The Factory: the Hybrid Youngsters: The factory, #2

By Laura Pérez Caballero

Finish discovering each of the secrets of young werewolves

• Language: English
• Publisher: Laura Pérez Caballero
• Release date: Jul 4, 2019
• ISBN: 9781393833017

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Table of Contents

The Factory | The Hybrid Youngsters | Laura P. Caballero | Translation | Joannes W. M. Groenewege

The Factory

The Hybrid Youngsters

Laura P. Caballero

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Translation

Joannes W. M. Groenewege

1.

Silence returned to the hut and everyone observed Pablo, accompanied by the boy who, more or less, had already an idea of who he was.

The boy had a wound that started at the beginning of his brown hair and reached up to one of his eyebrows. He also had another wound on one of his cheeks that was swollen and he was wearing dirty and torn clothes. His brown eyes stopped for a second at Angélica's, who was staring at him.

—I think even if you've never seen him, you can all imagine who he is, can't you?

Efrén ran a hand over his long blond hair and looked at Raúl, whom he had assimilated, somehow, as the leader of the puppies, even though apparently the Alpha was that other boy called Jandro.

—I have a slight idea from what I've learned so far, but it wouldn't hurt to have someone confirm it for me, —said the blonde. This is the son of the bastard who messed up all of this, isn't it?

Daniel wrinkled his nose and clenched his fists. Pablo placed a hand on his chest trying to transmit calm to him.

—I don't think this is the best time to use irony, Efrén.

The blond man shrugged, impassive. It annoyed him enough to be in that place and to have had to end up accepting that everything was real so as to have to see in front of him the son of the person directly responsible for the death of his father and the transformation and subsequent disappearance of his mother.

—And what are you doing here? Angélica asked him as she approached him a little. The boy followed her with his eyesight, distrustful. Something inside her didn't let his eyes peel away from her.

—He wants to be with you, on your side, he's just another hybrid, —said Pablo.

—Why should we believe him? —Don't you realize that his father is to blame for everything? Because of him we are what we are, our parents died and those who didn't, were condemned by him.

Pablo raised a hand asking for calm.

—He's not like his father, Efrén, he doesn't have to take responsibility for what that person did.

Raúl watched as Angélica did not stop looking at the boy. But, in addition, he watched in alarm as the boy did not take his eyes off her either. Her chest was starting to hurt and she felt like jumping on that boy and busting his face. In return, she turned to Pablo.

—Anyway, doctor, I agree with Efrén, I don't see any reason why we should believe him.

Pablo turned to Daniel and encouraged him to speak. The boy took his eyes off Angélica's and directed them to the ground before starting.

—The wounds I have are... they are the result of an argument with my father. I understand your resentment, I understand that you distrust me, and I will be very sincere: We all want that gene, that's clear, but what my father intends to do with it... that's why I decided to come and ask you to take me in, that's why I'm here. My father wants to make use of that gene exclusively with my grandfather, with me, with himself and with the transformed wolves, the rest he wants to leave subject to the condemnation of an eternal life of chronic pain.

The youngsters listened to him silently, suspiciously.

—I also lost my mother that night, —said Daniel lowering his voice.

Pablo swallowed while thinking about how he was going to explain to everyone, but above all to Angélica, Raúl and that other boy that nothing was like they believed.

Daniel addressed the rest again in a firmer voice.

—If he were willing for all of us to make use of that gene, I wouldn't be here, I admit. But since that's not the case and I think the information I have can help you, I've decided to betray him.

Efrén snorted as he pulled his hair aside and Raúl faced the boy.

—What information are you talking about?

Daniel looked at him and then turned his eyes to Martin.

—To begin with, I'll tell you that they have your father in the cave, up there, on the mountain. They're waiting for you to give yourself up in exchange for supplying him with that gene as well.

Martin received Daniel's words as if he had been hammered in the skull. He thought he was getting the worse for it because he was lucky to be the bearer of that gene.

2.

Daniel was surprised at how easy it had turned out to be. He had raised it with Ezequiel: he would infiltrate and tell that boy that they had his father in the cave. He would impersonate one of them and torture him telling him how bad his father was and that the only way to get that damned gene injected was for him to give himself up. It would have to be subtle, but he knew the guilt would do the rest.

The idea of hitting him to make it more real was Ezequiel's, of course, but he didn't even have the guts to do it himself. It was Ibrahim who had given himself the pleasure, especially after accumulating rage after the beating he had received from Jandro.

Now, in front of all of them, but more than anything else, in front of the reception of the doctor, he began to feel uncomfortable.

