Raizel stepped out of the freezing lab, blinking as the lights buzzed overhead. He spotted Dr. Lida standing nearby, looking one bad scare away from passing out. Sweat beaded on her forehead, her face pale as if she had just experienced a nightmare—which, in fairness, she absolutely had.
He approached her with the casual air of someone who definitely did not just reduce a grown man(Lycan) to a pile of meat paste.
"Thank you for your help, Dr. Lida," Raizel said calmly.
She nodded quickly. The kind of nod that said: Please don't kill me, I like breathing.
Raizel tilted his head slightly. She was scared, of course. But what was interesting was that her fear wasn't just about the violence. No—she was shaken to her core. Probably realizing that the people she once thought human weren't human at all. That the monsters didn't just lurk in the dark—they walked, talked, and ran research labs.
Not his problem, though.
He inhaled softly, then spoke again.
"Come with me."
Lida flinched. The words hit differently coming from him—partially because no sane person would refuse, but mostly because she still wasn't convinced he wouldn't just drag her along regardless.
She was paralyzed in uncertainty. Raizel could already see the debate raging in her head—which version of a nightmare was worse?
Him? Or the things she once thought she understood?
Raizel sighed, deciding to throw her a tiny lifeline of an explanation.
"Dr. Lida, most people don't realize this, but the world is run by monsters," he said, his voice calm, almost gentle. "Humans depend on them, whether they know it or not. And after what happened here…" His crimson eyes flickered. "You won't be able to stay hidden for long."
Lida's hands clenched.
"If you want to live, I'm your only choice. Come with me," he said, his tone final. "At least then, you can be useful—and deal with the child you looked after."
Raizel watched as understanding settled in her expression.
Ah. That did it.
Now, she wasn't just a terrified doctor—she was a terrified doctor who saw the logic in surrender.
Raizel didn't need anything else from her—just that single moment of realization. She belonged to him now, whether she knew it or not.
Without waiting for an answer, he turned and walked away. "I guess you made your choice."
At that moment Selene and Michael emerged from their chambers, finally deciding to join Raizel.
Raizel didn't need to turn around to sense the hostility radiating off Selene. She hid it well, of course. But he knew.
Lida, meanwhile, had just added two more nightmare creatures to her 'things I regret knowing exist' list. Her response?
To subtly shuffle closer to Raizel—because apparently, he was now the lesser evil in her mind.
That was hilarious.
Michael and Selene didn't react to her at all. They had bigger problems—namely, figuring out what the hell was going on and why they were following this guy instead of getting away from here.
Not that they had a choice.
.....
The hallway of horrors greeted them as they followed Raizel outside.
Blood.
Not just blood—carnage.
The aftermath of an absolute massacre. Lycans and humans alike painted the floors, walls, and ceiling in creative new shades of red. The scent of death was overwhelming, but Raizel? He barely even noticed.
Selene, who had seen centuries of war, paused. Even she wasn't immune to this level of madness.
Michael stiffened, his instincts flaring.
Lida?
Yeah. She lost the fight against her stomach.
Raizel sighed and generously gave her a whole second to recover before walking forward again.
.....
They reached the ground floor, where a familiar figure was waiting for them.
Frankenstein.
The man of contradictions.
He had changed into a pristine suit—a freshly pressed, blood-free suit—as if he hadn't just painted the entire building in entrails.
Raizel stared at him.
And sighed.
Because just minutes ago, Frankenstein had been a goddamn lunatic, bathing in gore like an artist in the middle of a particularly violent masterpiece.
Now?
Now he was a butler again. Immaculate. Composed. The world's deadliest multi-tasker.
Honestly, at this point, Raizel wasn't sure which version of Frankenstein was weirder.
As soon as Raizel arrived, Frankenstein bowed with all the elegance of someone who absolutely did not just commit serial murder five minutes ago.
"Master, I have done as you asked," he said with his iconic smile.
Raizel nodded, trusting that Frankenstein had handled the evidence cleanup.
But then Frankenstein's gaze flickered behind Raizel—to where Selene and Michael stood, watching.
And now they were the ones confused.
Why the hell was a human serving Raizel?
Unbeknownst to them, from the top floor to the ground floor, the scenes of destruction they had witnessed had all been Frankenstein's personal work of art.
One person—one single person—had done all of that.
Lida, who had actually seen Frankenstein in action, couldn't stop herself from murmuring a single word under her breath.
"…Monster."
She quickly bowed her head, praying no one had heard her.
Selene and Michael? They weren't that concerned about Frankenstein.
No, what concerned them was Raizel.
Because Raizel could end them with a thought.
And yet, paradoxically, he had also saved them.
Could they trust him? Or was this just another trap?
They didn't know.
So, they didn't let their guard down.
And then, out of nowhere, Raizel spoke. "Does she have a name?"
Lida startled, torn from her thoughts as they approached the black car. She had been too busy scanning her surroundings, her mind elsewhere.
"Huh? She doesn't…" That was all she could say.
Even though others treated the hybrid child as a monster, Lida had been different. And yet… she had never given her a name. Never once thought of her as a person—not really. Somewhere deep down, that realization made her hesitate.
Raizel was, for once, actually surprised. This woman was suppose to sacrificed herself for Eve in the future. And yet, somewhere inside her, she had still seen the child as something other.
That… disappointed him. Not that he showed it.
"Should I name her?" Raizel mused. "Nah. That should be left to her parents."
He glanced back at Selene and Michael, watching their confusion. Even Lida gave them a look before ultimately following Raizel to the car.
At last, they reached the black car, where Eve remained unconscious.
Frankenstein opened the door for Raizel. But the others? The others just stood there, staring at the unconscious 12-year-old.
They stayed that way until Lida finally gathered the courage to speak.
"She is your child."
Silence.
Selene and Michael looked utterly stunned.
Lida, realizing she had dropped a truth bomb with zero preparation, had no idea how to proceed. She hadn't planned a speech. Hadn't even planned to talk.
Thankfully, Raizel—already settled in the car—spared her from further awkwardness.
"We can talk later. Get in the car."
After a few moments, they all managed to fit inside.
Lida, Selene, and Michael crammed into the back seat, unconscious Eve resting on their laps.
Raizel, watching this couldn't help but comment, "Guess we need to buy a bigger car."
Frankenstein, hearing this, chuckled awkwardly.
The drive was silent. Other than Raizel casually conversing with Frankenstein, no one spoke.
Eventually, Raizel turned his attention to the back, where Selene and Michael were still staring at Eve's face. Meanwhile, Lida was trying her absolute best not to make eye contact with anyone.
Raizel decided it was time to clear up the confusion.
"Selene, Michael," he said, his voice calm but firm. "She is your child. A child born from your love. You may not have known, but that doesn't change the fact. So, give her the love she lost these past twelve years. Like any parents should."
Silence.
No one spoke.
And for now, that was fine.
[
Okay, guys! Another chapter = 50 Power Stones. If you want early access, check out my Patreon
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]