Amara pulled the next file closer and sighed. "Okay… candidate five."
Tolu watched her expression tighten even before she opened the folder fully.
"This one looks rough," she muttered.
"Rough how?" Tolu leaned in.
She read aloud slowly, her voice softer than before.
"Ayo Falade, fifteen. Timid. Always been a target for bullies."
Tolu clenched his jaw slightly. "I hate bullies."
"Same," Amara said, flipping another page. "But this…" She inhaled. "Last week he fought back for the first time. They cornered him behind the hostel block and—"
She stopped to gather herself.
Tolu took the file gently from her hands and scanned it. His face hardened.
"They beat him so badly he couldn't get up," he said quietly. "Doctors say he… might not walk again."
"Yeah," Amara whispered. "His spine is damaged. They're still running tests."
Tolu shut the file slowly. "Turning him would heal it."
"It would do more than that," Amara said. "It would give him strength. Confidence. A chance to not live scared."
Tolu released a small humorless chuckle. "Bullies really piss me off."
"I know." Amara nudged him lightly with her elbow. "You've said it like three times."
He smirked. "Can't help it."
She set the file aside with the others they were considering. "He's a good choice, Tolu. Not because of pity — but because he deserves a chance. And people like him… they stay loyal."
Tolu nodded. "Yeah. He's worth it."
"Alright," Amara said, stretching her arms. "Let's keep going."
They leaned over the pile again, the room quiet except for the rustle of paper — two wolves choosing the future of a pack neither of them ever expected to build together.
Amara picked up the next file, frowning at how heavy it felt. "This one's older… not a student."
Tolu raised a brow. "How old?"
"Middle-aged." She opened the folder and blinked. "Forty-two."
"Forty-two?" Tolu repeated. "What's he doing on a list meant for young recruits?"
Amara skimmed the first page, then her expression softened. "Oh… wow."
Tolu leaned closer. "What?"
"He's sick, Tolu. Terminal." She swallowed. "Stage-four lymphoma. Doctors say a few months at most."
Silence settled for a few seconds.
Tolu gently took the file. The man in the picture was smiling — a tired smile, but genuine. His eyes were bright, the kind of eyes that had seen life and still chose kindness.
His name was Kunle Adebanjo.
A handwritten note was clipped to the page.
Amara read it aloud:
"Community volunteer. Former radio host. Skilled public speaker. Strong leadership qualities. Loved by everyone in his area."
Tolu's brows lifted. "Radio host?"
"Yeah," Amara said. "And look—" She pointed to another section. "He has experience managing events, promoting businesses, and mediating conflicts."
Tolu exhaled. "He'd be… perfect for the public side of T-Hub."
Amara nodded. "More than perfect. He could be the face of it. The one people trust."
Tolu kept reading. "He's divorced… has one daughter in university… and he's been helping kids in his neighborhood even while sick."
Amara sighed. "If he dies, a whole community is going to feel it."
Tolu closed the folder slowly, thinking. "Turning him would fix his illness."
"It would give him his life back," Amara added. "And honestly? Someone like him… he'd love managing a project like T-Hub. Organizing, talking to people, building things. You'd only need to say 'help me run this,' and he'd dive in."
Tolu smiled faintly. "He'd make sure the building is done right."
"Exactly." She tapped the folder. "He's the kind who becomes the heart of a team."
Tolu set Kunle's file on the "strong candidates" stack with care. "Alright. He's in."
Amara grinned. "Good. Because if you didn't pick him, I'd nag you about it."
Tolu snorted. "You already nag me."
"Get used to it," she said, flipping to the next file.
---
Tolu and Amara sat cross-legged on the floor of his room, files scattered between them like a deck of destiny. The evening breeze crept in through the window, stirring the pages. Amara picked up the next brown folder and flipped it open.
She read aloud:
> "Sunkanmi Lawal. Age eighteen. Former member of the Shango Boys. History of street fights… expelled two times… vanished from gang activity after the death of his girlfriend."
