"I love you too, my child." Amelia responded, patting her hair soothingly.At forty-five, her mother is a stunning beauty to behold, but fear for Valentine's life seems to have aged her a bit. Ismena was happy that her sister will be alright."Speaking of father, where is he?" She asked curiously.Just then, the door opened and her father walked in, carrying nylon bags. Just like mother, he looked like he hasn't slept a wink all night.His eyes found Ismena and a bright smile widened his mouth, warmth in his eyes. "My child."Ismena pulled away from her mother to hug her father, "Dad." She whispered."I went out to get supplies and food for us. Your mother hasn't eaten a thing since yesterday afternoon. She needs to eat something.""Yeah, she needs to." Ismena spared her mother a stern glance, "Starving yourself will do us no good, mother."Amelia flushed guiltily but placed her head on her husband's thigh. "You are right. With my two children here, I'm suddenly feeling ravenous."***

"She's awake, she's awake...!" Amelia gasped when she saw her daughter's eyes open slowly.Ismena halted her conversation with her father, jerked out of the chair, and hurried towards her sister, with her father trailing behind her. "Tina? Tina? Can you hear me?" She called softly, hovering over her sister."Ena...?" Valentina's voice was hoarse and drowsy."Oh, God, baby you scared us all!" Ismena was already hugging her sister tight, tears pricking the back of her eyes. "Thank God you're alright, I was so scared...!""I'm s-sorry. I d-did...not mean...to scare you and mom." She replied drowsily, her eyes closed to feel her elder sister's hug."It's okay, it's okay. What matters now is that you are doing great," Ismena separated from her, "The doctor said your surgery was a success. You will be fine.""The surg-ery?" Valentina asked, baffled."You had a perforated appendix, it was terrible!" Amelia responded, her fear clearly unhidden in her eyes, "You won't be the death of me, Tina

"Are you sure you don't want to come to the hospital and have that leg checked out?" The human doctor asked worriedly, "This will not be enough to heal that wound—""I am sure," Wolfaraine stated firmly, outstretching his hand towards Alpha Degar. He was lying on his bed, in his bedroom while the doctor hovered over him.The leopard Alpha handed the documents to him, without saying a word. He was worried because he knows the Alpha King is in more pain than he was letting on. He is just too stubborn to admit it.Degar cannot imagine being shot by a bullet that contains rhodium. Twice. In the same leg. He shuddered. "But, I will still advice—""That will be all, doctor." Wolfaraine spared the doctor a blank stare that spoke volumes. He wants the human doctor away from him.His cougar wanted nothing more than to tear him apart. It growled inside him, baring its teeth. Wolfaraine closed his eyes and took deep breaths, trying to suppress the cougar's instincts, even as he was swallowing

"Hector died a long time ago. Hector was a doctor who worked for the Facility. I own a workshop now, and I have a family." Alfred added."You have a family now?" Simon was already weaving plans on his head. The Facility needs to know about this."Yes. But, don't worry, you will not live to tell the Facility." He said casually."You think killing me will solve anything!? The Facility will come after you!"A small cold smile played on Hector's lips then. "They will never know. Just like they never knew anything in the past eighteen years." The smile vanished and a deadly look replaced it, "I will kill you to keep my family safe. I will do anything to keep my daughters safe.""Your daughters...?""That woman you are after, Hazel Smith, is my daughter. That child you think is gonna become a vessel for many monstrous experiments is my daughter. There is no 'successful'. Not anymore." He paused. Took a deep breath. "Not that you would be alive long enough to convey that message to the Facil

Hector continued his story. "Hazel was barely conscious when I took her and ran, by the time I got far enough away from the facility, she'd lost full consciousness. I didn't want there to be problems when I arrive at the hospital carrying her—I didn't want to create any suspicions—so I laid her by the roadside, stayed in the nearby bush, and waited.""Thankfully, I didn't have to wait long. A young couple saw her and stopped to help her. I pretended to be a passerby who also saw what was happening and stopped to help with the situation. A few other cars stopped too. Together, we loaded her up and I directed them to the hospital where I want her to be treated."Simon, in his chains, was still trying to wrap his head around everything Hector was telling him."When Amelia heard her daughter has been found but she's in the hospital, she came running." Hector's eyes went hazy and fled with memories, "I can still remember that look of relief in her eyes to have found her daughter alive but