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Chapter 17: The Countdown
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2026-07-09 22:31:11Evelyn didn't blink. She stared right back into his panicked amber eyes, her voice dropping into a flat, icy whisper. "You don't get a say anymore, Julian. You broke the bond when you accepted Cynthia. You can’t just drag me back because your wolf feels guilty."
Julian opened his mouth to reply, but the heavy service doors behind him swung open. Martha stood there, her face pale, taking in the sight of the Alpha cornering the human server.
"Alpha Julian," Martha said quickly, bowing her head. "The High Elders are demanding your return. The Blackwood Alpha is threatening to leave."
Julian didn't look back at Martha. His eyes stayed locked on Evelyn for three long seconds before he finally let go of her hand. "This conversation isn't over," he said, his voice raw. He turned and stormed back toward the ballroom, his heavy footsteps echoing down the corridor.
Martha let out a tense breath and looked at Evelyn. "Go to the back kitchen and clean that hand. Then go straight to your quarters. Don't come back to the floor tonight."
"Thank you, Martha," Evelyn muttered.
Ten minutes later, Evelyn was sitting on the edge of her small cot in the servants' quarters. She bandaged her hand with a simple strip of gauze, her mind racing. Julian was becoming too unstable. He was watching her too closely, and if he kept pushing, he would notice the subtle changes in her scent—the distinct, double heartbeat that a wolf’s senses could eventually detect.
She pulled a small, worn calendar from beneath her mattress. Twenty-one days was too long. If Julian decided to officially revoke her severance papers, she would be legally trapped in Silvercrest territory forever.
A soft knock on her door made her freeze. She quickly hid the calendar under her blanket. "Who is it?"
The door pushed open slowly, revealing Mark, a young pack warrior who had always been quiet and sympathetic to her situation. He slipped inside, closing the door quietly behind him.
"Evelyn," Mark whispered, looking around nervously. "You need to be careful. Cynthia is furious. I just overheard her talking to her handmaidens in the eastern courtyard. She knows Julian is wavering because of you."
Evelyn stood up, her hand instinctively hovering near her stomach. "What did she say?"
"She’s not going to wait for the treaty to finish," Mark said grimly. "She wants you gone before the final signing next week. She told her men to make sure you 'disappear' during your next town supply run."
Evelyn’s blood ran cold. The next supply run was in two days. It was her only chance to get outside the estate walls before her official departure date.
"Why are you telling me this, Mark?" Evelyn asked, watching him closely. "Helping me is treason."
Mark looked down, a flash of guilt crossing his face. "Because what they're doing to you isn't right. You gave everything to this pack, and Julian threw you away. You don't deserve to die in a ditch just to save Cynthia’s pride." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, silver key card, pressing it into her palm. "This opens the old medical supply gate on the western border. There are no cameras there."
Evelyn looked at the key card, her heart pounding. Her original plan of waiting three weeks on the regular transit bus was dead. If she waited, Cynthia would kill her, or Julian would lock her away.
"Thank you," Evelyn whispered, squeezing the card tightly.
"Move fast, Evelyn," Mark said, stepping back toward the door. "Because once Julian realizes you’re truly trying to run, he’ll tear this entire territory apart to find you."
As the door clicked shut, Evelyn looked out her small window at the dark forest surrounding the estate. She didn't have three weeks anymore. She had less than forty-eight hours to escape.
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