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Her heightened senses detected two guards stationed around the corner—their scents distinct with gun oil, coffee, and the underlying musk that all wolf shifters seemed to share.

Maya slipped into the corridor, keeping her head down and clipboard raised as if reviewing notes. Her bare feet padded silently against the cold tile floor.

Stay calm. Act like you belong,she coached herself.You're a scientist observing specimens, not a specimen escaping.

The connection in her chest pulled stronger than ever, a compass needle pointing toward Kieran. She could feel him somewhere outside these walls—closer than before, his presence burning like a beacon of fury and determination.

He's coming for me, but I'm meeting him halfway.

Maya turned left at the junction, following instinct more than logic. The scent of fresh air—however faint—drew her forward like a lifeline. Each step away from her prison cell sent waves of elation through her trembling body.

I'm coming, Kieran. Just hold on.

She could almost feel his response, a primal growl of approval resonating through their connection. Whatever bond they shared, it was growing stronger with each passing hour.

The thought of seeing him again sent unexpected heat spreading through her body. His silver-blue eyes flashing with possessive intensity, his powerful hands pulling her against his chest, and his mouth claiming hers with that perfect mixture of dominance and tenderness.

Focus, Maya,she chided herself.Escape first, fantasize later.

But the connection pulled tighter, and somewhere in the distance, she could have sworn she heard the howl of a wolf—commanding, powerful, and unmistakably coming for her.

Keep it together. You're almost out.

Her bare feet padded against the cold linoleum floor, each step sending electric signals of freedom up her spine. The lab coat flapped softly around her legs as she moved with growing confidence.

That's when she saw them—the two guards stationed at the exit door of this underground section of the medical facility, their broad shoulders blocking her path to freedom. One leaned casually against the wall while the other stood at attention, their scents now unmistakable—gunmetal, leather, coffee, and that musky undertone of wolf shifter.

"Hey, doctor," the taller guard called, straightening. "ID badge?"

Maya's stomach clenched. She hadn't thought to take Dr. Sonya's ID badge off her.

"I must have left it in the lab," she replied, attempting to mimic the clinical detachment of the facility's staff. "I need to get to the main level of the facility for a moment. Signal's terrible down here and I need to make an urgent phone call."

The guards exchanged glances.

"Protocol says no one exits the underground section without proper credentials," the shorter guard said, stepping forward. His eyes narrowed. "Where are your shoes, Doctor?"

Maya's heartbeat thundered in her ears as their expressions shifted from suspicion to recognition.

"It's the specimen!" The taller guard reached for his radio. "Code Red in Section?—"

"I am not a specimen!" Maya hurled the clipboard at his face with unexpected force, buying herself precious seconds.

The shorter guard lunged for her arm. Maya twisted away, but he caught the sleeve of her lab coat, yanking her backward. Panic flooded her system as memories of needles and restraints flashed through her mind.

No. Not again. Never again.

Something primal erupted inside her—a scalding heat that raced through her veins like molten fire. Her vision sharpened to crystalline clarity as the world slowed around her.

"You're not taking me back there," she snarled, her voice lowering to a register she'd never heard from her own throat.

The partial transformation began with her hands—bones cracking and reforming as her fingers shortened and nails extended into curved, lethal claws. Pain lanced through her jaw as her canines lengthened, sharp points pressing against her lower lip.

The guard's eyes widened. "Holy shit, she's shifting!"

Maya didn't recognize the feral growl that tore from her throat as she lunged forward. Her movements were fluid and instinctual—her body knowing exactly what to do even as her mind struggled to comprehend what was happening.

The first guard went down with a swipe across his chest, fabric and flesh tearing under her claws. Blood blossomed across his uniform as he crumpled against the wall. The second guard drew his weapon, but Maya moved with supernatural speed, knocking it from his grip before delivering a powerful kick that sent him flying into the exit door.