Rise of the Banished She-Wolf (Evelyn) novel Chapter 144

Chapter 144

Evelyn

My fingers flew across the keyboard as lines of code scrolled rapidly on my screen. The blue light from three laptops illuminated our hotel suite, casting an ethereal glow over Taylor and Erin who sat on either side of me, each focused on their own sections of the program.

“The encryption layer on this firewall needs to be stronger,” I muttered, frowning as I reviewed the security protocols. Someone’s definitely going to try hacking our system tomorrow.”

I quickly added another layer of protection, making my code as elegant and precise as possible. Tomorrow’s competition would be challenging, and I wanted us to be fully prepared.

Erin watched me work with wide eyes. “Eve, your coding is literally art. I swear, watching you work is like watching a pianist play Mozart.”

“The competition’s gonna be wild tomorrow, Taylor said with his characteristic mischievous grin, his green curls bouncing as he nodded toward my screen. “Your firewall’s tighter than a bank vault. Those other hackers are gonna cry when they hit this wall.”

I allowed myself a small smile but didn’t pause in my work. Years of practice had made coding second nature to me, like breathing. It was one of the few things that made me feel truly powerful.

A gentle knock interrupted my flow of thought. Edward Luna poked his head in, his blue eyes taking in our intense focus.

Time for dinner,” he announced, stepping fully into the room.

I didn’t look up. “Just let me optimize this code section first…”

Before I knew what was happening, Edward walked over and closed my laptop. “You workaholic. You’ve been coding for two hours straight.”

“Hey! I didn’t save that!” I protested as Edward half–dragged me toward the door. Part of me was annoyed, but another part appreciated his concern.

“Your brain needs fuel, and your body needs rest,” Edward said firmly, guiding me toward the hotel restaurant. “The competition isn’t until tomorrow, and you need to be sharp.”

In the restaurant, Edward filled a bowl with soup and lifted a spoonful toward my lips. I felt my cheeks flush with embarrassment.

“I’m not a child,‘ I muttered, pushing his hand away gently, ‘I can feed myself.”

Edward reluctantly surrendered the spoon, his eyes never leaving my face. Just as I brought the spoon to my lips, a familiar voice came from the restaurant

entrance,

‘Looks like I arrived just in time.”

My heart skipped a beat as Devon strode into the restaurant, carrying several bags and packages. Jason followed behind with more luggage. I immediately set down my spoon and hurried over to help.

“Devon! What are you doing here?” I asked, reaching for one of the heavier bags. “These are heavy…”

“Jason, take these to my room,” Devon instructed before pulling out an elegant food container from one of the bags. He opened it to reveal an assortment of honey cookies and strawberry tarts.

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Chapter 144

Emma made these especially for you,” he said, selecting a honey, cookie and holding it to my lips.

Without hesitation, I accepted the offering, closing my eyes as the sweetness melted on my tongue. Mmm! Emma’s baking is still the best! The taste reminded me of the comfort I’d found at the Hall mansion, something I’d rarely experienced in my own family home.

I caught Edward watching us from his position at the table, his expression shifting through several emotions before becoming unreadable.

Oh my God, Eve, you’re seriously living the dream,‘ Etin said enviously, eyeing the delicious pastries. “People bringing you special treats from across the

state?

Taylor’s grin widened as he leaned back in his chair. “Eve, are you sure you came here for a coding competition? Because this looks more like a honeymoon

to me.

I narrowed my eyes playfully and reached over to tug at his green curls. “Say one more word, and I’ll straighten all these curls while you sleep!”

“No! Mercy! Not my hair! Taylor wailed dramatically, ducking away from my reach.

Our table erupted in laughter, and I noticed even Devon’s lips curve into a rare smile. Something warm spread through my chest at the sight.

After dinner, Edward, Devon, and I walked together down the hallway toward our rooms. The silence between us felt companionable but charged with unspoken tensions.

“By the way,” Edward said suddenly, “I’ve applied to Devon for a plot of land near the forest.”

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