Rise of the Banished She-Wolf (Evelyn) novel Chapter 141

Chapter 141

Evelyn

Morning sunlight filtered through my curtains as I sat at the small breakfast table, absently stirring my coffee.

“Ms. Gray? This is Officer Martinez from Seattle Detention Center. The voice was formal but concerned. I’m calling about your father, Jonathan Gray.”

I tightened my grip on the mug. “What about him?”

‘He’s had some kind of… breakdown. We had to transfer him to Evergreen Psychiatric Hospital early this morning. He became violent, showing signs of severe mental instability.”

‘Violent?” My stomach clenched. “What happened exactly?”

‘I’m not authorized to share details over the phone, Ms. Gray. The hospital staff requested we contact next of kin.”

I sighed, setting down my mug. “I understand. I’ll come by today.”

After ending the call, I stared at my half–eaten toast. My father, mentally unstable? It seemed too convenient. Jonathan was many things–cruel, manipulative, abusive–but never unstable. This had to be another one of his schemes.

I grabbed my phone again and dialed Devon’s number.

“Hey, his deep voice answered immediately, sending an involuntary warmth through me. “Everything okay?”

‘Not exactly. I just got a call from the detention center. My father’s been transferred to a psychiatric hospital after some kind of breakdown.” I kept my voice steady, not wanting Devon to hear my uncertainty. “I’m going to see what this is about.”

Devon’s disapproval was palpable even through the phone. “I don’t like this, Evelyn. Let me send Jason with you.”

For once, I didn’t argue. “Fine. I could use the backup.”

The psychiatric wing of Evergreen Hospital made my skin crawl–sterile corridors and heavy security doors that reminded me too much of places I’d rather forget. I followed a guard down the hallway, finding strange comfort in Jason’s solid presence behind me.

“He’s been like this since early morning, the guard explained, leading us to a viewing window. “Started screaming about monsters, attacked his cellmate, and nearly tore out one of my colleague’s throats. Took four men to subdue him.‘

Through the reinforced glass, I saw my father strapped to a hospital bed. I barely recognized him–his immaculate appearance gone, replaced by wild eyes and disheveled hair. When he spotted me, he thrashed violently against his restraints.

“YOU!” he screamed, voice hoarse. “Let me go! I have to kill him! I’ll kill that monster!”

I maintained my impassive expression, though my heart hammered in my chest. In all my years of enduring his cruelty, I’d never seen my father lose control

like this.

A doctor approached, injecting something into my father’s IV line. “That should calm him down,” he told me. “He’s been cycling between extreme aggression

1/3

18:05 Wed, Dec 24

Chapter 141

and catatonic states.”

“Has he had any visitors?” I asked the guard, my eyes still fixed on the stranger who was my father.

‘Besides you, there was another visitor this morning. Audrey, a blonde woman.”

“Audrey,” I whispered, the pieces falling into place in my mind.

957

The drive to Audrey’s hillside villa was silent. I could feel tension radiating from my own body, my jaw clenched tight. When Jason parked the car, I turned

to him.

“Wait here,” I instructed. “I need to handle this alone.”

Audrey’s surprised face appeared when she opened the door. Her perfectly manicured hand flew to her throat. “Evelyn! What–what are you doing here? You

shouldn’t be here!”

I pushed past her into the foyer, my patience already worn thin. “Skip the act, Audrey. I know you visited my father.”

I–I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Her eyes darted nervously to the staircase.

Following her gaze, I spotted a small figure peering through the banister. Liam. The boy quickly ducked out of sight, and my heart softened despite the

circumstances.

“Liam, come down and say hello to your cousin,” I called, gentling my voice.

The boy hesitantly descended, looking between his mother and me with wide eyes that reminded me too much of Ethan when we were younger, before

everything changed.

“Why don’t you go play upstairs for a bit?” I suggested, forcing a reassuring smile. “I need to talk to your mom about some grown–up stuff.”

Once Liam disappeared upstairs, I turned to Audrey, dropping all pretense of warmth. “Let’s talk in the living room, shall we?”

“I saw Jonathan today,” I said coldly, sitting across from Audrey in her lavishly decorated living room. “He’s had some kind of mental breakdown. Strapped to a hospital bed, raving about killing someone.”

A flash of satisfaction crossed Audrey’s face before she could hide it. Well, that’s truly unfortunate.”

‘Cut the crap, Audrey. What did you tell him?” My patience was rapidly evaporating.

Audrey’s facade crumbled. “He deserved it! The bastard refused to help Ethan! He must have millions hidden away, and he wouldn’t give me a penny. What am I supposed to do? How are Liam and I supposed to survive?”

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify