Chapter 176
Lynette's POV
The lights went out.
For three seconds, the hall below was completely dark. Silent.
Then a single spotlight cut through the black, hitting center stage.
A man walked into the light. Tall. Slim build. Gold slicked-back hair. Deep gray suit that probably cost more than most people made in a year.
He stopped at the microphone. Smiled. The kind of smile that didn't reach his eyes.
"Good evening, distinguished guests." His voice carried easily through the speakers. Smooth. Practiced. "My name is Glenn Domich. Chief researcher at Limen Institute."
I leaned forward slightly. Kael shifted beside me, his attention locked on the stage.
Glenn let the silence stretch. Then continued.
"Tonight, you will witness a miracle in biotechnology. A breakthrough that will change everything we know about our kind."
He paused. Looked out over the crowd.
"Werewolf genetic enhancement drugs."
The words hung in the air.
I felt my jaw tighten. Heard Kael's sharp inhale.
"This drug can extend your lifespan by twenty years. It can give even the weakest Omega strength beyond human capability."
So that's what they were calling it. A "miracle."
I thought of the guards at the entrance. Their purple-red skin. Their empty eyes.
This was what Glenn meant by "enhancement."
Kael had been right. They weren't selling power. They were selling slavery dressed up as strength.
Below, some people leaned forward. Hungry. Interested.
They had no idea what they were looking at.
"If this is real," Kael murmured next to me, his voice barely a breath, "it will completely reshape the power structure of our world."
"It's real," I said quietly. "We saw the proof at the door."
Through the speaker system in our box, I heard a chair scrape below.
A man stood up. Red suit. I recognized him immediately—the one from the main hall this afternoon. The one who'd been talking about Limen with that woman in the gold dress.
"Glenn Domich!" His voice cut through the murmurs. Sharp. Angry. "You used this same pitch five years ago!"
The room went quiet again.
Glenn's smile tightened. Just barely. But I caught it.
"Sir," Glenn said slowly, "if you have concerns—"
"Concerns?" The red-suited man laughed. Bitter. "How many people did your 'miracle drug' kill back then?"
My pulse kicked up. Not fear. Just... awareness. The kind you get when a situation is about to go very wrong, very fast.
Glenn's face changed. The friendly mask slipped for half a second. Then he smoothed it back into place.
"If you have evidence," he said, voice harder now, "please present it. Otherwise, I'll consider this malicious slander."
The red-suited man took a step forward. His hands were shaking. From rage or fear, I couldn't tell.
"Evidence?" He pointed at Glenn. "My father's life is evidence!"
He turned to face the crowd.
"My name is Keck Aris. Current head of Keck Biotech Corporation."
I heard Kael curse softly.
"You know him?" I asked, not looking away from the scene below.
"I know of the Keck pack," Kael said. His voice was tight. "They left the Council years ago. There was... an incident."
Aris kept talking. His voice was getting louder. Shakier.
"Five years ago, these people came to my father. Asked him to partner with them. Use their drugs to treat patients."
He paused. Swallowed hard.
"Every single patient died within six months."
The hall exploded.
Voices overlapped. People stood up. Someone shouted something I couldn't make out.
I scanned the crowd. Counted exits. Noted which guests were moving toward the doors. Which ones were staying seated.
Old habits.
Glenn held up both hands. "Please. Everyone. That drug and this one are completely different—"
"You expect us to believe that?" someone yelled from the back.
"How do we know this won't kill us too?"
"Stop the ship! Let us off!"
Glenn's face was getting red. He was losing control of the room.
I glanced at Kael. He was watching Glenn with narrowed eyes.
"This is going to get worse," I said quietly.
"I know."
CRACK.
The gunshot cracked through the air. Even through the reinforced glass, the sound was sharp enough to make my ears ring.
The glass vibrated slightly under my palm.
For a second, nobody moved.
Then the man who'd been shouting stumbled backward. His hands went to his stomach.
Blood seeped between his fingers.
His eyes went wide. He stared past Glenn—toward the shadows at the side of the stage.
"He shot me," he gasped. "He actually—"
Then he collapsed into his seat.
On stage, Glenn hadn't moved. His face was pale. Shocked.
But his eyes flicked toward the side curtain. Just for a second.
Chaos.
Screaming. Chairs crashing. People running for the doors.
But the doors didn't open.
I was already on my feet. Kael grabbed my arm.
"Wait," he said.
"For what?"
"Look."
I followed his gaze.
The security guards—the ones with the purple-mottled skin—had moved to block every exit. They weren't attacking. Just... standing there. Waiting.
And on stage, Glenn hadn't moved. He was staring at something in the wings.
"Please." A new voice came through the speakers. Low. Calm. "Everyone remain calm."
I went still.
That voice.
I knew that voice.
"Mr. Aris was understandably emotional," the voice continued. "We'll arrange for him to rest. As for the rest of you..."
A figure stepped out from the side of the stage.
Tall. Lean. White suit with a gray vest. Black hair slicked back.
And blue eyes. Cold blue eyes that swept over the crowd like he was cataloging every face.
My heart stopped.
Just for a second. But it stopped.
I knew this man.
I'd seen this face before.
Not recently. Not in Mist Creek.
Somewhere else. Somewhere... north.
The memory was there. Right at the edge of my mind. But I couldn't grab it.