Chapter 37: Hera, Activate Battle Model
Benjamin’s POV:
At three in the morning, I opened my eyes. In the dim hospital room, the sharp scent of disinfectant filled the air, instantly reminding me where I was. I flexed my arm, and as soon as I awakened my wolf, Lawrence, the door creaked open. My Beta, Tyrone Bowman, stepped inside. “Mr. Benjamin, you’re awake?”
I nodded and asked, “What happened?”
He didn’t waste time, reporting everything straight away. “According to our investigation, someone tampered with the brakes on your car. This wasn’t an accident; it was deliberate.” He paused before adding, “The person responsible also used wolfsbane to dull your wolf’s senses.”
“Wolfsbane?” Ordinary wolfsbane wouldn’t have any effect on Lawrence, I frowned.
“It was a special, enhanced strain. We’re still investigating, Alpha,” Tyrone clarified.
Hearing this, Lawrence roared in fury inside me.
“Find them! I want to know who did this, no matter the cost!” I clenched my fists, struggling to keep Lawrence from taking over, ready to tear the culprit apart. My voice came out as an order.
“Yes, Alpha. We won’t rest until we get to the bottom of this,” Tyrone promised.
I nodded, flashes of that night replaying in my mind. I instructed, “And get me the details on the person I raced. Whoever she is, I need to know everything about her.”
Tyrone didn’t need more explanation—he understood right away. He knew I was talking about the girl from the race, the one who reminded me so much of Sara…
“Alright, Alpha. I’ll handle it immediately.”
“Wait,” I stopped him, my mind still racing. “Keep this discreet. I want you to handle it personally. I trust you more than anyone.”
Tyrone nodded. “Understood, Alpha. I’ll make sure it’s done.”
Once Tyrone left, the room became eerily quiet. It was late, but I felt wide awake. I turned to look out the window, my mind replaying the events from that night. The more I thought about it, the more my heart raced. This time, I was certain—the person I’d been searching for all these years was finally within reach. Soon, we would meet again.
Hayley’s POV:
When I heard that Benjamin had woken up, I finally felt some of my anxiety lift. In the past few days, the Southwell brothers have taken turns not only driving me to school but also visiting Benjamin in the hospital. I hadn’t had time to visit myself. Between training and competing in the tennis open, I was completely focused on the tournament.
The competition was going well. After advancing from the round of sixteen, I made it all the way to the finals. After my unexpected victory over my round-of-sixteen opponent, the school tennis coach and my classmates were full of praise, and their opinions of me changed drastically. Only Henry remained skeptical. He still believed I’d made it to the finals purely by luck. He was convinced that I’d lose and he’d win our bet.
The day of the finals arrived, drawing many high-profile figures from various packs—Alphas, Lunas, and socialites. Some of them were people I knew. Luckily, my disguise was flawless; none of them recognized me.
As the match unfolded, it became clear that my opponent was a force to be reckoned with. She was not only the reigning Stormveil Championship but also possessed the same Alpha-level physical strength as myself. Defeating her wasn’t going to be easy, but that only fueled my determination. Hera was just as fired up.
I narrowly lost the first set. Glancing toward the front row, I spotted Henry smirking, his face practically glowing with smug satisfaction. He even looked a little too pleased by my loss. He probably thought I was done for.
“Hera, activate battle model,” I growled inwardly, my determination surging.