The War God Alpha's Arranged Bride (Evelyn and Alexander) novel Chapter 163

**Steps Along Forgotten Roads**
**By Sophia Reed**
**Chapter 163: Shared Trauma**

[Evelyn’s POV]

I leaned back in my chair, exhaling a long, shaky breath that felt like it had been trapped inside me for ages.

It was as if my stomach had suddenly filled with lead, heavy and unyielding. I could have easily predicted that Oliver would bring up Alexander; after all, he was the Alpha’s right-hand man. He had undoubtedly been the one to manage Alexander’s erratic behavior and his current fragile mental state.

“I had initially told Alexander that we needed to have a serious conversation,” I began, my voice barely above a whisper. “And, granted, we still do. But that was before Ian removed the stitches, before I uncovered the layers of what I truly feel beneath the surface.”

“Why won’t you let him see you without the mask?” Oliver pressed, his brow furrowing in concern. “I understand not wanting others to see, but why him? Why shut him out?”

A wave of dejection washed over me, causing the corners of my eyes to crinkle. I shook my head slowly, feeling the weight of my insecurities pressing down on me.

“For the sake of time and my dwindling energy, let’s just say it’s purely based on insecurity and leave it at that,” I replied, my voice tinged with resignation.

Oliver’s gaze sharpened, his expression turning serious.

“Alexander is not vain, Evelyn. He’s known for many things, but conceit is not one of them,” he countered, his tone firm yet gentle.

“What about his honesty?” I shot back, a spark of frustration igniting within me.

Oliver’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Are you insinuating that he’s a liar?”

I shook my head vehemently. “He’s no more of a liar than I am,” I asserted, my heart racing. “It’s true that I initially agreed to our marriage because I believed it would benefit my brother’s ongoing treatments. I married him under the impression that he was bound to that wheelchair, that he was horrifically disfigured. Imagine my shock when I found out none of that was true.”

Oliver shifted uncomfortably, his demeanor softening. He raised a hand to rub the back of his neck, clearly at a loss for words.

“Alexander had deliberately frightened away two other potential Lunas before me. Given that he’s not paralyzed, why would he do that? Unless, of course, he had his own reasons for wanting to agree to the marriage…”

“I’m afraid that’s something you’ll have to ask him directly,” he muttered, his voice low.

“I know, Oliver,” I replied, my tone heavy with resignation. A knot of irritation and fear twisted in my chest. “A significant part of me is terrified of finding out the answer to that question. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to contact Edward’s doctor. Thank you again for your help.”

Oliver nodded curtly before making his exit, leaving me alone with my swirling thoughts.

[Third-Person’s POV]

Alexander was in a dark place, mentally adrift and unsure of how to reach out to Evelyn or alleviate her suffering.

He found himself regretting Ian’s decision to remove her stitches—at least before that moment, she had been somewhat willing to engage with him. But now?

Now, it felt as though she was actively avoiding everyone, retreating into her own world once more. According to Oliver’s reports, Evelyn’s only motivation for leaving her room appeared to be her visits to the greenhouse.

At least that was better than her isolating herself in that damned bedroom.

That godforsaken bedroom, which was one mental breakdown away from being set ablaze. He loathed the fact that she still refused to return to the master bedroom with him.

He was acutely aware of her nightmares, and how could she not be tormented?

The events of that horrific night were so traumatic that even he found it difficult to sleep soundly. He kept replaying the horrifying images of Evelyn lying on that cold, metal table, surrounded by a pool of her own blood.

Each time, it was enough to jolt him awake, drenched in sweat, heart racing. And he knew he wasn’t alone in this torment.

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