The Lightning Wolf Chronicles Novel

Chapter 13: Where Did You Go Tonight? Evelyn's POV 80 The walk home felt different with Elliot beside me. Silver Pines looked almost magical under the moonlight, their branches catching the silver glow. But my brother was unusually quiet, like he was wrestling with something. 'I really enjoyed dinner tonight," I said, trying to break the silence. "Yeah." He stopped suddenly. "Evie, I need to tell you something." I turned to face him, confused. "Dad wasn't there tonight because I asked Alpha Adam not to tell him." Elliot's voice was barely above a whisper. "I know how he treats you.

I wanted you to have one night without worrying about his reaction." My stomach dropped. "You knew?" "Of course I knew." He looked away toward the forest. "You think I'm blind? I've watched him tear you down for years." The admission hung between us like a weight. "I bet you're wondering why I never said anything, right?" His laugh was bitter. "Why I just stood there and let it happen." I stayed quiet, but he was right. That question had burned in my chest for years. Elliot took a shaky breath. "Remember when we were little? Your fifth birthday when I snuck you that cake I made?" I nodded.

That tiny vanilla cake was still one of my only good birthday memories. "Dad found out and lost his shit. Locked me in the training room for a whole day, said if I ever 'betrayed' him again, he'd strip me of the Beta position." Elliot's hands clenched into fists. "I didn't give a damn about being Beta, but after that, he got even worse with you. I knew it was punishment for what I did." "Elliot..." "So I convinced myself that staying away would protect you. That if I just kept my distance, maybe he'd ease up. He finally looked at me, eyes bright with unshed tears. "But I was wrong.

I was just a coward who chose the easy way out." "You were a kid," I said quietly. "We both were." "That's not an excuse." He shook his head. "All these years, watching you eat alone, watching you train until you collapsed, watching you shrink into corners... I hated myself for it. But I was too scared to do anything." 1/4 11:33 Thu, Jan 8 34 ... Chapter 13: Where Did You Go Tonight? & He reached out and squeezed my shoulder. "That changes now. I don't care what Dad thinks anymore. You're my sister, and I should ve been protecting you this whole time." My throat felt tight.

"Thank you." "Don't thank me. This is what I should've done years ago." He started walking again. "Come on, let's get you home." The moment I pushed open our front door, a voice cut through the darkness. "Where did you go tonight? My blood turned to ice. Dad sat in the living room shadows, only the glass in his hand catching any light. "I..." The words stuck in my throat. Elliot stepped in front of me immediately. 'I took her out, sir. Alpha Adam hosted a welcome dinner and invited Evie as Nadia's friend." "I asked her, not you." Dad's voice could've frozen hell over.

I forced myself to meet his glare. 'I went to dinner at Alpha Adam's house." "Who gave you permission?" "Alpha Adam and Luna Isabella invited me personally." I tried to keep my voice steady. Dad stood up slowly, his massive frame even more intimidating in the dim light. He walked over until I could smell the whiskey on his breath. "You think putting on some pretty dress changes who you are?' His voice was deadly quiet. "You think they really want you there?' "Dad! Elliot tried to step between us. "Shut the hell up!" Dad roared, then turned back to me.

'Let me remind you of something, little girl. No matter how you dress up, you can't change one simple fact - your existence cost her life." Each word hit like a physical blow. I'd heard this accusation a thousand times, but it never stopped hurting. 'If I could've chosen, I heard myself say, my voice eerily calm, 'I would rather it was me who died instead of her." Dead silence. Dad's face went darker, but he didn't respond. Just turned and headed for the stairs. 2/4 11:33 Thu, Jan 8 M... Chapter 13: Where Did You Go Tonight? *From now on, you don't leave this house without my permission.

He threw the words over his shoulder before disappearing upstairs. I stood there feeling like all the air had been sucked out of the room. Elliot steadied my arm. "Don't listen to him," he said quietly. "Go to school tomorrow like normal. I'll handle this." "He's the Beta. His orders..." "And I'm the future Beta. Elliot's voice was firm. "Trust me on this." I nodded and dragged myself upstairs. Tonight's perfect dinner felt like it happened to someone else. I curled up in bed and let the darkness swallow me whole. It's not your fault, my wolf whispered. It never was. I know, I replied.

But knowing something and believing it are two different things. The next day was Monday, and I got up as usual. Elliot was already in the kitchen when I came down. "Dad's already at the pack house," he said without looking up from his coffee. "Don't worry about yesterday." School passed surprisingly peacefully. Maybe Acacia was still recovering from her embarrassment at Wolf's Corner, or maybe she was planning something bigger. Either way, Nadia and I made it through classes without incident. We went through the usual routine classes together, lunch together, everything felt normal.

- Until dismissal. I was heading to my locker when someone grabbed me from behind. A hand clamped over my mouth while another arm dragged me backward. "Don't fight it - you'll just make it worse," an unfamiliar male voice hissed in my ear. They hauled me into the storage room at the end of the hallway. This area was always deserted, far from the main corridors. The second the door closed, I knew I was screwed. Two other guys waited inside, both wearing masks and baseball caps pulled low. Upperclassmen from their size, but obviously not wanting to be recognized. "This her?" one asked.

"Yeah, let's make this quick," said the one holding me. 3/4 11:33 Thu, Jan 8 M... Chapter 13: Where Did You Go Tonight? (0) They worked fast, tying my hands above my head to the overhead pipes with rope, I tried to struggle, but three against one was impeless These guys knew what they were doing their movements were too practiced, too efficient. "What do you want? I managed to gasp. - A punch to my stomach answered me. The pain knocked the breath right out of my lungs. "Shut up," one of them said. "We're just here to teach someone their place," What came next was methodical.

Fists, knees, feet they took turns like they were working shifts. I hit down hard, refusing to scream. That would only encourage them. Let me out! my wolf snarled from deep in my mind. I'll rip their throats out! No, I forced her back. Can't shift. Not here. The pain made everything blur at the edges. I could taste blood, feel my cheek swelling. Just when I thought I might pass out, a familiar voice cut through the haze. "Alright, that's enough! Don't kill her." Acacia. Comments B 6 Write Comments