“Put all your worries about the business behind you, dad! Your physical health and emotional well-being should come before anything else. I will go check on the company first thing tomorrow morning.” I promised, squeezing his hand gently.
“But I want to know what happened, Kimberly. Who did this? Who set the Moonstone firm on fire?” His voice was soft but firm.
“Okay, dad, once you’re out of the hospital, we’ll go there together. We’ll figure it out.” I tried to comfort him, brushing his palm lightly. “Things will get better soon, I promise.”
“Thank you, my love.” He smiled faintly before drifting off to sleep again.
I stayed by his side, watching his peaceful face as he slept. Once I was sure he was resting deeply, I slipped out of the room, my heart heavy. The weight of everything was overwhelming-Dad’s health, the business, and the friends we had lost. It was too much for one person to bear. I prayed quietly for strength and for the safe return of Hannah and Louis, wherever they were.
As I sat outside the room, I noticed Luna Catherine approaching from a distance. I stood up to greet her, hoping she would share some information about what the doctor had told her.
The moment she saw me, her eyes narrowed. “What are you still doing here? I thought you’d be gone by now,” she said sharply, her tone cold.
“I stayed to be with my father. He just fell asleep, and I didn’t want to leave him alone,” I replied calmly, trying to keep my emotions in check.
“Well, you can leave now. I’ll stay with him until morning,” she muttered, already turning toward the ward’s entrance.
“I’m sorry, but I can’t leave yet,” I said firmly, causing her to stop in her tracks.
She spun around, glaring at me. “What did you just say? Why can’t you leave?”
“I need to stay with him. I’ll be sleeping here to make sure he’s cared for through the night,” I answered, matching her intensity.
I don’t know where I found the courage to stand up to her like that, but something inside me snapped. I couldn’t trust her, not after all the strange behavior she had been exhibiting. She was hiding something, I could feel it.
Before she could respond, an alarm blared from inside my father’s room. Panic shot through me, and we both ran toward the door. The doctor and nurses rushed in at the same time, all of us converging at the entrance.
“What’s going on?” Luna Catherine barked at the security guard inside the room.
“I’m not sure, ma’am! Alpha Darwin just jolted up on the bed. I hit the alarm right away!” The guard was out of breath, his face pale with fear.
“Everyone, please leave the room. We need to examine him immediately, no interruptions,” the doctor ordered. We all stepped outside, watching anxiously through the glass window.
I prayed silently, my eyes fixed on my father’s still form. His condition seemed to have worsened, his face paler than before.
After what felt like an eternity, I turned to Luna Catherine. “What did the doctor say about his health?” I asked, my voice trembling.
“Why would you ask such a foolish question now?” she snapped, not even looking at me.
“Because I need to know what’s wrong with my dad! He was fine earlier, and now this. I need to understand what’s happening!” I let the words spill out, not caring if she got angry.
“I don’t owe you any explanations!” she shot back, her eyes cold. “If you want answers, go ask the doctor yourself.”
“But I have a right to know! I’m his daughter-”
“Enough!” she cut me off. “Go ask the doctor and get out of my sight!” She spat the words, glaring at me.
Stunned, I stepped away. After what felt like an agonizing wait, the doctor finally emerged from the room.
“I’m afraid I have some bad news,” he began solemnly. “Alpha Darwin has slipped into a coma.”
His words hit me like a ton of bricks. Everything around me seemed to slow down. A coma? How was that possible? We had just spoken not long ago, and he had seemed fine. My mind couldn’t process it.
“When will he wake up?” Luna Catherine asked, her voice eerily calm, showing no sign of emotion.
I glanced at her, bewildered. How could she be so indifferent? This was her husband, the Alpha of our pack, and she seemed completely unfazed.
“It’s hard to say,” the doctor replied, his tone somber. “We’ll just have to hope for the best.”
“Thank you, doctor. We appreciate your efforts,” Luna Catherine said, dismissing him without a second thought.
As the doctor left, I turned back to the room, my heart heavy with worry. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Luna Catherine exchange a look with the security guard-a look I couldn’t quite place. Then, to my shock, I saw her wink at him.
A chill ran down my spine. What was going on between them? What were they hiding?
Suddenly, my legs felt weak, and I struggled to make sense of what I had just witnessed. Something was terribly wrong, and I was determined to find out the truth, no matter what it took.
—
“Who’s saying those words?” Hannah whispered, her voice barely above a breath.
There was no response, only silence hanging heavy in the air. Hannah and Louis stood frozen, their eyes wide, waiting for the voice to continue. They didn’t dare move or speak, only listening intently.
“Do you hear that?” Louis asked, his voice shaky.
“Shh, don’t talk,” Hannah whispered back, turning her head slowly towards the direction she thought the voice had come from. Her eyes darted around the room, scanning every shadow, every corner, but there was nothing. No one.
They had been stuck in this room for what felt like an eternity, searching for answers that never came. Every clue they had chased led to more questions, and now this disembodied voice was making them even more uneasy.
