Rise of the Banished She-Wolf (Evelyn) novel Chapter 182

Chapter 182

Evelyn

Sunlight filtered through the curtains, casting a warm glow across my bedroom. I stirred slowly, my body deliciously sore in places I’d never felt before. night’s memories flooded back–Devon’s possessive touch, his whispered promises, the way he’d claimed me completely. Heat rushed to my cheeks, and I buried my face deeper into the pillow.

“Good morning, my white wolf,” Devon’s deep voice rumbled as he gently turned my face toward him, his blue eyes intense with satisfaction. His thumb traced my lower lip. “Trying to hide from me already?”

I couldn’t meet his gaze, embarrassment mixing with a strange new comfort. “I just… this is new for me.”

“And for me,” he admitted, pulling me closer against his bare chest. The steady rhythm of his heartbeat calmed me.

I attempted to wiggle free, suddenly aware of my responsibilities. “I should get up.”

Devon’s arm tightened around my waist, pulling me back into the warmth of his embrace. “Just a few more minutes,” he murmured against my hair. “I wan to hold you a little longer.”

The intimacy of the moment was interrupted by my phone buzzing insistently on the nightstand. I reached for it, seeing Aiden’s name flashing on the

screen.

“Finally!” Aiden’s exasperated voice came through as soon as I answered. “I’ve been trying to reach you since last night. Dr. Anderson’s been calling you no stop.

I glanced at Devon, who was watching me with an amused smile. “Sorry, I was… busy.”

“Busy?” Aiden snorted. “Dr. Aderson is restarting the project. He wanted to discuss it with you ASAP.”

I’ll head to the lab today,” I promised, trying to sound professional despite Devon’s fingers now tracing lazy patterns on my bare shoulder.

After hanging up, I turned to Devon. “Why didn’t you tell me about Dr. Anderson last night?”

Devon’s lips curved into a devilish grin. “I had other things on my mind.” His hand slid down my side possessively. “Much more important things.”

Forty minutes later, we finally made it to the kitchen. I was measuring coffee grounds when the sound of footsteps announced Aileen and Shawn’s arrival. They walked in, both stopping abruptly when they saw Devon and me together.

“Morning,” Aileen chirped, her eyes darting between us, a knowing smile spreading across/her face. “You two look… rested.”

Shawn cleared his throat, looking anywhere but at us. “Something smells good.”

“Just coffee,” I replied, grateful for the distraction. “And I was thinking of making some eggs and toast.”

Devon leaned against the counter, watching me with undisguised affection. “I need to head to the office for a few hours, but I’ll be back this evening.”

Actually, I said, cracking eggs into a bowl, “I need to go to Hall Enterprises today. Dr. Anderson wants to meet about the silver resistance project.

Devon nodded, reaching into his pocket. “Perfect timing then. He pulled out a sleek blue card and handed it to me. “The access card. It’ll get you into any

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Chapter 182

Hall facility.”

I examined the card, impressed by the embedded technology. “This seems excessive for a visitor pass.”

“You’re hardly a visitor, Evelyn.” Devon’s voice was soft but firm. “The equipment at headquarters might be insufficient for your research. We have a specialized research facility on the outskirts of town. You can use this card to access it. If you need anything else, just tell Jason. He’ll make it happen.”

Aileen wiggled her eyebrows suggestively as she grabbed a piece of toast. “Look at you, getting the keys to the kingdom.”

After breakfast, Devon drove me to Hall Enterprises. The interior of his luxury SUV smelled of leather and his distinctive pine scent, now mingled with mi Every few minutes, Devon’s eyes would flick from the road to me, and each time our gazes met, memories of the previous night flashed between us.

“You’re thinking about it too,” he said, his voice husky.

I fidgeted with the access card. “Is it that obvious?”

“Your heartbeat gives you away.” Devon’s hand left the steering wheel to clasp mine. “Last night was the most beautiful memory I have, Evelyn. Don’t feel

awkward about it.”

“I don’t regret anything,” I admitted quietly. “I’m just not used to… this level of intimacy.”

When we arrived at the towering glass building of Hall Enterprises, Devon walked me to the entrance. Before I could step inside, he pulled me close, pressing a gentle kiss to my forehead.

“Call me when you’re done,” he murmured against my skin. “I’ll pick you up.”

Inside the research lab, Dr. Anderson greeted me with enthusiasm. “Evelyn! Thank God. We’ve had a si

evelopment with the anti–silver data.”

We spent the next few hours poring over research notes and samples. The lab was state–of–the–art, but I found my mind occasionally drifting back to Devon, my body seeming more attuned to my wolf than ever before.

“You seem different today,” Dr. Anderson commented as we analyzed data. “More focused, yet somehow distracted.”

I smiled faintly. “Just eager to see this project succeed.”

Around noon, Jason arrived with lunch.

“Mr. Hall asked me to ensure you ate properly,” Jason explained, setting down the containers. He was very specific about the menu.”

After lunch, 1 suggested to Dr. Anderson that we visit the specialized research facility Devon had mentioned. “I think we need to examine the biological printing equipment for the tissue samples.”

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