CHAPTER 461: FINALLY BACK HOME

Evaline:

The world outside the car blurred past me - green, grey, then gold - but I barely saw any of it. My eyes were open, yet my mind was a million miles away, trapped between guilt and exhaustion.

Rowan drove quietly beside me, his gaze focused on the winding road that led down from the mountains. The steady hum of the engine and the faint thrum of tires on gravel were the only sounds between us.

Draven’s face lingered in my thoughts, pale and peaceful, his chest rising in slow, mechanical rhythm. The image had burned itself into the back of my eyes... even when I blinked, I could see him lying there, surrounded by herbs, machines, and silence.

I pressed my hand over my heart, fingers trembling slightly. The ache was still there - sharp, cold, unrelenting - but now there was something else underneath. Something Rowan had left me with. Purpose.

I had promised myself I wouldn’t fall apart again. I couldn’t afford to.

The drive down the mountain felt longer than it probably was. Every turn made me think of my mates still behind, still tending to Draven. River’s face - calm but tight with control - flashed in my mind. He had been the one to make the decision to keep it all secret. I couldn’t even blame him for it.

If this got out, if anyone learned that Draven Thorne - one of the Rogue Alphas - had fallen to Soul Death, panic would spread through every pack, every village and town. Worse, their enemies could use it... twist it, weaponize it.

River was right.

He always was when it came to protecting the people he loved.

By the time we reached the gates of the Thorne estate, the afternoon sun was already dipping low, spilling streaks of gold across the stone walls. The sight of the familiar mansion - its towering facade, the sprawling gardens - filled me with something between relief and dread.

Home.

I hadn’t been here in what felt like forever.

The car hadn’t even come to a full stop before I pushed the door open and stepped out. My legs felt weak, my knees wobbling from lack of food and sleep, but I didn’t care. My heart was pounding, my instincts screaming one name over and over.

Lioren.

I didn’t wait for Rowan. I ran.

The mansion doors flew open as I burst inside, the familiar scent of polished wood and lilac-scented air wrapping around me. The echo of my footsteps followed as I rushed past the foyer and toward the grand staircase.

And then... I heard it.

The soft, broken cry of my son.

My chest constricted painfully, the sound slicing through me like a blade.

I didn’t remember how I climbed the stairs. I just did... breathless, frantic, my heart in my throat. Servants called after me, startled, but I didn’t stop to answer. My hand slammed against the nursery door, pushing it open with a force I didn’t know I had.

Inside, chaos met my eyes.

Madam Elira was pacing beside the crib, her arms outstretched, trying to soothe the small, red-faced baby wailing in her embrace. Vanessa and Sera were nearby, rocking rattles, whispering soft lullabies that clearly weren’t helping.

The moment they heard the door crash open, they all turned... startled gasps filling the room.

"My Lady!" Madam Elira exclaimed, her eyes widening in shock before softening with relief. "You are finally here!"

I didn’t answer her. I couldn’t.

My legs carried me forward on their own, toward the only thing that mattered... the tiny, trembling bundle in her arms. I reached out, hands shaking as I took my son back where he belonged.

"Give him to me," I whispered, my voice breaking halfway.

Madam Elira didn’t hesitate. The moment Lioren was in my arms, his cries softened into small hiccups. I pressed him to my chest, burying my face against his downy hair as I breathed him in... that soft baby scent that felt like warmth, home, and everything good in the world.

"I’m here, my little one," I murmured, kissing his temple over and over. "I’m so sorry. I’m here now."

His tiny fingers curled weakly into the fabric of my blouse, his cheek pressed against my heart. Within seconds, his cries stopped completely... the silence that followed was heavy with relief.

Behind me, I heard soft sighs - Madam Elira, Vanessa, and Sera all releasing breaths they had probably been holding for days.

"He’s been crying for hours, My Lady," Madam Elira said quietly, her voice thick with emotion. "He wouldn’t stop no matter what we tried."

I just nodded, still swaying gently, rocking Lioren like I used to before everything fell apart. My eyes stung again, tears gathering but not falling this time. I had cried enough.

It wasn’t until Rowan entered the nursery that I realized how silent the room had gone. He stood at the doorway, watching quietly, and then turned to Madam Elira.

"Would you please prepare something light for her?" he asked softly. "She hasn’t eaten in days."

Madam Elira looked at me with worried eyes but nodded quickly. "Of course, Master Rowan."

Within seconds, she and the other two maids hurried out, leaving the nursery quiet once again.

Rowan approached, his steps slow, deliberate. His gaze softened as he looked at Lioren, now fast asleep against my chest. "He missed you," he said.

"I missed him more," I whispered, my throat tight.

He gave me a small, gentle smile. "Let’s take him to your room. You’ll both rest better there."

I nodded numbly and followed him.

The corridors felt longer than I remembered. Every portrait, every candle flicker, every piece of furniture whispered memories of better days. Lioren stirred once, but I shushed him softly, pressing a kiss to his tiny forehead until he relaxed again.

Once inside my room, I laid Lioren down gently on the bed, staying close, afraid to even blink.

He looked peaceful now, his lashes brushing his cheeks, his little chest rising and falling steadily.

Not long after, Madam Elira returned with a tray in hand... a bowl of porridge, steaming and fragrant, and a glass of water. She placed it on the side table before leaving us alone again.

Rowan took the bowl and pulled a chair closer. "Eat," he said simply.

"I’m not-"

"Yes, you are," he interrupted gently. "Please, Eva."

Something in his tone made it impossible to argue.

So I let him feed me, spoon by spoon, the taste bland but comforting. Every mouthful seemed to wake something inside me... my body remembering what it was to feel alive. When the bowl was empty, I leaned back against the pillows, exhaustion weighing down every part of me.

"You should shower," Rowan said softly, setting the bowl aside. "I’ll stay with him."

I hesitated, my eyes flickering to Lioren’s tiny sleeping form.

"I promise," he added quietly. "I won’t let him out of my sight."

I nodded then, trusting him, and walked into the adjoining bathroom.

The moment the warm water hit my skin, it felt like everything - the dirt, the fatigue, the tears - began to wash away. The grime of seven sleepless days faded down the drain, but the ache in my chest lingered. Still, it felt good to feel clean again. Alive again.

When I stepped out, wrapped in a robe, I caught sight of myself in the mirror. The woman staring back at me looked hollow - pale skin, dark circles, dull eyes. But beneath the weariness, there was a flicker of something faint but real. Determination.

I dried my hair and stepped out quietly.

Rowan was still sitting by the bed, one hand resting protectively near Lioren. He looked up when I approached, smiling softly.

"He didn’t even stir," he said. "He’s been waiting for you."

I smiled faintly, climbing into bed beside my son. The moment I lay down, he shifted instinctively, rolling toward me until his tiny body pressed against mine.

My heart melted all over again.

I wrapped my arm around him, pressing my lips to his forehead. His warmth seeped into my skin, easing the ache that had hollowed me out.

Rowan pulled the blanket up to cover us both. "Sleep," he murmured, brushing a stray strand of hair from my face. "You need it."

For the first time in days, I didn’t argue. My eyes fluttered closed, and for a moment, I simply breathed... the scent of my son, the warmth of home, the safety of knowing that even in pain, I wasn’t alone.

As sleep began to pull me under, Rowan’s voice reached me one last time... soft and steady.

"He’ll be home soon," he said quietly. "They are bringing Draven back."

And with that, I finally let go.