Chapter 176: Bloodline Talent
As Adyr wrestled his bloodlust back under control, he shifted his focus outward, steadying his perception of everyone around him.
He might have the instincts of a predator, an unchecked hunger lurking in his nature, but beneath it all, he was still human—one who had mastered his emotions more thoroughly than most. Pulling himself back into that discipline wasn’t difficult.
In a matter of moments, the oppressive, frigid tension in the room melted into a steady, reassuring warmth.
Rhys Graves felt it first. The daggers in his hands no longer felt so vital. His grip slackened, arms lowering as his rigid, wary stance eased without him realizing it.
The sharp, defensive glint in his eyes softened, transforming into something closer to cautious curiosity.
"What is this power?" Rhys muttered, his voice hushed as if uncertain he was even speaking aloud.
Before his very eyes, Adyr had changed—the savage threat, so close to breaking loose, had vanished. What remained was simply an eighteen-year-old who radiated calm and a quiet sense of trust. Rhys struggled to register the abrupt shift.
And he wasn’t alone.
Every other gaze in the room reflected the same dizzying reversal. STF operatives lowered their weapons, their muscles uncoiling as their posture changed from combat-ready to uncertain but no longer hostile.
Those who had blacked out began to stir, pulling themselves upright, breaths coming in long, steady gulps as though they’d just been pulled back from the edge of a cliff.
The panic and oppressive terror that had been choking them only moments before were gone, replaced by the unmistakable sensation that whatever threat had been lurking was no longer there.