A Wolf's Howl, A Fairy's Wing

"Indeed, you are correct, Miss Eleni. We're not here for that," Alistair replied, his voice imbued with a tone of undeniable authority, as he nonchalantly waved his hand, dismissing the matter entirely.

"I see," Eleni responded, her eyebrow arching in a blend of surprise and curiosity. She pivoted slightly, her gaze drifting towards Erik, who lingered in the back of the room.

His attention was scattered, exploring the room's every corner with an evident interest, while Elora, utilizing her omnisense, scoured the vicinity for any scrap of research data she could find. Not even the encrypted contents of computer drives could elude her keen senses.

"So, what might I assist you with then?" Eleni inquired, her gaze still locked on Erik's werewolf form, seamlessly enveloped in his sleek, dangerous-looking black armor.

A hint of amusement and challenge laced her voice as she speculated, "Does this have anything to do with our tall, dark, and undeniably handsome friend over there?" Her voice dropped to a sultry growl, her lips parting in a suggestive smirk as she lightly licked them.

Erik immediately recognized the signs of a fellow werewolf and chuckled at her suggestive stare. In a different situation, he might have taken her up on her clear offer, but he doubted she would be in much of a mood soon.

While far from a universal rule, many shapeshifters were lustful creatures, likely because of their close connection to their animal instincts.

Alistair nodded, "It does, but you're not going to like it." He thumbed over his shoulder towards Erik in a casual, yet annoyed and powerless gesture, "Erik over there will be taking custody of Alice."

A storm of shock and indignation swiftly crossed Eleni's expression. "What?!" she exclaimed, her voice echoing with disbelief and anger. She spun towards Erik, her protest vehement.

"You can't do that! Without Alice, we're left with nothing—doomed to sift endlessly through the genetic codes of vampires, humans, and shapeshifters, lacking any coherent thread to unite them. Alice is that critical link!"

Her impassioned speech slightly impressed Erik. Standing up to a second-ranker like this, despite being so weak in comparison, was truly impressive.

Unfortunately for her, it wouldn't change the outcome.

Thus, he tilted his head to the side, his lips curling into a mischievous grin that, in his transformed state, revealed his sharply pointed fangs, transforming the gesture from potentially playful to distinctly ominous. "And how, pray tell, do you intend to stop me, Miss Eleni?"

As Eleni began to manifest the initial signs of a transformation, driven by a mix of fear and defiance, Alistair swiftly intervened. "That will be enough, Eleni. To confront this man and his allies would most likely lead to our defeat. And even if we won, if would come at a heavy cost. Too heavy a cost to justify defending research and assets that have yet to bear fruit after several months."

"You mean to tell me this man isn't even part of the Council?! Do we even know what he intends to do with the girl?" Eleni's voice was thick with scorn, her question cutting through the air as the room's tension heightened, every researcher present turning towards the unfolding drama with a mix of fear and anticipation.

Erik was surprised to notice a hint of protectiveness in the woman's voice. "Considering how Alice got here, I'm surprised this woman has the gall to pretend to care about the girl," he inwardly remarked to Elora with an amused tone.

"It's called compartmentalization," Elora chuckled with the same level of amusement. "Since it was a different branch of the Council who did those things to Alice, this Eleni manages to pretend like it has nothing to do with her."

Then she shrugged, "Well, or perhaps it's just guilt."

Meanwhile, Alistair responded to Eleni, "No, we don't, and frankly, I don't care either. It's a done deal, Eleni. Just bring us to the subject's room so this man can retrieve her."

Alistair was looking at Eleni intently, and suddenly, a glint passed through Eleni's eyes. "Right!" she said, a little too enthusiastically. Clearly, this woman was not a good actor.

Inwardly, both Elora and Erik rolled their eyes at the obviously incoming trap.

However, Eleni's demeanor swiftly shifted back to one of anger and defiance. "Fine. I suppose I have no choice," she conceded, her glare fierce as she turned and led the way. The other scientists parted, forming a path, their gazes alternating between fear and fascination as they observed the imposing figure of Erik.

With Eleni paving the way and Erik bringing up the rear, the group moved through the clinically pristine hallways until they arrived at a section designated for living quarters.

Erik pondered the possibility of Eleni finding any comfort in these austere, underground confines, a stark contrast to the natural environments favored by shapeshifters.

Finally, they reached another hermetically sealed door that required a passcode to open. Eleni began punching in the code while letting out a sad sigh. "This facility was never intended to contain prisoners," she lamented, her tone suggesting she wished it had never been necessary.

"But when little Alice arrived," she continued with regret, " and we were forced to improvise. This chamber, originally intended for botanical specimens, now functions as her cell." Her tone proved her clear disapproval and discomfort with hosting a prison cell in her lab.

Finally, the door slid open, and she took a step back to reveal the now opened door was merely the first stage of an airlock, before turning to Erik.

Her narrowed eyes still radiated anger, but she attempted to make her next words sound reasonable. "Alice can be a little… feisty, and usually attacks anyone who enters the room. Since you purpose here is to take her away, perhaps you might be able to pacify her?"

The atmosphere was tense as they all wondered if Erik would actually be brave, overconfident, or dense enough to step inside this somewhat obvious trap.

But he surprised them all by smirking confidently and stepping forward. "No problem at all!"