Chapter 25

---------------

They were all standing in front of Evy's house.

Cathy was hugging her daughter in a death grip, tears streaming out of her eyes "Take care of yourself Evy" she whispered to her daughter.

"I will mom" Evy promised back, equally emotional.

"Call me when you reach" Her mother asked.

Evy nodded a readily and her mother reluctantly released her.

Evy moved to Jeff and gave him a tight hug "Take care of yourself Jeff" She whispered to him.

"You too kid" He said gruffly "No matter what happens, remember you will always have a place in this house. You understand that?" he asked her pulling back holding her arms, looking in to her eyes to let her know the truth in his words. She looked at him teary eyed and nodded, knowing he meant every word.

"I love you Jeff" Evy said emotionally hugging him back. He was the only father she ever knew.

As he patted her back in a comforting gesture, she whispered to him "Take care of her."

"I will" he whispered back.

He pulled out of his embrace and moved over to Alpha Nick wiping her tears away.

"Alpha" he gave him a bow.

"Evy" He bowed back to her.

"Thank you for everything" She told him. He had been a wonderful alpha and a great role model for her.

"You are welcome Evy!" he responded with a smile and added "Be happy!" she gave him a small smile and nodded. She would definitely try.

Finally she saw Alex standing next to Nick "Don't get in to trouble!" she reprimanded him.

"Me?" he pointed to himself and grinned "Don't worry, before you know it I will be back in Roma and we can cook up all kinds of trouble" He vowed.

"Promises. Promises." she managed to smile back.

He just grinned at her and engulfed her in an hug "You are going to be great there Evy!" he said with absolute conviction.

She just smiled and nodded and turned to Sebastian patiently waiting for her "let's go" she told him and he moved to open the door of the car.

She quickly got in, she did not want to look back because if she did, she did not think she could leave. Sebastian got in the front seat and signaled the driver and he picked up his two way wireless radio "let's roll."

Evelyn wiped the tears off her eyes with the palm of her hand as the convoy started to move, she clenched her hands in to fists as she left the only home she ever knew.

***

The heated discussion started the moment they were onboard the flight back to Colorado.

"Bastards! Didn't know would stoop to this level! Would invite and attack her." Alex gritted in anger.

"It was not a sanctioned kill" Sebastian declared with confidence "These are some bunch of morons who acted on their own accord"

"Or made to look that way!" Alex countered.

"Perhaps" Sebastian conceded, there was no certainty here "But it was a suicide mission, I believe if it was organized by Lockbourne it would have been a little more efficient. Besides this does not make any sense strategically"

"Would they have cared as long as they got to Evy!" Alex challenged.

Sebastian sighed and added "They would have lost the entire support of the World council, unless they are ready to do that, which I think they are not it does not make sense that Lockbourne would have planned this"

"Maybe that bastard Charles?" Alex questioned.

"Could be, but our intel tells us Charles is under the protection of Lockbourne and it is unlikely he would have done something without the approval of his boss" Sebastian guessed.

"We don't know his angle, he must have seen a chance and taken a shot" Alex said.

'We don't know a lot of things Alex!" Sebastian said frustrated, he understood Alex's frustration but jumping to conclusions would not help matter.

"Did you say Charles?" Evy added meekly, she had been a silent spectator in this argument between Sebastian and Alex until that name came up.

"Yeah, why?" Alex asked dismissively.

"Well...it could be nothing, but I met a man called Charles in the party, He was with me out in the balcony." She added.

Both Alex and Sebastian looked absolutely horrified, blood drained from his face as he realized the implications of her statement. He looked at Sebastian who had a similar expression which could perfectly be summed up in two words.

Oh Shit!

***

The yelling and cursing had finally stopped. Lockbourne was beyond furious for the mess that dead beta had made. He took it all out on Charles, Lockbourne knew there would be hell to pay and Roma would take this chance to rip his neck open, there would be all kinds of finger pointing in the world council and he had to be preempt a lot of stuff to get things back under control and he knew he had to face humiliation for what happened in his pack lands.

