<h4>Chapter 156: Deeper into the web</h4>


    <strong>Charis</strong>


    I slipped into the backseat of the sleek ck car waiting near the far edge of the academy’s parking lot, grateful for the tinted windows that shielded me from curious eyes. The moment the door closed, Isolde immediately opened her arms with a warm smile.


    "Come here, darling," she said softly. "You look like you need a hug."


    I leaned into her embrace, breathing in the familiar scent of her expensive perfume mixed with something that always reminded me of safety. After the emotional intensity of the past few days, being held by the woman who’d saved my life felt likeing home.


    "How are you holding up?" Isolde asked as we separated, her hands still resting gently on my shoulders. "I know this transition back to academy life can’t be easy."


    "It’s strange," I admitted, settling back against the leather seat. "Especially with all the boys suddenly flocking around me. And the enemies I seem to be gathering among the girls is... rming."


    Isoldeughed. "Beautiful, powerful women always make enemies of insecure girls. It’s the nature of things, my dear. You’ll learn to navigate it."


    "I hope so. Sometimes I feel like I’m walking through a minefield."


    "Speaking of navigation," Isolde’s eyes grew more focused, "how are things progressing with the boys? Have they epted your story?"


    A smile tugged at my lips despite everything. "They believe me. I told them I was lucky to be saved by you, that you’d approached me a few days before my supposed transportation to Stormrock, but I’d refused help initially. That you saved me anyway out of the goodness of your heart."


    "And they bought thatpletely?"


    "Hook, line, and sinker. Rhett seemed especially relieved to have an exnation that didn’t involve him failing to protect me. ter’s investigative mind appreciated the logic of it all, but they’re still suspicious of you. They want to know why you want to help me."


    "And Kael?" Isolde asked.


    I hesitated, remembering the intensity in his dark eyes during our conversation. "I’m not sure about him. He was the one who first insisted we talk two days ago. His questions were... probing. Have you gathered more information about him since I told you about seeing him at that club?"


    Isolde’s expression grew serious. "We have, and what we’ve discovered is quite interesting. Kael Winters isn’t actually Alpha Winter’s biological son, for starters."


    "What do you mean?"


    "He works for a man who operates in very dark circles. ck market deals, weapons trafficking, people smuggling, assassination contracts—the full spectrum of criminal enterprise. Given Kael’s fighting expertise and his ability to blend into different environments, we believe he’s likely an assassin himself."


    The blood drained from my face. "An assassin? But that means..." I swallowed hard, fear creeping up my throat. "He could harm me. If he suspects what we’re really doing here—"


    "No." Isolde shook her head firmly, reaching out to squeeze my hand. "Men like Kael love once in their lifetime,pletely and without reservation. He loves you, Charis. You would be thest person he’d ever harm, even if you were his target."


    Her certainty wasforting, but doubts still lingered. "How can you be so sure?"


    "Because I’ve seen the way obsession works in men like him. The mate bond you share only intensifies that devotion. He might lie to everyone else in the world, but he’ll never hurt you. He might even turn against his own organisation if it came down to choosing between his mission and your safety."


    We sat infortable silence for a moment as I processed this information. Finally, Isolde leaned forward with renewed purpose.


    "Now, let’s discuss your next objectives. I want you to get close to Marcus Webb."


    "The Student Council President?" I frowned. "Why?"


    "I have suspicions that his mother was part of the ring that’s been exploiting students. If we can get ess to Marcus, we might be able to trace connections back to the higher levels of the operation."


    I shifted ufortably in my seat. "I’m worried that Marcus might try to make sexual advances if I get too close to him. He’s always been..."


    Isoldeughed again, this time with an edge that made me uneasy. "You’re a woman, Charis, and a woman’s body is sensual, powerful. If you find Marcus attractive, why not use that? Seduction has been a weapon of choice for centuries."


    "I... what?" I stuttered, taken aback by her casual suggestion. "But my mates—Kael, Rhett, and ter—"


    "I’m surprised you haven’t fucked them yet," Isolde said with an amused chuckle. "I mean, you’re all mates, right? You shouldn’t hold back, darling. Everything you do is experience, and experience makes you stronger and more capable."


