Page 51 of Eat Your Heart Out

"Something interesting did happen while you were gone, Hadrian," Kael mentioned, pausing his frantic typing. "The council stopped abducting shifters altogether. They've only been harassing or blackmailing them into helping with their cause."

My brow furrowed at the revelation. "That's definitely a change in strategy. Any reasons we could find?"

"None that we can find," Kael replied, shaking his head. The room seemed to grow colder as the weight of uncertainty settled over us.

"Any patterns?" I asked, leaning in to get a better look at the data he was presenting.

"Nothing concrete," Kael admitted. His fingers tapped rapidly on the keyboard, bringing up various charts and maps. "The council seems to be monitoring specific individuals, but we can't figure out the reason yet. It's like they're waiting for something."

"Are they moving against anyone in particular?" Tess piped up, her soft voice filled with concern. A small shiver of pleasure ran down my spine at the sound, though it was quickly overshadowed by the gravity of the situation.

"They haven't yet," Kael replied, shooting me a quick glance before refocusing on Tess. "We don't plan to reach out to the affected shifters unless we get a heads up that the council is planning on moving in on them."

"Smart move," I agreed, trying and failing to extrapolate their reasoning. "Let's focus on the intel and keep monitoring the cursed shifters," I said, my mind racing as I tried to come up with solutions. "If there are any signs that the council is making a move, we'll step in."

"Are there any other major players we should be aware of?" I asked, hoping to find a piece of information that could help us make sense of the situation.

Kael hesitated, then leaned in. "We did receive an encrypted message recently. It came from a group that might have something to do with all this."

"Who are they?" Tess asked, her eyes wide with curiosity and concern.

"We don't know yet," Kael admitted. "But whoever they are, they're well-organized and seem to be working against the council."

"Could they be allies, then?" I pondered, my heart beating faster at the prospect of gaining new support.

"Or enemies," Kael warned. "We can't rule anything out."

"Decrypt the message," I ordered, determination flaring within me. "Find out who they are and what they want. If we can use their help, we'll take it. If they're a threat, we'll deal with them."

"Understood," Kael said firmly, resuming his work on the computer.

As he dug into the mystery of the encrypted message, I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. We were tiptoeing through a minefield of secrets and lies, and one wrong move could bring everything crashing down.

Kael suddenly broke through our intimate bubble, his voice urgent. "I've decrypted the message. It's from a group claiming to be cursed like us. They say they have vital information about the origins of the curse."

"Think we can trust them?" I asked, my gut churning with unease as I weighed the risks.

"Hard to say," Kael replied, his brow furrowed in thought. "But they've offered to meet in a neutral location. If nothing else, it's worth hearing them out."

"Alright," I agreed, steeling myself for whatever lay ahead. "Set up the meeting. We need every advantage we can get."

Chapter Eight

Five grueling hours had passed, and Kael and I finally came up with a plan. Our strategy was dangerous, but it was the only way to get the info we needed with the least risk. Reversing the curse was the only way to keep Tess and me safe from the shifter council. Their relentless pursuit of me had put her in danger, which included Tess, too.

"Alright," Kael said, his gaze intense. "We've got a few hours before the meeting. Let's get some rest." He nodded toward Tess, who sat on the edge of the table, her eyes filled with concern and frustration.

"Are you sure this will work?" she asked, biting her lip. "I don't like the idea of staying behind."

I walked over and took her hand, feeling the warmth of our connection. "It'll be fine. You'll be safe here."

"Promise me, Hadrian." Her voice trembled, vulnerability shining through her fierce facade. "That you'll stay safe, too. I'm not convinced this isn't a trap."

"Absolutely," I assured her, my gaze locked onto hers, leaving no room for doubt. "I promise."

Kael left the room, presumably to gather whatever he needed for the plan. I turned to Tess, my heart swelling at the sight of her. The past few hours had been tense, and she looked exhausted. She didn't protest when I scooped her up into my arms and carried her back to my room. I set her on her feet in the small space.

"Let's get you cleaned up," I suggested softly, guiding her toward the bathroom.

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