Not words any leader liked to hear and Walt eyed the short distance between him and the major. “If the medical team is dealing with a possible contagion, then they should be quarantining everyone that comes into contact with Patient Zero, which includes you, Major, if you were exposed. I shouldn’t have to tell you this.”

“It’s not a disease, sir. At least, we don’t think it is?” The statement ended on a lilting query. “It’s actually rather incredible. The higher-ups will want to hear about it.”

Dammit, despite himself, intrigue roused, and Walt pursed his lips. The major, not a man usually prone to panic or drama, appeared quite flustered. “What exactly is going on in medical?”

“I’d explain, but honestly, you have to see it to believe it.”

So much for his nap. “This better be good,” Walt grumbled as he buttoned his jacket, rendering himself presentable. Uniform standards could be annoying, especially in the dry desert heat of the Middle East where he’d been stationed. Six months since he’d arrived to run the peacekeeping mission a few hundred kilometers from Kandahar. Six months of dust in everything. Military food rations. Extreme heat that resulted in grumpy troops, a mood only worsened by the lack of action. The Canadian Armed Forces too often took turning the other cheek too far. Even when insurgents attacked their peaceful convoys meant to help the people in the area, they’d been ordered to not retaliate. What a joke. Why bother sending soldiers if they weren’t allowed to fight?

Walt exited the tent and, despite the dusty haze stretching across the sky, squinted to see. The sun blared, hot and bright. It rose without fail every fucking day. He never thought he’d miss the gloomy cold days of winter back in Canada.

As Walt followed Major Stevens through the camp of tents and crates, soldiers lounging about snapped to attention, heels clacking together, hands angled and hitting their foreheads in a salute.

Walt acknowledged no one. One didn’t achieve and maintain a fierce reputation by being friendly with the lower ranks.

The medical tent, clearly marked with a giant red cross, had a half-dozen armed soldiers surrounding it, raising his brow. “Is there a threat inside? You assured me there was no contagion.”

“It’s a precaution,” the major answered. “While the soldier being treated has the potential to cause injury, I was more concerned about ensuring he couldn’t escape.”

More and more mysterious. So this was about someone under his command.

As Walt stepped past the stiff guards, he pulled aside the flap covering the doorway. “Well, let’s see what’s got you in such a—” The next words died on his tongue. As Walt’s eyes narrowed, he muttered, “How did a wolf get inside our medical tent?”

“That’s not a wolf, sir. You’re looking at Corporal Mato Nakai,” Major Stevens announced.

The tall wolf stood between a pair of medical gurneys with its hackles raised, growling at the soldiers pointing guns at it. Dr. Levy stood behind them, looking pale.

“Explain, Major.”

“Not much to tell, sir. Corporal Nakai was out with his section delivering supplies to one of the rural villages. Upon their return to camp, they were attacked. The vehicle they were in flipped and rolled. Two soldiers died instantly. Nakai and Philips were severely injured and brought back to camp for treatment.”

“We were attacked and this the first I’m hearing of it?” Walt snapped.

“You told me to not bother you unless it was a real emergency,” the major reminded. “I was preparing a report to present later when the doctor on duty had me fetched to show me what happened to Corporal Nakai.”

“And what is the doctor claiming happened?” Walt crossed his arms over his chest.

“Well, apparently when Dr. Levy started cleaning the corporal’s wounds, Nakai went into convulsions and transformed from a man to this.” The major swept a hand in the direction of the wolf.

“Do you take me for an idiot?” Walt didn’t fall for the elaborate prank. Bored soldiers sometimes thought they could pull a fast one on their commanding officer. They’d soon find out he didn’t brook that kind of frivolous nonsense.

“Sir?”

“These kinds of stunts are not amusing and have no place in a military operation,” Walt barked. “I want to know who was involved with bringing a filthy wild animal into a sterile environment. You do realize that, because of this ill-thought caper, everything in here will have to be either tossed or scrubbed clean?”

“I assure you, General, this is no joke. That really is Corporal Nakai,” Dr. Levy ventured from behind a soldier to exclaim. “As unbelievable as it sounds, I saw it happen.”

“Bullshit.” The expletive exploded from his lips. “People do not turn into wolves. I don’t care how many werewolf movies Hollywood puts out. It’s impossible. Now, you, and whoever else was involved, will present yourselves in the command tent at fifteen hundred hours for punishment detail.”

“Sir, it’s the truth,” Dr. Levy interjected.

“It’s a medical miracle that needs to be studied,” the major added.

“Stop with the lying. The prank failed.” Walt pulled his sidearm and took aim at the wolf, which stopped baring its teeth and, with a lowered head, stared at him steadily. Blame the major’s insistence for Walt imagining he saw intelligence in the gaze.

Bang.

