Masked

CHAPTER 17 | crumbling walls

Parker's brows furrowed. She was confused. Daniel did not look surprised at Alice's revelation. Not that she was able to read his face when he put up his stone wall—and the wall was currently defending against any possible breach from external forces.

She was still reeling from Alice's discovery. Rather than make the knowledge public, the two women had thought it best to share the information with Daniel behind closed doors. They had found him in his office.

As soon as they sat down, Alice took a few calming breaths and began. "I know who the drug has been designed to target."

Alice's expression grew pensive, and she wrung her hands together. "I can't believe I didn't see it before."

Daniel raised his hands. "Don't blame yourself." He lowered his hands. "It won't do you any good. Just tell me what you've found."

Alice took a moment to compose herself. "We had three different groups: those who took it and didn't have any symptoms, those who had symptoms and became ill but then recovered, and the last group who became progressively sicker until they were terminal."

"As I am already aware," Daniel said. "What does this have to do with your discovery?"

"The group with no effects were all mature Werewolves whose parents were born Werewolves. The recovery group was the same, with the exception that the infected hadn't yet reached maturity." She paused and nibbled on her thumbnail. "I think the drug is deliberately targeting Werewolves who have been turned or who have a parent that was turned."

Alice shifted forward in her seat and explained in a rush. "Mature, pure Werewolves are immune to Wildfire and pure Werewolves that have yet to reach maturity can fight it. But, once Wildfire is introduced to a Werewolf with mixed genes, the mortality rate is one hundred percent."

Parker cleared her throat. "So, this is a designer drug that is attacking Werewolves based on genetic purity." Her knowledge of biology was rusty, but she was sure that wasn't possible.

Daniel's eyes focused on Parker. "Thank you, Alice. I would appreciate it if you didn't mention this to anyone else just yet."

Alice stood, bowed to her alpha and left, leaving only silence behind.

"You already knew, didn't you?" she said.

Daniel took a deep breath and rubbed his forehead. "I had my suspicions."

She leaned back and crossed her arms over her chest. "And it's related to this thing you can't tell me?" She knew the answer but still needed the actual affirmation.

He nodded.

Her shoulders dropped and she shook her head. She thought they had gotten beyond the cloak and daggers stage. "Don't you think it would've been better to at least point Alice in the right direction?" She recalled the stress Alice had put herself through to find answers, answers that Daniel already had. A wave of anger surged through her body, and she stiffened. "She's been working tirelessly to put the puzzle together, and you had the answer the entire time."

Daniel placed his hands on his desk and leaned forward. "I don't need to explain myself, and I certainly don't answer to you."

She shot out of her seat and placed her hands on her hips. "Don't you think we've already learned the hard way what happens when key people are left in the dark? I would've thought you'd have learned that lesson by now."

Daniel's stonewall expression irritated her even further. She let out a disgusted noise and stormed out of his office slamming his door with as much force as she could. She needed to leave before she said anything she'd regret later.