"It all looks the same," Abir calls Ivory after a bit of cleaning. He and Zade were now sitting in the living room, resting for a bit. "Just the way we left." Abir sounds emotional.

"I wish we could be there with you." Ivory replies with a smile. "How is Zade doing?"

"He was holding a mop a few minutes ago but now just sitting on the couch like a potato." Abir chuckles as Zade throws a pillow at him.

"How long did it take?" Ivory asks.

"It took us five hours to drive till the entrance of the forest and another two hours of walking at the least."

"So, that makes it fourteen hours in total, in and out." Ivory notes down the times.

"Add two more hours. We will be leaving this place on a Sunday evening. Making it more dangerous for us to become visible. So, we might need to come from the highway." Zade says when Abir puts the phone on the speaker.

"Okay, I'll let Inara know," Ivory says her goodbyes and cuts the call. Abir is also slumped on the couch after their hard day's work. They had brought in instant noodles so they just eat that. They will have to survive on this till Sunday comes.

"Do you talk to your wolf nowadays?" Abir makes a conversation.

"Thanks to Inara," Zade slurps his noodles, "Hunter gets to boss around me again." He chuckles.

"You named your wolf Hunter?" Abir laughs as he tries not to choke.

"There's a reason I did." He laughs it off.

───── ❝ Next-Day...... ❞ ─────

"You what?" Odin shouts at Evelyn. The whole house shook because of his voice.

"I told you why Victor is after Zade." Evelyn sits there as if it doesn't bother her.

"And how exactly did you find it out?" Odin is shaking with anger.

"Come on, don't be so dramatic." Evelyn scoffs. "Do I really need to spell it out for you? You can literally smell him on me."

"You have not only broken the treaty but also mixed with one of the most dangerous packs." Odin reminds her of the consequences of a broken treaty. The previous one led to a war, ruining everything for them.

"I know how to survive. I have been doing it quite well for the past few years." She replies cockily.

"What do you mean?" Odin asks suspiciously. Has she been working with the Black Alders for all this time?

"It means Irene was a selfish bitch!" Evelyn snaps. "She only cared about herself and no one else. Not even her pack. And I am here to show you that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree." She folds her arms across her chest.

"Brent has promised that no harm will come to Zade as long he helps Inara get her memories back. And another permission to nullify our previous treaty, making the Silver Bows independent again."

"Brent is your mate!" Odin finally understands the situation.

"And that gives me leverage in front of Victor." She sits down with a smirk. "See, I know how to survive."

"Where is Zade? He wasn't in his office because apparently, he quit his job and he hasn't been home. I figured he'll be here." her eyes look for him.

"He is out of town." Odin answers.

"What do you mean out of town? Without even telling me?" Evelyn questions but Odin doesn't answer her. He silently looks at her with an angry expression.

"Very well." She gets up with a sigh, "If you can't tell, I know who would." She smirks. "The permission to nullify the treaty would take a bit of time. Till then, I have to make sure that your 'Alpha King' doesn't do anything stupid and gets himself killed, rendering your pack to have a no future at all."

Odin doesn't know what she is planning. He tries to call Zade but since he was in the forest, the reception was pretty bad. If there is a chance that Evelyn was with the Black Alders all this time, it means both Zade and Inara are in danger.

"Hii, Evelyn!" Inara was shocked to see Zade's fiancé on her door. She feels bitter to even call her that. "What a pleasant surprise!" She fakes her excitement to not show her surprised face.

"Cut the crap." Evelyn pushes her way into the house. Ivory was there too. "I know what you are and what you mean to all those men who keep swooning over you, including my fiancé." She says sassily as she scans the entire house. Is this what she calls a house?

"What do you want?" Ivory talks to her in a defensive tone.

"Where is Zade?" She doesn't hesitate to come straight to the point. "Odin mentioned he was out of town. And I can't find the other minion as he called in sick at the office. But surprisingly, he isn't here as well."

"His name is Abir. And he is with Zade, out of town." Ivory states.

"When did they become buddies?' She asks, tilting her head as if she was mocking them.

"That is none of your business." Ivory replies rudely.

"I don't like you." Evelyn hisses. "But I do like my fiancé who is out there bromancing your minion so I might as well wait here for him." She makes herself comfortable on the couch.

"His name is Abir." Inara snaps back, "She is Ivory." She points at her. "I would politely ask you to get out of my house."

"Ugh! So much for hospitality nowadays." She gets up and looks at Inara directly, "Look here, you good for nothing wolf/human, you might have been a powerful Omega once but you are in no match for me in that petty human form." She threatens her. "Let the adults handle the business."

She turns to Ivory and winks at her, "I'll be back, and don't even think of telling about my visit here to Zade. I am much scarier when I am angry." She walks out of the house without glancing at them.

"I already hate that bitch!" Ivory curses out loud, making sure she heard it.

"Well, she is just concerned about her fiancé," Inara replies salty manner. She likes Zade and seeing him with a bitch like Evelyn hurt her heart. He deserved better.

Ivory's face softens at that. She knows this must be the mate bond. "It is an arranged marriage Inara. They don't love each other." She remarks.