Chapter 217: Chapter 217 

~ NYSSA

Evelyn sat in the waiting room of the hospital, her legs crossed underneath her and her hands hanging limp by her side.

She did not acknowledge my presence as I approached, neither did she look up from the blank wall that she was staring at.

Her hands were stained with blood as were her clothes, neck and face. A pack of wipes lay next to her but she did not move to touch them or even wipe herself off. She looked a mess, but more than anything, she looked fucking broken.

She sat like a statue; not speaking and barely breathing. I could not blame her, I was the same when I found out that my parents had died. I couldn’t do a single thing. I sat in their room for three days until I was pulled out just to attend their funeral.

“Hey,” I said softly as I lowered myself to her side. “Is it okay if I stay here?’

She still did not move.

“I tried to find a doctor to know how she is doing but I don’t know her last name and apparently there’s more than one Marlene in here. Have you heard anything or do you want me to—”

“She’s dead.”

Evelyn’s voice was flat and lifeless. She did not flinch as she delivered the news, neither did she try to sugar coat it. She spoke matter-of-factly, as if she was talking about the news.

“Oh!” shock filled me but I managed to shove it down. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t do that.”

My head cocked to the side in confusion. “Do what? I truly am sorry, she was a—”

She scoffed. “What are you sorry for? You’re not the one who took a knife to her throat. You’re not the one who killed her.” She turned to me slowly. “It was the king.”

My insides twisted uncomfortably. “Rowan didn’t touch her, Evelyn.”

“He was going to send her back there,” she hissed. “She killed herself so she would never have to return. This was his fault.”

I opened my mouth to speak, but no words would come out. The venom in her words were like sharp daggers piercing through my chest. I could almost taste her anger and pain, and I knew that it was directed wrongly.

“You know he didn’t do anything,” I began softly. “He did not make her stab herself, he would never have wanted this to happen—”

“You are only defending him because he is your mate,” she snapped at me. “If he wasn’t, you would see exactly what he has done. He is as much a monster as the other king, and I hope that they come for this pack, I hope—”

“Evelyn?”

She fell silent instantly and turned to the doctor who stood a few feet from us.

She wiped her angry tears and nodded, pulling herself to her feet. “Can I go see her now?’

“Yes, but… I have a few questions first if that is okay.” Evelyn’s lips tightened but she nodded slowly. “Did she have any illnesses? Anything that stopped her from healing as she should?”

“No, why?”

“Because when she came… she wasn’t healing, at all. Nothing we did worked. If she had started healing as she should have then perhaps she would be alive right now.”

Evelyn’s brows furrowed. “That doesn’t make any sense. She cut herself an hour before… well, before all of this and I watched her skin knit itself in front of me.”

The doctor sighed. “I think we can handle this later. You should go see her.”

With one tight smile and a soft squeeze of her shoulder, he walked away, leaving her standing quietly in the hallway.

I wanted to reach out to comfort her, but I did not dare move for fear that she would throw me off.

She stood there for a full three minutes before turning to me. “Why didn’t she heal?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know, Evelyn.”

“It wasn’t a silver knife. What could have stopped her from healing?”

“I don’t know,” I repeated. “I am so sorry for your loss.”

She shook her head. “This doesn’t make any sense. She was fine before everything. Why would she not heal all of a sudden—”

“Because she was compelled not to.”

I turned so fast that pain shot up my neck.

Jeremiah stood behind us, his hands shoved into his pockets. “The King will be here soon, he had to make a quick stop in the meantime.”

“What do you mean compelled?” Evelyn asked, pushing past me to stand in front of him. “Who would have compelled her?”

“Who else? The vampires. He sent someone to the border today, and once they delivered their message, they killed themselves. They said it was an order from him.”

Evelyn shook her head. “Marlene never met with the vampires. How could he have compelled her?”

“How long can a compulsion hold?” I asked.

Evelyn’s brows furrowed in thought. “I don’t know, as long as the vampire is alive, I think.”

“What if he didn’t compel her now”? What if it was a dormant order held in place for years?”

A disbelieving sound escaped her lips. “You think she was compelled since she brought me here? That doesn’t make any sense.”

“Nothing does at the moment,” I said simply. “But what else do we have to go on?”

She laughed bitterly. “This is fucked, and I want no part in it. You can all go fuck yourselves, and the king too. I’m… I’m done. I don’t want to do this anymore. I’m going to see Marlene, and I don’t want any of you anywhere near her. Just… stay away.”

She murmured curses under her breath as she stormed off, her hands tugging the ends of her hair in what seemed to be frustration.

“That went well,” Eric murmured before turning to Jeremiah. “What is this about a messenger at the border? Who was it?”

Jeremiah shook his head. “You’re never going to believe me.”

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