    The conversation was taking a turn that made me deeply ufortable. "Isolde, I can’t just—"


    "Can’t what? Embrace your power? Use every tool at your disposal?" Her voice took on a sharper edge. "Charis, you need to understand that sentiment and morality are luxuries we can’t afford. Every girl still trapped in those facilities is counting on us to be ruthless enough to save them."


    I stared at her, seeing something in her expression that I’d never noticed before—a cold calction that reminded me ufortably of how Vale used to look at students.


    "There’s something else we need to discuss," Isolde continued, pulling out a tablet and swiping to what looked like building schematics. "We’ve identified the location of the primary facility where they’re keeping the girls. It’s apound about fifty miles north of here, disguised as a private medical research facility."


    My heart began racing. "How many girls are there?"


    "Our intelligence suggests at least forty, possibly more. They’re being held in underground levels,pletely cut off from the outside world." Isolde’s finger traced the buildingyout. "The security is extensive, but there’s a weakness we can exploit."


    "What kind of weakness?"


    "The facility requires regr supply deliveries—food, medical equipment, specialised drugs for their experiments. These deliveries happen every two weeks, and the next one is scheduled for this Friday."


    I felt sick. "You want to intercept a delivery truck?"


    "I want to rece a delivery truck," Isolde corrected. "With our own people, our own supplies, and most importantly, our own way inside."


    "This Friday? That’s only three days away."


    "Which is why we need to elerate your timeline with the boys. We’re going to need their help, whether they realise it or not."


    Something cold settled in my stomach. "What do you mean, whether they realise it or not?"


    Isolde’s smile was sharp, predatory. "Sometimes the most effective allies are the ones who think they’re acting on their own initiative. Kael’s organisation has the resources we need. Rhett’s family has political connections that could prove useful. ter’s investigativework has already uncovered information we can build on."


    "You want me to manipte them."


    "I want you to save forty innocent girls who are being tortured and vited every day while we sit here having philosophical discussions about the ethics of maniption."


    The words hit me like a p. She was right—while I was worrying about the morality of using my rtionships, real girls were suffering in ways I couldn’t even imagine.


    "What do you need me to do?" I asked quietly.


    "Tomorrow, you’re going to tell the boys about the facility. You’re going to share just enough information to make them want to help, to make them feel like heroesing to the rescue."


    "And if they refuse?"


    Isolde’s expression grew cold. "Then we’ll find other ways to motivate them. Rhett’s medical condition, for instance, makes him quite vulnerable. It would be tragic if his treatment were somehow... dyed."


    I stared at her in horror. "You know about his heart condition?"


    "Darling, I know everything that matters. The question is: are youmitted to saving those girls, or are you going to let misced loyalty to three boys prevent you from doing what’s necessary?"


    Before I could respond, Isolde’s phone buzzed. She nced at it, and she threw her head back withughter.


    "What is it?" I asked.


    "It’s your father, he has finally filed a legal petition with the Council iming you were kidnapped and are being held against your will. He’s demanding an immediate custody hearing."


    I tensed instantly. "Okay. When is it?"


    "Tomorrow morning," Isolde said with a smile ying on her lips. "I also heard that Darian ckmoor is also petitioning, iming that your engagement to him is still legally binding."


    "Uhhh!" I scoffed. "I can’t with Darian. He’s spent thest few days following me around campus and demanding I acknowledge him, and as for my parents, we already nned for this, right? Everything would proceed as nned."


    "Of course," Isolde nodded with a smile. "Did you see them when they came a few days ago?"


    "No!" I shook my head, drawing in a deep breath. "I don’t think I’m ready to meet either of them. I told you, I do not have a rtionship with either of them, I’ve never missed them to say the least. So, there’s no point pretending that we suddenly love each other."


    "Don’t worry, everything will be fine. In theing days, you’ll be on the news a lot; you need to prepare yourself mentally."


    I nodded. "I know. It’ll be difficult, of course, but I’ll see it through because I am determined never to go back to my father or end up with Darian."