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"Should we stop it?" I ask, panic rising in my chest.

"We can't." Dahlia's voice is strained as she struggles to keep Mara from hurting herself. "The protein's already in her system. We have to let it run its course."

Mara lets out a scream that turns into a howl halfway through. It's a sound of pure agony that cuts me to the bone. Her skin ripples more violently now, the partial transformations happening faster and faster.

"Come on, Mara," Dahlia urges. "Fight it. Fight through it."

Just when I think Mara can't take it anymore, her body suddenly goes limp. The monitors stop their frantic beeping, settling into a steady rhythm. Her breathing evens out, and the patches of fur recede completely.

"Is she..." I can't finish the question.

"Her vitals are stabilizing," Dahlia says, checking the monitors. "Heart rate normal. Blood pressure returning to baseline. Temperature... dropping."

Hope blooms in my chest. "Is it working?"

"I think so." Dahlia presses a hand to Mara's forehead. "Her fever's breaking. And look… the partial shifts have stopped."

I watch in amazement as Mara's skin remains human. Her breathing is deep and even now, like she's fallen into a peaceful sleep.

"How long until we know for sure?" I ask, hardly daring to believe what I'm seeing.

"If she stays stable for the next hour, it's a good sign." Dahlia checks Mara's pupils with a small flashlight. "I'll need to take blood samples to confirm the virus is being neutralized."

I nod, unable to take my eyes off Mara's face. The pain lines that have been etched there for weeks seem to be softening already.

"You did it," I whisper, turning to Dahlia. "You actually fucking did it."

She shakes her head. "We don't know that yet. This could be temporary. Or she could relapse. Or…"

I cut her off by pulling her into my arms. She stiffens in surprise, then melts against me, and presses her face against my chest.

"Thank you," I murmur into her hair. "Even if it doesn't last, you gave her a chance. You gave all of us a chance."

Her arms tighten around my waist. "I couldn't have done it without you. Any of you."

I pull back slightly, looking down at her upturned face. "I think you could have done it without us. But I'm glad you didn't have to."

"Onyx..."

Whatever she was about to say is interrupted by a small sound from the bed. We both turn to see Mara's eyelids fluttering.

Then her eyes open.

Chapter 19 - Axl

Ican't stop checking my phone as I punch in the security code to Blackthorn's fancy safe house. It's been three days. Three fucking days I've been gone, and it feels like three years. My thumb hovers over Dahlia's name in my contacts for the hundredth time today, but I shove the phone back in my pocket instead.

She doesn't need me blowing up her phone when she's trying to save the world.

I push open the door. The main living area is empty, but I hear voices from down the hall, Dahlia's voice, specifically. My heart does that stupid little jump it always does when I hear her.

"Hello?" I call out, dropping my guitar case by the door. "Anybody home?"

The voices stop abruptly. Then I hear quick footsteps, and suddenly Dahlia appears in the hallway. She freezes when she sees me, her eyes going wide.

"Axl?" She blinks like she can't believe I'm standing there. "You're back."

"In the flesh." I spread my arms wide, trying to be casual even though my pulse is racing. "Miss me?"