By the time I passed out from exhaustion, I had lost track of how long Kael had continued. My body, overcome with fatigue, left no room for thought. For once, I didn’t have to think about anything. Kael held me in his arms, and I slept deeply, dreamlessly, feeling utterly at peace.
The next morning, when I woke up, Kael was already up. He had prepared breakfast. Seeing me awake, he said, “Go freshen up and have some breakfast.”
I nodded, washed up, and sat down to eat. Thankfully, I didn’t have any classes that morning, so I could take it easy. However, I noticed a faint trace of weariness in Kael’s expression. Concerned, I asked, “What’s wrong? Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” he replied.
“You look like you didn’t sleep at all last night.”
“Well, you’re right,” he admitted. “I didn’t sleep much. But for us werewolves, missing a night of sleep isn’t a big deal.”
I nodded again, quietly eating the croissant and sipping the coffee he had prepared. Suddenly, my thoughts drifted to Magnus.
“Do you dislike Magnus?” I asked. “I heard he resigned from his job.”
“He likes you. Of course, I dislike him. You know how it is-men always hate their rivals.”
I couldn’t help but shake my head at his words. “But there was no need to make him lose his job. Weren’t you trying to see if he had any connections with that bad guy? Wouldn’t it have been easier to monitor him if he stayed at the Eagle Club?”
“You’ve misunderstood me, Seraphina,” Kael said firmly. “I didn’t do anything to Magnus, and I certainly didn’t force him to quit.”
“I know he left on his own,” I said with a sigh. “But it was because your attitude toward him made him feel unwelcome. That’s why he left.”
Magnus was a sensitive person-so sensitive that he must have understood his situation. He likely chose to leave because he couldn’t bear the subtle hostility directed at him. Sensitive people are often like that.
Kael noticed my displeasure, and his expression grew colder. “Are you blaming me, Seraphina? I can’t pretend to be friendly to my rival. I’m a man, and I have my pride.”
There was a hint of grievance in his tone.
“I understand,” I said, my thoughts returning to the time Magnus had kissed me. Thankfully, Kael didn’t know about that. If he did, given his personality, he might have killed Magnus.
“So, have you and the others found any new leads on Magnus?” I asked, steering the conversation in a different direction. I couldn’t stand the way Kael’s wounded expression made me feel like the villain.
“No,” Kael said with a shake of his head. “What’s strange is that the person we’ve been tracking hasn’t resurfaced recently. Aside from giving Lucian and another man a vial of that potion, there hasn’t been any movement.”
“Why would that be?” I asked, puzzled.
“I’m not sure. Maybe they’re just using them as test subjects for now. They might want to see if the potion works before producing more. If it doesn’t, they can abandon the experiment without much loss.”
“That person must be incredibly clever,” I said, impressed. “They’re probably smarter than most humans.”
Kael let out a cold laugh. “Exactly. And considering how advanced their skills are, I suspect they might be a doctor.”
“A doctor?” I echoed, surprised. “You think that’s their profession?”
“I’m not sure,” Kael admitted. “They could also be a biologist or a chemist. And I wouldn’t rule out the involvement of a witch.” His brows furrowed deeply. “If that’s the case, things could get very complicated.”
“Can’t you narrow it down based on these professions?”
“Of course. If they know how to concoct potions, they’re definitely an expert in that field. Which makes me wonder-could it be Magnus?”
The moment he said that, a chill ran down my spine. Goosebumps prickled my skin as an icy feeling crept through my chest.
“That’s impossible,” I said quickly. “Magnus seems completely normal. If he were a werewolf, you’d have discovered it by now.”
“You’re probably right,” Kael conceded. “He’s worked at the Eagle Club for so long and has never shown any signs. But we can’t rule out the possibility that he’s helping werewolves.”
I drew in a sharp breath. It wasn’t an impossible scenario. Magnus had always admired werewolves. He seemed to long for their abilities. If a werewolf approached him for help, he might actually agree.
“But Magnus is a clinical med student, not a pharmacist,” I pointed out. “Medicine has many branches, and his field is hands-on.”
“Exactly,” Kael said. “That’s why I haven’t detained him or interrogated him. He seems uninvolved, but we still need to investigate further in the town.”
“I agree,” I said. I noticed the faint dark circles under Kael’s eyes. He had been pushing himself too hard lately. Between protecting me, fighting off threats, and investigating the werewolves, he was carrying the heaviest burden.
“Why don’t you ask your father to send more people to help you?” I suggested.
“No need,” Kael said, shaking his head. “If my father found out I couldn’t handle something this small, he’d mock me.”
I couldn’t imagine what kind of environment Kael had grown up in. My own parents, though not wealthy, had always been kind and supportive. Whenever I faced trouble, they encouraged me rather than ridiculed me.
“Your mother passed away when you were young, didn’t she?” I asked gently.
“Yes,” Kael said. “You can’t imagine how hard it is for a child to lose their childhood and grow up under constant training.”
I couldn’t stop myself from walking over and wrapping my arms around him. “You’ve been through so much.”
“To be honest, these college years have been the happiest time of my life,” Kael said with a soft smile. “Especially after meeting you, Seraphina. At first, I resented my father for sending me to this small town. I preferred living in the wilderness. But now, I’m grateful. If not for that, I wouldn’t have met you.”