Copse and Resolve

    “Are we really going to give up?” Samuel murmured, pressing a hand to his throbbing forehead. bThe /bnonstop, high–intensity work was finally breaking even him.

    “Take an hour to rest. I’ll keep watch,” Tessa said, giving him a light shove. “We’ll hold out in shifts. bBetter /bthan both of us dropping.”

    Samuel wanted to argue, but her eyes stopped him cold.

    She was right, and he knew it. So he stood. “I’ll relieve you in an hour.”

    Tessay down on the makeshift hospital sofa almost instantly.

    and fell asleep

    But not even an hourter, she jolted a deep sense of dread gripping her.

    She bolted to theb.

    pounding,

    The moment she opened the door, her pupils shrank in horror–Samuel had copsed beside the workstation, his face tinged with the sickly gray–blue hue unique to virus infection.

    “Samuel!” Tessa ran to catch him, her voice trembling.

    Even an S+ level werewolf medic had fallen. This virus was far more aggressive than they’d ever imagined.

    Samuel forced his eyes open, weakly pushing her away. “Stay back… I’m infected… Don’t touch me.”

    His voice was faint. Though his healing ability was leagues above other werewolves, it wasn’t enough ito /istop the virus from invading.

    Tessa snatched up his phone. “Get Dr. Samuel to the istion unit–maximum containment!”

    As he was wheeled away, a group of doctors surrounded her, faces pale as death.

    “Ms. Tessa… if even Dr. Samuel’s infected… is there really anything we can do against this virus?”

    Samuel had been their anchor. Now that he’d fallen, panic rippled through the team.

    “You’re giving up just because you’re scared?” Tessa’s re swept across them like shards of ice. “You’re going to sit back and watch this virus destroy Montedra’s gic future? You think that white coat you wear is for

    show?b” /b

    The doctors lowered their heads in shame, none to speak again.

    Outside, the council’s defense squads stood guard. No one was allowed in or out. They couldn’t run even if they wanted to. But staying meant risking infection.

    “I’ll stay with you.” One woman stepped forward. Her nametag read “Rosa.” “I’ll be your assistant.”

    She shot a scornful nce at the others–backing out now was a disgrace to everything their profession stood for.

    “Good.” Tessa nodded and turned back into theb.

    Rosa followed closely, moving efficiently through the prep work. Every task Tessa assigned was handled with precision, saving time and energy.

    10:29 Sat 2 Aug

    Chapter b573 /bCopse and Resolve

    Eventually, bTessa /blifted her head from the microscope. Her

    “I’ve extracted the pathogen.”

    cyes gleamed.

    Rosa’s heart skipped. She stared at the writhing gic strand under the lens in awe. “That’s incredible. The gene sequence is insanelyplex. I studied it for three days and couldn’t figure it out.”

    “Just borrowed from what I had,” Tessa said calmly, fingers flying over the keyboard. “Samuel had a bwerewolf /bgenome map in his notes. I used it to find a weak point.”

    What she didn’t mention was that she’d spent hours tranting those advanced medical terms while

    running experiments in real–time–tearing through that wall with sheer grit.

    Rosa watched Tessa’s focused profile and finally understood why Samuel had trusted her so deeply.

    This first–year med student carried aposure and resilience far beyond her age. No matter how bheavy /bthe sky got, she could stand under it and hold it up by sheer force of will.

    estate.

    While Tessa was piecing together the cure with blood and willpower, chaos had broken out iat /ithe Sinir

    Yardley stormed toward Walter’s bedroom with L, Winona, and awyer in tow.

    The head of the security detail stepped in front of the door. “Apologies. Before leaving, the Alpha gave strict orders–no one enters without his permission.”

    422

    “What the hell do you mean?” Yardley’s voice rose. “This is the Sinir home! That’s my father in there! Landon might be the Alpha King, but he has no right to interfere in family matters!”

    The guard stared him down coldly. “If you’ve got the guts, take it up with the Alpha. But right now, you either walk away–or don’t me us if things get ugly.”

    The mèn Nathaniel sent were Nightshade Pack’s, elite. They weren’t about to back down ito /ia bunch of opportunists.

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