~Highly compatible.~ The words echoed in my mind, even as the robotic voice continued speaking. It didn’t give us any time to process.
“Stand on the silver X’s on the floor. We will now complete a physical scan. Stay as still as possible,” the robotic voice commanded.
I complied, stepping onto the X. ~Highly compatible for what?~
Ryken did the same, skillfully avoiding any contact with me despite the confined space of the cubicle. I was tempted to touch him, just to see what would happen.
Would he hurt me, pin me to the wall by my throat? Would he bite me? Or would he kiss me, remembering how good it had felt to be so close all those years ago?
A laser began tracing over me, outlining my form beneath the hospital gown. It followed every contour of me, translating my statistics to the screen as it did.
“Mackenzie Murlow.”
I rolled my eyes at the voice. I had a feeling I knew what was coming.
“Underweight. Height five foot seven. Breast cup size, C. Birthmark on the shoulder. Scars on the thigh, back, neck. Burn hole scars on various appendages. Surgical evidence on the heart. Medium-length black hair. Hazel eyes. Olive skin tone. Physical exam complete,” the voice concluded.
I refused to meet Ryken’s eye. Refused to cower for the evidence of my past on my skin.
My parents had moved us around so much. We were always fleeing from wolves who wanted them dead for what they had done, who wanted me dead for what I was. Some had gotten terrifyingly close.
And after they were gone, I’d kept running.
I turned to wait for his exam, knowing just by looking at him that he was going to get a glowing review. But when I finally looked at him, he was wearing a devious grin, obviously amused by my results.
“Scrawny little thing, aren’t you?” he taunted.
“Keep underestimating me, Ryken. It’ll make it so much sweeter when I gut you first,” I snapped. “You think you can wave your cock around and I’ll just take it? I’d rather bite the fucking thing off.”
“You’ll have to open your mouth like a good girl first.”
I growled irritably. Fucking Alpha asshole.
But he just stepped onto the X and waited as he got his scan. The robot voice spoke after a beat.
“Alpha Ryken Storm. Optimal muscular build. Strength and height are not supportive of the overweight hypothesis. Height six foot five. Penis size in the ninetieth percentile.”
My eyes widened and my cheeks went hot as I blushed.
~Okay, he’s a god, got it. No need to rub it in, creepy voice thing.~
His scathing smirk told me he could smell what that information did to me.
I gritted my teeth, locking my jaw to stop myself from saying something that would probably get me in more trouble than he was worth.
The voice continued, “No scars or skin abnormalities. Storm Blood Pack tattoo between shoulder blades. High muscle tone, no body fat. Eight prominent abdominal muscles. Peak physical wellness. Long black hair. Blue eyes. Dark tan skin tone. Physical exam complete.”
The arms retracted into the wall and I held my breath.
I didn’t think there was any way I could survive a summer in close quarters with any wolf from the Storm Blood Pack. Especially Ryken.
I didn’t stand a chance against an Alpha.
As we waited for whatever the robot voice was going to make us do next, Ryken turned to me. “What happened to your heart?”
I almost laughed at the irony. ~You. You happened.~
But he wasn’t asking about my feelings.
“None of your business,” I parroted, tossing his own words back at him.
His brows furrowed. “Anyone with Storm Pack blood is my business.”
I scoffed, anger filling me instantly. “I have never been a part of your pack. Your father made sure of that when he had my parents killed right in front of me. I was ten years old, Ryken.”
He bared his teeth like he was going to argue, but I didn’t let him.
“And you made sure of it, too, when you promised me a home and then kicked me out.”
A flash of surprise crossed his face, then Ryken stared me down. “I promised you nothing. If you conjured that version of events in your own mind to make yourself feel better, then that’s on you, Hybrid.”
“You’re kidding, right?”
He had to be kidding. It hurt too much to think about him being so cavalier about what he had done. He’d promised me protection, security, a home, and a place with the pack. And I had made the mistake of believing it because I was too young to know any better.
I wished I could just leave the cubicle, hating that I was stuck with him. He was the embodiment of every nightmare I had.
“I’m not kidding. So tell me. ~What happened to your heart?~” He practically growled the last part, reaching for every bit of that alpha dominance.
And even though I despised it, something primal in me responded to the command.
“Faulty valve,” I muttered. “Got it fixed when I was eight.”
He wore a deep frown, opening his mouth to respond, but just then, a glass screen slid down in front of the curtain and locked us in the cubicle.
I swallowed hard, my heart rate picking up at the confined space. I looked at all four corners before backing up against the wall.
“You’re claustrophobic?”
“Not exactly. Just a little PTSD. A wolf a few years ago took the terms ‘send to an early grave’ literally and I have a little trouble not remembering clawing my way out of my own coffin.”
Panic settled in my chest as my forehead sweated. I was definitely not going to be a good fit for the experiment if it included things like no-exit cubicles.
“They buried you alive?”
I nodded, watching the walls like they were going to close in on me.
“Don’t sound so surprised. Wolves can be very creative when they want something done, and they are very adamant I shouldn’t be alive. You should know, the Storm Blood Pack had the same sentiment when I turned up as a kid.”
“Well, get your shit together. If this is a part of the pre-tests, I don’t want to fail because you can’t get out of your head,” he finally said, turning away from me.
“Why are you here, Alpha?” I asked again, distracting myself as the lights dimmed.
“Because I should be. If any pack is going to be at the forefront of the next revolutionary discovery for our kind, it is going to be the Storm Blood Pack,” he said.
It was a thin excuse, and didn’t sit right with the way Cerberus hated the scientists.
“We will now ask a series of questions,” the voice said overhead. “Both of you will answer them out loud. Female first, then male. They are personal questions, they will make you uncomfortable, and you will answer them anyway. If you don’t know the answer, then say so.”
“You cannot leave during the questionnaire, the glass will remain intact until you have answered every question. You will tell the truth, we will know if you don’t. Once you have finished, await further instructions.”
I nodded, not sure whether anyone could see me or not.
Two chairs slid out of the wall and I jumped back as they almost took me out. Ryken just stepped out of the way and waited for them both to stop before sinking into one.
I dipped into the other, tucking my legs up as a small table popped up between us. Water and food were on it and my mouth salivated.
I chewed my lip, eyeing the food. Luscious-looking grapes, fresh fruit with cheese and crackers, salami—it all made my eyes and mouth water. My stomach growled and I clutched it.
“You may eat,” the voice overhead stated, and I dove in.
I ate fast, the food so full of flavor and filling the void in my stomach.
Ryken took the coffee offered and sipped it, waiting. I wasn’t waiting, I was glad they were taking their time. It meant more time to eat.
“Question one. How many sexual partners have you had?”
I choked on my grape.