Chapter 0077

True to their promise, Genevieve and Nathaniel sent me hourly updates.

Several hours later, the first piece of good news arrived. Evelyn had woken briefly, and Dr. Whitmore was astonished by her rapid recovery. A grin spread across my face as I made my way to the pack house dining hall for dinner.

I found Donovan and shared the update. "That's fantastic, Adrian! I'm thrilled for you." We took our seats, and before I could settle in, the overpowering scent of rosewater hit me. Donovan wrinkled his nose just as Bianca slid into the chair beside me.

She sat silently, staring at her folded hands.

"Bianca." I acknowledged her.

"Is it true, Alpha?" Her voice trembled as she lifted her gaze.

"Is what true?" I already knew she was asking about Evelyn being my mate, but I had explicitly forbidden this topic from being discussed. Theron snarled in my mind, ready to put this she-wolf in her place.

I watched her struggle against my command, her words tangled. "About... Evelyn?" she finally managed.

"Yes."

Tears welled in her eyes. "But what about me?"

I was genuinely confused. There had never been anything between us beyond physical intimacy. "What about you?"

"I thought you cared for me."

"Of course I care about you, Bianca." Her face brightened momentarily, but I had to be clear. "You're a valued member of this pack, and I care for all my pack members."

Her expression shattered. "I thought we had something special," she whispered.

"Bianca, you're a good woman who'll find her true mate one day. When you do, you'll understand—there will never be anyone for me but Evelyn." I kept my tone gentle but firm.

She sniffled. "If you ever change your mind—"

"I won't." I cut her off.

With a nod, she left.

Donovan watched her go, thoughtful. "You realize there will be others like her. They'll assume sleeping with you meant you wanted them as Luna."

"They'd be wrong. I never made promises to any of them. My mate was always destined to be Luna. Now that I've found Evelyn, I won't let her go."

After dinner, I retreated to my room, hoping to rest before the next update. Around 2 AM, Nathaniel's mind link came through—Evelyn was awake again, eating, and regaining strength, though Dr. Whitmore insisted she rest more. Relieved, I fell back asleep.

Morning brought more updates: Evelyn was stable, still sleeping. With my father leading training, I joined in. It wasn't as brutal as Gregory Sinclair's sessions, but I pushed myself, channeling the intensity of Evelyn's sparring lessons. One by one, I took down my warriors, earning grumbles—they'd hoped for a break without a Guardian present.

On my way to breakfast, Genevieve linked me. Evelyn was awake, stronger, and had spoken briefly with Selene. The failed mate marks were gone. Selene remained weak, fighting the venom, but both were recovering.

Nathaniel informed me Gregory was coming to the pack house for Evelyn's meal. I intercepted the kitchen's lead omega, requesting two to-go boxes. I filled them with protein, carbs, and something sweet—Evelyn had a notorious sweet tooth.

When Gregory arrived, I approached. His lips thinned, but I ignored it. "Sir, I heard you were here for Evelyn's food. I took the liberty of packing two breakfasts to save you time."

I placed the boxes in his lap and fetched a carafe of coffee. "Here you go, sir."

As I turned to leave, he spoke. "Thank you, Alpha."

"Please, call me Adrian." He nodded and wheeled away, returning to my girl.