Hannah took a deep breath and tried to focus. “There’s gotta be someone here,” she said under her breath, her eyes narrowing. “Someone’s watching us.”
Louis followed her gaze, his heart racing. “How do you know?” he asked.
She pointed towards the ceiling, her eyes fixed on a tiny black dot. “There,” she said. “Look, it’s a camera. Someone’s been watching us this whole time.”
Louis squinted up at the camera, his face pale. “But who?”
Before either of them could say another word, the voice returned. This time, it was louder, clearer. “As you both can see, I’m the one who saved you from where you should’ve been dead by now.”
“What?” Louis gasped, spinning towards Hannah. “Did you hear that? It’s him… it’s the person who helped us escape!”
Hannah’s heart skipped a beat. She glanced at the camera, her mind racing. “He’s the one?” she muttered, astonished. “I never imagined it would be a man…”
She took a step closer to the camera and looked directly into it. “Thank you for helping us,” she said earnestly. “We don’t know how to repay you, but we’re grateful for everything you’ve done.”
As Hannah spoke, Steve, who was watching them through the monitor, furrowed his brow. *What are they talking about?* he thought, baffled. *I didn’t try to hide my identity when Shane’s team saved them.*
Steve almost laughed at how wrong they were, but his worry over Shane kept him from smiling. He leaned back in his chair, tapping his fingers on the table.
“You’re not out of danger yet,” Steve said suddenly, his voice echoing through the room. “Listen closely. I’m conducting an experiment tomorrow. You’ll both be part of it, and I need your full cooperation.”
“What kind of experiment?” Louis asked, his voice shaking. He and Hannah exchanged anxious looks, fear creeping into their expressions.
“I need blood samples,” Steve said, his voice calm but firm. “It’s crucial for my research. I’m giving you a heads-up so there won’t be any surprises.”
“Blood samples?” Hannah’s voice rose, her eyes widening in disbelief. “Why would you need our blood for some experiment? What are you really planning?”
Louis stepped forward, glaring at the camera. “This sounds like something dangerous. Why should we trust you?”
Steve sighed heavily. “I’m trying to be reasonable. Whether you like it or not, the experiment will happen. You might as well cooperate.”
“We won’t!” Hannah shouted, her fists clenched. “You have no right to do this! Our blood is rare, and we won’t let you play with our lives like that.”
“Exactly,” Louis added, his voice firm. “You won’t get anything from us. We’re not some lab rats for you to experiment on.”
Steve’s voice remained cold, even as their defiance fueled his frustration. “Your rare blood is precisely why this is important,” he said slowly, his patience wearing thin. “I’m offering you a fortune in return. Think about it. Money like this could change your lives forever.”
Hannah’s anger boiled over. “You can take your money and rot in hell,” she spat. “We’re not selling our blood. Not now, not ever.”
“Fine,” Steve snapped, his calm demeanor slipping. “If that’s how you want to play this, I won’t force you… yet. Get them out of here!” he barked.
The door flew open, and two guards rushed in, grabbing Hannah and Louis by the arms. They struggled, but the guards were too strong. As they were dragged out of the room, Steve turned off the monitor and ripped out the cables.
“These ungrateful fools!” Steve muttered, throwing the remote control across the room in frustration. His eyes were dark with rage, his mind now set on a different course of action. He reached for his phone and dialed a number, his fingers trembling with anger.
“Thomas,” Steve growled when the call connected. “How close are you to finding Shane?”
“We’ve got a lead,” Thomas replied, his voice calm despite Steve’s tone. “We’ve tracked down a possible location. It’s near the abandoned estate, and there’s an underground bunker we think he might be in.”
Steve’s eyes widened. “A bunker? How did you find out about this?”
“A hunter tipped us off,” Thomas explained. “He said he’s seen someone going in and out, always in disguise. We think it’s worth checking out.”
Steve’s mind raced. Something about this felt wrong. “Thomas, don’t rush in,” he warned. “This could be a trap. Make sure you’re cautious.”
Thomas hesitated, considering Steve’s words. “Understood, boss. I’ll be careful.”
“Good,” Steve said, his voice low. “Where’s this hunter now?”
“He disappeared shortly after giving us the information,” Thomas replied, scanning the area.
Steve’s gut twisted. “Find him,” he ordered. “I want to know who he is and what he’s really after.”
“Got it, boss,” Thomas said. “I’ll update you soon.”
The line went dead, and Steve sat back, his mind spinning with questions. He couldn’t shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong.
Meanwhile, Thomas gathered his men and shared Steve’s instructions. They nodded in agreement and began searching the area. As the sun set, they spotted a barn in the distance, its silhouette stark against the fading light.
“Check the barn,” Thomas ordered two of his men.
The men ran towards it, flashlights in hand, and disappeared inside. Moments later, they came sprinting back, their faces pale with fear.
“There’s a bomb in there!” one of them yelled.
Without a second thought, everyone scattered, running for their lives. But before they could get far, the bomb exploded, lighting up the night sky with a deafening roar…