—I think some of you could leave him some clothes, — said the doctor.

Martin raised his hand.

—Well, it may not be long before he can inherit mine, so I can make you a loan.

Angélica elbowed him on one side and Martin held her with one arm over her shoulders and pretended to squeeze her head with the other.

—Beware of this fellow, his glances kill.

In a very short time, a relationship had been established between the hybrids that would not have happened if Pablo had not forced them to share the same cabin together. Angélica wondered if that wasn't the real reason and not that excuse that everything was for their safety.

Daniel smiled a little as he looked at her. That girl aroused strange feelings in him. He wanted to observe her and even get close to her, but it was not what he expected to feel towards a girl.

—Raúl ran a finger over one of the sides of his nose and breathed hard.

Angélica opened her mouth in surprise at Raúl's comment. The tension between them was sure to be mutual, but she couldn't understand why the boy was moving away from her.

—All right, then leave him some clothes, Martin, and then take him to school, I have something very important to tell you.

Pablo came out of the cabin and the rest moved in willingly to follow him.

Angélica couldn't believe it. That couldn't be true. When she had noticed that her connection with one of the hybrids had something special at last, she saw one of Milita's hands resting on the boy's forearm as she went forward to go after the doctor, and how the boy turned towards her and her eyes dilated, her mouth opened a little and her whole body trembled at the impression.

She was not the only one to see this. Everyone in the cabin was eclipsed by the image of the two looking at each other. Everyone noticed how the atmosphere became so intense that it encompassed infinity. It was like seeing love emerge in a solid way, in a way so dense and shared that it did not offend.

However, Angélica's eyes were filled with tears, because at that moment she thought she belonged to him and again that little girl, tattered and so fragile in appearance, had managed to take him  away from her.

3.

Angélica let everyone out in front and locked herself in the bathroom while Martín showed Daniel some clothes.

She looked at herself in the mirror. Her eyes were red, it was clear that she was about to cry and she didn't want others to see her like that. She had always been embarrassed to show weakness. She didn't want to be like a helpless little girl or princess who you look at as if it was necessary to take care of. Sometimes, however, she felt like giving up, when she realized that her feelings were never realized. It was very frustrating to feel ignored just for not being able to be helpless.

Martin opened the bathroom door.

—Sorry, —he apologized self—consciously when he saw her, —I didn't realize you had stayed, I thought you had gone out with the others.

—It doesn't matter, nobody ever notices.

Martin stood for a second clinging to the door, not knowing whether to go out or come in. In the end, he opted for the latter. Angélica sat on the toilet bowl.

—What's the matter, Angélica?

She looked up at him. She picked up the first tear that was beginning to run down her face.

—It's because of Raúl, isn't it?

Martin squatted before her and Angélica was surprised at the boy's intuition. A second ago she was thinking that no one was looking at her and now Martin was showing her otherwise.

—Is it that noticeable?

Martin laughed clumsily.

—Let's say that only a little less than what we have just witnessed between the son of the one without fingers and Milita.

Angélica gestured for Martín to lower his voice.

—It was amazing. That girl has the power to eclipse everyone.

Martin put a hand on the knee that protruded from Angélica's crossed legs.

—No, not everyone.

Angélica noticed that he was blushing. It wasn't possible that the boy was going to declare himself to her. She just wanted to cry; it couldn't be that everything always went so badly. She could never fall in love with Martin, she was sure, but it would be typical of her, it would be the most natural thing form him to love her, just the boy whose death was imminent. She felt stupid thinking about it.

—Martin, I, I... I really appreciate that you want to cheer me up.

—Come on, Angélica, I don't want to cheer you up. I mean, of course I want you to cheer up, but I wouldn’t say something like that, if I weren’t sure, who do you think I am.

Angélica held back the tears as she could. Martin got up when he heard that Daniel was knocking on the door.

Just before opening he turned to Angélica to leave her completely bewildered.

—Maybe Daniel was the necessary key for this idiot Raúl to decide once and for all to tell you how he really feels about you.

4.

On the way to school, Daniel kept an eye on Angélica and she couldn't concentrate on the last sentence that Martin had addressed to her in the bathroom.

She didn't understand anything. That boy, who wouldn't stop looking at her, had just had an apotheosis meeting with Milita. It was evident that the desire had traveled to the two hybrids to the point of being able to transmit it to the rest of the group, so why did he look at her like that?

They entered the corridor leading to the living room and Angélica saw that Raúl and Milita were talking next to the entrance door. He seemed tense and she kept her gaze low.

Milita took the opportunity to enter as soon as Daniel passed, and then