The War God Alpha's Arranged Bride (Evelyn and Alexander) novel Chapter 55

**Steps Along Forgotten Roads**
**By Sophia Reed**
**Chapter 55: Poison**

[Third-Person’s POV]

After Oliver had briefed the staff on their tasks, he felt a strong urge to accompany Alexander as he ventured out toward the greenhouse. The unease that had settled in Oliver’s stomach was relentless, a gnawing sensation that refused to dissipate. Each bump of the wheelchair felt like a deliberate impediment, a cruel reminder of his limitations.

He couldn’t shake the thought that he needed to come clean with her about his condition. But right now, his singular focus was on finding Evelyn.

“Sir, perhaps she simply lost track of time,” Oliver suggested, his voice attempting to inject a note of optimism into the tense atmosphere.

Alexander appreciated Oliver’s effort to soothe his fraying nerves, yet it was futile. Evelyn was not one to let distractions pull her away from her duties.

As they combed through the greenhouse, their search yielded nothing out of the ordinary. Alexander felt a mix of emotions swirling within him—was the absence of any signs of trouble a relief, or did it merely heighten his frustration? A part of him had almost hoped to stumble upon some clue, something tangible that might explain her sudden disappearance.

But there was nothing.

Not a single item seemed out of place. Alexander’s jaw tightened in irritation, and he decided it was time to move on to the tent.

As they entered the tent, panic gripped them both. There, on the ground, was Evelyn, hunched over with her arms wrapped protectively around her middle. Her body shook violently, and a thin layer of sweat glistened on her skin, reflecting the dim light.

“Oh my God,” Oliver breathed, his voice barely above a whisper, filled with dread.

Alexander’s heart plummeted into his stomach. “Evelyn!” he shouted, his voice echoing with urgency.

Without a second thought, the Alpha abandoned his wheelchair, urgency propelling him forward. He knelt beside her, gathering her fragile form into his arms, desperately trying to rouse her from her unconscious state.

“Evelyn?” he called softly, his voice trembling with concern.

Broken whimpers escaped her lips, a haunting sound that sent chills down his spine. It was painfully clear that she couldn’t respond, her eyes remaining stubbornly shut.

As he held her, a wave of dread washed over him when he felt the unnatural stiffness in her body. It was as if she were already succumbing to rigor mortis.

“What the hell is happening to her?” he growled under his breath, frustration and fear mingling in his chest. “Look around! See if you can find anything that might explain this. I’m taking her back to the house.”

The sight of Alexander bursting through the doors with an unresponsive Evelyn cradled in his arms left everyone in the vicinity frozen in shock. Nina’s face went pale, her eyes wide with panic.

“Oh my God! What happened?” she gasped, her voice laced with fear.

“We don’t know,” he replied tersely, his mind racing. “Have some staff prepare a bath in my rooms immediately. She’s freezing. I need to elevate her body temperature.”

He glanced down to see Evelyn’s hand weakly clutching the fabric of his shirt, her body still trembling like a newborn fawn, her breaths shallow and erratic. Every passing second felt like an eternity.

He pivoted on his heel, making his way back to the master bedroom, where the staff had already begun to prepare the room for her arrival.

The bath was infused with the soothing scent of lavender, a stark contrast to the chaos that had unfolded.

“Thank you. That will be all,” he instructed, his voice firm but strained.

“Sir, are you sure you don’t want us to help her change for the bath?” one of the maids inquired cautiously, her gaze flickering between Alexander and the unconscious woman.

The implication was clear: should he really be the one to undress her?

Alexander clenched his jaw, suppressing the urge to roll his eyes. Under different circumstances, such boundaries wouldn’t even exist. But he understood the intimacy of the act, no matter how it was perceived.

Firmly, he shook his head at the staff. “No. I will do it.”

He brushed her hair away from her face, his heart racing as he pushed himself off the floor to answer the door.

“What?” he barked, irritation mingling with concern.

“Sir, it’s me,” Oliver said, urgency in his voice. “I think I’ve found the cause of Evelyn’s collapse.”

“She was poisoned,” Alexander replied, his voice taut with tension.

“Y-…Yes, sir… How did you—”

“I noticed the blue tinge around her mouth and nails,” he interrupted, his mind racing. “Have you found anything else that connects to this?”

“As a matter of fact, yes.” Alexander’s gaze fell on a chipped teacup, the very one that had been left at the scene where Evelyn had fallen ill. “We all know that Evelyn tests each batch of tea before sending it out to others.”

Alexander nodded, the pieces beginning to fall into place. “Right… Wait, are you saying that the poison was in the tea mixture she brewed for testing?”

Oliver grimly nodded. “Yes. Don’t worry, sir. I’ll personally ensure that the entire mixture is sifted through to identify what caused Evelyn’s condition. Your focus needs to be solely on her right now.”

In that moment, he felt a surge of gratitude for Oliver’s unwavering support.

“Alright. But the second you find anything out of the ordinary, come find me.”

With that, Alexander closed the door, returning to Evelyn’s side, his heart heavy with dread.

“Evelyn… We don’t know what poison you ingested,” he spoke softly, his voice steady despite the turmoil within. “But something tells me it won’t be easy to flush it from your system. Whatever happens, I promise you—I won’t leave your side.”

Her lips parted, and a tremulous whisper escaped. “…Alexander…”