He cursed Charles again and a doubt slowly appeared in his mind. Was Charles really capable of the job at hand? He had never had doubts till now but now...he could not but ponder. It was better to start thinking about contingency, just in case the time ever came to get rid of him and to ensure that nothing ever pointed back to him.

***

"Wh-what did you say?" Alex asked just to confirm.

"I met a Charles in the party" Evy responded.

"Can you describe him for me?" Sebastian added fishing out his phone from his pocket and started browsing through it.

"Um...he was old, I guess around sixty, medium height above five and a half feet...white hair...mostly and wrinkles, brown eyes" She said her eyes darting between Alex and Sebastian, she was not having a good feeling about this.

Sebastian suddenly turned the phone towards her and on the screen was a drawing.

"Is it him?" He asked.

She did not have to look longer. "Yes" she nodded with certainty.

"What did he want?" Sebastian asked.

Evelyn repeated her entire conversation with him in detail.

"That cunt!" Alex muttered and winced looking at Evy who had apparently ignored what he said.

"Well that puts the question to rest as to who he is working for" Alex added. If Charles was in Lockbourne's party it would not have been possible without his blessings. Not that they had any doubts to begin with.

"We could use this to nail Lockbourne's balls to the wall" Alex further added.

Sebastian was in deep thought but slowly added after a moment of silence "Before we do any of that we need to do something first" he said mainly looking at Evelyn.

"And what would that be?" Alex enquired.

"Get Evelyn out of the country" He declared.

"What?" Evelyn asked in surprise.

Sebastian looked between Evelyn and Alex and voiced out his thoughts "Why did Charles show his face? Even though he knew that Evelyn would come running and tell? Exposing himself in such a way is very uncharacteristic. Won't you say?" Sebastian asked rhetorically and added "Which begs the question what is his play?" He wondered out loud.

"And you think this has something to do with Evy?" Alex asked.

"Honestly, not too sure. But I can draw one logical outcome that he does not care" Sebastian said.

Alex just raised his eyebrow for Sebastian to continue.

"Which means he truly thinks he is untouchable or he is planning something...something big that it would not matter" Sebastian concluded.

"Something big that Roma would not pursue him?" Alex added skeptically.

"No, something big that Roma could not pursue him" Sebastian said with worry in his eyes.

Alex and Sebastian looked at each other worried. "I guess we go to Roma" Alex sighed looking worriedly at Evelyn, anticipating her reaction.

"I will go call Max" Sebastian said, moving to the front of the plane, giving Alex and Evelyn some privacy, if anyone could convince that girl apart from Max it would be Alex.

***

Max had been livid but stuck in Africa he could not do much, the old goats there were milking him for all his worth and his patience was running thin.

He had almost lost it when Sebastian called in with the news and was ready to get out of there and head back to Evelyn.

But Sebastian had stopped him and told him his plan, they were going to get Evelyn out of America pronto. He couldn't agree more, even though he wanted to be with her when she left her home and headed to Roma, he could not. Leaving now would cause undeniable headache and in a day or two he would be back in Roma with his mate safe in his arms.

He picked up his phone and dialed her number, she should have been back in Nick's pack by now.

"Hi" She whispered tiredly.

"Interesting day?" He asked.

"You could say that" She said.

"I am sorry Evy, you should have never gone to......" She cut him short.

"Shhhhhh...." She interrupted "Lets not rehash 'what-if's to death" She admonished gently.

He took a deep breath "I love you" He told her.

"I know" she smiled back.

"Are you ever going to tell that back to me?" He asked gruffly, he was yet to hear the three words from her.

"Not when you are half a world away" She told him.

"And when I am in front of you, will you tell me?" he asked.

"You will find out when you are in front of me, won't you?" she teased.

"Such a tease" He smiled back.

"Well...got to keep you on your toes" She said.

He gave a chuckle and added seriously " Evy, you need to leave"

"I know" she said in a sad resigned tone.

"Evy...I am...."

