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“You seem well.” He smiles at me. “And I see that you’ve regained your ability to move. It certainly proves my theory that the formula has a very mild impact on humans, almost like a temporary paralyzing agent.”

I stand up and face him. “What did you give me? Why did you bring me here, Cassian?” I’m surprised by how calm I sound.

“Well, two reasons. I had to convince my uncle that I planned to kill you. He was going to be a very useful witness for me. By now, your friends are convinced you’re dead. So if you think help is coming, Dr. Sorin, I would advise you to put those hopes torest. I have it on good authority that you have been proclaimed deceased.”

My lips part in shock. “You’re lying.”

His smile widens. “I’m not. Leanna Avery is in a coma. I expected Princess Vivian to get the job done, but it seems she truly was useless. However, I don’t expect your friend to make it. Vivian’s nails were coated in the same substance I gave you and Jerry. I instructed the princess to make sure she targeted all of Leanna’s vital organs. Your friend is most likely going to die in a few days.”

Grief clogs in my throat. “Why? She didn’t do anything to you.”

Cassian tucks his hands into his pockets. “Leanna has a sharp mind. And she was well protected. If we had let her keep going at the rate she was, she would have begun to uncover decades and decades of our hard work. She was already asking questions that we did not like.”

“We?”

“Yes, we, as in the Silver Ring Organization.” He gives me a long look. “You have two choices. You can either work for us or you can die. But keep in mind, choosing the latter is not going to result in a simple death.”

“Work for you?” I stare at him, feeling sick to my stomach. “I’m a human. What could I possibly do for somebody like you?”

Cassian glances at the growling wolf in the opposite corner. “We want you to fix him.”

“Sorry?” I gape at him.

“We want you to create a formula that will force this wolf to shift back into his human form.”

A sense of unease builds within me. “What do you mean? Can’t he shift back if he wants to?”

Cassian doesn’t reply immediately, his eyes on the snarling wolf. “He seems to have some sort of immunity. When wecaptured him, he was in his wolf form. The formula we used was a less refined version of what we have now. The intent is to temporarily stop a shifter from being able to assume their animal form. However, the old variety seems to have done the reverse to this one. He won’t—or can’t—shift to his human form now. Even on the cusp of death, he wouldn’t shift. We believe the reason is the drug we gave him, which was still in its early stages of development. It has done something to him. We want you to reverse the effects of it.”

I shake my head at him, confused and surprised. “Why me? I’m sure you can talk to the person who created the old formula.”

“Because we want to see your potential.” Something about Cassian’s eyes rubs me the wrong way. “You were able to figure out our drug very quickly. We want to see whether you’ll be able to come up with something that will reverse the effects of the initial formula.”

“And if I’m not?” I ask cautiously.

“Then you’re useless,” he replies simply. “And there will be no reason to keep you around. Remember, Dr. Sorin, if you want to survive, you’d better start producing your best work yet. We have high hopes for you. Your continued existence depends on your results. Work with us or die a painful death. Which will it be?”

I stare at him, terrified.

Chapter One

Dr. Maya Sorin

“I’ll try to be gentle,” I whisper to the wolf on the metal table.

He is tied down with the same iron clamp as in the cell we still share, six months later.

He growls, and I see the pain in his eyes as I administer the dose.

Stepping back, I wait and study his vitals. There’s only a slight change. Not enough.

Glancing over my shoulder, I see Cassian watching me. His brows knit together as he frowns, and he shakes his head in disappointment. “You said you were sure this time.”

“I said that it might work,” I respond tightly. “I don’t have his medical history. You won’t let me draw his blood. How am I supposed to work under these conditions?”

Cassian steps toward me threateningly. “You don’t need any of that. You have the original formula. You just need to create something to reverse it and test it on him.”

“It doesn’t work like that!” I hiss. “I need to know what is in his blood in order to figure out how to counteract it. You can’t create an antidote without the patient’s bloodwork.”