#Chapter 117 – Panic

Evelyn creeps up silently behind Victor and he jumps as she pulls on his sleeve. Silently, she puts her finger to her lips and nods her head back to the kitchen, indicating that he should come with her. He nods and follows.

“What’s going on with those three?” she whispers, curious. “They wanted to have their dinner with him. It’s weird.”

“What’s weird about that?” He asks, frowning. “They want to have dinner with their grandfather. He’s nice to them.”

She laughs a little, shaking her head and looking in at them again. “Clever man, sucking up to the heirs.”

Victor shrugs, his face going a bit dark. “Perhaps not the heirs, if I don’t pass this next trial.”

“You will,” she says, looking up at him with faith in her eyes. She shakes her head a little. “Yesterday…something was wrong. I can’t put my finger on it.”

“The boys figured it out before I did,” he says ruefully, glancing over at them.

Evelyn frowns and c***s her head to the side, inquisitive.

“I just heard them asking him for a cup of that tea Rafe made us,” he says, putting his hands in his pockets ruefully. “But they said they wanted a cup of his tea, not my tea. Because they smelled different.”

Evelyn’s eyes go wide, her mouth shaping into a little O as she figures it out. “Oh my god, Victor,” she says, a little breathless with disbelief. “He cheated – you have to have a rematch! –“

She begins to move towards the living room, about to demand just that, but Victor grabs her by the arm.

“No, Evelyn” he says quietly, looking around to make sure no one is overhearing them. “In other tests, sure, cheating would be discouraged. But one of intelligence and tactics? Honestly, it’s something which I think my father would respect – which I frankly respect.”

She frowns up at him, not understanding.

“Think about it,” he says. “Rafe knows I can beat him at chess any day – I’ve been running circles around him intellectually since we were kids. He knows he can’t beat me, so, he changes the field. He brings me a cup of tea that he prepares outside the room to drink before the game – he gives it to me in front of everyone! And I’m dumb enough to drink it!”

a hand through his hair, rueful. “Face it, Evelyn. He outsmarted me.

Then she narrows her eyes, looking around the house. “But I’ll beat him to a pulp for you, if you want me

image of Evelyn beating his brother soundly with her little fists. “Thanks for the offer,” he says. “But I think I’ve already got those two

the two boys still talking quietly with their grandfather.

stand together, considering the already-formidable force that is their

Evelyn” Victor says,

If this is

significant gifts, Victor, but I’m not sure that

says, still staring in their direction as he puts a hand on Evelyn’s back. “We’ll

children’s future, Bridgette totters into the room. She

guys doing?” Bridgette says,

talking about the kids,” Evelyn says, putting on a bright smile. No reason Bridgette needs to know

stomach, which is still flat as a pancake. “I know exactly what

smiles, a bit ruefully. She’s torn, in this moment. Part of her wants to be a friend to this woman, but the other part knows that Bridgette’s pregnancy is threatening Victor’s position within the pack, as well as her own children’s promised future. After a moment, she

women alone, Victor quietly moves away, sliding his hand down

looking at Evelyn and

more than she probably should. “Your pregnancy,

a little. “Oh, no. I

“No hunger? No cravings or changes in the way that your body

it like, way too early

says, wrinkling her nose in confusion. “Is that what

asks, blinking again at Evelyn. Then she laughs. “Oh, I haven’t been to a doctor. No, I mean it’s been two weeks since I took the pregnancy test!” She flips her hair back, “Hey, do you want to have a glass of wine with

she says, awkwardly. “But are you sure

to have one

doctor told me that it might be a good idea to wait until my third trimester to have a glass of wine. You know. Wait

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