Return to the Mountain Lab
: Return to the Mountain Lab
(Olivia’s POV)
My fingers trembled as I dialed Annelise’s number. After reading my mother’s diary, I knew I had to face this woman–the one who had tormented my mother and raised my half–brother.
“Hello?” The voice on the other end of the phone remained soft.
“Luna Moonstone,” I said, keeping my voice steady. “I need to see Ethan. I found a photo of Ethan among my mother’s belongings, and I hope to return it to him, talk to him, and see if it might help with his recovery.”
The silence on the phone lasted for a long time, she answered coldly, “Fine. I will pick you up and take you to the facility in the mountains tomorrow, and I will make all the arrangements.” The line went dead. I turned to Matthew, who had been listening intently.
“I don’t like this,” he said, his jaw tight with concern. “Something feels wrong about her tone.” “I have to go,” I insisted. “Ethan is my brother. He’s been unconscious for days, and when he wakes up, he needs to understand what really happened to our mother. In our few previous conversations, I could sense that he always believed his mother had abandoned him.”
His jaw tightened, but he nodded reluctantly. “I’ll arrange for a security detail to follow at a distance. They won’t be seen, but they’ll be there if you need them.”
I leaned forward and kissed him softly. “Thank you.”
The next morning, I dressed carefully in practical clothes–dark jeans, a fitted sweater, and boots I could run in if necessary. I slipped the small tracking device Matthew had given me into my bra, where it wouldn’t be found in a casual search.
“Be careful,” Matthew whispered as he embraced me at the door. “At the first sign of trouble-
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“I’ll activate the tracker,” I promised. “I’ll come back to you.”
The drive to the mountain laboratory was tense. I had insisted on going alone to avoid raising suspicion, but I could feel Matthew’s security team following at a discreet distance.
As we wound up the mountain road, I noticed Annelise’s demeanor changing. Her initial cold politeness gave way to barely concealed hostility.
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day would come.”
“What day?” I asked, keeping my eyes on the winding mountain road.
She didn’t respond, remaining immersed in her own world, talking to herself. “Your mother was always so proud,” she said. “Even when she had nothing to be proud of.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I continued to play dumb, “I just want to return the photos to Ethan. I want to help him.”
Annelise laughed bitterly. “Help him? You’re just like your mother. Beautiful, manipulative, thinking you can seduce any man with your looks. You two are whores.”
–
I gripped the steering wheel tighter. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Of course you don’t,” she sneered. “I bet your mother didn’t tell you anything, did she?” She
laughed, a harsh sound that echoed in the car.
When we arrived at the facility, my instincts immediately went on high alert. Today,the security was excessive–too many guards, too many checkpoints. This wasn’t just a medical research facility.
Annelise led me through the corridors with purposeful strides. Her earlier hostility had transformed into something more dangerous–anticipation.
“He’s in the same room as before,” she said, stopping before a heavy metal door. “Go ahead. ”
Inside, Ethan lay unconscious on a hospital bed, just as he had been the last time I saw him. His face was pale, his breathing shallow. Looking at him now, I could see the resemblance to my mother–the same high cheekbones, the same delicate nose.
I approached his bedside slowly, my heart aching for this brother I’d never known. Suddenly, I heard the distinctive click of a lock behind me.
I spun around to find Annelise standing by the door, a cruel smile twisting her features.
“Did you really think I brought you here out of kindness?” she asked, her voice filled with malicious glee.”You know? I’ve waited years for this moment.”
I keeping my expression neutral. “What moment is that?”
“The moment I get to make Lyra’s precious daughter suffer just like I made her suffer.”
Her face contorted with rage. “That b***h! Always so beautiful, so perfect! She seduced my husband with her looks, made him obsessed with her!”
I slowly step back, “We both know that’s not how it happened. It was a conspiracy by your husband. He coveted her, oppressed her with his power, imprisoned her, r***d her, and forced her to bear his pup.”
“LIES! Faelan loved me! Your mother was a w***e!” She spat, “She seduced my husband with her beauty, her innocent act. She destroyed my mate, my family, my life.”
She pulled a syringe from her pocket, her eyes gleaming with malice. “When you called, I was so pleased to hear you were coming. I have been planning this revenge for years.”
Annelise screamed. “She enjoyed stealing him from me. And now you’re going to pay for what she did.”
I lunged for the door, but two guards had entered silently behind her. They grabbed my arms, holding me still as Annelise approached with the syringe. The needle pierced my arm, and I felt the cold burn of sedative entering my bloodstream.
“This is just the beginning,” Annelise whispered as the drug began to take effect. “I’m going to make you suffer just like she made me suffer.”
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My vision started to blur, but I managed to activate the hidden tracking device Matthew had insisted I carry. The emergency signal would reach him within minutes.
The sedative worked quickly, making my limbs heavy and my thoughts sluggish. I slumped in the guards‘ grip, pretending to be more affected than I actually was.
Fortunately, in her eyes, I was merely a fragile she–wolf, and the dosage she gave me was far from enough to render me unconscious.
“Take her to the preparation room,” Annelise ordered. “I want to show her our operation before we begin.”
The guards dragged me down a corridor and into an elevator that descended deep below the mountain. As we emerged, I could hear sounds that made my blood run cold–whimpering, crying, the unmistakable sounds of imprisoned werewolves.
“You see,” Annelise said, gesturing proudly at rows of cells visible through a large observation window, “Faelan is a visionary. These wolves have all volunteered their bodies for the advancement of our kind.”
The lie was so blatant it would have been laughable if the situation weren’t so horrific. In the cells, I could see wolves of all ages–some barely more than pups–huddled in fear.
“Organ harvesting,” she continued, walking me past another section. “Heart transplants are just the beginning. We’ve perfected techniques for transferring enhanced organs, creating
stronger wolves.”
My enhanced metabolism was already fighting the sedative, but I kept my head lolling and my steps unsteady. All the while, my mind was racing, cataloging everything I saw.
Through my abilities, I could sense the electronic systems around us–security cameras, electronic locks, alarm systems. The entire facility was networked, which meant I could potentially access it all.
“I’m going to prepare your special accommodations,” Annelise said, her voice dripping with false sweetness. “I want to make sure everything is perfect for Lyra’s daughter.”
She nodded to the guards. “Secure her in holding cell three. I’ll be back shortly.”
I pretended to be unconscious, and as expected, the guard threw me into the cell and left. I took out the lock–picking tools hidden in my boot heel, unlocked my handcuffs, and then focused, spreading my mental energy to every corner of this facility.
I needed to act quickly before Annelise returned to begin her torture.
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