#Chapter 43 – Banished

Edgar, apparently finished securing the assailant, hurries over. Evelyn startles at first – not knowing who approaches, but seeing who it is reaches out a hand.

“Edgar – I – I’m so sorry,”

“No, Evelyn,” he says, holding her face between his hands – an intimate gesture that Victor suddenly feels awkward to see. “You didn’t do anything wrong. What happened? Do you know who she is?”

“Yes,” Evelyn murmurs. “My – the stalker. My former patient. She’s…totally unhinged, thinks I stole her boyfriend –“

“The one who wrote things on your car at your old house? Who threw the note through the window last night?” Victor asks, standing and crossing his arms across his chest. He placed extra guards against precisely this threat – what happened?

As Evelyn explains further to Edgar – her voice weak with exhaustion, fear, and tears – Victor moves to the front porch. There, quietly in the dark, he sees another body – slumped in a chair in the darkest corner of the porch.

Victor hurries out, crossing carefully to the body just as the ambulance pulls into Evelyn’s drive, followed immediately by a black van full of back-up Betas. Good – Edgar thought quickly, calling in all the appropriate reinforcements. Victor makes a mental note to commend him as he moves slowly towards the inert form.

As he gets closer, Victor suddenly realizes that he recognizes the body. Beta Pete. Victor moves to his side, fearing the worst – but no, Pete has a pulse. Victor heaves a sigh of relief and notes, in passing, that Pete holds a dark square in his inert hand.

The Betas swarm the porch, their training clearly demonstrated as they move as a concentrated pack. Once they have marked the location as secure, they wave the paramedic team forward and two Betas come over to Victor to assess the situation with Pete.

“He’s unconscious,” Victor says, “thank god. I don’t know what happened.”

“Any sign of injury?” one of the Betas asks.

“Not that I can see.” Victor confirms, studying Pete’s body again.

“We’ll get the paramedics on him too,” the Beta says, snapping at personnel waiting by the ambulance. They spring into action.

“Sir?” The second Beta leans close to Pete, sniffing. “What’s that in his hand? I smell…chocolate…”

think it’s a brownie,” he murmurs, baffled by this strange change of events. Pulling a handkerchief from his pocket, he takes the brown

away to complete their duties. As Victor watches

to continue. “Sir, the paramedics are cleaning Evelyn up, but they’ve given her the clear – they say there’s no reason for her to go to the hospital for further checks.

wondering…but no. It was none of his business. He nods sharply. “Approved, Beta. Thank you for your good work tonight.

but he manages. It is no small thing for an Alpha to admit a

the house. “Send my team up to the big house to tell

next day, Victor sets up camp in Evelyn’s office. A steady stream of Betas come through the doors all day, each reporting on the

Evelyn says, coming downstairs in her robe during a lull, a broad

not looking up as he types on his computer, confirming

looks up at her to see her standing across from

quiet – not an army of Betas stomping around down here

says, returning his attention to the computer as he sits down. “I promised

did everything you

have, that insane woman would never

We’ve got an Avengers movie marathon going on upstairs, which seems to be calming them down,

bags sitting on the kitchen table. “I ordered you Chinese.

of appreciation, Evelyn moves to the package and starts to unwarp it, investigating the containers. A few minutes later, she calls goodbye to him and Victor catches

all the takeout they wanted, if it would help. Besides, Edgar

Evelyn and the boys will be distracted upstairs. He has an important meeting, and as it has to happen now, and in person. And, as Victor refuses to leave the premises, it has to happen in this dining-room-turned-office. And, much as she would hate it, it has to happen without Evelyn

that his Betas have gathered. The first is a report on the brownie from the previous

by Alpha James Willard – Evelyn’s official pack as well, which is probably how

only slight interest, that the same agency which assigned him to his own therapist is noted as the

a member of his own pack, though

he considers, Victor hears a knock at his door. “Ah, Willard,” Victor says, “you are quite

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