Chapter 54: Evelyn: A Shoulder to Lean On
Evelyn~
I wasn’t even exaggerating when I said that. Mercenaries really were insanely expensive, especially those from werewolf packs because we were stronger, tougher, and harder to kill than anyone else.
From what I’d heard, only nobles could afford to hire them, and Theron seemed to know that perfectly well.
Based on that common knowledge alone, I was certain he didn’t need further explanation as to why Rael might think his father was behind the destruction of their pack.
"Anything else?" Theron suddenly asked.
Rael frowned. "What else?"
"The proof!" Theron snapped, his voice sharp enough to make me flinch. "Do you have any other proof?"
Rael stared at him in disbelief. "For what? Isn’t the cemetery and the fact that they were mercenaries already enough for you? What more do you want?!"
"It’s not enough," Theron shot back. "Without solid proof that my father hired them, it could’ve been anyone. What if it was some other noble?"
Rael let out a heavy sigh. He looked like he wanted to argue, but he was clearly too drained to keep fighting with someone who refused to see the obvious.
"Fine. Believe whatever you want." He spun around, kicked the table hard, and stormed toward the door. "I don’t care anymore."
"Rael, where are you going?" Theron called after him.
"Anywhere I don’t have to see your face!" Rael barked, flipping him off. "I’m done with you."
Oh, great. They were fighting again, but it wasn’t something I couldn’t handle.
I couldn’t exactly pretend to be sick either, since neither of them was actually throwing punches. Maybe that’s also why Rael chose to leave the room instead.
As soon as Rael slammed the door shut hard enough to rattle the walls, Theron dropped onto the sofa. He stared blankly at the floor, as though trying to piece together some kind of connection between his father and the evidence Rael had found.
Honestly, I would’ve been confused too if I were him. The evidence didn’t actually prove his father was guilty. For all we knew, someone else could’ve kidnapped Rael and dumped him in the middle of nowhere.
But if it truly was someone else, then whoever they were, they had successfully torn these brothers apart.
"Do you ... want me to leave you alone?" I asked softly, afraid of disturbing him.
I figured someone like Theron would rather be left alone to think, so I braced myself for him to send me away.
But when he finally spoke, his answer surprised me. "Can you stay here?" he said. "I don’t need you to console me, just ... stay with me for a while."
Unlike Rael, who seemed to thrive on being surrounded by people, Theron was the complete opposite. He always carried himself like someone who preferred to shut everyone out.
Even when I was still living in the palace, the soldiers and maids often whispered that the Alpha King rarely ever stepped out of his office.
But right now, he didn’t look like a man who wanted to be alone. If anything, it felt like he wanted me to stay. So I did. Besides, Rael probably needed time to cool off anyway.
"Alright," I whispered, sliding a little closer. I sat down beside him, careful not to say too much because sometimes silence spoke louder than words.
Theron leaned back against the sofa, his head tilting slightly as if he finally allowed himself to breathe. The tension in his jaw slowly eased, though his eyes never left the floor.
I didn’t reach for him, didn’t push him to talk, and didn’t try to comfort him with empty words. I just stayed there, quietly beside him.
"You know ..." he finally began. "When Rael disappeared from the palace, I was terrified something awful had happened to him. But when my father told me he had run away, a part of me actually felt ... relieved instead of angry."
"At least he wasn’t in danger." His voice softened even more, and then he shifted closer, lowering his head until it rested against my shoulder.
The sudden touch made my heart jump, but strangely, I didn’t feel the weight of him at all. It was as if he was holding it up himself, careful not to burden me, even in this small moment of weakness.
"Do you ... trust your father that much?" I asked gently, my voice careful, worried that I might touch a wound too deep.
"I don’t know anymore," Theron said quietly. His voice carried a heaviness that made my chest ache. "I used to think he was our savior. Back then, I couldn’t understand why Rael wanted to kill him so badly. But ... now that I know the truth, I honestly don’t know what to believe anymore."
Gently, I reached up and guided his head down onto my shoulder, letting him know I didn’t mind if he leaned on me. If anything, I wanted him to.
For a moment, we just stayed like that, the silence stretching between us. Then I whispered, "Maybe ... leave a little space in your heart for every possibility. I’m not asking you to take Rael’s side or blindly believe everything he says. But when he speaks about what he knows, just let him feel that you trust him."
I paused, choosing my words carefully before continuing, "After that ... you can ask him to search for the truth together with you."
Theron was quiet for a long time. I could feel his breath against my shoulder, steady but heavy, as if each inhale carried the weight of all his doubts. His fingers twitched slightly, like he was fighting the urge to clench them into fists.
Finally, he let out a low sigh. "You make it sound so simple," he murmured. "But for me ... it’s not. Trust isn’t something I can give so easily anymore."
"I know," I whispered back. "But Rael is still your brother. No matter how angry you are with each other, deep down you don’t want him gone, and he doesn’t want you gone either."
Theron didn’t answer right away, but his head pressed more firmly against my shoulder, as if he was silently accepting my words. For a man who always carried himself like he was untouchable, this quiet closeness felt like a rare crack in his armor.
"I once had a sibling too," I said softly. "An older brother. He was a lot like you, always thinking he could handle everything on his own. He never wanted to share his burdens with anyone, not even me."
It was only natural that he didn’t want to burden me back then because I was just a kid. But still, there were times when I wished he had shared more with me, so we could’ve talked more before our village was destroyed.
"What ... happened to him?" Theron finally lifted his face, his eyes locking onto mine.
A reluctant smile tugged at my lips, though it didn’t reach my eyes. "He died," I whispered.. "I can’t quite remember if I’ve ever told you this or not, but just in case I haven’t, my pack was also slaughtered by rogue werewolves."
The words still tasted bitter, like an old wound that never truly healed, which was a bit ridiculous, right? I mean, it happened decades ago, yet I can still remember every detail of that day so vividly.
Every scream, every metallic stench that filled the air, the red liquid running down my legs, and the moment the rogue werewolves ripped my father apart and took my brother’s head.
Theron’s body stiffened against me, his breathing turning heavier. For a moment, he didn’t say anything, and I wondered if he was trying to imagine the scene through my eyes or if he was too shocked to respond at all.
When he finally spoke, his voice was low, almost a growl. "I’m sorry ... I don’t know anything about this."
I shook my head gently. "It’s not your fault. I’ve never really opened up to you either."
The only thing Theron truly knew about me was that I couldn’t die. But beyond that, he didn’t know where I came from or who I used to be. Maybe Rael didn’t know either.
They could try to uncover the truth, but I doubted they would ever be able to find my old village. It belonged to a kingdom that no longer existed, a land reduced to ashes after it was crushed and burned to the ground in a great war.
"The thing I want to say is ...." I looked at him seriously. "While you still have the chance to talk with your brother, I hope you try to mend your relationship with him. It’s better to shout at each other, even to throw punches if you have to, than to be left behind with no answers at all."
Theron’s jaw tightened, his eyes darkening as if my words struck deeper than he wanted to admit. For a while, he didn’t say anything, just sat there in silence, breathing heavily.
I hadn’t meant to compare my own misfortune with his, but deep down I truly hoped that Theron and Rael could find a way back to each other before it was too late.
Losing a sibling left a wound that never really healed. I knew that pain better than anyone, and I wouldn’t wish it on him.
Besides that, if they don’t get along, how could we possibly live side by side for so long?