The wild creature lifted its shaggy head fast enough the bullet missed the spot between the eyes where he’d been aiming and struck it in the chest. The wolf didn’t yelp or try to flee despite the fact blood poured from the hole in its hairy chest. It also never took its gaze from the general’s, even when its entire body began to shake and spasm in the throes of death.

Walt went to pivot and leave, but Dr. Levy, in a breach that would result in extra punishment, lurched in his direction and grabbed him by the arm. “Don’t turn away. Watch. I think it’s happening again.”

As Walt’s mouth opened to reprimand, the words remained unspoken for the wolf lay on the floor of the medical tent shivering so hard its limb straightened. Hair receded. Paws melted into hands and feet. A muzzle shrank inwards to become a mouth with a nose in the middle of a human face.

By the time the shivering ceased, the wolf was gone. In its place, a man. A naked man with jet-black hair and the same unwavering, intent stare.

“Holy fuck.” The only thing the general could say that fit the moment.

“I told you it was true,” the major crowed in relief.

Walt took a step forward. “State your name.”

The naked man rose to his feet—flesh unmarked by any wounds—and, in spite of the incongruity of the situation, saluted. “Corporal Nakai, sir.”

“I need you to explain what just happened, Corporal.”

The man’s face twisted. “I’m afraid I can’t do that.”

At the refusal, Walt’s brow lifted. “I gave you an order.

“I realize that, sir. However, I swore an oath I can’t break.”

“You know I can’t ignore what just happened here.”

Nakai’s lips pinched. “I wish you would, sir.”

Ignore what might be the single greatest discovery of his career? Like fuck.

The general pointed. “Major, take the corporal into custody.”

Nakai foolishly thought he could run. He snared a scalpel and dove for the side of the tent. The blade tore through the canvas, and Nakai slipped through the gap, but the major had planned well by placing soldiers just outside.

The corporal still tried to plow through them and failed. A captured Nakai found himself in restraints and placed under guard in the tent used as a jail for misbehaving soldiers. Usually, it held those who’d disgraced their uniform in some fashion like getting stupid drunk or harassing the locals. This time, it held a man who was also somehow a wolf.

A man who steadfastly refused to answer questions until the major applied the right kind of pressure. Unfortunately, Nakai didn’t survive the interrogation. However, his preserved body got shipped to a lab back in Canada, and by the time Walt returned, Nakai’s extended family—which consisted of an uncle and sister—had been taken into custody. To everyone’s surprise and delight, it turned out they, too, could shift shapes like the corporal, something the government took great interest in.

And thus was Project Therianthrope born.

Chapter 1

Several years later…

The march from the barracks to headquarters didn’t take long, a good thing since it had begun to rain and Barrett really didn’t want to spend another hour spit-shining his boots when he could be having beers and winning money playing billiards.

Their entire section, under Captain Barrett Wilson’s command, had received the order to present themselves to General Davidson, but they’d not been told why, which led to the soldiers throwing out theories.

“Think we’re finally going to get deployed?” asked Slater, breaking the silence permeating the room where they’d been told to wait.

“I already told you, I have no idea,” growled Barrett for the umpteenth time. He’d not known the first time he’d been asked as he barked at them all to tuck in their shirts and be ready to move out. Nor had he known the fourth time when jogging up the stairs. Nor the seventh as they’d been told to wait until the general was ready to see them. A clueless Barrett really wished he had an answer because this kind of summons didn’t usually occur without a hint. Were they in trouble? About to be commended? Getting bad news?

“Think this meeting has to do with the intense medical screening they put us through?” questioned Freya. The most petite member of their section had been the only one to cheerfully submit to the battery of tests. Bloodwork, tissue samples, measurements of every kind known to medical science that went beyond, height, weight, and blood pressure.

“Must be for something special,” drawled Radley. “I mean, why else make us fill out that questionnaire that wanted to know everything about our personal lives?”

Another oddity. It wanted them to indicate every medical ailment and procedure they’d ever undergone. Had them list every member of their immediate and extended family, whether dead or alive, and then also asked their medical history. Barrett’s didn’t take long. Orphaned at a young age by drug-addicted parents who died of overdoses. No family to take him in. As for his own history, the only time he ever ended up in the hospital had been for a broken arm skateboarding. He'd always been healthy.

“As if anyone can remember every single time they got sick,” Slater remarked.

“I just put from age six to twelve,” Gage added with a laugh. He joked about his heart issue as if it were nothing, and yet Barrett knew it had been a tense time, as he’d almost died several times until the operation that fixed his irregular heartbeat. Gage had only barely managed to get accepted into the military. Blame the loosening of certain regulations given the low sign-up numbers.

“At least you guys didn’t have to do the entire section on periods,” complained Zendaya, her full lips pursing in annoyance.

