Chapter 37 Something That Needs to Stay Hidden—for Now
Evra’s POV
I flinched, my breath turning heavier the moment the world snapped back into place around me. My hand had already slipped away from Magnus’s finger, but the sensation still lingered—like an echo that hadn’t fully faded from my bones. For a split second, I could still feel the dry ground beneath my feet, the thick scent of blood in the air, and the pressure of something I was never meant to see.
“Evra.”
Magnus’s voice pulled me fully back into the room.
I lifted my gaze. He was already standing closer now. Not too close, but enough to make his presence feel like it dominated the space around me. His eyes locked onto me—sharp, calculating, missing nothing from my reaction.
“Why are you quiet?” he asked.
I couldn’t answer yet. I just stayed still, staring at him in confusion.
I swallowed slowly, forcing my heartbeat to steady. Not everything could be said. Not now. Not about everything I had just seen.
“From now on… you need to be careful with your allies,” I said.
“What did you see?” he asked again, curiosity creeping into his tone.
“I saw Rivenhall… destroyed,” I finally said, keeping my voice flat even though the image still felt real. I paused for a moment, choosing my next words carefully. “And you… were in the middle of it.”
That was enough. I couldn’t tell him everything yet. The vision had too many inconsistencies.
Magnus didn’t move. He didn’t even blink.
Silence.
Not an empty silence. A heavy one.
I knew what that position meant for someone like him—for the strongest Alpha. And I also knew… he understood it just as clearly as I did.
Lorian, who had been quiet at the side of the room, finally shifted his attention away from his device. I could feel his focus snap toward me—sharp, analytical.
Magnus still didn’t show any clear reaction. But I knew… he was calculating.
“And?” he asked.
One word.
But enough to push me further.
I frowned slightly. This part… was harder to explain.
“You were about to be attacked from behind. But everything looked blurred. And then… a voice echoed in my head,” I said quietly. “Not from anyone there. But I heard it clearly.”
Magnus tilted his head slightly. “What did it say?”
I looked straight at him. “Two words.”
“What are they?” he pressed.
“Ally… and Lysander’s prophecy.”
And this time… I saw it. Very quick. Very subtle. But real.
Magnus’s focus shifted instantly. Not on the word “ally.” But the second one.
“Lysander’s prophecy? You mean… your ancestor’s prophecy?” he repeated, sharper now.
I nodded slowly. “Yes. But I don’t know what it is.”
That wasn’t a lie. And for some reason… saying it felt heavier than it should.
“I’ve never heard of it before,” I continued. “My parents never mentioned anything. Even my grandfather never said those words.”
Lorian moved slightly. “Lysander…” he murmured, more to himself.
Silence fell again.
Magnus didn’t answer right away. He just stared at me a few seconds longer than usual. Like he was trying to find something hidden behind my words.
I didn’t look away.
If he was searching for a lie… he wouldn’t find it here.
Eventually, Magnus looked away. Not to leave—but to the side. To the desk. To the files he had been reviewing. To something he was piecing together in his mind.
“Ally…” he repeated quietly, almost like testing the word. Now his focus shifted there.
Lorian responded immediately. “If that’s part of your future vision, it could mean two things. Either betrayal from within… or manipulated perception.”
Magnus didn’t reply.
“But ‘prophecy’,” Lorian continued, more serious now, “is not a term used lightly.”
I leaned back slightly, watching both of them.
This… was the interesting part.
Magnus spoke again. “Are there records about the Lysander family?”
Lorian shook his head. “Not in public databases. But…” he paused briefly, “…I can dig deeper.”
Magnus nodded once. “Do it.”
Lorian immediately reopened his device. The dim blue screen lit up again, lines of data moving rapidly across it. His fingers worked in a steady, efficient rhythm.
I watched them silently. My mind was still processing what I had seen.
Ally. Lysander’s prophecy. And the fact that Magnus… cared more about the second one.
“Magnus,” I said finally.
He looked at me.
“If that’s true,” I continued quietly, “then this isn’t just about Black Hollow.”
His gaze stayed calm. But I knew he was listening.
“Your contract with them…” I glanced briefly at the files on the desk, “…might not be just a transaction.”
Lorian paused slightly. Not completely—but enough to show he caught the direction of the conversation.
“Explain,” Magnus said.
“I can’t explain everything,” I answered honestly. “But if there’s another party involved…” I paused, “…then that contract could be an entry point.”
“Into their game,” Lorian murmured, recalling my earlier words.
I nodded slowly.
Magnus went quiet again.
His fingers tapped lightly against the desk. Once. Twice. The same rhythm as before when he was thinking.
“There are too many variables,” he said finally.
“And too little information,” Lorian added.
I looked at Magnus. “But enough to know… this isn’t a coincidence.”
He didn’t argue. And that was enough of an answer.
Silence filled the room again. But this time… it wasn’t empty. More like a pause before something moved.
I watched Magnus.
His gaze wasn’t on me anymore. Not on Lorian either. But somewhere further—something he was building in his own mind.
And for the first time since I met him… he paused.
Not hesitation. Not weakness. But… a pause to calculate something even he couldn’t ignore.
Something tightened in my chest. Because if even Magnus needed to pause… then whatever was coming wasn’t small.
A few seconds passed. Then Magnus moved toward Lorian.
One look was enough.
“We’ll talk outside.”
His tone returned to flat. Controlled. But the decision was final.
Lorian nodded immediately. No questions. No delay. He shut his device in one smooth motion, slipping it back into the gray case before standing up.
Magnus didn’t look at me again as he walked toward the door.
And for some reason… that felt heavier than his sharp stare earlier.