Chapter 86 Negotiate

Chapter 86 Negotiate
Evander's expression changed instantly as the words echoed and rattled around in his ears. For several seconds, he said nothing. He simply stared at Havilah, searching his face for any indication that this was some twisted joke or an attempt to manipulate him into changing his mind about Shonda.

But there was nothing.

Havilah's expression remained completely serious, his eyes steady and unwavering. There was no hint of amusement, hesitation, or uncertainty in his face.

Evander's lips finally parted.

"Are you messing with my head right now?" he asked, his brows knitted together as his eyes widened in disbelief.

"I have no reason to do that," Havilah responded matter of factly, his expression not changing even slightly.

Evander continued staring at him, but the longer he looked, the more certain he became that Havilah was telling the truth. His face gradually darkened as a few details finally began clicking together in his mind.

The strange gaps in the story surrounding his mother's death, the disappearance of his sister, the information Havilah had somehow gathered without ever revealing the full details to him.

And now Shonda's involvement.

"So in essence, you're saying Shonda had a hand in the murder of my mother and the disappearance of my sister?" The words came out as a question, but there was already anger building beneath them.

Havilah immediately shook his head.

"I'm not saying that yet. I will not nail anyone until I have hard proof. What I'm saying is that based on my investigation so far, she has information I cannot get by simply questioning her. We are dealing with something bigger than all of us here, and in order to win, we have to move with wisdom."

He paused, allowing the words to settle. His eyes moved between Evander and Desmond, taking in their reactions.

Neither of them looked pleased. Evander's jaw remained clenched while Desmond's expression carried the same suspicion that had begun spreading through Evander's mind.

Havilah knew neither of them liked what he was saying, but he also knew that this was not the time to let emotions dictate their actions.

"Without her, I may still be able to get the information I need, but the time frame will be longer, which I'm sure isn't what we're aiming at."

Silence settled over them once again. This time, it lasted longer.

Evander finally turned his face away, his mind working through everything Havilah had just told him.

He hated the idea of allowing Shonda to walk away from what she had done, even temporarily.

But if Shonda truly held information about his sister, killing her now could mean losing his only chance of finding her.

He drew in a slow breath before finally making his decision.

"Fine. You may keep her for your investigation on one condition," he said, his expression still tight with simmering annoyance.

Havilah raised his brows without saying a word, waiting for the condition.

Evander turned his attention back to him, his eyes narrowing. "I want the very finger of hers that pulled the trigger of the dart gun on my table the day before I'm supposed to approve it."

Surprise flashed across Havilah's face instantly, but he quickly masked it.

Desmond's expression, however, showed none of Havilah's surprise. He looked almost like someone who had been expecting Evander to make a demand exactly like this.

Before Havilah could say a word, Evander continued.

"That's not all."

Havilah's brows furrowed slightly.

"I will also be the one to pick the particular rituals she must go through. If those terms are accepted, then I will sign the approval."

Havilah stopped himself from protesting.

After a brief moment of silence, Havilah finally gave a nod.

"I will inform her and hear what she has to say, then I will get back to you," Havilah said. He paused briefly before continuing. "In the meantime, please cooperate with the doctors so they can get your wound to heal completely as soon as possible. After that, Shonda can fix what's left."

Evander's frown deepened as his eyes settled on Havilah. "That I said I would approve the humiliation ritual doesn't mean she is allowed to come anywhere close to me or, worse, touch me."

"She will need to come close to you to treat you," Havilah spoke in a tired tone, clearly running out of patience with the constant resistance.

"She cannot treat me," Evander insisted, his voice firm. "She doesn't have any real solution to my problem even though she is the original architect. She only knows how to break, never how to fix."

Havilah's brows drew together.

"Original architect?"

"Yes." Evander's jaw tightened. "I have strong reason to believe her shady self messed with my bond energy, and that is the reason I am suffering today."

Havilah sighed, rubbing a hand over his face before letting it fall again. "You can't continue like this. As the Alpha, you need to be in great health for our land to thrive."

"That is exactly why I need to get Tyra back. She is the only solution to my problem. She was doing a great job, and I was already so close to recovering completely, only for her to disappear and send me spiraling back to ground zero. I need her back."

The desperation beneath those words was impossible to miss.

Havilah studied him for a moment before asking the question that had been sitting at the back of his mind.

"How do you intend to get her back from a god who is fiercely protective of her and just sent over ten good guards into oblivion?"

The question fell into the room, immediately drawing similar reactions from both Evander and Desmond.

Desmond's brows rose. "A god?"

Almost at the same time, Evander straightened slightly in his seat. "The demon in black is a god? Is that what you're saying?"

Havilah didn't contemplate his answer. He simply gave a firm nod. "Yes. That is what I'm saying."

Evander let out a disbelieving chuckle, shaking his head slowly.

"You've got to be kidding me, Councilor. How is that even possible, and what makes you come to that conclusion?" He didn't bother hiding the disbelief in his tone.

"Shonda said the moon god couldn't find Tyra because another god is shielding her from his sight. That should tell you exactly who is responsible for sending our guards into oblivion."

Desmond narrowed his eyes. "Is the moon god mistaking a demon for a god?"

"That cannot be the case." Havilah's response came without hesitation. "A demon cannot shield someone from a god. If she is being shielded from him, then it must be another god doing it."

The information settled over the two men, leaving them with more questions than answers.

Evander eventually leaned back in the chair, his expression becoming more thoughtful.

"Well then," he said, adjusting himself into a more relaxed posture. "Maybe it's time for me to confront this god."

"Confrontation won't work." Havilah shook his head, looking slightly exhausted from all the back and forth. "You can't fight a god. None of us can. The only thing we can do is negotiate."

Evander's eyes narrowed.

"And what exactly are we negotiating?"

"Tyra has no life here. We all know that, and I think this god knows that too. I'm suspecting the reason he helped her escape was because he wanted her to build a better life wherever she is."

Evander remained silent for a moment, his jaw tightening as he considered the implication.

"I'm willing to give her the best life irrespective of what anyone thinks. If that's all it takes, then I've been ready even before she left."

Havilah nodded slightly before continuing.

"Not only that. There is a law in place about those who try to escape Blazing Moon, and moonless wolves who resign from their place of assignments without being properly laid off. Will that law still hold after we find her?"

Evander's expression changed. The question seemed to awaken something in him.

"You told me to take over this position because I can only change things from the place of power."

He paused, his eyes steady and determined, fixed solely on Havilah.

"I am Alpha Evander Zach of Blazing Moon Pack. For Tyra's sake, I am willing to abolish that law."

"That's a start. I'll start making arrangements. It may take some time, and the god's demand may be different from what I just said. But if we work together, we can succeed in bringing her back." Havilah said, rising to his feet.