Amara stopped.
She blinked slowly.
"Hmm."
Tolu looked up. "What?"
"He gives me… dangerous vibes," she said, tapping the page. "The kind of person that doesn't listen unless you beat the sense into him."
Tolu smirked faintly.
"Dangerous isn't always bad."
Amara raised a brow. "He'll be trouble."
"Maybe," Tolu murmured, taking the file from her. "Or maybe he's exactly the kind of wolf that scares our enemies before they even plan nonsense."
Amara exhaled.
"Well… his girlfriend died because he couldn't protect her. Turning him might give him the strength he always wanted."
"Then he goes on the list. As long as he remains loyal to the pack he'll be a valuable asset." Tolu said.
The bead bracelet on his wrist didn't move.
For now — that was fine.
Amara picked another file. This one was thinner, cleaner.
"Oluwaseun Adebiyi. Seventeen. Medical notes: recurring hallucinations since childhood… sees 'visions.'
School notes: calm, quiet… never violent."
Amara frowned slightly.
"She seems harmless."
Tolu leaned forward. "Read the rest."
Amara scanned the page.
"Doctors say she zones out and describes things that haven't happened yet… sometimes things that later happen exactly the same."
"I don't understand her powers or even if she has powers but if she does, those kind of powers could give us an edge in ways we couldn't even understand so yeah." Tolu concludes
Amara nodds agreeing with him. She speaks saying "
---
Tolu hummed softly as he carried the last stack of folders to the shelf. The faint smell of stew drifted from the kitchen. Soon, the sound of the front door opening announced his mother's return.
"Hey, Mom," he greeted, leaning against the doorframe.
"Hey, Tolu," she said, dropping her bag on the counter. "Long day?"
He smiled, shrugging. "You know… usual."
She wiped her hands on her apron and motioned toward the counter. "Come help me with this, would you?"
Tolu nodded, moving over to chop some vegetables beside her. They worked in a quiet rhythm at first, the knife tapping against the cutting board, the sizzle from the stove filling the pauses.
"You've gotten really good at this," his mother said, glancing at him. "Maybe I should let you do dinner every now and then."
Tolu chuckled. "Don't tempt me, Mom. I might get used to it."
She laughed softly, shaking her head. "Always joking." She paused for a moment, then tilted her head. "So… have you thought about what you want to do after high school?"
Tolu froze, hand hovering over a carrot. He hadn't really considered it in a while. Too much had changed since… well, since he had changed. His life had flipped upside down. His mind raced with images of packs, territory, new strengths, and responsibilities he couldn't even explain.
"I… I'm not sure," he said finally, trying to sound casual.
She looked at him, her brow slightly furrowed. "You know, you're almost done with your third year. You should start thinking about it."
Tolu hesitated. Then, almost impulsively, he asked, "Mom… what did Dad do?"
Her hands stilled mid-stir. She turned to him, surprise flashing in her eyes. "Tolu… you've never asked about him before."
A subtle, sad smile curved her lips. "He was… an industrialist. Ran factories, built businesses. He loved what he did, and he worked hard for it."
Tolu's jaw tightened slightly. "Then that's what I'll be. An industrialist."
She arched a brow, a mixture of amusement and concern in her expression. "Do you even know what that means?"
"I don't think I need to," he replied, shrugging, a small smirk tugging at his lips.
She shook her head, laughing softly, and returned to stirring the pot. "Well… if you're serious about it, I guess I can't stop you. Just promise me you'll be careful with your dreams."
Tolu's fingers brushed against hers as he passed her a spoon. "Always, Mom."
For a while, they worked in comfortable silence, chopping, stirring, tasting. The kitchen smelled of spices and home, the mundane rhythm a grounding contrast to the storm of changes outside.
"So… any plans for the weekend?" she asked, breaking the quiet.
Tolu thought for a moment. "Maybe just… hanging out with friends. You know… normal stuff."
She smiled. "Normal… hmm. I like that."
And for now, that was enough.