Rise of the Banished She-Wolf (Evelyn) novel Chapter 77

**Where Falling Leaves Whisper Stories Written In Silence by Ryn Jace Reed**
**Chapter 77**

A sudden, jarring knock at the door of my hotel room shattered the silence that had enveloped me as I sifted through my thoughts post-match. I glanced up to find a member of the Venom Strike team standing there, his expression frantic, eyes wide and bloodshot as if he hadn’t slept in days.

“You have to come to the hospital,” he blurted out, his voice tinged with urgency. “Fiona’s got no vitals. The doctors don’t know what’s wrong.”

I closed my laptop with a decisive click, my heart racing as I scrutinized his face. The silver lines etched beneath his skin throbbed faintly, almost like they were alive. “Why come to me?” I asked, my voice steady despite the turmoil within.

“Jackson said you mentioned something about these marks killing us,” he stammered, desperation lacing his words. “Please. We don’t know what else to do.”

A surge of determination coursed through me as I grabbed my medical bag, feeling the weight of responsibility settle on my shoulders. “I’ll come,” I conceded, “but I’m only bringing Taylor. The rest of my team stays here.”

As we stepped into the dimly lit corridor, Taylor fell into step beside me, his brow furrowed with concern. “Are you sure about this? It could be a trap,” he cautioned, glancing sideways at the anxious Venom Strike member.

“Maybe,” I admitted, a hint of uncertainty creeping into my thoughts. “But I can smell the silver poison on him. It’s not fake.”

The ride to the hospital was fraught with tension, the air thick with unspoken fears. I could sense the faint silver particles radiating from the Venom Strike member, a metallic scent that grew stronger as we neared the hospital. The moment we entered Fiona’s room, the unnatural odor enveloped me, making my skin crawl and my instincts scream.

Jackson stood at Fiona’s bedside, his tall frame rigid, the tension radiating off him like heat from a fire. When his gaze locked onto mine, his eyes ignited with fury. “What took you so long?” he snapped, his voice edged with frustration.

“I came as a courtesy,” I replied coolly, meeting his glare with unwavering resolve. “I could have ignored your teammate entirely.”

Jackson stepped closer, his imposing figure looming over me. “You know what’s happening, don’t you? You knew at the restaurant.”

I refused to back down, my heart pounding defiantly in my chest. “It’s witchcraft. The silver bugs under your skin—they’re parasites created through black magic. When you make deals with witches, there’s always a price. The silver they use is deadly to our kind.”

“Bullshit,” Jackson spat, his voice dripping with disbelief. “You’re making this up.”

Taylor stepped forward, his loyalty shining through. “She’s telling the truth. I had them too. She saved my life.”

I moved to Fiona’s bedside, my heart sinking as I examined her half-transformed state. She was caught in a grotesque limbo, her body teetering between human and wolf. “The silver’s blocking her ability to complete the transformation. She’s dying,” I stated, my voice heavy with the weight of the truth.

Jackson’s face twisted with a mix of rage and fear. “You did this to her!”

“No,” I said firmly, shaking my head. “Morgan Vich did this. The witch who gave you those marks.”

His eyes widened slightly before narrowing again, suspicion etched into his features. “Fix her,” he demanded, his tone leaving no room for argument.

I crossed my arms defiantly. “I could. But why should I?”

“What do you want? Money?” His voice cracked, desperation creeping in.

“I want something more valuable,” I replied, my voice steady and unwavering. “Venom Strike’s loyalty. Sworn by wolf’s oath.”

A heavy silence fell over the room, the gravity of my words hanging in the air. A wolf’s oath was binding, unbreakable. Jackson would be pledging his entire team to me—a commitment that could change everything.

“You can’t be serious,” he growled, disbelief coloring his tone.

“Completely,” I affirmed. “Give me your pledge token as surety, and I’ll save your team.”

Jackson hesitated, his eyes darting between me and Fiona, then reached for his neck, pulling off a silver pendant adorned with a snake design. He thrust it into my hand, his expression resolute. “Done. Now save her.”

I accepted the pendant, feeling its cold weight in my palm, and got to work. With practiced precision, I extracted the silver parasite from Fiona’s spine, the metallic creature writhing between my forceps. I applied a herbal mixture to neutralize the remaining silver particles, methodically working on each team member.

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