“I ran out of room when it asked me to list sexual encounters,” bragged Phoenix, the section’s Casanova and lieutenant.

“Bet you needed an extra page to list treated diseases too,” muttered Idris, the most serious member of their section, who rarely engaged in banter but when he did...

“Hey, I’ll have you know I always wear a rubber!” exclaimed Phoenix.

“Says the guy who panicked just last month when that chick you hooked up with claimed she was pregnant,” retorted Slater.

“Which turned out to be a scam,” Phoenix reminded. “She was already prego when we did the tango. She was just looking for someone to pay for the kid.”

Barrett pinched the bridge of his nose as the discussion devolved. “Enough. We’re supposed to be patiently waiting. Next person to speak is gonna drop and give me fifty.”

And what did those assholes do?

Everyone but Idris hit the floor and began pumping them out so they could continue to rag on each other. Barrett really needed to find a more effective discipline measure.

The thick wooden door opened, and Major Stevens poked his head out, sending the section scrambling to their feet to stand at attention. There was rustling as everyone saluted, including Barrett.

The major’s lips pursed. “The general will see you now.”

Barrett marched first into the room, set up boardroom style with a long table flanked by chairs on one side only. He stopped a few feet from it and snapped a salute. His section fell into line behind him, and the click of heels let him know they followed formal military protocol even though most of the people in the room appeared civilian.

Not that it mattered, seeing as how the stony-faced general sat amidst the men and women wearing white coats.

Major Stevens shut the door and took up a position to the left of it. Silence fell as those seated eyed Barrett and his section.

General Davidson—with a reputation for being a hardass and a bit of an asshole—barked, “At ease.”

As his feet spread shoulder width, Barrett dropped his hands behind his back, adopting a more relaxed pose, which belied the tension he couldn’t shake. Why did the general want to meet with them? And why were so many doctors present? Had they picked up a bug on their last mission? It seemed unlikely, seeing as how they’d been at the Petawawa base now for more than a month.

“I’m sure you’re wondering why you’ve been summoned,” General Davidson said. “And I will get to that in a moment. First off, it goes without saying that nothing we speak of today leaves this room. To ensure that isn’t an issue there will be no outside communication at all.”

“None?” blurted Takhi, the shyest in their group. “But my mother—”

“Will be notified that you are currently unavailable, which I will remind is normal given your line of work,” the general snapped, interrupting Takhi.

Barrett didn’t need to see her face to know it would be stiff and fighting tears. Takhi had learned her mother was in hospice with stage-four cancer, and she’d just submitted her compassionate leave request so she could be with her mother for her final days.

The general drummed his fingers on the table. “I will graciously forgive the outburst, but understand right now, I will brook no other interruption. As it is, count yourself lucky that amongst all the sections tested, yours proved the most promising. A blend of the sexes as well as racial backgrounds that will give us just the right amount of variety.”

At the strange choice of words, Barrett fought to keep his brow from creasing in a frown. Since when did variety matter on a mission?

“You won’t have heard, given the top-secret classification, but I’ve been put in charge of a special project. One that will revolutionize armies, not just in Canada but around the world. As part of the development and testing, I’ve been given leeway to recruit whomever I want for it. Congratulations. Your section won.” The smile sent a shiver down Barrett’s spine.

“Once we’re done with this meeting, you will be leaving directly for the facility, and before you ask, no, you may not pack a bag or call anyone.”

The order led to Takhi ignoring the general’s earlier warning. “Sir, I’m sorry, but I must ask to be excused on compassionate grounds. My mother’s been placed in hospice and—”

The general didn’t let Takhi finish. “This isn’t something any of you can decline.”

“But—”

“Continue to argue, corporal, and you will be placed under arrest for disobeying a senior officer and dereliction of duty.”

That sealed Takhi’s mouth, and Barrett’s unease grew. Usually, in cases such as Takhi’s, where a close family member was gravely ill, concessions were made. Why would the general not simply replace Takhi? Or remove her entirely, given her distraction would be detrimental to the outcome of this secret project?

“As I was saying, your section was chosen only after very careful consideration to participate in this project. There will be no exceptions. Once you leave this room, you will be immediately transported to our North Bay facility to begin undergoing treatments.”

This time, Barrett couldn’t contain himself. “Treatments, sir? As in, medical procedures?”

“Yes. And before you ask, they are experimental in nature.” The general’s expression turned sly. “But you needn’t worry much. We’ve managed to eliminate most of the risks associated with it.”

Really not the most reassuring thing to say and Phoenix took exception. “Excuse me, General, but my contract with the military does not give you permission to use me as a guinea pig.”

“It doesn’t. However, given the nature of this project, special rights have been assigned to me, and that includes recruiting whomever I like,” the general replied with a smug smile.

