A War inside me

Chapter 12

Evelyn’s POV

We were all present. Kaden, Mira, Ben, and me stood before the royal family. King Harold, Queen Gisselle, Prince Nathan, and Prince Noah. We were confused about what we could have done to offend the crown.

“Out of respect for your late parents, Alpha Kaden, I will give you one chance to tell me what your pack has been hiding. Don’t fail me twice. I want open and honest communication, and I will be taping into your memories today. This is your first and only warning.”

Kaden’s eyes darted to all of us in the room, still filled with confusion.

“We haven’t hidden anything. My father and I have led this pack with the truth and loyalty to the crown,” Kaden said firmly.

The King bent over on the desk, his eyes bloodshot red and his hands balled into fists.

“I gave you a chance, and you blew it,” he said coldly.

In a flash, he appeared in front of Kaden, his wolf eyes red and murderous.

“I will find out the truth for myself,” he growled in Kaden’s face, putting his hands directly to his temples. Kaden’s eyes widened.

“BROTHER!” I gasped, pushing Ben from the side of me to get to Kaden.

The King was going to crush his skull!

Ben and the Alpha twins grabbed me by the waist. “Don’t interfere. He’s just entering his mind. It will only hurt a little,” Noah whispered in my ear.

Kaden screamed in pain for a second before his eyes completely rolled back.

“Just a little! Why is he doing this? He’s a good guy. I swear I can vouch for him. Please,” I begged.

“If he’s really as good as you say, you have nothing to worry about,” Nathan muttered.

I stopped squirming and turned directly into Ben’s arms. f*****g jerks!

*

*

*Kaden’s Memories*

Kaden’s POV

It was a windy day at the pack house. I walked in after ensuring that everyone in the pack was safe and that the wind hadn’t caused too much damage to our pack members.

I entered the pack house, exhausted from today’s events, and immediately removed my shoes at the doorstep. Suddenly, a loud snore echoed from the living room, and I saw my father, drunk out of his mind, clutching an empty bottle.

“Oh great,” I muttered, adding to the rough day I’d already had. My drunk father was wasted, and I couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy for him. It was the anniversary of our mother’s death, and it had been a year since she passed away. My father hadn’t recovered yet, and it was hard to lose a mate. We were fortunate that he hadn’t gone rogue.

I picked up the empty bottle from his hand and covered him with a throw blanket. He looked terrible, but all I could do was pray to the moon goddess that he would get better soon.

A soft voice from the corner of the room caught my attention. “Kaden?” Evie whispered.

I turned my head and saw little Evie coloring by herself in the corner of the living room. My father hadn’t allowed her out, not even to see the sunlight, fearing that she might vanish just like our mother.

I crouched down to her eye level and asked, “Hey, squirt. What did you do all day?” I came closer to her.

She shrugged and said, “Colored is all I did, and I watched over papa. He doesn’t look so good.” She added with a tiny frown.

“Losing a mate is hard, and it’s going to take time,” I sighed.

“How much longer, Kaden? He’s a wreck,” she sighed, frowning slightly.

“Hopefully soon,” I muttered.

Her eyes softened, and small tears began to form.

“None of that, okay? Dad is going to be okay,” she said, taking one last look at him. I could tell she wasn’t buying what I was telling her.

“Well, could we possibly watch a movie?” she asked gently.

“Of course, come here,” I lifted her up. When her skin touched mine, she was hot like boiling hot. “Evie, are you feeling okay?” I asked in panic.

She looked at me with confusion. “I feel fine, why?”

“Your skin is like on fire,” I said. I took her upstairs and said, “Instead of a movie, I’m going to run you a cold bath and we can put all your bath toys in it.”

“Yes! Okay!” she said excitedly.

I took her upstairs and did exactly what I had planned. I took her temperature, and the thermometer read 104.0. So, I called our pack doctor. He came immediately and assessed her condition, but he came back blank. He ran a hydration IV and said he’d review her lab work in the morning.

She fell asleep shortly after he left, and I figured she’d be fine. That night, we had already planned a double date. Me and Ben had planned to have pizza and a movie with two cheerleaders from Stone Brooke High. Since Evie fell asleep, there was no need to cancel our plans, so they came over.

They were so loud that we kept trying to keep them quiet so Evie wouldn’t wake up. Ben was cuddled up with the brunette, and I had the blonde. Things got intense, and kissing turned into a heated makeout session. When “Ewww, did she just stick her tongue in your mouth, Kaden!” Evie shouted in disgust, startling us all. Her emerald eyes stared at us with disgust.

“Evie! You’re supposed to be in bed!” I growled at her.

“I was, but then I felt all itchy,” she whined. I felt her head, and she was still burning hot.

“What’s wrong, Evie? Are you not feeling well?” Ben asked. She shrugged. “I feel fine, just different, I guess,” she replied.

The doorbell rang, signaling that the pizza had arrived. “I got it,” Ben announced and ran towards the front door of the pack house.

“Thank you. Let me get the thermometer. I’ll be right back,” I said. I couldn’t find a thermometer anywhere—no, not in the kitchen, not in the medicine cabinet. Until I remembered I had one in Evie’s room. By the time I came back,

Evie’s eyes had changed. They weren’t the emerald eyes I knew they were—they were gold. Her veins were protruding out of her arms and forehead, and I could tell she was angry. She was facing Tina like a possessed child.

“KADEN! What the hell is wrong with your sister!” she screamed.

“She’s not feeling well. I told you,” I said.

“Tell him again what you called me! Tell him again what you said!” Evie shouted angrily.

Ben swung the door open, pizza in hand. “Who wants pizza!” he shouted excitedly, and the girls tried to dart towards the door.

But Evie shifted faster than I could have imagined. Her white wolf emerged, and there was no time to react. “Evie, stop!” I yelled, but it was too late. She slaughtered them. Before any of us could react, she was fast—faster than anything I’ve ever seen.

She ran down the stairs in wolf form, growling menacingly. Her eyes turned to my father in the chair, and she went on top of him. Her wolf size was three times his size. He was startled awake. “Who is this?!” Dad shouted at me and Ben.

“It’s Evie! She shifted!” I yelled. He turned slightly, giving her a moment to strike. She took it and bit his arm, swinging him around like some rag doll and tossing him to the side wall.

“Stop, Evie! I know you’re scared, stop!” I commanded her, but there was no use. I shifted into wolf form, my wolf whimpering inside me—it was his sister. His baby sister inside her. But we had no choice.

The fight exploded through the living room in a blur of fur and snapping teeth. My black wolf was slammed into the couch, sending cushions flying as I lunged. My claws scraped against the hardwood. We circled in tight, furious arcs, low growls vibrating through the walls like thunder trapped indoors. A lamp crashed to the floor, glass shattering as we collided again. Bodies slammed into the table with enough force to tip it over. The house felt suddenly too small for the wild violence inside it—every breath, snarl, every movement a storm of muscle and instinct battling for dominance. But Evie’s wolf wouldn’t give in until.

We heard multiple shots being fired. Ben had shot Evie with a large amount of silver. She whimpered in pain. I shifted back, watching my sister’s wolf roll around like a wounded puppy.

“Why would you do that?!” I shouted.

Ben exclaimed in panic, “It was the only way.” .