The conference room smelled like coffee and disinfectant.
Too clean. Too official.
Eliot sat straight in his chair, hands folded tight in his lap. Leon beside him—calm, unreadable.
Theo tapping one finger against his notebook
. Rex slouched, already bored and nervous in equal measure.
Lunara wasn't there—obviously—but Eliot could feel her absence like a missing limb.
Across the long table sat the adults.
Maris.Leon's mother.Mr. and Mrs. Groove.Rex's parents.And at the head—Mira, standing beside a projector like this was a proposal instead of a lie.
Mira cleared her throat. "Thank you all for coming. I'll get straight to it."
She clicked the remote.
A slide appeared: Educational Research Visit – Ashfall City.
Leon's mother frowned slightly. "Ashfall City is not close."
"And the cost," Mr. Groove added immediately, adjusting his glasses. "Transport, lodging, food—this is too much."
Rex perked up. "See? Told you."
Mira didn't blink. "I'll handle the cost."
Every head turned.
Mrs. Groove blinked. "All of it?"
"Yes," Mira said smoothly. "My father approved the budget."
Theo's dad leaned back, suspicious. "For students?"
"For potential researchers," Mira replied. "Let the kids see it. They'll love it. Labs, live demonstrations, restricted tech—things you don't get in textbooks."
Silence.
Theo glanced sideways at Eliot, then raised his hand slightly. "Um. There's… one thing."
Mira's smile tightened. "Theo."
"The new senior," Theo said carefully. "Adrian. He's in the science group now."
Mira shook her head instantly. "No."
Eliot stiffened.
"If he doesn't go," Eliot said quietly, "he'll get suspicious."
Maris turned toward him at once. "Why?"
Eliot met her eyes. Didn't dodge. "Because he's smart. And because he notices when people disappear."
The room went still.
Mira closed her eyes for half a second.
Then nodded. "Fine. Adrian can come."
Her tone made it clear she hated it.
Maris folded her hands. "I agree."
Everyone looked at her.
She continued calmly, "Eliot has never asked for something like this. If he says it's important, I trust him."
Leon's mother smiled faintly. "Maris has excellent judgment."
She nodded once. "Leon can go."
Mrs. Groove clapped her hands together. "Oh! Theo will love it. Science trip, city food—what could go wrong?"
Mr. Groove sighed. "…We agree."
Rex's parents exchanged a glance, then nodded. "Rex can go."
Mira's lips curved—small, satisfied.
Then Maris spoke again.
"On one condition," she said evenly. "Adrian only comes if he can keep up. No slowing the group."
Mira hesitated—then nodded. "Agreed."
"And," Maris added, turning slightly, "Elara should go as well."
Eliot's head snapped up. "Elara?"
Maris smiled at him. "I'm not letting you all vanish without someone sensible."
Mrs. Groove laughed. "In that case—Cassian's coming too. Just in case."
Rex groaned. "This went from trip to chaperone nightmare so fast."
Mira shut off the projector.
"Then it's settled," she said, satisfaction clear now. "Ashfall City. Two days."
The adults began standing, gathering papers.
Eliot stayed seated for a moment longer.
Maris glanced back at him—just a look—but it said everything:
I trust you. Don't make me regret it.
Somewhere far away, a wolf was running.
And now… they were allowed to follow.
--
Theo sat cross-legged on the floor of his room, half-surrounded by open bags.
One backpack.One duffel.Both packed… then unpacked… then packed again.
He folded a hoodie. Unfolded it. Folded it tighter.
Cassian leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, watching him with narrowed eyes.
"You've refolded that shirt three times," Cassian said. "It's not going to behave better on the fourth."
Theo didn't look up. "It might."
Cassian stepped inside, nudging a sock with his foot. "So," he said slowly. "Why am I packing?"
Theo froze for half a second.
Then: "Because you're coming."
Cassian blinked. "I'm what."
Theo finally looked up, pushing his glasses back. "You're coming with us. Trip. Ashfall City. Two days."
Cassian stared at him. "…Since when?"
"Since tonight."
"That's not an answer."
Theo sighed and sat back on his hands. "Okay. So. Mira's organizing it. Science research trip. Labs. Demonstrations. Super official."
Cassian's eyes narrowed. "And?"
"And it's important," Theo added quickly. "And there's… reasons."
Cassian waited.
Theo cracked. "Fine. Something's wrong. Not dangerous—"Cassian raised an eyebrow."—okay maybe a little dangerous but controlled dangerous."
Cassian exhaled through his nose. "Theo."
Theo rushed on. "Leon's coming. Rex too. Eliot—obviously. And—"
He hesitated.
"Elara is coming."
Cassian didn't even blink.
"Oh," he said immediately. "Okay. I'm in."
Theo frowned. "That was fast."
Cassian shrugged, already turning toward the dresser. "If Elara's going, something weird is happening."
"That's… not a rule."
"It absolutely is."
Theo watched him grab a jacket. "You didn't even ask why."
Cassian paused. Looked back at him. Smiled—small, knowing.
"Because if Elara volunteered," he said, "then someone's trying to keep Eliot alive. And if Mom insisted I go too—"
Theo stiffened.
"—then it's worse than you're saying."
Silence settled between them.
Theo swallowed. "You're not mad?"
Cassian shook his head. "No. I'm concerned."
That was worse.
Theo looked down at his bag again. "Don't tell anyone yet."
Cassian zipped his duffel. "I won't."
Then, after a beat—
"…Theo?"
"Yeah?"
"If Lunara's involved—"
Theo's fingers tightened on the zipper.
Cassian smirked faintly. "—I'm bringing extra snacks. Wolves or not, stress eating is universal."
Theo snorted despite himself.
Yeah.
Way too calm.
Way too suspicious.
--
The van groaned under the weight of too many passengers and too much equipment. Mira drove, calm but alert, eyes on the road.
In the front passenger seat, Cassian leaned back, arms crossed, smirking just enough to annoy Theo, who was gripping the edge of his seat and muttering about safety protocols.
Elara sat behind Mira, quietly watching her.
Eyes sharp, calculating.
Mira kept glancing in the rearview mirror, her lips twitching when she noticed the way Elara looked at her.
A silent challenge.
Adrian, new to all of this, sat wedged between Elara and Cassian.
Confusion painted his face.
He kept opening his mouth to ask a question… then thinking better of it.
Eliot, Theo, Leon, and Rex were jammed together at the back.
Leon sat with arms crossed, calm as ever, scanning the road through the window.
Theo fidgeted constantly, adjusting his hoodie and glasses, trying not to spill his anxiety on the others.
Rex slouched between Eliot and Theo, cracking jokes quietly to keep his nerves down.
Eliot sat closest to the aisle, hands resting lightly on his backpack, silently observing everyone, including the new variable—Adrian.