Page 28

I watch Dahlia through the observation window, and my stomach twists into knots.

She lies motionless on a metal examination table; her wild curls spread across the stark white pillow.

There is medical equipment around her to monitor her vitals.

The only sign she's alive is her chest rising and falling in shallow breaths,

What have I done?

The door behind me slides open with a soft hiss. I don't need to turn around to know who it is. Hammond's cologne announces him before his footsteps do.

"She's quite the specimen, isn't she?" Hammond stops beside me, and his reflection appears on the glass. "You chose right, Blackthorn."

I keep my face carefully blank. "She's still unconscious."

"Her body is fighting the heat." Hammond taps the glass with his knuckle. "That's why she's not waking up. The stronger the mind of the Omega, the harder they resist the first artificial cycle. But they all break eventually."

I clench my jaw so hard my teeth might crack. "When will she wake up?"

"Eager, are we?" Hammond's lips curl into a smirk. "Don't worry. I prefer it if you sire the first batch of super soldiers anyway. You have the right... genetic material."

My skin crawls at his words, but I force myself to nod. "I'm honored."

"You should be." He turns to face me fully. "I'm curious though… how is she? In bed, I mean."

I stare at him, momentarily stunned by his audacity.

"Come now, Evan. We're both men of the world." Hammond's eyes gleam with something that makes my blood run cold. "Is she as responsive as they say Omegas are? Does she get wet just from your scent? Does she beg for your knot?"

Every muscle in my body tenses, fighting the urge to slam his head through the glass. Instead, I give him a tight smile.

"She's... exceptional."

"I bet she is." Hammond looks back at Dahlia, his gaze crawling over her body. "I'd love to fuck her myself and test how sweet an Omega really is. But I can wait and watch instead."

"Watch?" I repeat, unable to keep the edge from my voice.

"For research purposes, of course." Hammond claps a hand on my shoulder. "Don't worry. You won't have to share her. You can have her all to yourself. But I must be present to observe and document the mating process."

I want to rip his hand off my shoulder and shove it down his throat, but I manage a stiff nod. "Whatever you think is best."

"I knew you'd understand." Hammond squeezes my shoulder before letting go. "We're going to become the most powerful men in the world, Evan. Just imagine having an army of enhanced Alphas at our command, all born from Omegas we control. The government will be at our feet."

"And the others?" I ask, nodding toward the adjacent room visible through another observation window.

Three men sit slumped in metal chairs, their wrists and ankles secured with heavy restraints. Onyx, Leo, and Axl are all unconscious from the tranquilizer darts.

"They'll serve their purpose," Hammond says dismissively. "We'll run tests using them first. Alphas have better endurance than normal humans. Their DNA will help us perfect the process before we move to full-scale production."

As if on cue, Leo stirs in his chair. His head lolls forward, then snaps up, eyes blinking rapidly as his consciousness returns. He looks around the room trying to understand where he is, and once he does, his face hardens. He jerks against his restraints.

"Looks like Detective Byers is awake," Hammond observes. "He seems upset."

Even through the soundproof glass, I can see Leo's mouth form the words: "I'll kill you, Evan."

"He doesn't seem to appreciate what we're doing here," I remark dryly.

"They never do. Not at first." Hammond walks to a control panel and presses a button. Leo's voice suddenly fills the room.

"…fucking traitor! When I get out of here, I'm going to rip your spine out through your throat!"

Hammond chuckles. "Such colorful words."

"Turn it off," I say.

Hammond raises an eyebrow but complies, cutting the audio feed. "Are you getting soft on me, Blackthorn?"

"Let's focus on what matters." I turn away from the window. "So, what's next? You mentioned tests."

"Ah, yes." Hammond's eyes light up with disturbing enthusiasm. "First, we'll extract genetic material from all three Alphas. Sperm samples, tissue, bone marrow, everything we need to isolate what makes them special."

"And Dahlia?"

"Once her heat fully manifests, we'll introduce you. The mating will be recorded from every angle. After conception is confirmed, we'll monitor fetal development closely."

"And if she resists?" I ask, watching Dahlia's face for any sign of waking.

"The beauty of heat is that resistance becomes... irrelevant… Her body will want what it wants. And what it wants is an Alpha's seed."

"I see." I clasp my hands behind my back to hide their trembling. "And after she gives birth?"

"We repeat the process, of course. With different Alphas. We need to determine optimal genetic combinations."

"How many children do you expect her to bear?"

Hammond shrugs. "As many as possible before her fertility declines. But by then, we'll have created more Omegas from her offspring."

"You want to breed your own Omegas?"

"Precisely." Hammond beams like I've just complimented him. "I knew you'd understand the vision eventually."

Through the other window, I see Onyx beginning to stir. His massive frame tenses and his eyes open to narrow slits.

