Chapter 154: # Chapter 154

Kira's POV

I sat stiffly in the passenger seat of Rocco's SUV, mechanically scrolling through the research facility blueprints on my tablet. The silence between us was suffocating. Twenty minutes had passed since we'd left the mansion, and we'd barely exchanged ten words. Rocco's eyes remained fixed on the road ahead, his knuckles white against the steering wheel. I stole occasional glances at his profile, noting his clenched jaw and the unreadable emotion flickering in his eyes.

I tried to focus on the mission, studying the facility layout. The building appeared to be a standard research center, but according to Rebecca's intel, it contained a secret sublevel where crucial data on neural transmitter research might be stored.

"Find anything useful?" Rocco suddenly asked, his voice unnaturally even.

"Nothing special," I replied, matching his controlled tone. "Just standard blueprints. Rebecca mentioned there might be underground facilities not shown in the official plans."

He nodded and fell silent again. I turned to look out the window, watching the forest blur past us. The dense greens momentarily calmed me, but the peace was quickly shattered by flashes of last night—Andy's lips touching mine, Rocco standing in the doorway, the sound of the teacup slipping from his hand. I closed my eyes, trying to banish the memory.

Rocco's usually impeccable driving was off today. He nearly missed a turn, swerving sharply and causing me to grab the door handle to steady myself.

"Sorry," he muttered, eyes still fixed ahead.

The car's communication system suddenly crackled to life, Rebecca's voice breaking the silence: "Rocco, Kira, I have updates from all teams. Andy's group has reached the warehouse perimeter and deployed surveillance. They're reporting unusual security activity, more than normal. Jennifer also contacted me—there's suspicious movement around the pharmaceutical plant."

I pressed the talk button: "Understood. We're about 20 minutes from the research facility. Stay in touch and notify us immediately of any developments."

"Copy that. Stay safe." Rebecca signed off, and the car plunged back into silence, even heavier than before.

I felt Rocco's gaze briefly land on me before returning to the road.

"Last night..." he finally said, his voice low, "you and Andy... is that serious?"

The question caught me off guard. I hadn't expected him to address it so directly. I considered my response, deciding honesty was best.

"I'm not sure what stage we're at," I said slowly, "but yes, it's serious."

I expected anger from Rocco, or at least some display of jealousy or disapproval. But he just nodded, an unidentifiable expression flashing across his face before his mask of calm returned.

"Okay," he said simply.

I felt confused and irritated. We'd never discussed our romantic lives so calmly before, especially given that technically, we were still mates.

"Why were you so insistent on coming with me?" I decided to change the subject, though I still needed answers. "The real reason."

Rocco's fingers drummed against the steering wheel. "I know Ethan better than anyone. If he's there, I can anticipate his moves."

"Andy could probably do the same," I pointed out. "There's something else."

Rocco was silent for a moment. After navigating another curve, he finally spoke: "I owe you, Kira. Protecting you is the only way I can make amends."

I couldn't help but scoff: "Now you want to protect me? After everything that's happened?"

"I know you won't believe me," his voice carried a hint of regret, "but I can't let you face danger alone again."

I sighed deeply. "I don't need your protection or your redemption, Rocco. What I need is honesty and respect."

He didn't respond, but I saw his jaw tighten further.

We finally reached our destination—a modern research building hidden among thick trees. From the outside, it appeared to be an ordinary science center, but I immediately noticed the unusual high-level security measures—infrared sensors, concealed cameras, and electronic locks.

We parked some distance from the building and approached cautiously. I noticed the perimeter surveillance cameras appeared to be disabled, suggesting someone had recently infiltrated.

"Look there," I pointed to a camera, "the power indicator is off."

Rocco nodded, then suddenly stopped, lifting his head and inhaling deeply. His werewolf senses were far sharper than mine, especially since I'd lost my wolf.

"Someone's been here," he said quietly, "but not Ethan. The scent is different."

I felt a chill run through me. "Lyra?"

"Possibly. But there are others. At least three or four different scents."

We decided to enter through the back door, avoiding potential traps. I checked my communication device to ensure it was working.

"Rebecca, we're about to enter the facility. If you don't hear from us in 30 minutes, send backup."

"Copy that," Rebecca's voice came through. "Andy's team reports movement at the warehouse, but they haven't confirmed if it's Ethan."

Rocco interjected: "Tell Andy to stay hidden, don't spook them. We need to confirm Ethan's complete plan."

I shot Rocco a warning look. "This is my team, Rocco."

Rocco nodded, backing down. "Sorry. Force of habit."

We successfully bypassed the security system and entered the building. Inside was dark, with only emergency lighting providing dim illumination, indicating the power had been cut. We moved carefully, our flashlight beams cutting through the darkness, revealing laboratories that had been thoroughly ransacked.

"Someone's searched this place thoroughly," I whispered, noting empty file cabinets and cleared sample racks.

In the main lab, we found a computer still running, showing signs of recent access. I quickly sat down and checked the recent activity logs.

"The last access records show someone downloaded all the neural transmitter research files," I said, feeling uneasy.

Simultaneously, Rocco discovered charts on the wall at the other side of the room. "Look at this," he called, his voice tense. "These markers... they're directly related to werewolf transformation abilities."

I walked over, studying the complex DNA sequence diagrams. "What does this mean?"

"Ethan isn't just trying to control memories," Rocco's voice grew grave. "He wants to control transformation abilities too."

Fear crawled up my spine. "Combined, that means they want to create werewolves they can completely control."

"Like puppets..." my voice trembled. "Consciousness replaced, memories erased, transformation controlled."

As we continued exploring, we discovered a hidden safe at the end of the room, professionally cracked open. Inside remained only a small vial and a letter. I carefully picked up the note, quickly reading the emergency warning left by a researcher.

"'Ethan is searching for the final catalyst,'" I read aloud. "'If he obtains it, the entire werewolf community will be in danger.'"

Just as we prepared to contact the team with our findings, all the displays in the laboratory suddenly lit up. The screens showed a face I knew all too well—Kim's face, but with Lyra's expression in her eyes. She smiled at us, as if she'd been eagerly awaiting our reunion.

"What a touching scene..." her voice came through the speakers. "I didn't expect you to find this place so quickly."

"You've been watching us," I stared at the screen, feeling a chill.

"Of course, dear," Lyra chuckled. "I've been observing all along. By the way, Rocco, have you thought about it? Ready to accept my proposal?"

I turned to Rocco in confusion, noticing he'd suddenly become tense, his voice dropping low: "Shut up, Lyra."

"What proposal?" I asked, feeling a surge of unease. "What is she talking about?"

Lyra, seeing my reaction, looked delighted. "Oh, he didn't tell you? We had a... sibling heart-to-heart last night."

I noticed Rocco's face change, his eyes avoiding mine.

"About how to make you go back to the way you were," Lyra continued, her voice sickly sweet. "Forget all the pain... go back to when you still loved him."