"You know for a prince you apologize a lot" she said, cutting him off knowing what he was about to say.

"Yeah...well...I feel guilty" He confessed.

"Don't be...When am I going to see you Max?" she asked diverting the topic.

"I should be done in two more days, they are just dragging their feet to feel important" He said frustrated.

"Well you are a prince...so act princely and get things moving" she quipped.

"Besides my wolf misses her mate" She confessed.

"Only your wolf? What about you?" He asked.

"Who are you again?" She asked.

"You are evil!" he declared.

"Well, my mate has been missing doing god knows what...left me here all alone all hot and bothered surrounded by good looking guys...you know...."

"Grrrrr..." He growled in to the phone.

"Are you trying to make me go insane?" He demanded.

"Will that get you to me faster?" she asked.

"I will be there as soon as possible" he vowed.

"All right Max, I am counting the days" She told him.

"By the way. Since you mentioned about hot and bothered I have an Idea" He offered slyly.

"You do now?" She asked him, a shiver of pleasure running through her.

"I hope you are alone in your bedroom baby!" he whispered huskily.

"I am" she whispered back, she couldn't believe it she was getting aroused over the phone.

"Good kitten. Because I am going to teach you all about a very interesting concept" He told her.

"And what is that?" she asked.

"Phone Sex"

***

There was a healthy argument going on in the living room of Jeff's house. It mainly consisted of Jeff yelling the house down and being a stubborn old fool.

Nick, Sebastian and Alex trying to convince him while Cathy was sitting this one out. He was not taking the news well, he first blamed all of them for putting his little girl in trouble and now that they were planning to whisk her away.

Alex was developing a headache and the only one who could get through to him was Evy who was conveniently missing, she had gone upstairs to her room to freshen up and had been cooped up there for a while, if only...

Talk of the devil....

She descended the stairs freshly bathed, she was smelling like shampoo as if she dumped the entire bottle on her.

Her cheeks were flushed and she was not looking at him in the eye...

He narrowed his eyes, something was fishy.

"What's going on" She asked.

"Jeff here is being stubborn" Sebastian said.

"I am not being anything" Jeff stated.

"About what?" She asked to the occupants of the room.

"About you leaving" Alex offered.

"There is no leaving!" Jeff shouted out.

She scrunched her face in confusion and then it went soft "I am Jeff" she said softly but stubbornly.

"Evy!" He exclaimed "Don't be a..."

"It's not up to discussion" She cut him off, her own firmness surprising her.

"It's for the best, that is the best way I can protect myself, this pack and all of you" He told him "As long as I am here Roma's enemies will be relentless and I don't want anyone getting hurt...I can't stand anyone getting hurt because of me" They had been lucky twice but luck would hold out only for so long.

"Evy you would be safe..." Jeff started but again she cut him.

"Would I?" She asked and looked at Alpha Nick "Can you guarantee my safety Alpha?" she asked him, knowing she was putting him on the spot.

There was only silence from him.

"There is your answer Jeff, I am leaving" She stated.

"Well if you made up your mind, then what is the point" Jeff said bitterly.

She walked up to him and engulfed him in a hug "It's for the best Jeff, this would have happened sooner or later, you know"

"It feels like you are running for your life Evy and that is not exactly reassuring" He said worriedly.

"I am only going to a place which is safer. Which is the right thing to do" She told him.

"Please. I don't want to leave with you angry at me" She pleaded.

"When could I be angry at you kid" he said gruffly, smiling down at her.

She smiled back at him and gave him a kiss on his cheek and she turned around to everyone in the room and said "I don't know about you guys but I am starving"

They all had dinner and discussed the plan in detail. Not many would know about her departure it would be kept under wraps and she would leave in the middle of the night, where there would be less prying eyes.

Jeff grumbled, he did not like all this slinking away business but held his tongue.

Finally it was time for everyone to disperse, Alex came towards Evelyn.

"See you tomorrow" he said and she nodded at him.

"By the way, what took you so long?" He asked.

"What do you mean?" She looked at him confused.

