Rise of the Banished She-Wolf (Evelyn) novel Chapter 152

Chapter 152

Evelyn

The gravel crunched under Ryan’s feet as he and Mark hurried to help me with my bags. Devon’s car had just disappeared down the long driveway, leaving me standing before Sterling Mansion–my ancestral home.

“Let us help you with those, Miss Evelyn,” Ryan said, reaching for my heaviest suitcase.

Mark nodded eagerly. ‘We’ll get everything inside for you.”

“Finally!” Aileen’s voice called from the front door as she bounded down the steps, Aiden following behind her. “We’ve been waiting for ages!”

I couldn’t help but smile at their enthusiasm. “Sorry for the delay. Devon wanted to make sure I had everything I needed.”

“More like he didn’t want to let you go,” Aiden muttered with a knowing smirk.

I pointed to several specific boxes among my belongings. “These need special care. They contain equipment for the third test–precision instruments that can’t be jostled.”

Aiden nodded, immediately understanding the importance. “I’ve got them,” he said, carefully lifting the containers with the reverence typically reserved for priceless artifacts. “Your tech is safe with me.”

Once everything was brought inside, Ryan offered to give me a tour. Though I had lived here briefly as a child, many of my memories had faded, replaced by the harsh realities that followed.

L

“Everything is just as I remember,” I murmured, pausing outside Isabel’s study. The mahogany door stood partially open, revealing bookshelves lined with ancient texts on werewolf medicine and history.

Ryan nodded, a wistful expression crossing his face. “When we restored the place, we followed Lydia’s instructions to the letter. Her memory of this house is more precise than architectural blueprints. She remembered details even I had forgotten.”

I ran my fingers along a weathered picture frame on the bookshelf, feeling the familiar grain of the wood. Inside was a photograph of Isabel standing proudly before the mansion, her silver hair gleaming in the sunlight. “She loved this place.”

“And now it’s yours,” Ryan said softly. As it should be.”

We continued through the house, each room unlocking fragments of memories–some pleasant, others painful. The sunroom where Isabel had taught me about healing herbs. The kitchen where Lydia had snuck me cookies when I was supposed to be studying. The staircase where I’d fallen and broken my arm at age six, leading to the discovery of my accelerated healing abilities.

“Speaking of Lydia,” I said, changing the subject before nostalgia overwhelmed me, “how’s her restaurant doing since she moved it here?”

Ryan’s face brightened immediately. “Better than ever! It’s become the unofficial gathering spot for the Moonheal pack. Even many people who had lost touch over the years have found their way here.”

He checked his watch and added, “She’s probably busy preparing dinner right now. There are usually quite a few guests in the evenings.”

“Let’s go help her,” I suggested, suddenly eager to see the restaurant. “I want to see what she’s done with the place.”

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Chapter 152

Ryan led me toward the east wing where Lydia had established her “Memory’s Night Fare restaurant. We were halfway down the corridor when a loud crash echoed through the building—the unmistakable sound of a door being kicked open.

My silver–gray eyes flashed with alertness, my senses immediately heightening. ‘Someone’s broken in.”

Ryan’s face darkened. “Who would dare enter Sterling territory so brazenly?”

We rushed toward the source of the commotion, following the sound to the restaurant entrance. When we arrived, I saw three figures standing in the

doorway–a middle–aged man in an expensive suit wearing dar

sunglasses flanked by two broad–shouldered bodyguards. The door hung awkwardly on its hinges, clearly having been kicked open.

Inside, diners–mostly werewolves from the local packs–stared in shocked silence, some half–risen from their seats. The air crackled with tension, the distinct scent of aggression permeating the room.

The man in sunglasses surveyed the restaurant with obvious disdain. “So this is what’s become of Sterling property,” he sneered. “A gathering place for outsiders.”

His gaze landed on me, and even through his dark glasses, I could feel the intensity of his stare. And you must be the so–called Gray family heir?”

Ryan stepped forward, positioning himself slightly in front of me. “Gregory Sterling, mind your manners. You’re addressing the legitimate owner of this property and the rightful heir to the Gray family.”

Gregory removed his sunglasses, revealing eyes that flashed with a dangerous yellow glow. “Gray property? Everything the Grays have came from the Sterling bloodline! I’ve come to reclaim what rightfully belongs to our family.”

Whispers rippled through the dining room as patrons recognized him. “The Canadian wolf pack’s Gregory Sterling?” someone murmured.

‘Isabel’s brother’s son,” another clarified quietly.

I kept my expression neutral, raising my hand slightly to signal the diners. “This is a family matter,” I announced calmly. “I apologize for the interruption to your meals. Please, for your safety, I ask that you leave for now.”

The patrons began filing out, casting wary glances at Gregory and his bodyguards al

“There’s nothing to discuss,” Gregory said once the room had cleared. He pocket cannot inherit territory without Sterling blood. That’s the rule.”

they passed.

his sunglasses, his eyes now openly glowing with werewolf energy. “You

I maintained my composure, meeting his gaze steadily. “Times change, Mr. Sterling. The rules have evolved.”

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