"This is complicated," Taros said as he leaned against the wall, watching Dr. Dave bend over the microscope. The lab was quiet except for the low hum of machines, the both of them still searching for a cure. "Evan’s case is a bit different from Kael’s. Kael is a werewolf who got injected. Are you sure he is really creating werewolves?"
Dr. Dave narrowed one eye through the lens, adjusting until he was satisfied with what he saw. He pulled back, reached for a notebook, and scribbled sothing quickly before setting the pen aside.
"What do you think, doc?" Taros asked, his voice tight with impatience. His head was full of questions, and only Dave seed like the one who could untangle them. "I am dying of curiosity here."
"You may be right," Dave finally answered, lifting his gaze. He picked up a few tubes and set them carefully on the stand in front of him. "But think of it this way... what if the drugs were never ant for Kael?"
Taros froze, his eyes widening as the thought hit him. They had never once considered that possibility. Maybe Kael was not even the real target. "But if they never intended to turn him into a werewolf, then why inject him at all?"
"Maybe the plan was to kill him. Or make him lose control, turn him into a monster," Dave said with a tired sigh. He pressed his hands flat on the table, his shoulders heavy. They had been locked in this lab for days, sleeping in short bursts, eating only when their bodies threatened to give up. Taros was no different. The only tis he left were to take his tests before running back here. "Dr. Dylan is a mystery. He is a genius, no doubt. But why use that brilliance for sothing so twisted?"
Taros shook his head slowly, then asked, "Do you know Mr. Slade?" His eyes stayed fixed on Dave, searching for even the smallest reaction.
Dave frowned in confusion at the sudden turn. "Not really. I was never close to him. My aunt once tried setting him up with Hailey. They were supposed to date, but you know my cousin—she turned him down without hesitation."
"Yes, she told ," Taros said.
"Slade is handso, and he is a brilliant tech guy," Dave went on, almost admiringly. "I don’t know him well, but from the little I heard, he would have been a good match."
Taros scoffed, rolling his eyes. He folded his arms across his chest and gave a bitter laugh. "You have no idea who that man really is. He is nothing like what you just said. Trust , it’s a blessing your cousin rejected him."
Dave tilted his head. "I thought she turned him down because of you. I assud you two were dating."
"?" Taros blinked in surprise. The thought had never even crossed his mind. He and Hailey were friends, nothing more.
"Yes, you," Dave said with a small smile. "She later told you were seeing soone else. That the two of you were just friends."
Taros exhaled, relief washing over him. "Oh... that explains it. She wasn’t wrong. I am seeing soone else."
"Who is she?"
"That is personal, doc," Taros said, caught off guard by the question. He walked over to where Dave stood and picked up a tube filled with a green liquid. He lifted it close to his face, staring at it curiously. "What is this?"
"Carnomorphine is only for humans who were turned into werewolves by science," Dave explained, his tone calm but firm. "Neurolupa, on the other hand, is a peptide that influences aggression, triggers transformation, and controls lupine behavior. Since Kael is already a natural werewolf who was injected with a substance ant for humans, I would never recomnd carnomorphine for him. Neurolupa is the one we will use, and that is what I am working on."
"I see," Taros murmured as he turned the tube in his hand and gave it a gentle shake. The liquid caught the dim light of the lab, glowing faintly. He brought it closer to his nose and grimaced. "It slls awful."
"I know," Dave chuckled, moving to the other side of the lab to continue his work.
"So this will help him control his senses and his behavior?" Taros asked as he set the tube back down carefully. "How soon will it be ready? We don’t have much ti."
"Soon," Dave assured him. "In three days, if you keep helping ."
"You do not have to worry about that, doc," Taros said with a faint smile. For the first ti in days, he felt hope rising in him. If Kael recovered, maybe life would begin to settle again.
But as that thought ward him, another shadow crossed his mind. His last fight with Angela still lingered between them, heavy and sharp. They had grown distant since that day, and though she shared the bla, Taros knew he had been the one who pushed her away. He wanted to fix it, he wanted to close that gap now.
"Can I ask you sothing?" Taros broke the silence, his voice softer than before. The doctor gave a nod and waited. Taros hesitated for a mont, then asked, "What do you think is the perfect date for a girl you love... I an, after a fight?"
Dave found the question amusing, but he could see how serious Taros was, so he answered honestly. "It depends on what she likes. If it was my girlfriend, she would want sothing grand, maybe a fancy dinner on a yacht, just the two of us under the stars."
"That’s a good idea, but my girl isn’t like that," Taros said with a small smile.
"Then take her sowhere simple but nice. One of the good hotels around here. Book a table for two, sit with her and talk through your differences. If she is willing, spend the rest of the day together, no interruptions, just you and her."
Taros nodded slowly, his smile a little brighter now. "I like that. It sounds right."
Dave studied him for a mont and then asked, "You really care about this girl. But what happens when you find your fated mate?"
A mischievous smile tugged at Taros’s lips. Poor Dave had no idea the girl he spoke about was also his fated mate. Before he could say anything, he reached for his protective goggles, but then sothing inside him shifted. His eyes glowed without warning, a fierce light that broke through his control. He felt it, the bond snapping like a string pulled too tight. One of his brothers was free from the curse. The realization struck him with terror.
His chest tightened, his heart pounding so hard it shook him. He pulled off the goggles with trembling hands, his gloves following as sweat dampened his palms. Reaching for the tube in front of him, he fumbled, and it slipped, shattering on the floor with a sharp crash.
"Are you okay?" Dave asked quickly, startled by the sound. But Taros did not answer. His silence made the air heavy. Dave stepped closer, worry etching his face. "Did sothing happen?"
Taros’s eyes glistened with tears he could not hold back. He tore off his lab coat, his voice breaking as he forced the words out. "I... I need so ti alone. I’ll take the day off."
Dave stood frozen, surprised at how fast the shift had happened. A few minutes ago Taros was smiling, speaking about the girl he loved. He hadn’t gotten a call, nothing had happened in front of him, yet here he was, shaken and broken.
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