Chapter 103: Wolfsbane?

HELENA 'Aaron," I whispered, my eyes widening with both fear and confusion. 'This...I've seen this before. When Aaron was poisoned..." If I remembered correctly, Luna had extracted it from his system when he was unconscious in her truck. It was this exact consistency and luster. Veronica's expression shifted, flickering between excitements to concern. 'What do you mean?" I didn't respond immediately. Instead, I carefully placed the vial on my desk and got up. 'I need to call Luna, just...wait here." Without waiting for Veronica's response, I hurried to the door and called out into the hallway, 'Luna! Can you come here for a minute?" It didn't take up to five seconds for Luna to appear, and her expression was curious as she stepped into the room. 'What's up?" I picked up the vial, carefully handing it to her. 'Here, look at this," I said. 'Does it remind you of anything you've seen?" Luna shrugged, but with curiosity. She took the vial, slowly turning it in her hands. Suddenly, her face went pale, and her eyes darkened obsidian. Never a good sign. 'Helena...this is...wolfsbane. In an oddly peculiar form." The chill I had been dreading finally ran down my spine as I stared at the vial in Luna's hands. 'Wolfsbane?" I repeated, whispering. 'Yes," She confirmed, her voice filled with alarm. 'Where did you get this, Veronica? This is extremely dangerous." Veronica looked between me and Luna, confusion splayed on her face. 'Wolfsbane? What are you talking about?" Luna placed the vial back on the desk, and exhaled. She glanced at me briefly. 'Wolfsbane is, simply put, poison to werewolves," she ran her hands through her hair. 'It's incredibly toxic for us, and even a small amount can be deadly. How did this end up in your experiment?" 'I...I didn't know," Veronica stammered, her face pale. 'I just found the plant and used it in my research. I had no idea it was something like that." My mind was racing. I remembered the time Aaron had been poisoned with wolfsbane—how close they had come to losing him, how desperate they had all been to save him. And now, here it was again, right in front of them. What was with such plants anyways? 'Veronica, you need to be extremely careful with this. If this is what you've been working with, it could explain why your experiments have been so...unpredictable." My voice was tight. Veronica looked down at the vial, her earlier excitement now completely drained. 'I never meant to...I didn't know." Luna's eyes were wide with emotion, but I couldn't tell which. 'We need to figure out how to deal with this. If this is in the experiment, it could be incredibly dangerous, not just to Aaron and me, but to anyone who comes into contact with it." 'It seemed to have a good effect on human cancerous cells. That's why I kept using it." Veronica muttered. Luna glanced at her. 'It's dangerous. Period. And to think I was feeling nauseated." 'I'm sorry. I…didn't know." Vee's demeanor was completely dejected, and I felt sorry for her. I looked sharply at Luna, urging her to give her a break. It wasn't her fault. 'It's fine. But we need to isolate this, probably get it out of the house." Luna whispered, her tone much lighter. I nodded. We needed to secure the wolfsbane, find out exactly what Veronica had been working on, and ensure that no one else was put at risk. But more than that, I wanted to know who, or what led her to this deadly substance. It shouldn't have been that easy to find. I stood in front of the mirror in the bathroom, smoothing out the wrinkles on my blouse. My fingers lingered, and I tried to steady the tremors in my hands. Today would be my last day at the bank, and the reality was scary as fuck. 'It's been six months already." I whispered. All that time I spent proving myself and building relationships. Now, I was about to walk away from all of it. The thought made my chest tighten slightly, with a bit of anxiety. Regret? Maybe, but not much. 'But this is necessary." I reminded myself. Lunaville wasn't just a distant plan anymore—it was the next chapter of my life. It was a place I had to get to if I was going to be with Aaron and Luna. To help them face whatever dangers or challenges awaited them there. Despite all that, leaving didn't seem any easier. Veronica left early this morning, after we had discussed with Luna on what to do with her experiments. Vee would keep them, but she had to get rid of the wolfsbane. In small amounts it wasn't toxic to humans, but in large amounts it could build up and cause something even worse. I would miss her charming, yet playful presence. At least, she was getting along with Aaron now. Not that she was going to see him again. I exhaled, looking at reflection in the mirror. I grabbed my bag and headed out. Whatever happens, happens. The walk to the bank felt different, a little heavier. The familiar streets and buildings passed by in a blur, as their designs and positions imprinted in my memory. I was so going to miss this place. When I first started here, I just took it as another job. But now, after spending time It had been more than just a job. Much…much more. Now it was a place where I found purpose, a sense of belonging. The usual hum of activities greeted me as I walked in and I exhaled. Oh well. 'Good morning Helena!" Susan, the receptionist, greeted, her smile bright as always. I forced a smile in return. 'Morning, Susan. It's gonna be weird not coming in tomorrow, and the weeks after that." She furrowed her brows. 'What do you mean?" 'I'm leaving, Susan. I'll tell you all about it later." I said dejectedly, and walked towards my office. She nodded sympathetically. 'Alright. We'll be waiting." I felt a lump form in my throat. I may not have built that much of a career here, but it still felt good. Leaving it all behind was… I pushed the thought aside. There was no room for second guessing now. I closed the door to my office and leaned against it for a moment, taking a deep breath. The room felt still, as if it could read my inner thoughts for closure. Like it was preparing for my departure. I sat down, trying to focus on finishing up my work. My eyes lingered on the computer screen, but my mind was elsewhere. Aaron and Luna, the plans we made, and the risks we were about to take. Leaving Henley, despite the fact that it would be very exciting, felt like stepping off a cliff into the unknown, and the uncertainty of it all was gnawing at my gut. I shook my head, rearranging my thoughts. A soft knock on the door pulled me out of my already hazy focus. I looked up to see my supervisor, Mr. Caldwell, standing in the doorway. Mr Caldwell had come in a few weeks after I was appointed manager, because the head of operations felt like the tasks were too much for me to handle. I was more than grateful for the gesture. 'Helena," he said with a warm smile, 'I just wanted to stop by and wish you all the best. Susan told me… I might have only been here a short time, but I can tell. We're really going to miss you around here." 'Thank you, Mr. Caldwell," I replied, cursing myself for telling Susan so quickly. By now, half of the office must've known. 'It's actually hard to believe today's my last day." 'You've been an invaluable part of the team," he stepped into the office. 'I'm sure wherever you're headed next, they'll be lucky to have you." I smiled, though it felt bittersweet. I wasn't leaving for another job, but for something far more dangerous. It felt weird holding it in, but I couldn't. My new life in Lunaville had to remain a secret. 'I appreciate that," she said, standing up to shake his hand. 'I'm really going to miss everyone." 'Well, they're waiting outside for you. Come on." He urged.