was trying to go after the culprit and bring them to justice before announcing the story in full to the press.

Evelyn had no doubt in her mind who that culprit was, either. She just hoped Amelia remained wily enough to evade Victor for just a few more days, so Evelyn’s lie to her father checked out. It was a gamble, but one Evelyn was willing to make.

“I will check this story,” Walsh says, dismissing the Beta. “Until then, you are, of course, welcome in your home. But I bind thee,” he says, using his Alpha command. Evelyn feels her muscles lock in response to it. “I bind thee to the grounds of the estate, I bind thee not to leave, or to speak to anyone off of it.”

Walsh shifts his attention to Ian. “I bind thee as well, to the same terms.”

Ian gasps, feeling the command take control of his own muscles, and Evelyn quickly darts her eyes to him. This was unexpected.

After a moment, the feeling passes, and Ian and Evelyn nod their heads in consent.

“Thank you,” Evelyn murmurs, taking her son’s hand. Ian whispers the same.

“Come, darling,” her mother says, coming forward to help her stand. “Let’s get you a warm bath, get you cleaned up.” Evelyn nods, looking sorrowfully up at her mother. She hates to put her in this position, but she knows, ultimately, that it will be best for her as well, in the end.

Just as they’re about to head out the door, though, an unexpected figure saunters in.

“Leaving so soon?” he says, walking slowly, casually into the room, looking at Evelyn like he owns her.

Evelyn’s face drops as she sets eyes on this man for the first time in six years.

Joyce.