CHAPTER 467: THORNE BROTHERS’ ENDLESS SECRETS

Evaline:

The silence that followed my words stretched until it felt like the entire room was holding its breath.

A mole in Kieran’s team.

The statement lingered in the air like a dark cloud, heavy and impossible to ignore. For a long moment, no one moved. No one even shifted their weight. Each of us was frozen in the same horrible realization - someone with access, someone trusted, someone close - had deliberately erased crucial information.

Information that could have possibly helped other victims... and saved Draven.

I exhaled shakily, my heartbeat echoing in my ears. Through the bond, a wave hit me... sharper than fear, deeper than anger.

Kieran.

His emotions surged fast and hard, like a tsunami crashing under the surface. On the outside he remained perfectly composed... his brow smooth, expression controlled... but inside...

Inside he was a storm.

His jaw had tightened so subtly that no one else would have noticed, but I did... and so did his brothers. Through our shared bond, I felt every tremor of fury he was suppressing, every tight coil of disbelief, every instinct telling him to tear something apart.

I stepped closer without thinking.

His shoulders were rigid, tension locked down his spine like iron. Slowly, gently, I reached out and gave his arm a light squeeze.

It wasn’t much.

Just a simple touch.

But I felt him respond. He didn’t look at me, didn’t move his head, didn’t speak... but his hand shifted and returned the squeeze, his fingers brushing mine in a silent - I’m here. I hear you. I’m not going to break. Not yet.

Oscar was the one who found his voice first. It came out rough, edged with anger. "It has to be someone from the team who went to copy the originals," he said. "Someone who saw the old documents firsthand... who had the chance to hide this before bringing back the files."

I shook my head gently. "Maybe. But it could also be someone who tampered later... when the report was being finalized before it reached Kieran."

All three brothers turned to look at me.

Oscar frowned. "Why do you think that?"

"Because if someone had access to the original old cases at the old council headquarters," I explained carefully, "why not destroy the page entirely? Why leave the black-veins information intact in the originals? Why take the risk of someone... anyone... finding it again?"

A chill passed through River, and I felt Oscar’s breath hitch beside me. Even Kieran went utterly still, his expression unreadable.

I continued softly, "Whoever did this... they possibly didn’t get to touch the originals. They only tampered with the version being prepared for Kieran."

Kieran’s eyes darkened, the storm inside him sharpening into something sharper. "Because they assumed no one would double-check the originals," he said quietly.

I met his gaze and nodded. "Not even you."

His breath left him in a silent exhale... almost a laugh, but without humor. Because it was true. He hadn’t gone back to the original archive. He trusted his team to gather accurate information. He trusted them completely.

My chest tightened. That trust had been used against him.

Against us.

Against Draven.

The room went silent again, but this time it was heavier. Darker.

Because now the implications were undeniable - anyone involved in compiling the report was suspicious.

Every person Kieran had handpicked.

Every researcher.

Every investigator.

Every shadow warrior who accompanied the team.

One of them... or worse, more than one... was a mole.

The thought made my stomach twist, because I knew just how much faith Kieran had in his people.

Oscar muttered a curse under his breath. "This is... this is insane." His hand ran through his hair as he paced once. "Now we can’t even trust our own people."

"We can’t," River agreed quietly, though his voice had taken on a steel edge. "At least not until we are done running a thorough check through all our teams and have dug out the mole."

He pushed away from the wall, his eyes burning with intent. "I’m going to the old headquarters," he said firmly. "Tonight. Right now. I want to see the original reports with my own eyes and confirm everything."

The decision was sharp, decisive... pure River.

His gaze found mine. "You didn’t get to go through all the original records at the archive. So maybe there’s more than just the black veins information that was taken out."

Instantly, before anyone else could speak, I moved toward him and wrapped an arm around his, clinging instinctively. "You are right. I’m coming with you."

He looked down at me in surprise, then softened immediately. "Angel-"

"No." My voice didn’t shake even though I noticed the new endearment he had already used twice tonight. "I’m coming. I need to see the files again. I won’t stay back while you go digging into something this important."

Oscar stepped forward. "Then I’m coming too."

Kieran remained silent... but only for a moment. But when he did speak, it was final.

"And I’m not letting any of you out of my sight."

River nodded. "Then we leave now."

Kieran took one last look toward Draven before turning away. His voice dropped low, almost a whisper too soft for anyone else... but I caught it.

"We’ll find out who did this," he murmured. "I swear on my life... we’ll find them."

The four of us walked out of the basement together, steps quick, breath tight, hearts pounding.

Something had shifted tonight.

The mystery of the Soul Death cases was no longer distant, confusing, or unsolvable.

No.

Tonight, for the first time...

We had a lead.

A real one.

And that lead pointed to betrayal.

A mole inside Kieran’s team.

We all returned to our rooms to get ready. I changed out of my pajamas into all black. Grabbing Oscar’s black leather jacket to keep myself warm, my phone, and a cap, I headed out of my room to meet my mates.

Instead of using the main gate, we all headed back to the basement... and I got to know that I was still far from learning all of the Thorne Brothers’ secrets.