Chapter 52

#Chapter 52 – A Stiff Drink I practically tumble out of my closet, feeling nauseous and gasping for air all at once. Part of my mind knows that this is an over-reacting, but my body is in panic, totally not knowing how to respond to this news.

I make my way into the bathroom and splash water on my face, seeking to calm my body down. “It’s okay,” I whisper to myself, trying to convince myself. “It’s all going to be fine.” Still, my hands shake in the water that runs from the tap.

Making a snap decision, I stride back into my room, grabbing my phone.

Evelyn: Hey, I need to meet. Same old spot?

My leg shakes as I stare at my phone, waiting for a reply. As soon as it comes back in the affirmative, I’m out my bedroom door.

I quickly crack the boys’ door to peek in at them – good. They’re still watching their show, their eyelids beginning to droop. I nod, close the door, and fly down the stairs, grabbing my purse before heading out.

“Matthew, Frank,” I say to the Betas by my front door. “Would you mind keeping an ear out for the boys in case they need anything? I need to –“ I shake my head, trying to put the words together – my thoughts are moving faster than my mouth. “I need to step out for a minute.”

“Anything you need, ma’am,” Frank says. “Do you mind if we call extra Betas down for patrol, if you’re not here? Place someone in your living room? We’re not taking any chances.”

“Whatever you need to do,” I murmur, already heading down the front steps. Then I’m in my car and on the road pretty much before I know what’s happening.

“Babe,” Delia wraps her arms around me from behind. “You didn’t even reply to any of my follow-up texts or calls. Is everything okay?”

“I’m sorry, Delia,” I say, closing my eyes and savoring her hug. “I didn’t even look at my phone.”

She slides onto the stool next to me, where a cold glass of chardonnay is waiting for her. I’m already on my second glass of Southern Comfort and lime. The liquor is doing its job on my fried nerves – I really am feeling significantly steadier.

“Tell me everything,” Delia says, leaning forward on the bar and lifting her drink to her lips.

“More drama with the boys,” I say, sighing and looking up at the ceiling.

“With the boys?” she asks. “Not with Victor, and Amelia?”

“With all of it,” I say, spinning my hand around to encompass the entire situation, the world, the universe. “It’s all gone insane. But the crux of it is,” I turn my head here to look into her pretty russet eyes, “that Amelia betrayed Victor, betrayed me, betrayed all of us. She called my dad.”

“What.” Delia’s eyes go wide, she reaches forward to place a hand on my arm. “Oh my god, Evelyn.”

“Yes.” I say, taking another sip from my drink, glad that Delia’s dramatic reaction matches and affirms my own. “She told him everything, I assume. About the boys, about Victor’s paternity, about where I am living. She encouraged him to take them from me, to acknowledge them as his heirs instead of Victors.”

“Is Victor going along with it!?”

I shake my head. “No, he’s moving up the ceremony – he’s going to claim them as his sons soon. He told me that Amelia betrayed him and I think he means it.”

“Oh my god, Evelyn.” Delia shakes her head, pity in her eyes. Usually, this would make me put my hackles up. But from Delia, my oldest friend? For so long, my only friend? It’s just comforting, to have someone understand.

“But don’t you see? Victor has betrayed me, he met with my father, and he didn’t even tell me, Evelyn, that any of this happened –“

“Wait, what?” Delia is suddenly confused. “If he didn’t tell you, then how do you know?”

s**t. In my distraction, I’ve f****d up – forgetting that, of course, Delia doesn’t know that I’m his fake therapist, gathering all his secrets like a little squirrel stowing nuts for winter. I bite my lip for a moment, considering – should I tell her? No, not worth it. No one should ever know but me.

“One of the Betas,” I say, waving my hand in the air.

“The one you’re dating?”

“Yes,” I say, nodding, latching on to her suggestion. “He got wind of it from Victor’s side and let me know what was going on. But either way, Victor is making decisions about my life – about my children –

without even telling me about it.”

Tears spring to my eyes for the first time in this mess. I hurriedly wipe them away. “He’s all upset because Amelia betrayed him, but at the same turn, he’s betraying me.”

Delia rubs my shoulder comfortingly for a moment and then, hesitant, says, “is he, though?”

I snap my head towards her and narrow my eyes. “Are you kidding me, Delia? Of course he is.”

“But, like, when did this all happen? Have you seen him since then? Have you given him a chance to tell you about it?”

“Does he need a chance before going all the way to my childhood home? He couldn’t have sent me a text on his way?”

Delia raises her eyebrows and sits back in her chair, nodding. “Okay, touché on that. But, Evelyn, you have to remember who Victor is.”

I frown at her, but let her continue.

“Victor is an incredibly powerful Alpha. He’s used to things falling in line or – if they’re not – muscling through to ensure that they do. If he felt, suddenly, that his lineage and his children were threatened, I’m not sure you can truly be surprised if his first instinct was not to call you and consult, but to go and solve the problem directly.”

“Is that how you see it?” I ask, feeling a little betrayed by Delia now too.

“Look, I’m not saying that Victor was right,” she says, her eyes kind, “or that he shouldn’t have consulted you. But you’ve been in his life for what, six months now? You can’t really blame him for not immediately changing his colors to suit your way of doing things.”

I nod, understanding a little bit more.

“He should have told you,” Delia continues, “You’re right. But had he, you would have what – told him not to go, right?” I nod in confirmation. “Perhaps he knows that and wanted to fight the fight on one front first – the front that really needed attention, which was, at that moment, your dad.”

I exhale then, giving in a bit. “God, that really sounds like a piece of advice that I gave him recently.” I sip from my drink, savoring the sharp lime as I think about these details.

“I’m not saying don’t be pissed Evelyn – you should be pissed. But I think your anger may be misdirected here.” I raise my eyebrow at her, inviting her to say more. She takes a long drink from her chardonnay and then, putting her glass down hard on the bar, says one word.

“Amelia.”

I nod slowly, holding her eye contact and seeing her point. Victor has been a d**k, yes, but Delia is right. The real one betraying me – putting my boys in real danger – is his mate.

“Amelia,” I agree, narrowing my eyes. “How do we destroy her?”

“My question exactly,” Delia says, smirking. She signals the bartender for another set of drinks. “Two more, Cliff. We need some juice to help us formulate a plan.”

When I pull into the driveway that night – many hours and several cups of sobering coffee later – I pull out my phone before heading inside. There’s a couple of texts from Edgar waiting for me, but I ignore them and carefully compose just one line to Victor.

Evelyn: Hey, can you come by tomorrow sometime? Boys would love to see you. So would I.