Chapter 86
Back at Hiro's house, everything moves in a blur of urgency. Wake lays me carefully on the dining room table, his arms trembling with the effort, though I know it’s not from fatigue. His eyes are locked on mine, and there’s something wild in them—fear, frustration, desperation. It’s rare to see him this rattled.
“Hiro!” Wake snaps, his voice low and dangerous as he watches Hiro rush over with a syringe. “Is this going to work?”
Hiro doesn’t respond right away. He’s too busy fiddling with the stabilizer, his fingers moving quickly to prepare the injection. I can barely keep my eyes open now, the tranq still fogging my brain, but I catch glimpses of their tense faces through the haze.
Hiro leans over me, his eyes flicking between Wake and me before settling on the task at hand. “We don’t have a choice,” he mutters, more to himself than anyone else. “If we wait any longer, her cells might degenerate past the point of no return.”
Wake growls low in his throat, his body coiled tight beside me, ready to spring into action at any moment. “If this doesn’t work—”
“It’ll work,” Hiro cuts him off, injecting the stabilizer into my arm with a steady hand. “It has to.”
I barely feel the prick of the needle as it slides into my skin. My body’s too numb, too paralyzed, to register anything beyond the growing sense of helplessness. But then, as the stabilizer floods my system, something starts to change. It’s subtle at first—like a tingling sensation spreading through my limbs—but soon the tingling turns to warmth, and I feel the shifting begin.
The ribbon-like fins that had trailed from my forearms fall away, disintegrating into nothing. The patches of scales flake off, leaving smooth, human skin in their place. My body starts to feel like mine again, the in-between state fading as I return to human form.
Wake watches intently, his hands hovering above me, as if he’s afraid to touch me. His eyes follow every change, every shift, and though his face is set in its usual stony expression, I can sense the relief radiating from him. But it’s laced with something else. Caution.
“How do we know it worked?” Wake finally asks, his voice rough and full of barely restrained tension.
Hiro steps back, tossing the used syringe onto the table before crossing his arms over his chest. “Well, if she suddenly sprouts a tail while walking down Main Street, I guess we’ll know we need to head back to the drawing board.” He shrugs, a casual smirk on his face, but I can tell he’s just as anxious as Wake is. “But for now, it looks like she’s stable.”
Wake doesn’t seem satisfied with that answer, but he doesn’t argue. He reaches for me, his hands brushing lightly against my skin, as if checking to make sure I’m still there—still whole.
I manage a weak smile, my throat dry and scratchy. “I think I’m okay,” I whisper, though even I’m not entirely sure.
Hiro claps his hands together, the tension in the room easing slightly. “Great! Then I suggest we all get some rest. We’ve got a big day ahead of us tomorrow.”
Wake helps me sit up, his arm wrapping protectively around my waist. I lean into him, my body still weak and shaky from the ordeal, but I feel… better. Human, at least.
“Big day?” I croak, trying to keep the weariness out of my voice.
Hiro raises an eyebrow, glancing between us. “You still want to pay a visit to Felix Becker’s grandson, right? You're going to need some things first. The sooner we figure out what Becker left behind, the better. We don’t know how much time we have before Enigma catches up with us again.”
My heart skips a beat at the mention of Becker’s grandson. Lio Becker, the man who could hold the key to unraveling everything—Felix Becker’s crimes, Enigma’s experiments, even the mystery of my own bloodline. But I’m so damn exhausted.
Wake looks down at me, his blue-green eyes softening ever so slightly. “You’ll need your strength,” he says quietly. “We can’t afford any more surprises.”
I nod, even though all I want to do is collapse right there on the table. He’s right. I need to be ready for whatever comes next, and that means getting some sleep. No more shifting, no more pain.
Wake helps me to my feet, and I stumble a bit, but he catches me with ease. Hiro watches us with an unreadable expression before giving us a small nod. “See you in the morning.”
“Thank you,” I murmur, grateful that Hiro’s on our side. Without him, I’m not sure we would’ve made it this far.
He waves it off, already turning toward the kitchen. “Don’t mention it. I’ll be up late getting things ready for tomorrow, but you guys should rest. I’ll see you in the morning.”
Wake leads me down the hallway, his hand warm on my back. I can feel the tension still thrumming through his body, but for now, he stays quiet. We reach the guest room, and I collapse onto the bed with a sigh of relief. It’s soft, warm, and for the first time in what feels like days, I finally allow myself to relax.
Wake sits beside me, his eyes never leaving my face. “You’re sure you’re okay?”
I reach for his hand, squeezing it gently. “I’m okay. Thanks to you.”
He grunts, but there’s a softness in his eyes that betrays the rough exterior. He brushes a strand of hair from my face, his thumb grazing my cheek.
I close my eyes, letting the warmth of his touch and the softness of the bed lull me into sleep. Tomorrow would bring more challenges, more dangers. But for now, I was safe. And with Wake by my side, I knew we’d face whatever came next—together.
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