"Looks like we'll have a full house soon," I observe.

"Yes, well, the tranquilizer dosage was calculated for average-sized men. Our wolf friend there is far from average." Hammond steps closer to the glass. "These men are magnificent specimens. Pure Alpha. His offspring with the Omega would be particularly powerful."

"More powerful than mine?" I ask, injecting just the right amount of jealousy into my voice.

Hammond glances at me. "Are you worried about competition, Blackthorn?"

"I'm curious about your scientific assessment."

"Well, it's hard to say without testing.

That's why we need multiple samples." He turns back to watch as Onyx grows more alert, pulling against his restraints with increasing strength.

"His raw power is impressive, but your hybrid genetics offer unique advantages.

Half-shifter, half-human is the perfect bridge between worlds. "

In the holding room, Leo and Onyx exchange looks.

"They seem to be coordinating," I note.

"Impossible. Those restraints are military grade, designed specifically for enhanced subjects." Hammond dismisses my concern with a wave. "They're not going anywhere."

"If you say so." I check my watch. "How much longer before Dahlia wakes up?"

"Are you impatient to start breeding?" Hammond smirks. "The drug should wear off within the hour or two. The heat symptoms will be intense by then."

I move back to Dahlia's window, pressing my palm against the glass. "And you're sure she won't be harmed in the process?"

"We need her healthy to bear children," Hammond says, as if that answers my question. "She'll be uncomfortable, certainly. The synthetic heat can be overwhelming for first-timers. But it won't kill her."

"How considerate of you."

"I'm a very practical man, Evan. Not a monster." Hammond joins me at the window. "She's beautiful, isn't she? Even unconscious, she radiates fertility. Can you smell her yet?"

I can. Dahlia's scent has begun to change, and it's growing sweeter and more potent by the minute.

"Yes," I admit.

"Good. That means the process is working." Hammond checks a monitor displaying Dahlia's vitals. "Her heart rate is increasing. Body temperature is rising. We have classic pre-heat symptoms."

"What about pain management?" I ask, noticing the furrow between Dahlia's brows, even unconscious. "She looks uncomfortable."

"Pain is part of the process… Besides, too many drugs might interfere with conception."

A commotion from the other room draws our attention. Leo is thrashing violently in his chair, the metal creaking under the strain.

"He's going to hurt himself," I observe.

"Let him try," Hammond says, sounding unconcerned. "Those restraints are reinforced steel. Even a bear shifter can't break them."

As if to prove him wrong, one of Leo's restraints gives an ominous groan.

"You might want to reconsider that assessment," I say.

Hammond frowns, moving closer to the observation window. "Impossible."

In the holding room, Onyx has stopped struggling. Instead, he sits perfectly still and closes his eyes.

"What is he doing?" Hammond asks.

"Shifters can sometimes access enhanced strength by focusing their energy."

"Fascinating." Hammond sounds genuinely intrigued. "I'll have to document this for the research files."

"You do that." I glance at Dahlia again. Her fingers have started to twitch. She's waking up.

"Ah, perfect timing." Hammond notices, too. "She'll be fully conscious soon, and the heat will take hold. We should prepare for the mating process."

"What does that entail exactly?" I ask, playing for time.

"We'll move her to a specialized room, which will be more comfortable than this medical setup but still equipped with monitoring devices." Hammond points to a door at the far end of the corridor. "Everything is ready. We just need our participants."

"And the others? What happens to them while Dahlia and I are... occupied?"

"They will stay secured until it's their turn for testing." Hammond's eyes gleam with anticipation. "Though perhaps we'll let them watch the mating. Their reactions could provide valuable data on Alpha territorial responses."

"You've thought of everything,"

"I've been planning for years Evan and I've been waiting for the perfect opportunity. And now, thanks to you, I have everything I need."

"Happy to help."

"I knew you'd come around eventually." Hammond claps me on the shoulder again. "You were always smart. You understand the bigger picture."

"The bigger picture," I repeat. "Yes, that's exactly what matters here."

"This is just the beginning." Hammond's voice takes on an almost religious fervor. "Imagine a world where we control the most powerful beings on the planet, where governments bow to our superior force. Where we decide the course of human evolution."

"Sounds like a nice fantasy."

Hammond frowns. "Fantasy? This is reality, Evan. Our reality. The future we're creating together."

I laugh a hollow and sharp sound that echoes in the sterile room. "Wow, your still fucking delusional."

"What the hell do you mean by that?" Hammond's eyes narrow with sudden suspicion.

I turn to face him fully, dropping the mask I've worn since entering this facility. "I mean, Hammond, that you're more delusional than I thought if you believe I'd ever help you turn Dahlia into a breeding machine."

"What are you saying?" Hammond takes a step back, his hand moving towards the inside of his jacket.

"I'm saying you should probably check those 'indestructible' restraints again."