Chapter 379: Alpha’s Fury (II)
Evaline:
The silence in the room had already turned brittle, sharp enough that even breathing felt dangerous.
I stood my ground in front of River, refusing to lower my gaze, my pulse thundering in my ears. But then... his eyes shifted. Slowly. Coldly. Away from me... and toward the man standing beside me.
Oscar.
I felt him stiffen next to me, the warmth of his presence suddenly coiling into tension. Still, he didn’t move away. He didn’t flinch.
And River... oh, he looked ready to unleash a storm.
"So that’s how it is," River said, his voice low, controlled, but the kind of control that trembles under the weight of fury. "You knew what she was planning, and you went along with it. Tell me, Oscar... what exactly were you thinking when you decided that was a good idea?"
"River-" I began, but he cut me off without even looking my way.
"No, Evaline. You have said enough." His eyes stayed locked on his brother. "I’m asking him."
The room’s air dropped several degrees. I could almost hear the thudding of my own heart echoing through my skull. I wanted to stop it. wanted to stop him. but I also knew what River was like when he was angry. He wouldn’t listen. Not until he burned out every ounce of frustration simmering inside him.
Oscar inhaled slowly, his shoulders relaxing as he met River’s glare head-on. "I was thinking," he began quietly, "that there was nothing I could do to stop her."
River’s eyes flashed with cold disbelief. "You could have tried."
"I did try," Oscar said, his tone still calm but edged with defiance. "You think I don’t know how reckless she can be? But tell me, River- when has anyone ever managed to stop Eva once she’s made up her mind?"
The silence that followed was sharp enough to cut.
River’s jaw ticked. "That doesn’t justify you helping her break into one of most restricted buildings in the territory!"
Oscar took a step forward, meeting his brother’s fury with quiet steadiness. "No, it doesn’t justify it," he admitted. "But it does explain it. I couldn’t stop her. So I did the next best thing-I made sure she wouldn’t get herself into trouble. You think I enjoyed sneaking around behind your back? You think I wanted to drag her into this? But someone had to watch her."
He paused, his gaze softening slightly as he turned to me. "Someone had to be there to keep her safe."
My chest constricted. For a moment, I couldn’t even breathe.
But River wasn’t softened. If anything, that only made him angrier.
"So that’s your excuse?" River snapped, his voice rough. "You helped her because you couldn’t stop her? You do realize what could have happened if you guys were caught? If someone else saw her-"
"I know exactly what could have happened," Oscar interrupted, his tone now firm, solid. "And that’s why I went. Because I wasn’t about to sit around while she risked herself alone." His voice dropped, almost like a growl. "And before you say it, no-I don’t regret it."
That last sentence hit River harder than any shout could have. He froze, the muscles in his jaw clenching visibly, his breath coming slower but heavier. His eyes flickered with disbelief, frustration... and something deeper. Something I didn’t understand.
He had no words. For once, he was completely silent.
But silence didn’t mean peace.
It only meant the storm had changed direction.
When he spoke again, it wasn’t calm anymore. The restraint snapped like a cracked whip, and his voice rose, harsh with anger. "You think this is a joke, Oscar? You think defying me is something to be proud of? You are my brother-"
That was enough for me.
I had stood there biting my tongue for long enough.
"Then stop using that against him!" I burst out, stepping between them before I even realized I had moved. "You keep calling him your brother as if that’s supposed to mean he has to stand by your side no matter what you say... but he’s not just your brother anymore, River! He’s my mate too!"
The words hung in the air like thunder.
River’s eyes snapped to me, widening slightly as if I had just slapped him. But I didn’t stop there.
"i know he’s spent almost two decades being your brother," I continued, my voice trembling slightly, "but I have also spent nearly a year being his mate... and that gives me just as much right to stand by him as you have to scold him. So don’t you dare take your anger out on him because of me."
For a heartbeat, everything went still.
River just stared at me, breathing heavily, his chest rising and falling with uneven rhythm. He looked... exhausted.
Haunted, even.
"Evaline..." he said quietly, almost like a plea.
But before he could continue, Oscar’s hand brushed against mine in a silent reassurance, one that said he’s fine, asking me not to fight more than I have to.
Except I wasn’t fine.
River let out a deep sigh and straightened, his tone hard again. "Enough. We are not doing this here." He took a breath and met my gaze squarely. "Upstairs. Now."
I blinked, disbelief flickering through me. "Now you care that there are eyes and ears watching us?" I shot back, my voice rising. "After you have spent the last five minutes shouting at both your brother and me in front of everyone?"
"Evaline," he warned, his voice low.
"No!" I snapped. "You don’t get to decide when I can speak, or when it’s convenient to pretend everything’s private. You can’t-"
"Enough."
This time, the word carried Alpha weight. Not a loud command, but a heavy one - dense, authoritative, and impossible to ignore. He started walking toward me, the air between us thickening. My instincts screamed to step back, but I didn’t. I wouldn’t.
"River, don’t you-" I started, but before I could finish, his hand closed around my wrist-not roughly, but firm enough to make my breath hitch.
He didn’t speak again. Didn’t even glare. He just... moved.
And suddenly, I was off the ground.