<h4>Chapter 655: It Worked</h4>


    <strong>Evaline:</strong>


    The moment the gates began to open, something inside me shifted.


    It wasn’t fear. It wasn’t relief either. It was...


    Him.


    The bond between us stirred first. It was a warm, sudden flutter deep in my chest that spread outward like wildfire, wrapping around my senses before I even saw him.


    Oscar.


    My breath caught as I realized who it was, and then... there he was... stepping out through the narrow opening of the gates, his tall frame instantly recognizable even in the dim light.


    Snow crunched beneath his boots as he walked straight toward me, his gaze already locked onto mine like nothing else in the world existed.


    I didn’t think. Didn’t hesitate. I ran.


    "Oscar!"


    The cold air burned my lungs, but I didn’t slow down... not until I reached him and grabbed onto his arms. My hands were already moving over him instinctively - checking, searching.


    "Are you alright? Did anything happen? Are you hurt-"


    "Eva-"


    I didn’t stop.


    My fingers moved over his chest, his shoulders, his arms, my eyes scanning him frantically.


    But before he could even finish answering... I let the familiar warmth of my power check on him. It surged quietly beneath my skin, brushing against him, flowing through him... and finding nothing wrong.


    There was no injury, not even a scratch. And most importantly, there was no presence of that unsettling dark energy that belonged to the Great Evil.


    My breath hitched as relief flooded through me so fast it made me dizzy.


    "You are fine..." I whispered, more to myself than to him.


    "I told you." He said, brushing a strand of hair away from my face.


    Now that I was no longer worrying about him, I finally noticed the silence that had taken over. The stillness around us.


    And I was suddenly aware of the presence of the four warriors.


    My cheeks warmed slightly as awareness returned, and I took a small step back, intending to put some distance between us.


    But I barely made it half a step when Oscar’s hand shot out and wrapped firmly around my waist, and the next second... I was pulled right back against him.


    A soft gasp escaped me as his arms wrapped around me, holding me close... too close for public space, too close for watching eyes.


    "Oscar-" I started under my breath.


    "They are mine," he said simply.


    I blinked.


    "What?"


    "The warriors."


    His voice was calm, but there was something deeper beneath it. Something instinctive.


    Possessive.


    "They are under my directmand. They are loyal to me."


    I nced over his shoulder, and almost froze as I found all four of the warriors standing with their backs to us.


    They were fully turned away, their gazes fixed somewhere deep into the dark woods surrounding the academy as if they had suddenly found the night far more interesting than their Alpha and his student.


    Heat rushed to my face instantly.


    "Oh."


    Oscar’s arms tightened around me again, like he had no intention of letting me go anytime soon.


    And the truth was... I didn’t want him to. Not even a little.


    It had only been three days since he marked me.


    Three days since that bond between us had settled into something real... something alive.


    And right now, it felt like every part of me was drawn to him. Like being even a few feet away had been wrong, unnatural.


    My fingers curled into his shirt as I leaned into him without thinking, my cheek brushing against his chest.


    He exhaled slowly above me, then let his chin rest lightly against my head before he murmured, "You should have stayed closer."


    A soft huff escaped me.


    "I wasn’t the one who left."


    "I didn’t have a choice."


    "Neither did I."


    Silence settled between us. Then his hand slid up my back, fingers threading gently into my hair.


    "I didn’t like it," he admitted quietly.


    The honesty in his voice made my chest tighten, and I whispered, "Me neither."


    His grip tightened again, just slightly, like he was reassuring himself I was really here. That I was okay. That I was his.


    And somehow... that feeling went both ways.


    I pulled back just enough to look up at him. "How did it go?" I asked softly.


    His expression shifted and then he calmly spoke the words - "It worked."


    I blinked.


    "What?"


    "The n."


    My heart skipped. "The Great Evil-"


    "Is sealed," he confirmed. "And poisoned."


    For a moment, I just stared at him. The words didn’t register or settle right away, they took their time.


    Then I turned slightly and my gazended on Rowan who had already stepped closer.


    His expression mirrored mine. He looked just as stunned and in disbelief as I was.


    I looked back at Oscar and asked just to make sure I hadn’t misheard. "You are serious?"


    A small smile touched his lips. He nodded, "Elder Penn’s n worked. The witches sealed it... and the poison is already taking effect."


    Something inside me broke free.


    A breath I didn’t realize I had been holding for hours... maybe days... finally left my lungs. And I felt overwhelming relief washing over me.


    My shoulders sagged slightly as the weight lifted. "It’s... done?" I whispered.


    "For now," he said gently.


    That was enough.


    It had to be.


    A small smile slowly formed on my lips, my eyes stinging faintly as the reality sank in.


    There would be no more new victims, no more souls being taken, no more... at least for now.


    Oscar’s thumb brushed lightly against my cheek as he spoke, "You don’t have to worry about that anymore."


    I nodded slowly. But before I could say anything else... his expression shifted again. It was subtle, but still serious enough for me to notice.


    "But there’s still someone you should be worrying about," he said.


    "What?" Confusion flickered through me as I searched his face. "What do you mean?"


    He didn’t answer. Instead, he lifted his gaze past me and looked toward the gates.


    A strange chill ran down my spine.


    Slowly, I turned.


    The gates were still open.


    And just as I looked, another figure stepped through.


    My breath caught in shock as I recognized that face... but he shouldn’t be here.


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