CHAPTER 99: FIND THE VESSEL

Eleanor’s POV

My eyes fluttered open, and every muscle in my body screamed in protest. It felt like I’d been run over by a truck, then forced to run a marathon. A sharp, burning pain on my wrists and ankles made me wince.

I looked down. Silver restraints. My heart stuttered.

How long had I been out? What happened?

A voice, thick with relief, cut through the fog. "Eleanor? Are you... are you back to normal?"

Normal? The word felt foreign. Then it all rushed back—Dr. Chloe, the vial, the cool liquid sliding down my throat.

The tidal wave of primal bloodlust so overwhelming that Beatrice had taken the wheel completely. I had lost all control.

I pushed myself up onto my elbows, my gaze at Mira who stood a few feet away. "Did I hurt you?" The question was a desperate, fearful whisper. "What happened? When I wasn’t... me?"

The fact that I was in restraints answered part of it. I had gone too far. But Mira’s clothes showed no signs of chaos. That had to mean something, right? I needed to hear it.

Mira’s expression was a mix of exhaustion and sympathy. "You weren’t yourself at all, Ellie. It was... intense."

A wave of shame and guilt washed over me. "I’m so sorry," I choked out, tears pricking at the corners of my eyes. "I didn’t know how to control it. It was so... overwhelming. It just took over."

"I know," Mira said softly, moving forward and beginning to work on the silver cuffs. "It’s understandable. You weren’t raised with this. You weren’t trained from a young age to manage these primal urges. It’s like being thrown into the deep end during a hurricane."

The restraints clicked open, first my ankles, then my wrists. I brought my hands to my chest, rubbing at the angry red marks circling my skin. As I watched, the red began to fade, the searing pain receding to a dull, throbbing ache. A physical reminder of the monster I housed, and the friends who had to chain it down.

"And you’re not going to be an expert at this on your first try, Elie. No one is. I actually understand why Dr. Chloe did this, as harsh as it was."

She helped me to my feet, my legs still shaky, and guided me to sit on the nearby couch.

"Most people who want to get rid of a supernatural creature don’t use weapons," Mira explained, her voice low and serious. "They find ways to make you lose control. If you lose control in public, you’ll be arrested, experimented on, or worse. I’ve lost count of how many supernaturals have been ’spiked’ with something that triggers their worst instincts, and they end up dead because of it. That’s why this control is so vital. You have to learn to master your wolf, no matter what."

I sank into the cushions, wrapping my arms around myself. "I’m scared, Mira," I whispered. "I’m scared that one day, my real family will find me. That they’ll... turn me into what they are. I didn’t ask for this. I wish I’d never found out I was a werewolf."

Ouch, Beatrice murmured in the back of my mind, a faint pulse of hurt.

Mira sat beside me, her presence a steady anchor. "There’s a reason this is happening now, Eleanor. Why your life changed so drastically. One day, you might understand that reason, and you’ll see if it was for good or for the worst. But for now?" She placed a hand on my shoulder. "All you can do is live. Reach your potential. And finally, figure out what you want out of your life."

Her words were a balm, soothing the raw edges of my fear. "Thanks, Mira," I said, my voice a little stronger.

Just then, we heard footsteps. Roxy and Dr. Chloe walked back into the room. Chloe’s sharp eyes immediately landed on me.

"How are you feeling?" she asked, her tone clinical, but not unkind.

"I feel like my insides have been put through a blender," I admitted, my voice raspy. "But that doesn’t change what I want." I looked directly at Dr. Chloe, forcing strength into my tone. "I want to be in control. Of my body, my emotions, my mind. No matter what situation I’m in. So, I’ll accept it. All of it. Your harsh training, whatever it takes. Not just because the world will be harsh on me if I’m weak, but because... the person I used to be would be impressed by how far I’m willing to go."

Dr. Chloe studied me for a long moment, then gave a single, approving nod. "That’s a touching and remarkably sensible remark."

In the next heartbeat, the tingling sensation returned, and the lair vanished. We were back in her cozy, normal-looking living room.

"That’s the end of our tutorial for today," she announced. "I’ll schedule future appointments around my availability and yours. I assume being a racer keeps you quite busy."

After a round of thanks and exchanging numbers, we finally stepped out of the house. The sun was setting, painting the sky in shades of orange and purple. We climbed back into Roxy’s car and pulled away from the quiet neighborhood.

Mira broke the comfortable silence. "Roxy, you’re quiet. Everything okay?"

Roxy’s eyes stayed on the road. "It’s nothing. Just thinking."

"About?"

"About maybe getting Dr. Chloe to train me, too."

Mira blinked. "But... you don’t have powers."

Roxy shrugged, a sharp, efficient movement. "She has the qualifications to train me in other aspects. Everyone has something that needs sharpening."

"Oh really? And what, pray tell, does the great Roxy still need to improve? I thought you were the one who constantly claims to be the pinnacle of perfection."

Roxy didn’t miss a beat, her gaze fixed on the road ahead. "I am. But perfection has no limit. There’s always a higher peak to climb. It would be a shame to get complacent."

I just sank back into my seat. The lingering ache in my body and the memory of the silver restraints were still fresh, but listening to their familiar bickering was a strange comfort. I closed my eyes, letting their playful argument about who was more capable and why wash over me, a soothing soundtrack on the drive home.

****

NARRATOR’S POV

The grand library inside the enchanted museum was silent, its vastness broken only by the soft, enchanted glow emanating from the roped-off exhibit.

A woman stood before the barrier, a statuesque figure of supreme authority. Her long, silver-white hair cascaded down the back of her impeccably tailored corporate gown, a stark contrast to the ancient artifacts displayed behind the glass.

Her focus was absolute, centered not on the collection as a whole, but on one piece in particular: a black crown.

"You are sure of what you saw?" Her voice was cool, devoid of emotion, yet it carried an undeniable weight.

The librarian, a nervous man who had been hovering a respectful distance behind her, finally dared to step closer. "Yes ma’am. I am very sure of it" he whispered, his voice trembling. "I felt the aura coming from it. It’s as if it’s waking from a long slumber."

Her eyes remained fixed on the crown, a living entity whose true nature was a secret known only to her and the lineage she represented.

A flicker of contempt crossed her perfectly composed features. "Such an insult," she murmured, more to herself than to him. "To display it here, like a common trinket. A joke for the masses."

The librarian wisely remained silent, bowing his head, the fear of punishment a palpable force in the air between them.

The woman’s lips curved into a thin, calculated smile. "But it is of no consequence. The crown stirs because its vessel is awakening. She is growing stronger, her power blossoming, whether she wishes it or not."

She finally turned her head, her gaze sweeping over the librarian, making him flinch. "Every surge of her energy, every step she takes toward her birthright, is a beacon. It makes finding her a simple matter of time."

She looked back at the crown, her expression one of cold, possessive triumph. "She has had twenty-six years of freedom. A borrowed life. But it is over now. Her life never truly belonged to her. She was born to rule, and I will ensure she fulfills that destiny."