The Luna they betrayed became Untouchable

Chapter 37: Chapter 37

The ride back to the Valemont estate was anything but calm. Evelyn sat in the carriage, jaw tightened, gaze stuck outside the window, and Tristan sat opposite her, staring at her.

Finally, he broke the silence. "I heard it all."

Evelyn looked at him, brows raised. "And?"

"What are we going to do in twenty-four hours?" Tristan asked, and Evelyn sighed, dragging a hand down her face. "I don’t know yet. I said a lot back there, Tristan. Now I have to find a way to make good on it before the sun sets tomorrow."

"If it helps, he’s not going to take it seriously. He’s too egotistical for that."

Evelyn hummed. She knew that, and that was the problem. There was no way she was going to look like a fool after all she’d said.

She had to do something. She had to make Lucien eat his words. "I know that." Her voice sharpened, more at herself than at him. "I need something real. Something that doesn’t just wound his pride but actually threatens him. Threats without teeth are worse than no threats at all—he’ll know within the hour if I have nothing behind them."

Tristan studied her for a long moment. "Then we find something with teeth."

By the time they reached the Valemont Estate, the sun had already begun its slow descent toward the horizon.

Evelyn barely waited for the carriage to stop before stepping out. "Bring every report we have on Lucien," she instructed the nearest servant.

The servant blinked. "Every report, My Lady?"

"Every one."

Tristan was right behind her. "And anything concerning the Supreme Alpha’s trade routes, military movements, council alliances, debts, rival packs, merchant guilds—anything that might be useful."

The servant was gone in an instant. Evelyn walked into the house where Varek was currently pacing. He stopped in his tracks as soon as he saw them.

"What has happened?" he asked.

"War," Tristan replied.

Varek froze, eyes wide with shock. "What do you mean, war? Valemont estate against the Supreme Alpha? Have you lost your minds?" He bellowed, blinking rapidly as he spoke.

"Tristan!" Evelyn called, and the Beta shook his head.

"We have twenty-four hours to reverse the Supreme Alpha’s order. Lady Evelyn gave him an ultimatum. If he doesn’t reverse his order on Valemont, she will show him."

Varek blinked. "What?" Varek’s voice rose. "Evelyn, tell me you didn’t—"

"I did." Evelyn met his gaze steadily. "I gave him twenty-four hours to retract his command on Valemont. If he doesn’t, I’ll make him regret it."

Varek stared at her, his face cycling through disbelief, anger, and finally resignation. "You threatened the Supreme Alpha. In his own pack. In front of his people."

"I did."

Varek stared at her for another few seconds before dragging both hands down his face. "Evelyn..."

"I didn’t have much choice," she argued.

Varek shook his head. "You always have a choice, Evelyn. You can’t just—"

"There’s no choice, Varek. Not when you’re destroying my family because of me."

Varek opened his mouth, but Tristan interrupted. "And that’s exactly why we need to move quickly." He walked toward the study. "Lucien has twenty-four hours to respond. We have less than that to find something he doesn’t want exposed."

Varek followed them. "You really believe there’s something?"

"There has to be," Evelyn replied. "A man doesn’t rise to Supreme Alpha without enemies. He doesn’t maintain that position without making mistakes. We just need to find one."

Varek dragged a hand down his face. "Evelyn, do you have any idea what you’ve done? If we fail—if we can’t find anything—he’ll destroy us. He’ll destroy Valemont."

"Then we won’t fail."

The servant returned carrying a stack of reports, her arms straining under the weight. She set them on the table with a thud.

Evelyn was already moving toward the table, her eyes scanning the documents. "We need something concrete. Something that proves he’s overstepped his authority. Something that will make the First Houses turn against him."

Varek stepped beside her. "I have records. Trade agreements. Council decisions. But I don’t know if any of it will be enough."

"It has to be enough." With that, they all got to searching.

The study became a battlefield of its own within the hour. Scrolls and reports piled across every surface. Old trade agreements, council minutes, correspondence between packs going back years—anything the Valemont archives could produce on short notice.

Evelyn pored over documents until her eyes burned, searching for the thread of something—anything—that might unravel Lucien’s carefully maintained image.

Tristan cross-referenced supply routes against military postings. Varek dispatched riders to call in old favors, quietly, from allies who might know something the official records didn’t say aloud.

There was nothing.

By evening, Evelyn stood up, frustrated. She dragged her hand over her face. "There’s nothing. Not a single document out of place. He’s—he’s too clean. I said twenty-four, and six of those hours have gone already."

"We can’t give up yet. There has to be something, my Lady," Tristan argued.

Evelyn nodded, about to return to searching when the door opened and Celine stepped in, her gaze falling over the scattered state of the study.

"What’s going on here?" she asked.

Evelyn walked toward her, her brows furrowed seeing how tired Celine looked. The dark circles under her eyes were evident.

"Celine, you don’t look too good. Did you sleep well?" Evelyn asked, holding Celine’s hand.

Celine’s hand stiffened beneath Evelyn’s touch. "I’m fine," she said, pulling her hand away gently. "Just a long night. The household accounts kept me up."

Evelyn studied her face, a flicker of concern crossing her features. "You should rest. You’ve been working too hard."

"I could say the same to you." Celine’s gaze swept over the scattered papers. "What is all this?"

"We’re searching for anything on Lucien," Varek said, not looking up from the documents before him. "Evelyn gave him an ultimatum. We need something to back it up."

Celine’s expression shifted almost imperceptibly. "An ultimatum?"

"I threatened him," Evelyn said simply. "Twenty-four hours to retract his command on Valemont, or I’ll make him regret it."

Celine’s eyes widened. "Evelyn, you can’t—"

"I already did." Evelyn’s voice was firm. "And I meant every word."

Celine was silent for a moment, her hands clasped tightly before her. Then she nodded slowly. "Then I hope you find what you’re looking for."

She turned to leave but paused at the door. "I’ll have Clara bring you some tea. You look like you need it."

She was gone before Evelyn could respond.

Evelyn stared after her, a strange unease settling in her chest. Something was off with Celine. She couldn’t quite name it, but it was there.

"Evelyn?" Varek’s voice pulled her back. "Did you find something?"

She shook her head, pushing the thought aside. "No. Let’s keep looking."

Hours passed, and it was now night. Evelyn’s eyes burned, her head throbbed, but she refused to stop.

There had to be something. There had to be.

A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts.

Clara stepped inside. "My Lady, there’s a man here to see you."

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