Twisting Her Fate
Chapter 131

After a full week of watching from afar as Terrance delicately picks ingredients from all over, on the top of cliffs, at the bottom of dense caves and valleys, deep within swamp land, in dry barren land, in the crystal clear river. Connor is officially over it. He can't even be close enough to hear the conversation. The loneliness he already felt is at an all-time high and he is starting to feel like all of this was a massive waste. He wants to run to Terrance and slap him. Tell him he's got enough, friend or not. It was a tedious affair when he was part of it. Now it's just torturous.

It is a three-day hike still to get back to the house. Levi doesn't even shift and Terrance doesn't ride him. They just casually amble chatting having the time of their life.

To them, this is their little couples break away from the stresses of the group and the constant surround of other people.

This is their working holiday.

They have no idea that every slow step is like a knife in Connor's heart.

Connor raises his nose in the air and sniffs frowning slightly, realizing that they are getting closer to civilization.

Connor watches as Levi rifles around in his bag. A silver glint can be seen and a large sense of relief washes over Connor as he watches the lights flash on a car as it gets unlocked.

He never expected that they had a different vehicle. He is thankful that he did follow and did not wait at the house and he is incredibly thankful that he doesn't have to spend any more time stalking the two through the forest.

He never thought he would say it, but he misses the car, he misses the speed it travels along the roads, he misses the run.

He has only used his natural form to sleep and hunt.

The large wolf wants to stretch his legs once more, he wants to feel the wind running through his coat, he wants the freedom, but mostly he just wants to be heading closer to Leilani. He wants this journey to be over, but most of all, he just wants the reward at the end, he wants Leilani. **2 years after separation**

Evie sucks in a deep breath to steady herself. This is the moment she has been waiting for. This is what all the training has been for. All those aching muscles. The carefully planned diet, the regimented sleep, training, eating life has brought her towards.

All the nights that Connor just sat there on the couch just to be around her to calm her wolf enough to heal the extensive damage done to her body. How far she would push herself. Every limit she would break and bend and destroy every single day, leaving her broken and near defeat.

All of her blood, sweat and tears have led to this moment and there has been a lot.

Training with Connor morning, noon and night. Connor nearly force feeding her, making sure she has all the nutrition that she needs to build up her body get it back to what it should have been and then push it further.

Evie looks so beautiful and so confident as she steps out around Connor. Her golden hair is full of life once more and it glitters in the sun. Even in the tight braids, it still catches all the light. Her skin is sun kissed giving it a healthy glow. Her cheeks are pink. She radiates health and vitality.

"I will be battling for the rights to the Azure pack"

Evie doesn't even take a moment to take in the shocked expression of the couple. She doesn't look at the expressions of the pack. She doesn't care about anyone else. Just feeding off the strength of the man beside her.

"I, Evie Stone, daughter of ex Luna and ex Alpha Stone, twin sister to current Alpha Madison Stone and fated mate of Alpha Storm, challenge you, Madison Stone, for the Azure pack. I accept the substitute of your mate Alpha Damon"

There isn't even a single hitch in Evie's voice as she says the words. She has practiced them many times late at night. There is no rise and fall in her monotone level.

There is no grief about having to call the man she thought was her mate, someone elses. It is no surprise that she will be fighting that man. There is no hatred. There is not anything that they would expect.

Evie just wants the pack clean and simple. Nothing more, nothing less. Well, maybe a little bit more. The truth will be revealed today.

All that garbage that she had last time she was here will be set straight.

Hatred flits across Madison's eyes as she stares at Evie. How did she survive? Where has she been?

Damon just stands with his mouth agape as he looks at the woman in front of him. She doesn't resemble her twin. She doesn't resemble the woman that held his heart all those years ago. She doesn't resemble anything that he thought she could be. Everything about Evie now screams strength from her straightened spine, her toned body, to her fire of determination burning bright in those honey-coloured eyes that make them appear to glow. She is stunning.

There is no other word for it. He thought all his feelings for her died long ago, but there is something about her standing there. There is something about her that lights a fire that he thought was long extinguished.

Now there is no longer that mates scent and as Damon sifts through her words, he frowns heavily. How could it be possible? How could she be Connor's fated mate? What has happened in that time?

There is a stunned silence for such a long time. No one knows what to say. The two in their matching outfits are shocked in place, both with vastly different thoughts.

"Are we doing this or are you just going to stare?"

Evie has had a long time to think all this through, she doesn't need the time to dwell or come to terms with anything.

Damon glances down at his mate, his mark very visible on her shoulder under the sports bra, it suddenly looking so glaring to him, somehow so shameful.

Damon glances down at his mate, his mark very visible on her shoulder under the sports bra, it suddenly looking so glaring to him, somehow so shameful.

He shakes his head, trying to think back to the photos, the heartache that followed, those photos are suddenly so different to the girl she was before and a far cry from the girl standing in front of him now.

For the first time in a long time, his wolf bursts forward at full force, threatening to topple the man. Damon only just manages to hold his ground, he hasn't felt his wolf in it's full capacity since the day he marked Madison.

Madison just clenches her fists as she feels Damon slightly distance himself from her. She hasn't felt power like that from him since the day that Evie went missing. He had come to the pack beside himself, like he knew something had happened, he knew before anyone else knew, it wasn't even the evening.

His wolf was going crazy and they had to lock him up until he regained control.

Her original intention wasn't to take Damon, she just wanted Evie gone, but feeling Damon's power that day, her plans deviated.

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

Madison still has to put on the good sister act and pretends to be concerned. Evie may look amazing now, but fighting an alpha male is a near impossible task.

"There is nothing I want more in this world"

Madison grabs Damon's wrist, pulling him back to the corner of the ring. Connor opens the ropes and Evie nimbly bounces in, her movements are fluid and silent, she is graceful yet deadly. Connor follows her in, his large body landing on his feet with a thump on the mat.

Connor presses his hands on her shoulders and just looks into her honey-coloured eyes. It may look like a loving motion to the outside world, and in a way it is; Evie is his family, she is his friend.

He is using this method to infuse her wolf with all the strength she needs. She is stronger with the support of her fated. She doesn't need that mark, she doesn't need any of the other things that usually come from the fated relationship, she takes from it all she could ever want.

Strength, unwavering support and friendship.

"You can do this"

Evie nods as Connor steps back from her slightly, she takes off her black midriff top, revealing a deep red and orange sports bra. Pressing her shirt into Connor's chest with force, her muscles twitching, her adrenaline is pumping and she is ready. Connor brought this outfit especially for today. The colors he said are resembling flames.

As today she is a phoenix emerging from the ashes.

So dazzling, so magnificent, so powerful.

She shines brighter than any other.