Feral Bonds: Claimed By Rogue Alpha Brothers-Chapter 576: Whereabouts of The Great Evil

Evaline:

My heart ached.

Not the dull kind of ache that faded if you ignored it, but the sharp, persistent pain that sat right behind my ribs and refused to leave. The kind that made breathing feel heavier than it should be.

Draven.

Even thinking his name felt like pressing on a bruise.

I had seen him a few days ago... his still form lying peacefully in the basement of Thorne mansion, his chest rising and falling slowly, his face untouched by time or pain. He looked like he was just sleeping. Like he might open his eyes any second and grin at me, say something reckless, tease me, and pull me into his arms like he always did.

But that wasn’t really seeing him.

It had been months since I had seen the real Draven.

The walking, talking, impossible Draven. The one who was always smiling, always plotting something mischievous, always finding new ways to make me laugh even when the world felt too heavy. The one who loved with his whole heart, without hesitation or fear, like it was the easiest thing in the world.

I missed him so much it hurt... physically. Like a part of me had been torn out of me and left a hollow space behind.

I squeezed my eyes shut, my hands curling into fists as I fought the image that haunted me the most - his unmoving body beneath soft sheets, trapped in endless sleep in that cold underground room.

That sight was torture.

Because it reminded me of how badly we had failed him.

How none of us had protected him. How his life now hung by a fragile thread, suspended between hope and despair.

And yet... it was also a relief.

Because he was still there.

Still breathing. Still connected to this world. Still ours.

There was still a chance.

As much as it hurt, I clung to that hope with everything I had.

With these thoughts swarming my head along with everything else we had found out the night before, a sudden thought clicked in my mind.

I stiffened and pulled away from Oscar’s arms, my heart racing... not from fear, but realization.

He noticed immediately.

"Eva?" he asked, concern flashing across his face. "What’s wrong?"

Instead of answering, I grabbed his wrist and tugged him toward the bed. And though confused, he followed without a sound.

I pushed him down gently until he was sitting on the mattress, then climbed onto the bed myself and turned to face him fully, my knees tucked beneath me. Only when I was sure I had his complete attention did I speak.

"There’s something that doesn’t make sense," I said slowly. "About all of this."

His brows furrowed. "What do you mean?"

I took a deep breath. "The soul deaths."

Oscar just watched me, waiting to hear what I had to say.

"Now that I think about it, only Carson’s soul death makes sense," I continued. "He fed the Great Evil his blood. He came into direct contact with it. Whatever happened to him... it might be a direct consequence of that."

Oscar didn’t interrupt.

"But the others?" I pressed. "The warriors. Draven. Even Naira - though we still don’t know her involvement. What about them? How did they end up being that Great Evil’s victims? Did it just... attack whoever it came across?"

I gestured faintly. "The two warriors were patrolling. Draven was investigating. Were they simply in the wrong place at the wrong time? And then there’s Naira."

Oscar leaned back slightly, his jaw tightening.

"We talked about this last night," he admitted. "Me, River, and Kieran."

I blinked. "You did?"

He nodded. "But we didn’t come to any solid conclusions."

"That’s not all," I said quickly, my thoughts racing now that they had started. "If the Great Evil escaped the secret chamber after Carson fed it... where did it go?"

Oscar’s expression darkened.

"When we look at the timeline," I continued, "it doesn’t feel random. If we put aside Naira for now, Carson was the first victim. Then months later, the warriors. And nearly a year after that... Draven."

My throat tightened, but I forced myself to continue.

"That suggests the Great Evil didn’t leave the academy immediately. It lingered."

Oscar’s eyes sharpened. 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

"And if it lingered," I said softly, "why?"

Silence stretched between us, heavy and unsettling.

"Could it be because of the wards?" I asked. "Maybe it escaped the chamber, but couldn’t leave the academy grounds. Maybe it’s still trapped within the academy grounds... finding victims to gain strength?"

Oscar inhaled slowly.

"Or maybe," I added, "there’s another reason we haven’t considered yet?"

He was staring at me now, his face growing more serious with every word.

"And if it is still here," I whispered, "how has no one noticed anything unusual?"

The room felt colder.

The weight of what I was suggesting settled heavily between us.

The possibility that the Great Evil wasn’t sealed away, wasn’t dormant, wasn’t gone... but roaming freely within the academy walls... was far more terrifying than anything we had imagined.

Because now it wasn’t contained.

It was desperate.

And its potential victims weren’t just warriors or investigators anymore.

They were students.

The realization hit Oscar hard.

He was on his feet instantly. "I need to talk to River and Kieran. Now."

But before he could take even a single step, I grabbed his hand.

"Oscar-wait."

He looked back at me, startled. "Eva, this isn’t something we can-"

I pulled him back down onto the bed. "Sit. Please."

He hesitated, then sighed and let me guide him back, his body tense with urgency.

"I’m not saying we ignore this," I said quickly. "I don’t want anyone in danger either. But rushing into decisions without certainty could make things worse."

He frowned. "If you are right-"

"If," I emphasized gently.

I shifted closer, meeting his gaze. "Look at the pattern."

He stilled.

"There’s a long gap between each case," I said. "Months. Even nearly a year. Whatever this thing is doing... it’s taking its time."

Oscar exhaled slowly.

"That suggests planning," I continued. "Or limitations."

His expression shifted, thoughtful now rather than panicked.

"And so far," I added, "every victim... except Naira... has been directly connected to the academy."

Oscar nodded slowly.

"That’s why I think we need confirmation before action," I said. "It’s still just a theory. A strong one... but a theory nonetheless."

Silence followed, thick but no longer frantic.

"And there’s something else," I said quietly.

He looked at me.

"We need the witches," I said. "More than ever."

Oscar’s eyes darkened with understanding.

Because if anyone could sense lingering evil, trace its movements, or uncover truths buried beneath wards and secrecy... it was them.

I leaned forward slightly, my voice firm despite the worry coiling in my chest.

"We do this carefully," I said. "For Draven. For the other victims. For the safety of students. And for everyone else."

Oscar reached for my hand, squeezing it gently.

"You are right," he said after a moment. "We don’t rush. We plan."

Relief washed through me, bittersweet and fragile.

Because somewhere within the academy walls, something ancient and dangerous might still be watching.

And we were running out of time... even if it didn’t feel that way yet.