Chapter 75

So much for my lovely afternoon of shopping, I think sourly as I speed back to the mansion as fast as I dare. I'm going to have to speak to Marcus and Emmett about this immediately.

I really, really shouldn't have given Anton the afternoon off. He was reluctant, but I'd insisted, because I assumed that nothing bad was going to happen in the middle of a crowded, sunny street in broad daylight.

Apparently, I was very wrong.

Goddamn it. Marcus is going to strangle me. Sometimes I don't know how I can be so stupid, so – so naive. I'm a brilliant doctor, but sometimes I have to question my own common sense. Or, rather, the lack thereof.

Marcus is going to be furious.

I pull into the mansion's parking lot and just sit for a few minutes, letting my head rest on the steering wheel while I try to get my heart rate and breathing back under control. Finally, I lift my head and send urgent texts to both Marcus and Emmett.

"911: Meet me in my office ASAP."

They're both waiting for me by the time I get there, both looking worried and tense. The Alpha must have gotten Claire to open up my office for them, because Emmett is sitting in one of the guest chairs while Marcus paces around the floor.

Both their heads snap up when I appear in the doorway - evidently they'd both been so lost in thought that they didn't even hear me coming, which is unusual for a werewolf.

Good god, I think uneasily. We're all off our game today. This can't bode well.

"Evelyn?" Marcus asks. "What on earth is it? What's happened? You were supposed to be out for an afternoon of shopping and sunshine."

"You knew about that?" I ask, taken aback.

"Of course I did," Marcus says. "I was going to offer to join you, but my father suggested that it would be nice to let you get some time to yourself. You've been so wrapped up in this family's affairs since you got here, and I saw the wisdom in allowing you a little day to yourself."

I sigh, chafing my arms, suddenly feeling chilled.

"Normally it would've been a fantastic idea, and I do appreciate the gesture," I agree, walking into my office and closing the door behind me. "But I wish one of you had been with me today."

"What happened?" Marcus repeated, glancing at the Alpha, who is watching me with serious, worried eyes.

I tell them about my strange encounter with the man, changing the details only slightly, to avoid suggesting to Marcus that I have a secret identity and that this man insinuated that he knows what it is. I can fill Emmett in on that later, though, with the glance I give him, I think he already knows.

"I just don't understand," Marus is saying. "And you're certain he was a werewolf, Evelyn?"

"Absolutely," I say. "I wasn't sure at first, when I first saw him from a distance, I mean, but it was crystal clear when I was closer to him. He's a wolf, through and through."

"I just don't understand," Marcus says again. "We should know every single wolf in the area, even those just traveling in our jurisdiction. This doesn't make any sense; I've never heard of this man before."

"I have," the Alpha says quietly, and Marcus and I both spin to gape at him.

"You – you have?" Marcus asks. "How the hell do I not know about it, then?"

"Because," the Alpha says, "this wolf was banished from our community long ago. He's not supposed to be anywhere near this entire continent, much less terrorizing members of our family on the street."

"What?" Marcus and I squawk together. The fact that Emmett just called me a member of his family is not lost on me, but I have to tuck it away to think about later. There are more pressing matters to hand.

"Father - now I really don't understand," Marcus says in shock. "I know that, very rarely, wolves do get banished, but I've never heard…"

"It's your Uncle Amos, Marcus," Emmett says, and now Marcus really looks gobsmacked.

"I thought Uncle Amos was dead," Marcus says. "Mother told me he was dead, years ago."

"Your mother told you that so you'd stop having nightmares about him," the Alpha says heavily. "I would have told you the truth myself, eventually, when you get named Heir. But there wasn't really any reason for you to know before that."

"No reason!" Marcus practically shouts, sounding borderline hysterical. "Father, look what's just happened! The most dangerous werewolf in living memory just appeared to terrorize my unprotected fianceé!"

Fianceé? Fianceé! Oh, wow. My brain short circuits a little bit at that one, but I shake my head and move past it. Now is not the time, Nicole! I internally yell at myself.

"Speaking of which," Marcus rounds on me, looking every bit as furious as I'd feared. "Where the hell was Anton during all of this, Evelyn? Where is he now?"

"I –" I clear my throat, which is suddenly feeling very dry. "I gave him the afternoon off."

"You what?" Marcus looks aghast. "Evelyn, have you not been paying attention? Do you not understand the danger you're in, have been in? Anton was hired specifically for your protection!

"I've been fighting tooth and nail to get you to take him with you when you're not here - when you need him most. You don't want him at your home, okay, fine, I trust you that it's not possible.

But the first time you leave the relative safety of this mansion and go out onto the streets alone, exactly where you'll be most vulnerable to one of Charles's attacks, you ditch your bodyguard? Evelyn, what were you thinking?"

"Marcus," Emmett says.

Marcus takes a deep breath, making a visible effort to calm himself down.

"I'm sorry," he says, first to me and then to the Alpha. "I don't like to lose my temper, and I shouldn't have shouted. But Evelyn, please. You must see the sense in what I'm saying here."

"I do," I swallow hard, trying not to sniffle. "I'm so sorry, Marcus. I guess a bit part of me just…hasn't been taking this seriously so far. Not taking the danger to myself seriously, I mean. It seemed so unlikely that I'd be a target…"

"Well, it's happened now," Marcus says heavily, sinking down into the nearest chair and leaning his elbows on his thighs. "And we have to figure out what to do about it. Father, what on earth do you think Amos was talking about?"

"He seems to know Charles," Emmett says, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "I wonder if they're working together. Though it's a little difficult to see Amos working with someone as…weaselly…as Charles. He's always been a proud man. And a smart one - Amos really is quite a genius."

I must look surprised, because Emmett nods at me.

"Yes, it's true. He was always an incredibly brilliant child, and a brilliant young man. Far smarter than me, I can tell you that, and he would've been a better politician and tactician, as well. He knows it, too - always did.

"It's why he was so shocked when he wasn't named Heir. He challenged me, and when he lost, he went berserk. I've never seen anything like it. He tried to kill our father, right there in front of the entire Council. That's when he was banished."

"If he would've made a better Alpha, why wasn't he named Heir?" I ask curiously. Emmett sighs.

"Because my brother has always been a deeply violent, disturbed man. He might've been a better politician and tactician, but he would have made a terrible leader. He has no empathy, no…no soul. He's what they used to call a sociopath, I think."

I gasp softly, and Emmett nods.

"He's a terribly brilliant, terribly dangerous man, Evelyn. You're lucky you escaped your encounter with him with nothing more than a bad fright.

"I'm going to have to talk to Jeanette about this, see what she thinks. I don't know what Amos wants, but it can't be anything good."

"Evelyn, I am begging you to please allow Anton to go home with you tonight," Marcus says, his voice desperate and pleading. I shake my head, though I'm genuinely reluctant to decline.

"I can't," I say. I hold up a hand as Marcus starts to protest. "Believe me, Marcus, I want to. I've been foolish and naive about my own safety, I see that now. But I can't bring Anton with me, not until I - clear a couple of things up, first.

"Just give me a day or two, and I'll get it all sorted out, I promise." I smile at Marcus, but I know it's unconvincing.

"You should just stay here tonight, then," Marcus says. "Father, don't you agree?"

"I do," Emmett says, rising to his feet. "I'll ask Claire to see that a guest room gets made ready. And in the meantime, Marcus, I want you to call Liam. We need to talk this over further. Evelyn, I'll see you in the morning."

Emmett leaves, and Marcus stands to come over to me. I'm leaning against my desk, feeling numb.

He opens his arms, and I fall into them.