CHAPTER 180: ANOTHER LIE?

"The doctor is yet to say what it really is. He does not know for sure, but he noticed that Kael has the same rare gene Evan had."

"Wait, I don’t understand. You mean Kael could be that thing Evan was, or they are related... maybe cousins?" Stales asked, his voice heavy with confusion. He turned to his Alpha, waiting for him to make sense of it.

Taros stepped forward. "This is what is happening. Dr. Dylan is creating werewolves. We don’t know how or why, but he is doing it. Evan first registered as a human. Maybe he was injected too, and then he changed into a werewolf, but he was not like us. Kael’s cells are changing and his genes show something else. That’s what the results say."

"They also behaved different from us," Hiro added with worry. "We will need to keep Kael in a safe place as soon as the changes begin."

Angela’s hands flew to her mouth. The words struck her like a blow. She looked at Kael, who sat quietly as if nothing was wrong, but she could feel the weight of his pain. Her tears fell before she could stop them. "Is there anything we can do? How can we stop this?"

"We don’t know yet. He is using science, and we have no idea what he used," Kaito said, his arms folded tightly across his chest, a deep line forming on his forehead. "We will need help. I don’t trust Principal Valois, but Renn does. Should we tell her, or should we deal with this alone?"

"We must know where she stands first. Whether she is with us or against us. We can’t risk it," Renn said firmly.

Taros let out a tired sigh. "I will try to find a way to help Kael. I will work closely with Dr. Dave. But we need to know what ingredients Dr. Dylan used."

"We could check his house. He might have left something there," Samuel suggested. He was clearly referring to Mr. Slade who they thought was Dr. Dylan.

"I doubt it. Maybe his office is better," Alex said as he sat down near Taros. "Why don’t we go to his hospital in disguise?"

Some began to nod, but Kaito’s voice cut through, sharp and unyielding. "No. I’m sorry, but no one is going there. It’s too dangerous. For now, we can’t go near his hospital. We will find another way to save Kael. Taros will work on it."

"I agree with Kaito," Hiro said, stepping to his side. "What happened last night must not happen again. The deeper we dig, the more we tell our enemies that Angela is here, and they will come for her."

"Yes, that’s the danger," Kaito added. "And we risk the lives of the innocent too. What did you find in your search with the Malynsters?"

"We found out that the crescent moon mark belongs to the Malynster bloodline," Hiro explained, his voice carrying the weight of the truth. "Marcus is Angela’s father. He has been searching for her for many years. We still don’t know if he is a good man or not."

"Do you want to be reunited with your family?" Kaito asked, his eyes fixed on her. Angela shook her head. He leaned closer. "Are you certain? You can still think about it. There is time."

"I am sure," Angela said with firmness, though her heart pounded so hard she could hear it in her ears. She had longed to meet her father for so many years, dreamed of what it would be like. But now that the moment had come, she did not want him anymore. Her voice broke as she said, "I want to close that door."

Taros was taken aback. He stepped toward her, his tone softer now. "That is a heavy choice, Angela. Why don’t you give it another thought?"

She lifted her chin, holding back the storm of emotions inside her. "No, Taros. I have already made up my mind." A small smile curved her lips, fragile but steady, as if to show she was at peace with her decision.

"You can still think about it," Kaito pressed, unwilling to let go.

Renn started to speak, his words raw with memory. "It’s fine. You saw how her mother was—" but Kaito coughed sharply, stopping him from saying more.

Angela’s eyes darted around the circle, fear rising in her chest. "What happened to my mother?" she asked, her voice trembling as her gaze moved from one face to the other.

"Nothing serious," Kaito said quickly. "We met her last night, but Renn will talk to you about it later. For now, the matter of Marcus is settled. Let him keep searching, and if he does find you, then let him come. We will be ready for him."

Angela’s throat tightened and her eyes filled once again. "Thank you," she whispered, the tears slipping free.

"What about the matter with Mr. Slade? Are we breaking inti his office?" Alex broke in, his brows drawing together. "We can’t just forget about that man. He should have a lead."

"Did anyone speak to him? Or learn anything useful?" Kaito asked, his question open to the room. Angela’s chest clenched so tight she could hardly breathe. Her heart hammered against her ribs, so hard she thought it would burst out.

She wanted to say yes, to confess, but she could not. She would not endanger them. Mr. Slade had warned her in no uncertain terms not to tell anyone about their meeting.

"Cut to the chase, Kaito," Hiro said, his eyes suddenly sharp as they locked on Angela. "Why didn’t you tell us that you met him this morning and that he invited you somewhere?"

Angela froze, the blood draining from her face. His words crashed into her like stones. How could they possibly know? She had told no one. The boys had promised not to listen to her thoughts. Could they have broken that promise?