Poison and Bane

3. Saturdays are for Stakeouts.

Shoutout to my darling girl BYEOLI18 for the amazing, mind blowing cover!! I'm sorry I made you wait for the update! But this is making up to it! Saranghae!

August, 18.

Gwendoline Bane.

It had been exactly a fortnight since my encounter with the lycan. Even less after I had made that sacrificial deal with Min Ri and all that haunted my dreams were dark eyes burning holes in me like laser moonlight.

The clan had quieted down about it. Sure, I was still getting disapproving stares and rumours behind my back about being delusional with "those bewitched eyes". I tried to take the compliment but the stab under the words weren't lost on me.

Outsider, it said.

Besides Kyro and Yu Na, I had no one else to confide in. Vangard treated me like a weapon most days and a precious possession on others, but I wanted more than anything to be considered as a person. Not a prize or an object of hate.

I had just finished putting the PB&J sandwiches into the toaster, when my phone pinged with a message. And then again with another one.

Kyro : *Van was looking for you. So get your ass over to the institute, Gwendoline Bane. I know you read that last part in Van's voice.*

I scoffed at his immaturity. The next message was from Min Ri.

Ri Ri : *Yuki-ah, when are you stopping by the restaurant again? I've convinced Gong Do-ssi to make coffee brownies for tonight. Come over soon*

After several years of running and distancing myself from people, Min Ri had finally reached out to the side of me that still held onto a piece of humanity. And here I was lying to her.

The thing was, I couldn't tell her the truth even if I wanted to. I couldn't tell her about my real name, or my origin or my profession because that would mean exposure of the entire institute to the world. I couldn't do that to the people who had given me a life, albeit one I never wished for.

I opened the chat-box to Min Ri.

Yuki : *Sorry, Ri Ri. Have a case to discuss with the seniors today. We need to close it asap. I'll try to drop by tomorrow. Save some for me! Sleep tight~~~*

Ri Ri: *T_T alright. Sweet dreams Ki Ki. Fighting! ^3^*

I smiled to myself. Maybe, I wasn't as alone as I considered myself to be.

The toaster whirred and the bread slices popped out. I grabbed one and bit into it.

Gwendoline : *I'm almost there. Bet you read that in your girlfriend's voice. Oh wait, you're too repulsive to have one!*

The profanities that followed in the next text from Kyro cracked me up and I nearly choked on my toast, while I got ready to head out to the institute.

It was a short walk there, and an even shorter drive but I just wanted to get over with whatever Van had to say and then have a goodnight's sleep, so I took the car.

When I had turned into the parking lot, I found Jeon Woo Bin standing there next to my usual spot. He was wringing his hands together, forehead scrunched and when he saw my car approaching, he nearly jumped onto the bonnet.

"Yah! Woo Bin-ah! Are you trying to pin me with murder or something? Why did you jump out like that?"

"Ah! I'm so sorry sunbae-nim!" He bowed profusely until I got out of the car and stopped him.