#Chapter 158 – Split

That afternoon, Victor runs through the woods of the encampment. When he had originally purchased the land, it was all wooded with trees like these, but he’d had most of them cut down, repurposing the wood to build parts of the encampment and the barracks.

But these acres of woods he left for Betas to try themselves in, creating mock battles to prepare for the ones they’d face in real life. Paths wove around the woods, miles of them – and Victor was on them this evening, running himself until his breath was sharp in his lungs, until he could finally think again with some degree of clarity.

He stops in the middle of the woods when he’s finally run out, bending down to put his hands on his knees, panting. He works out every day in the morning of course – but today, he’s really pushed himself.

Still, as far as he’s gone, as much as he’s pressed…he can’t get her out of his head.

Evelyn. What the hell was he going to do with Evelyn?

Because as the blood courses through him, he knows, internally, that he can’t live without Evelyn.

Victor sinks down to the forest floor, his feet still planted on the ground, his arms resting over his knees, staring up through the canopy of the trees.

It was different with Amelia. When he had made that decision – ended the mating bond, ended the relationship – he had known that there was a finality to it. That he was finished, could never trust her, wouldn’t regret it – not really – if he never saw her ever again.

But with Evelyn…god, he couldn’t imagine his life without her anymore. Couldn’t imagine a day without her face, her smile, her laugh – let alone a lifetime of growing old without her.

Was he just being an i***t? Victor wonders this as he stares up, seeking the sky between the leaves. Was he just missing Evelyn, wanting her back because he’s in love with her? Would it be a horrible mistake to take her back?

Was it easier to leave Amelia merely because she had betrayed him more, and he had gotten sick of it? He had more proof, more evidence, of her complete disregard for his feelings and emotions – is that what had made it easy?

If he went back to Evelyn, tried again, started anew with clean slates – would he just be falling into the same old trap? Would she, too, betray him again and again?

Victor sighs, looking back down at his hands. God damnit, but he was sick of questions with no answers.

and slowly begins the walk

No one bothers him. Earlier in the day, a few Betas had come to report but Victor had waved them away, giving

themselves. Instead, Victor climbs back into his car and drives

what she did – was it really as horrible as he had made

this question. Certainly, it was a betrayal. Certainly, it had been a

of when the therapy first began, right when he had re-met

damnit, in the same situation, would he

in those first months. Threatening to take the children away from her, calling her a surrogate, blaming her for keeping the children away from him when – what choice, really, had she

from the moment he met her, Evelyn had acted from a sense of self-preservation. When Joyce betrayed her, she went out into the world seeking an encounter that would

she had discovered she was pregnant, she had done everything she could – changed her name, gone into hiding – to keep those boys secret

care for them like she did. And damnit,

frustrated with himself now instead of Evelyn. He was an Alpha, for god’s sake – he should be in more control of himself when it

is – he admires Evelyn. In so many ways she’s the one with

her betrayal too far. She had continued talking to him on the phone as his therapist beyond when he was a threat to the life she had built and

She had told him that Amelia was a snake, and she was. She had told him to regain control of his

given him as his Luna, had he been smart enough to seek it. She had just found another

he was

had hard times ahead of them – they had to learn to forgive each other, to rebuild, to reestablish their trust in each other. But importantly, there, was

so much more complicated than that, and it was

knows, in his gut as well as his heart, that it’s something

up the steps to the house nearly an hour later, his hands in his pockets, his shirt still stained with sweat from his long run, his Betas give him

to ask, instead focusing on the task at hand. Of finding Evelyn,

steps into the house, he knows immediately that something is

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