Rise of the Banished She-Wolf (Evelyn) novel Chapter 83

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

The bay was enveloped in a heavy silence, broken only by the intermittent beeping of the monitoring equipment that surrounded me. It was a sterile sound, one I had grown accustomed to over time, yet it still felt ominous in the stillness of the room.

“These burns should heal within a day,” a nurse said, her voice soft and reassuring as she carefully wrapped a fresh bandage around my arm. “You’re lucky the exposure was minimal.” Her hands were steady, but I could sense the urgency beneath her calm exterior.

Before I had the chance to voice my gratitude or ask her any questions, my watch vibrated violently against my wrist, pulling my attention away. The alert flashed a warning: my personal computer had detected an unauthorized attempt at remote access. My heart raced at the realization; this was not just a routine breach.

“I need to go back to my room,” I insisted, pushing myself up from the bed with sudden urgency. “There’s critical equipment I need to secure after the explosion.”

Dr. Anderson looked at me with concern etched on his face. “You should rest. The evacuation team will handle—”

“No,” I interrupted, my voice firm and unwavering. “Some of my research cannot fall into the wrong hands. You should go ahead with the others. I’ll catch up.”

He hesitated for a moment, the weight of my words sinking in, but eventually nodded. “Don’t take too long.”

I dashed down the corridor, my mind a whirlwind of thoughts. Someone was attempting to hack into my system—something that should have been impossible given the security protocols I had in place. I felt a mix of dread and determination surging within me.

As I entered my room, the familiar glow of my computer screen illuminated my face, and my breath hitched when Taylor’s image suddenly filled the display.

“Taylor?” I breathed, my voice barely above a whisper. His face was a patchwork of bruises, one eye swollen shut, and dried blood marred his lower lip.

“Extreme… they found me…” His voice was raspy, barely making it through the poor connection. “They know… you’re Aurora… they’re coming…”

“Taylor, where are you?” I demanded, my fingers flying over the keyboard as I launched the tracking program to pinpoint his signal. “Who has you?”

“I… I don’t know…” Panic flared in his eyes as someone yanked him away from the camera. A gloved hand obscured the lens for a moment before the feed abruptly cut off.

The screen then displayed a route; they were heading for the island’s perimeter.

“Damn it!” I shouted, slamming my fist against the desk in frustration. Time was of the essence, and I needed to act quickly.

Before I rushed out, I activated the GPS locator on my watch, setting it to transmit my coordinates to Edward’s secure server. Edward, please get this in time, I thought anxiously as I slipped out of my room, my heart pounding in my chest.

The moonlight painted the forest clearing in eerie shades of silver as I approached the coordinates from Taylor’s signal. Four black SUVs loomed ominously in a semicircle, their headlights casting an unsettling glow at the edge of a cliff. I knew the danger that lay ahead, but I pressed on—Taylor was out there, and I had to find him.

“Right on time, Aurora. Or should I say… White Wolf?”

A tall man stepped forward from behind one of the vehicles, his golden hair glinting under the moonlight, his ice-blue eyes piercing. He had a firm grip on Taylor, who looked up at me with a mix of rage and desperation, a silver knife pressing against his throat.

“Let him go,” I commanded, my voice steady despite the fear that twisted in my stomach. “Your quarrel is with me.”

“This isn’t a quarrel, Ms. Gray. This is a business transaction.” The hunter’s smile was cold, devoid of warmth. “And yes, we know exactly who you are. Evelyn Gray, the disgraced daughter of the Gray pack, the one who possesses the rare white wolf gene.”

Taylor thrashed against his captor’s hold. “Aurora, don’t listen to him! Run! They know everything about you—your work with Moonlight, your white wolf blood—everything!”

The hunter pressed the silver blade closer, drawing a thin line of blood that made Taylor wince. I could see his werewolf healing trying to combat the silver poisoning, but it was a losing battle.

“Aileen!”

In the center of the room, tied to a chair, was Taylor’s adopted sister. Her face was ghostly pale, blood seeping through her shirt around her midsection.

I rushed to her side, the hunters allowing me to approach. Kneeling beside her, I quickly assessed her injuries. Multiple broken ribs, one puncturing her lung, the wound rimmed with silver residue.

“She won’t last much longer,” I stated grimly, looking up at the lead hunter. “She needs immediate medical attention.”

Aileen’s eyes fluttered open. “Sister…” she whispered, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth. “Run… while you… can…”

A chilling wave of dread washed over me. This was more than a simple capture mission; these people were willing to kill to get what they wanted from me.

I stood up slowly, locking eyes with the lead hunter. “Take me to your leader. I know what you want.”

“Evelyn, no!” Taylor lunged forward, but two hunters restrained him. “They’re going to dissect you alive! Your white wolf DNA is their ultimate goal!”

I turned to Taylor, determination solidifying my resolve. “Taylor, we have no escape now. Our only chance is to face the enemy directly.”

As the words left my mouth, slow, deliberate applause echoed through the cabin. A familiar silhouette emerged from the shadows, and as his face came into view under the moonlight, Taylor let out a shocked scream.

“Charles?!”

The man smiled, his voice gentle yet chilling. “Aurora, it’s been a long time.”