Chapter 19

NINETEEN

T he sun wasn’t up yet, but Emma had been in her lab for hours, running pattern recognition algorithms on the suspicious findings. Her grandmother’s crystal pulsed softly against her throat, almost like it was encouraging her to keep digging.

“Look at this, Bernard,” she muttered to the genetic sequencer, which hummed in response. “There are gaps in the data from the medical records too. Things have been deleted. The timing of these deletions... they’re removing data about failed pregnancies. Like someone’s trying to hide specific genetic combinations.”

The holographic display showed timeline after timeline, each one revealing more suspicious breaches. But it was the pattern underneath that made her hands shake.

“The fertility crisis isn’t random,” she whispered. “It’s targeted. Affecting bloodlines with specific genetic markers. Markers that match...” She pulled up her original research notes. “Oh god. The past few shifter generations. They’re all connected to these deleted records.”

Her phone buzzed. A text from Lucas: You haven’t slept.

Can’t sleep. Science happening. Very important science with potentially terrifying implications.

Emma.

Right! Sorry! Focusing on the potentially…wait. How did you know I was awake?

Because I can feel you.

Emma’s heart did that flutter thing that definitely deserved proper documentation. The mate bond? What you never let me properly test last night because you were too busy being all responsible and alpha-y about council presentations?

Emma. Focus.

I am focused! On multiple things. Like how these genetic anomalies, and how grandmother’s crystal pulses in time with both our heartbeats which is probably relevant to the current crisis but also really distracting when I’m trying to solve genetic conspiracies and...

The lab door opened. Emma jumped, nearly dropping her tablet.

“Dr. Greene.” Sofia, the lead in-house geneticist, looked as impeccable as always despite the early hour. “The team’s waiting for the morning briefing. Though perhaps we should discuss these interesting patterns Malcom said you’ve discovered first?”

Emma glanced at her screens, at the damning evidence of deliberate deletion of data.

Her crystal warmed against her skin. Warning or encouragement, she wasn’t sure.

Time to find out who she could trust.

“Of course! Council presentation. Very important meeting about totally normal genetic research.”

Her phone buzzed.

Lucas: I can feel your anxiety from here. Do I need to come down? I’ll be there in 2 minutes.

No! Absolutely not! Your presence is extremely distracting to proper scientific methodology. Besides, every time you get protective, Bernard’s readings go crazy and I start babbling about mate-bond resonance patterns instead of focusing on the potentially dangerous genetic conspiracy I’m trying to investigate and... I’m doing it again, aren’t I?

It’s adorable.

Not adorable when I’m trying to be professional. Though technically your increased protective responses provide ? —

“Dr. Greene?” Sofia’s voice pulled her back. “The meeting?”

“Uh, yes! Just discussing important security protocols when... research! We should discuss research.”

They headed toward the conference room, Emma clutching her tablet like a shield. Her crystal hummed against her throat, probably responding to Lucas’s energy which was definitely getting stronger and...

The door opened before they reached it. Because, of course, Lucas was there, looking unfairly gorgeous in his business suit and radiating enough protective alpha energy to make Bernard’s readings spike from the lab.

“Just checking security protocols,” he said smoothly, though his eyes went gold when they met hers.

“Protocols. Right. Very important protocols that have nothing to do with how good you look in that suit or how your energy makes me want to run extremely unprofessional experiments...”

The conference room felt smaller with Lucas leaning against the wall, all contained power and protective instincts that were definitely not helping her focus on the genetic patterns displayed across the screens. Especially when he kept looking at her like that - part proud alpha, part concerned mate, and part something much more heated that made her crystal practically hum.

“So!” Emma clapped her hands, trying to ignore how her skin tingled under his gaze. “Good morning, council members. We have some fascinating things to discuss.”

She pulled up the first set of data sheets.

“First of all, I’d like to thank all of you for allowing me access to medical records and private information. I understand the importance of keeping such a clandestine operation under wraps.

“Secondly, I’d like to say that I am quite proud of my grandmother’s work with you.”

The tension in the room ratcheted up a notch. She found that very interesting.

“And now, I’d like to go over some data that I discovered yesterday with the assistance of Malcolm. Maybe some of you can help explain the anomaly.”

Several elderly council members turned in their seats to glare at the man. He crossed his arms over his chest and huffed.

“As I was saying,” she continued?—

Suddenly, the room shook on its foundation. Explosions erupted on the far side of the building where her lab was. The fire alarm blared to life. Emma looked around trying to figure out what was going on, then she was jerked off her feet.