Page 15 of Feral Mates (Ruthless Instinct #1)

“Not yet. I needed coffee first. Why?” He peered over my shoulder. “You’re locked out. That’s odd. Let me try it from my login.” Reaching over me, he typed in his credentials, immediately shifting to the results page.

Another red screen.

“That’s not normal,” he huffed. “Maybe a glitch. I’ll call technical support.”

Before he had a chance to turn away, I grabbed his arm, looking from right to left to ensure no one was paying any attention. “Listen to me. Something isn’t right.”

“I know. That’s why I need to make a call. It’s happened before.”

I shook my head. “I think we were locked out on purpose. Can I trust you?” He was the only person I felt I could fully trust in the facility.

Carl narrowed his eyes. “Of course you can. What’s going on?”

“After I left here on Friday, something out of the ordinary happened.”

“You’re being cryptic, which isn’t like you.”

I was trying to be careful with my words.

Even though we were both working with the portal, to openly admit an intelligent lifeform had slipped through, and had attached to not one but three hosts, didn’t just sound like the premise of a sci-fi horror flick.

It made it sound like I’d lost my freaking mind.

“You mentioned Dr. Blackwell and his team were having trouble closing the portal. How did you discover that? There are no memos or emails.”

“They probably didn’t want it widely known.”

“I’m serious, Carl. How did you know that?”

His expression reverted to something almost childlike, a kid with his hand caught in the cookie jar at midnight. Now he was the one glancing over his shoulder. “You remember my friend Dr. Tyler. Right?”

I had to try to remember who he was talking about. “Camden. Doesn’t he work on the fourth floor?”

“Yes, he does. We went to the university together. That dude is a walking, talking machine of science. One reason he has full security clearance.” He half laughed.

I didn’t. “Okay. Okay. We get together every few weeks for a basketball game. He happened to mention it last Thursday night. I could tell it concerned him.”

I thought about what I’d learned. “Did you press the issue?”

“There was no need at the time. Besides, he plays by the rules. Are you going to tell me why you’re so nervous? I can tell by the tic on the side of your mouth.”

“What if I told you lifeforms have already slipped into our universe?”

“I know that’s what you’re hoping for, but from what we’ve been told, is very likely nothing more than a response to a magnetic pull. Don’t tell me you had a breakthrough.”

“In a manner of speaking. Not only did my configurations on the laser system finally work, but…” Here goes. I couldn’t back down now. “Three wolves escaped the refuge that’s only a few miles away.”

“Okay.” Carl laughed. “I’m not making the connection.”

“I saw them over the weekend.”

He scratched his head. “You saw them. As in the escaped, likely dangerous wolves.”

“Yes.”

“Did you call animal control or the refuge center?”

I shook my head. “Just wait. I saw them as wolves and… and as men.” I lifted my head, waiting for his reaction.

He knew I wasn’t prone to taking things at face value, constantly double checking our work. When he burst into laughter, I wasn’t shocked. Maybe a little hurt. “I didn’t know you had a funny streak in you.” His smile faded. “Wait a minute. You’re serious.”

“I am.” I pulled out my phone, glancing at the doorway. The last thing I wanted was to be seen acting suspiciously. “I took a picture of them as proof.”

Carl flicked me a quizzical look before taking the phone from my hand. “Where were you?”

“In the woods about two miles from here. Don’t ask. I had a flat tire on Friday. Then these… men appeared out of nowhere and well, one thing led to another and I returned on Sunday to find them in wolf form.”

“You are not making any sense.”

“It’s complicated, I know. The men I saw were the wolves.

They shifted almost in front of my eyes into men.

There was the same coloration in beasts and in men, fur and hair color.

They knew their names, although I don’t think they fully comprehended how.

” Although where I’d initially thought they were primitive, the longer I’d been around them, the more intelligent they’d seemed.

If the figures in the portal could understand us, they would have learned a great deal over the years.

If they could somehow see our thoughts, their potential for learning would be almost infinite.

Once in a physical form they would be able to slowly put it all together. An ache pounded behind my eyes.

Carl’s lack of reaction was more worrisome than before. “You’re serious.”

“I am. And get this. They seem to have a great deal of knowledge of someone who was likely working with or the various lifeforms that came through the portal.”

I could tell Carl was going back and forth in his mind wondering if I’d lost it. “Do they know who they were watching… before?”

“Dr. James Wheeler. I don’t know for certain that he works here at the laboratory, but one of the wolves mentioned him.”

He rubbed his jaw, taking several deep breaths. “Dr. Wheeler hired me. He’s been working closely with Dr. Blackwell for several years. He’s even under consideration for one of the board of director positions when Mr. Daniels retires later this year. That much I do know.”

“Do you believe what I told you?”

He sighed and looked away, mulling over what I’d told him.

“What I know is that a year ago we were involved in an entirely different research project. Then Dr. Blackwell and his team stumbled on a possible break or portal linking our world to a parallel universe. That altered our methods of research and funding.”

I folded my arms, cocking my head. “I know what happened with the shift in the project, Carl. I’m asking if you believe I’ve been in contact with a new lifeform.”

He studied me for a few seconds. “I believe it’s possible. Have you talked to Dr. Blackwell?”

“I don’t think what happened was accidental.”

“Meaning what?”

“What if some of the lifeforms are dangerous? What if Dr. Tyler was right and the portal can’t be closed?

That could change everything we know as scientists.

As humans. Imagine what the possibility of combining life forces could do for our medical systems and technology.

But what if there are malevolent lifeforms determined to do evil? ”

He exhaled. “I think you’re getting a little ahead of yourself. What do you want to do with this discovery?”

“I don’t know exactly except I need to know if what I’ve experienced is the result of a mistake or a private experiment.

You know as well as I do we have strict protocol.

There are rules regarding the possibility of new lifeforms. If Dr. Blackwell is experimenting with the portal without authorization, every scientist involved with the project could lose their license or potentially worse. We could even be arrested.”

Carl glanced at the observation window. “I think that’s a little farfetched, Sav. But you’re right the protocols need to be followed. Did these wolf men seem harmful?”

I wanted to correct him that they weren’t wolf men in that they were entirely different entities. Either a wolf or a human, but there was no point in doing so. “No, not in the least.”

“Okay. What do you need from me?”

“Just help me look for any clues.” I pointed to the ceiling. “We normally get weekly or biweekly memorandums from Dr. Blackwell. We haven’t gotten one in what, five or six weeks? Plus, this morning’s email isn’t here.”

“Come to think about it, you’re right.”

“Maybe that’s because they don’t want their activity to be questioned or scrutinized.”

“You’re saying Dr. Blackwell and his entire team are in the middle of a cover-up.

If you’re right, what you told me would make sense.

However, let’s not jump to conclusions. Let me see what I can find.

I can’t promise anything. What I do suspect is that Dr. Blackwell won’t like anyone trying to circumnavigate the security system.

Besides, if what you’ve just told me is true, which, obviously, from my point of view is farfetched, then security will be even tighter. ”

Nodding, I glanced toward the glass panel, moving toward it. As soon as I placed my hand on the surface, an array of pulsing lights appeared out of the darkness.

Carl flanked my side. “Whatever is going on, it’s clear to me the source behind the anomalies is highly responsive to you. More so than to any other scientist.”

“You mean lifeforms, Carl. Don’t be afraid to say it. You’ve seen my results. You’ve witnessed the way the beings took on a life of their own. I feel it in my blood.”

“Be careful, Sav. I know you’ve always wanted to believe there’s something else out there, but you’re a woman of science.”

“Which is why I know in my gut I’m right about this.

A discovery was made. Whether intentional or not, something incredible has been discovered.

But as with all amazing discoveries, they can be used for evil intentions.

” I shifted my hand on the glass and the shape drifted into another shape, one that slightly resembled the human form.

Carl groaned. “Just don’t get your hopes up.

” He started to walk away, but stopped, lifting his head toward me.

“I don’t know what you experienced, Sav, but I do know there are some very bad people out there who will stop at nothing to achieve their claim to fame.

Maybe your flat tire brought you into the middle of something that has nothing to do with science. ”

I knew he was right in the way he was thinking, but I still felt them inside.

Three incredible men who’d awakened my very soul.

Three wolves taken from their natural habitat.

“I know, Carl. I’m a scientist first before anything else.”

He nodded. “And a damn good one.” We both heard vibrations and his eyes opened wide. “Great. What you want to do just became more difficult.”

“What is it?” I turned around, facing the doorway only to see several people in suits walking by quickly.

“That’s the oversight committee. I’d wondered why the entire board of directors walked into the building when I did. We need to be very careful.”

“Maybe. Maybe not. Dr. Blackwell and his team won’t be paying any attention. When the cat’s away…” An expression we’d used together from the first week we’d met.

His chuckle was following by a slight mischievous grin. “The mice will play.”