"You were upstairs for a while" He explained

"Oh...that." She fidgeted and looked away, blush appearing on her cheeks "Max called."

"I see" Alex said looking at her, making her feel even more uncomfortable. Something was fishy!

"Why do I have a feeling you did more than talking on the phone?" he grinned and asked.

Her face broke in to a full blush. Oh! Evy, it was too easy

She finally looked at him, her cheeks red, guilty as charged "None of your damn business!" She said.

He chuckled "Oh! My girl is all grown up" he said dramatically, pretending to wipe a tear of his eye.

"Shut up!" She hissed at him.

"By the way, is it worth all the hype?" He asked.

"What?" What the bloody hell was he talking about?

"Phone Sex" he quipped grinning from ear to ear.

"Alex!" she hissed looking at him like bloody murder "Fuck off!!" She was ready to knock his head off.

He laughed evilly but quickly but quickly added distance between them sensing her violence.

"Have naughty dreams" he quipped again and disappeared from her house in a hurry.

She turned around to go to her room shaking her head in disbelief when blood drained from her face.

Her mother was standing behind her, no doubt heard her conversation with Alex.

"Phone sex huh? Kids these days" her mother muttered with a poker face.

Evy face palmed and groaned.

***

As the convoy reached the massive airplane, Sebastian got out "Why don't you go ahead and I will work it out with customs and Immigration" He offered.

Her passport had arrived the very day she had gone to the party in Montana. One of the guards escorted her up in to the massive plane and walked her in to a cabin.

She settled down in a comfortable seat. She was very nervous, never having left Colorado all her life, suddenly she was travelling across the world to a new place.

On top of this this morning, Alex had informed her that he would not be coming as Nick had asked for his help to settle his pack down and improve their defenses. Alex had agreed.

So it was just her and Sebastian, while he trailed her like a shadow he was shy with words.

She never thought she would go to Roma alone, she always imagined herself with Max and even Alex. But now she was going all alone. She became even more nervous.

Sebastian came over, we are all good will be leaving in a few minutes.

She nodded to him and he walked out of her cabin. A cabin crew came over and offered her refreshments, which she refused as such her stomach was unsettled.

She looked around taking in the plush surroundings. She had never flown before but it didn't take a genius to figure out this was no ordinary cabin. The seat she was sitting in literally engulfed her. There was a TV and a bed in this cabin, there was also a desk and a door on the other side of the cabin which she assumed was the bathroom.

The airplane lurched slowly taxing to the runway as Sebastian came back.

"Wear your seat belt" he said taking a seat across her and buckling himself in. This cabin had two seats facing each other.

"It will take roughly six and a half hours to reach Roma. You should plan to sleep once we are in the air" He offered.

She simply nodded but her eyes were glued to the window.

"Do you want to have some dinner, I can inform the crew" He offered.

"No. I am good" She assured.

"If you need anything, press that button over there" he said pointing to the panel on the wall "and someone should come over"

"Ok" she nodded.

"I will be in the cabin next to yours, if you need anything" He added.

"Thanks!" she responded.

"Cabin crew prepare for takeoff" crackled the overhead speaker, instructions from the caption as the airplane aligned to the runway.

Suddenly the engine noise grew exponentially as she felt thrust and sank back in to the seat. She clenched her fists in fear of first time flying as the airplane accelerated and finally tilted up and taking off.

"First time?" Sebastian asked.

"Yep" she bit out.

"Relax, the worst is over, once we are in air, you won't feel a thing" He reassured.

They sat in silence as the plane accelerated in to the sky, she peered from the window looking down at the lights below, somewhere down there was her home. Her gut clenched at that thought as by the minutes the lights outside became smaller and farther away and finally clouds passed by her window.

There was a beep and the seatbelt sign went off.

Sebastian unbuckled himself "Take rest Evelyn, I will wake you up once we are ready to land" and he walked out.

She peered through the window, she could not see anything but vast expanse of could, she could no longer see her home and sadness gripped her as she curled in to a ball in the seat.