Chapter 41

FORTY-ONE

N atalie’s hands trembled as she gripped the edge of her lab bench, her heart pounding against her ribs.

Tomlinson’s face—twisted with greed and malice—faded from her nightmare into the dim light of the secure lab. The clock on her computer blinked 3:47 AM. She’d fallen asleep reviewing the new data.

“You’re fine. Everything’s fine.” The words came out in a shaky whisper as she straightened the stack of papers she’d scattered during her violent awakening. The soft hum of the state-of-the-art security system Marcus had installed filled the silence, a constant reminder of the protective measures surrounding her.

The private elevator dinged, and Natalie spun around, her fingers closing around the nearest weapon—a stapler. Marcus burst through the doors, his gray eyes scanning for threats before landing on her. His broad shoulders relaxed a fraction, but the tension in his jaw remained.

“Natalie.” Her name came out as a growl, concern wrapped in authority. “What happened?”

She turned back to her work, trying to hide how his presence already made her feel safer. “Nothing. Just reviewing these formulas for the counteragent.” She shuffled papers, avoiding his gaze. “The molecular structure needs?—“

The gentle clink of ceramic against metal made her pause. Marcus had pulled a tea kettle from somewhere—probably the break room he’d upgraded last week—and was filling it with water from the lab’s filtered tap.

“Your heart rate spiked.” He didn’t look at her as he worked, giving her space while staying close. “I felt it through the bond.”

“Stupid mate connection,” Natalie muttered, but there was no heat in her words. The bond that had formed between them still amazed and terrified her in equal measure.

Marcus returned with two steaming mugs that definitely didn’t contain tea.

“My grandmother’s hot chocolate recipe,” he explained, pressing one into her hands. “With a special wolf pack kick.”

The rich chocolate carried a hint of cinnamon and something stronger that warmed her from the inside out. “Wolf pack whiskey?”

His lips twitched. “Family secret.”

“Hey, all.” Emily walked in with her hand over her eyes. “Whatever you’re doing, I don’t want to see, but I want to let Natalie know that I’d hacked into one of Tomlinson’s servers and copied over some research data before they shut me down.”

“What?” Natalie nearly dropped her drink in her hurry to get to Emily. “What did you get?”

Marcus sighed. “I know what that means.” He stood and headed for the exit. “I’ll check in on you in a bit.”

The holographic display cast an eerie blue glow across Natalie’s face as she stared at the molecular model rotating before her. Six in the morning, and something in the data made her stomach drop. She zoomed in on the DNA structure, watching the subtle degradation pattern she’d nearly missed.

“No, that’s impossible.” Her fingers flew across the keyboard, running another simulation. The results blinked red: Fatal Cellular Degradation - 100% Probability .

The mass production calculations she’d been running revealed an apocalyptic truth - Tomlinson’s formula rewrote DNA permanently, creating a death sentence for anyone who received it. She expanded the timeline projection, her breath catching. These enhanced soldiers would die painful deaths within weeks.

A sharp beep pierced the silence. She’d triggered the containment protocols in her distraction. The lab’s emergency shields hummed to life as Marcus burst through the door, his gray eyes scanning for threats.

“Natalie?”

She pointed to the hovering molecular display. “I found the flaw.” Her voice cracked. “Tomlinson’s formula... it’s killing them.”

Marcus moved closer, studying the complex web of genetic information. His presence steadied her racing thoughts, even as her heart ached for the soldiers who’d unknowingly signed their death warrants.

“Show me,” he said quietly.

Natalie pulled up a 3D model of the cellular breakdown. “See this sequence? The enhancement bonds to their genetic code permanently, but it creates instability. Their bodies will start rejecting the changes within weeks, leading to systematic organ failure.” She highlighted the cascade effect. “They’ll suffer before they die.”

“No wonder he wants your formula. He knows his doesn’t work in the long run.” Marcus’s jaw clenched.

The lab door burst open as Emily rushed in, tablet in hand. “We’ve got problems. Tomlinson’s forces simultaneously breached three lab facilities in Europe in the past thirty minutes. They’re stealing equipment for mass production.”

Natalie’s hands shook as she pulled up the security feeds. “Those soldiers don’t know they’re walking dead men.”

Jax appeared in the doorway, his usual smirk replaced by a grim expression. “So we let nature take its course. Tomlinson’s army destroys itself.”

“No.” The word shot from Natalie’s lips. “We have to warn them.”

“These are the same men trying to kill us,” Jax argued. “Why risk?—“

“Because they’re victims too.” Natalie met Marcus’s gaze. “Tomlinson’s using them. They deserve to know the truth.”

Marcus studied her for a long moment, his expression softening. “What do you need?”

Emily’s fingers flew across her tablet. “You should see this first.”

New footage filled the screens: enhanced soldiers at various research sites, already showing early symptoms. Muscle tremors. Nosebleeds. The sight twisted Natalie’s gut.

“They’re deteriorating faster than the models predicted.” She grabbed her tablet, calculations racing through her mind. “I might be able to develop a treatment, something to slow the progression?—“

The facility’s perimeter alarm blared.

“Enhanced soldiers are on their way here,” Emily said, staring at her tablet.

“We’re out of time.” Marcus’s voice carried the weight of command. “Jax, mobilize the pack. Natalie?—“

“I need fifteen minutes.” She pulled up her research files. “Treatment or counteragent - I have to choose.”

Marcus touched her shoulder, his warmth seeping through her lab coat. “You already have.”

He understood. Of course, he did. Natalie nodded, diving into the treatment calculations. She couldn’t stop Tomlinson’s army, but she could try to save the soldiers he’d betrayed.

Marcus coordinated the pack’s defense, his presence a steady anchor while she raced against time.

“Natalie.” Marcus’s voice cut through the chaos. “We need to get you to the biochem lab where you’ll be safe.”

She initiated the emergency transfer protocols, backing up her data as alarms screamed through the facility.

Marcus pulled her close, his heartbeat strong against her cheek. “Ready?”

Natalie grabbed her tablet, clutching the device that held both salvation and destruction in its circuits. “They’re not dying without a fight.”

His arms tightened around her as an explosion shook the walls. The battle had begun, but Natalie stood firm. She’d already made the hardest choice - choosing life over victory. Now she had to make it count.

The lights flickered as Tomlinson’s forces advanced. Natalie squared her shoulders, drawing strength from Marcus’s presence. They’d face this together, science and strength combined. And she’d find a way to save everyone she could - even their enemies.