The War God Alpha's Arranged Bride (Evelyn and Alexander) novel Chapter 57

**Steps Along Forgotten Roads**
**By Sophia Reed**
**Chapter 57: Delirious**

**[Evelyn’s POV]**

Even though the dim light of the room obscured my vision, I could sense Alexander’s presence just a breath away from me. The warmth of his breath brushed against my cheek, a stark reminder of the tension that hung in the air between us.

“I will not have you continue to keep things from me,” he declared, his voice firm and unyielding.

“Alexander,” I replied, my voice low and strained. “It’s not… It’s not that simple.”

“You’re purposely withholding information that could be vital to this situation. How about you decide if it’s too complicated?”

His words struck me like a cold wave, and I bit down on the inside of my cheek, lowering my head in a moment of defeat. A shiver ran down my spine, contrasting sharply with the warmth of the bathwater enveloping me. Slowly, I wrapped my arms around myself, only to be jolted by the realization that I was completely unclothed.

“Am I naked?” I asked, my voice blunt and edged with disbelief.

“Yes,” he replied without hesitation, his tone steady.

“Why?” I pressed, my heart racing.

“I couldn’t very well put you in the bath with your clothes,” he explained, his words laced with urgency. “When I found you, you were drenched in a cold sweat, your body trembling uncontrollably. It was imperative that we got you warm.”

Did that mean a bunch of other people had seen me in this vulnerable state? The thought sent a wave of embarrassment crashing over me, but deep down, I knew that whoever had undressed me had done so with my well-being in mind.

“Get back to the topic at hand, Evelyn,” he urged, his voice cutting through my spiraling thoughts.

I took a shaky breath, gathering my thoughts. “Alright, as I was making my way toward the greenhouse, I noticed Fiona. She looked as though she was heading out of the tent where I keep all the dried herbs for the tea mixtures,” I explained, my mind racing back to that moment. “I knew she was supposed to return to the pack today, and I figured it would be best if we didn’t interact given our past. But I still found it strange that she was over in that area, to begin with.”

I could feel Alexander’s gaze on me, even though I couldn’t see his expression. I knew it well—doubtful, skeptical.

Fiona had barely been back for a day, and already, trouble was brewing between us. I understood why Alexander was hesitant to jump to conclusions based on my suspicions.

“Are you saying that you believe Fiona to be behind this?” he asked, his voice laced with concern.

“I’m not ‘saying’ anything,” I retorted, frustration creeping into my tone. “You asked if there was anything I saw that I believed to be strange, and that was what I saw. I obviously don’t have a shred of evidence that would prove she is behind what happened. Although…”

“Although, what?” he pressed, his curiosity piqued.

“She’s the only person who would be within her legal rights as a registered medical physician to possess Belladonna.”

In an instant, the atmosphere in the room shifted dramatically. Alexander’s questioning tone morphed into one of pure astonishment.

“Belladonna…” he echoed, his eyes widening.

I nodded gravely, a dry laugh escaping my lips. “You were certainly right about one thing,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. “It’s not going to be easy to flush this out of my system right away.”

This particular poison had a way of lingering in its victim’s bloodstream, like thorns burrowing beneath the skin, desperately seeking to inflict mindless pain.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify