LOGIN"It's essential." Konstantin's voice hardens. "Maya needs access to our resources. Our intelligence. Our facilities. But she's proven herself capable of running. Of betraying agreements. The blood bond ensures she can't." "How?" I demand. "The blood bond creates a mystical connection. A link between two individuals that can't be broken. Once bonded, you'll feel each other's emotions. Sense each other's locations. And, most importantly, you'll be unable to intentionally cause each other harm." "That's slavery," Zara says. "That's insurance." Konstantin faces me. "You want my help stopping the hybrids. I want assurance you won't stab me in the back. The bond provides that. For both of us." I look at Alexei. He's staring at the floor, jaw clenched. He hates this idea as much as I do. "What do you think?" I ask him. "You want to be bonded to someone you despise?" "I want to survive." He meets my eyes. "And if bonding with you accomplishes that, then I'll do what's necessar
Maya POV We limp back to the compound as the sun rises. Alexei's soldiers carry their dead and wounded. Zara stays close to me, not quite trusting that this alliance will hold. No one speaks. We're all thinking the same thing. Five hybrids loose. More waking up. And we barely survived one. Konstantin is waiting at the compound gates. His expression doesn't change when he sees the casualties. Just observe. Taking mental notes. "I've been informed of the situation," he says calmly. "Five subjects escaped. One engaged and nearly killed everyone. Disappointing tactical outcome." "Disappointing?" Alexei's voice is raw. Angry. "We lost eight men. Good soldiers. And you call it disappointing?" "Yes." Konstantin turns to me. "You encountered Number Seven. Fought her directly. I need a full report. Her abilities. Her limitations. Everything." I'm too tired to be polite. "She's faster than any enhanced wolf I've seen. Stronger. Heals from anything except spinal damage, and even th
"I'm not nothing." Number Seven stretches. Testing her newly healed body. "I'm perfection. Evolution compressed into artificial growth. Every weakness burned away. Every strength enhanced." She moves again. Faster than before. The pain made her stronger somehow. Pushed her abilities further. She tears through Alexei's soldiers like paper. Claws ripping. Teeth tearing. Pure savage violence with no hesitation. No mercy. No humanity. This is what I could become. What I fear becoming. A creature of pure instinct and hunger with no moral restraints. "Stop!" I put myself between her and the last group of soldiers. "You want me, right? My DNA? Then take me. Let them go." Number Seven pauses. Considers. "Tempting. But why choose? I can take you and kill them." "You said I have something you need. Something in my genetic code that lets me survive. If you kill me, you can't extract it." "True." She steps closer. Blood drips from her claws. My blood mixed with others. "But what m
Maya POV Number Seven stands in the center of the factory floor like she owns it. Blood drips from her wounds but she doesn't seem to care. Doesn't even seem to feel it. "Twenty guns pointed at me," she says in my voice. "And you all think you're the predators. How cute." "Fire!" Alexei commands. The factory erupts with gunfire. Bullets tear through the air from every direction. The sound is deafening in the enclosed space. Shell casings rain onto concrete. Number Seven moves.Not running. Not dodging. She's just suddenly somewhere else. The bullets hit empty air where she stood a millisecond before. She appears on a catwalk twenty feet above us. "You're too slow. All of you. Even you, Zara." She looks at my sister. "The great terrorist. The enhanced legend. You're old. Outdated. First generation." Zara fires. The bullet passes through where Number Seven's head was. She's already moved again. Now she's behind three soldiers. Before they can turn, she strikes. Her claw
A figure at the end of the street. Walking slowly. Confidently. Into the light of a streetlamp. My breath catches. She looks exactly like me. Same height. Same build. Same facial structure. Her hair is the same shade of dark brown. Her eyes are the same shape. Even the way she moves mirrors my own body language. But there are differences. Subtle ones. Her skin has a faint iridescent quality. Her eyes reflect light wrong, like an animal's. And her smile. It's too wide. Too many teeth. She stops thirty feet away. Tilts her head, studying me. "Hello, original." Her voice is mine. Exactly mine. Down to the inflection and rhythm. "They told me about you in my dreams. The first. The template. The prime source." "Who are you?" My voice shakes. "I'm Number Seven. Subject designation. But I prefer Maya." She laughs. My laugh. "Since that's what they called you. Since I'm you. Just better." "You're not me." "I'm what you could have been. If you'd embraced what you are instead of
Maya POV Zara's head snaps toward the forest. Her entire body goes rigid. "What is it?" I ask, still recovering from the teleportation. "She knows we're here." Zara's voice is tight. "She sensed you the moment we arrived. She's coming." "Now? Already?" "Run!" Zara grabs my arm, pulling me deeper into the forest. "We're not ready. No weapons. No plan. Move!" We sprint through the trees. Branches whip at my face. My legs burn. Behind us, something crashes through the undergrowth. Fast. Getting closer. Then it stops. The forest goes silent. Zara pulls me behind a massive oak tree. We press against the bark, breathing hard. She puts a finger to her lips. Listening. Nothing. Just wind through leaves. The distant sound of the town. "She's playing with us," Zara whispers. "Testing. Learning our patterns." "We need to get back to the compound. Get help." "No time." Zara's eyes scan the darkness. "She'll catch us before I can open another portal. Teleportation takes c







