"Tell me what happened."

She asked.

Lucian looked at her and—

"You already know that."

He was in a desperate situation, the last thing he wanted was someone playing these games with him.

She wouldn’t even be here if she didn’t know what happened.

Claire just looked at him with the same expressionless look on her face, Lucian gave in within three seconds.

"Three lawyers came into my class. They said Ryan’s family and the others are pressing charges.

Aggravated assault, civil action, possible attempted murder."

His hands shook at those words.

"Attempted murder."

He repeated.

"Because I broke bones."

"Because you broke many bones."

Claire corrected.

Lucian looked at her sharply.

"What? Did you expect me to lie?"

Claire looked back at him.

"No..."

Lucian lowered his head.

"You hurt them badly."

She spoke.

"I know."

"Do you?"

"Yes."

Claire studied him.

Lucian lowered his gaze.

"I lost control."

"You know that, good."

"What will happen to me...?"

Lucian asked with a careful look on his face.

"If you join us, nothing."

Claire answered directly.

"Us...?"

Lucian was confused.

"The Enclave."

"The... Enclave?"

Lucian tilted his head.

"That’s it? That’s the name?"

"The name doesn’t matter since people aren’t supposed to know of its existence."

Claire shrugged.

Lucian nodded, then he asked.

"What is it? The Enclave."

"It is the reason the world you have been living in is still normal. Or at least, you believe it to be normal."

"I... believe it to be normal?"

Lucian stared at her, wanting a clearer explanation.

"Our World was never ordinary, Lucian.

It was only... well edited."

Lucian’s frown deepened.

"The police handle crimes. Governments handle nations. Hospitals handle the wounded. Courts handle laws.

And the Enclave—

The Enclave handles everything the aforementioned organizations are not allowed to believe in."

A solemn look appeared on Lucian’s face.

Claire continued.

"Demons. Vampires. Werewolves. Cursed objects. Bloodline awakenings. Rogue mages. Possessed bodies. Old families. Half-breeds. Monsters wearing human faces. Monsters who do not bother wearing human faces at all.

These are not hallucinations.

These are not myths.

They are real.

And the Enclave handles it all."

Lucian blinked at those words.

Vampires...?

Werewolves...?

They are all... real...?

What...?

It felt like his entire worldview was collapsing right this instant.

"We clean the blood, we change reports, we erase traces, we move bodies when needed, we decide which truths reach the public and which ones die."

"So it basically knows the Supernatural exists but hides it from the rest of the world, correct?"

"Yes."

"What’s the point? Why not reveal the truth?"

He asked.

"That would wage a War among the Supernatural. A War neither normal humans nor the Supernatural are ready for."

Claire answered with a solemn look on her face.

"So you people protect the world."

"No."

Claire shook her head.

"We protect humans."

She clarified.

At those words, Lucian looked around his house, the place where his parents should have been, the place where their lives had ended and—

"Where were you when he came?"

Claire’s expression did not change. Lucian’s eyes, however, glowed even more dangerously.

"If the Enclave protects humans, where were you when that bastard killed my parents?"

"We arrived too late."

"That’s awfully convenient."

Lucian laughed.

Claire didn’t give any excuse, she just explained the situation the best she could.

"We knew the blood existed, we knew it had been stolen from a sealed supply. We did not know it had reached your parents until it was already too late."

"Sealed supply?"

"You are not ready for that part."

Claire shook her head.

"I think I am past the point where you decide what I am ready for."

Lucian’s eyes glowed even stronger.

"No. You are exactly at the point where someone must decide that for you."

Claire answered directly but Lucian didn’t care, he suddenly stood up, slammed the table in front of him and glared at the woman in front of him.

"I watched my parents die because of that blood!"

"And you survived because of it."

Claire remained calm in front of his sudden outburst.

"I wouldn’t have been at risk at all if you people had done your job!!"

He screamed, the violet glow in his eyes now seeming dangerous. He looked like he might snap at any moment.

"Sit down."

Claire looked up at him and ordered coldly.

"No."

Lucian denied but—

"Sit down before you lose control and I am forced to take action. Do not lose the only chance you have to join the Enclave."

Claire wasn’t having it, her grey eyes starting to glow as well.

That made Lucian freeze for a second, then, even in his messy state, he calmed his mind and sat back down.

Claire didn’t say anything either.

For a moment, there was silence.

Until—

"Join the Enclave?"

"Yes, that is precisely why I am here.

To recruit you."

"To... recruit me?"

Lucian’s frown deepened.

Claire nodded.

"The Enclave wants to help you control, explore and grow your powers. We will give you proper training, unlike the one you got in that centre today, where neither you nor that coach knew what to do.

And in return, you will work for us."

"Work?"

Lucian raised his eyebrow.

"Supernatural incidents, investigation support, containment, eventually some field training when you are ready for it.

Though for now, you would mostly focus on how not to become the disastrous mess you are right now."

Lucian thought about what she said and—

"Why not make this offer before? Were you waiting for me to fall into a mess like this so you had more leverage?"

He narrowed his eyes.

His mind couldn’t come up with any other reason.

Claire, however, shook her head.

"We were testing you."

"Testing... me?"

Lucian frowned.

"How...?"

"When a person enters the hidden world, especially through force, accident, blood, a curse, or a strange awakening, the first few days are important. That is when their real nature shows itself."

"Their... real nature?"

Lucian narrowed his eyes.

"Power removes fear and when fear disappears, masks fall. Some people become protectors, some become tyrants, some become... worse than animals."

Lucian’s breathing changed as he finally understood what she was saying.

"You have been watching me."

"Since the hospital."

Claire nodded.

"That was the test. You wanted to see what I would do with my new powers."

"And you passed."

"How...?"

Lucian didn’t understand.

"I nearly killed people."

"Well, I did not say you passed with flying colors."