“I’m pretty sure my lawyer will have something to say about that,” Phoenix replied.

“I’m sure many people would protest what I’m doing if they knew about it. But they won’t ever find out because you won’t have a chance to tattle.” A flat statement that came with a cold stare.

“You can’t conduct experiments on people,” blurted Freya. “It’s against the Nuremberg Code.”

“Can’t isn’t a word that applies to me and my mandate. The moment you walked into this room, you lost all rights and are now military assets to be used as I need, but there is good news. The treatments you’ll be undergoing will turn you into better soldiers. Stronger. Most resistant to injury. Sharper in both acuity and agility. You should be thanking me, as you’ll be getting it for free.”

“This is bullshit,” Phoenix huffed. “I am not agreeing to be a part of this.”

“You don’t have a choice,” snapped Davidson.

“Yeah, I do. Go ahead and court martial my ass. I’ll take defending my actions in front of a panel over being some kind of lab rat. I’m out of here.”

Despite his military training that told him not to let distraction turn his head, Barrett couldn’t help but watch as Phoenix headed for the door, flanked by a pair of military police. They blocked the exit, and Phoenix growled, “Either arrest me or move out of the way.”

The MPs didn’t move, but Major Stevens did, hastening to Phoenix’s side.

Only when Phoenix exclaimed, “What the fuck did you just jab me with?” did Barrett notice the needle in the major’s hand.

What the fuck?

Phoenix immediately slumped to the floor, and Barrett’s stomach tightened into a ball. Something was gravely wrong here. This kind of shit didn’t happen. He whirled to face the civilians watching and, with his jaw tight, growled, “The general is out of line, and you all know it. When his superiors find out what he’s done—”

“They’ll applaud me because, you see, my orders and funding for this project come from the highest levels of government with approval from the prime minister herself. You see, with declining enrollment numbers and the constantly changing challenges facing the world today, from new technology to bio-based weapons and ever more clever terrorists, we need something to help us get an edge on those who see us as weak. It’s time we forced the respect of other countries, who, for too long, have seen the Canadian Military as a joke. They won’t be laughing at us once they see what our new troops can do. On the contrary, they’ll be clamoring for our secret.” The general’s lips pulled into a taut smile. “And we might just sell it to them for the right price.”

Barrett had heard enough. Despite having seen what happened to Phoenix, he couldn’t let the soldiers under his command be subjected to this madness. The major might be able to stop one soldier, but not the remaining eight of them at once.

“Soldiers, with me,” Barrett shouted as he pivoted into motion. He had no real plan other than to rush the door. Once past it, they only needed to escape the anteroom before they entered an area with people. People that wouldn’t stay quiet if they saw military personnel being attacked and drugged into submission.

The MPs by the door stepped aside, seeing Barrett and the seven remaining members of the section rushing them. Barrett didn’t need to say a word for Idris to bend and grab Phoenix, slinging him over his burly shoulder.

Leave no man—or woman—behind.

They made it to the antechamber without anyone being jabbed with a sedative. Barrett aimed for the exit to the hallway, only to find it locked. He pulled and turned at the knob with no success.

“What now, Captain?” huffed Gage.

“We kick it down.” Barrett took a step back and lifted his boot to smash.

Bang. He hit the panel solidly, and it didn’t budge.

“Captain, they appear to have locked us in,” Zendaya reported as she yanked the knob for the door they’d just passed through.

Penned like rats.

“They’ll have to open it at one point,” Barrett growled. “Be ready.”

No one mentioned the fact they might be facing armed military police with their bare hands. By now, they all realized they had no choice but to fight lest they become pawns in a medical experiment peppered with red flags. Surely the prime minister hadn’t approved illegal testing on soldiers? The general must have gone rogue. The outcry once his actions were revealed would be what saved Barrett and the others from being jailed and possibly dishonorably discharged. Of course, that scenario required them escaping first.

“Does anyone else hear hissing?” Slater inquired.

A swivel of Barrett’s head pinpointed the source. The vents in the ceiling, one in each corner, emitted a pale gas.

While knowing it would be useless, he still barked a command. “Cover your mouth and nose. Avoid breathing.”

The soldiers did their best to avoid inhaling the spreading fumes. However, without a properly fitted gas mask, once their lungs grew too tight, they couldn’t avoid taking a breath.

Soon as Barrett sucked in, lethargy spread rapidly through his limbs, stealing his strength. As his knees buckled, he noticed his section falling to the floor one by one. His eyelids grew heavy. Thoughts muddled. His tongue too thick to speak.

Thunk. He lost consciousness before he face-planted, but he sure as hell felt the broken nose and bruising when he woke.

Woke in a concrete chamber wearing only a thin hospital-type gown, alone but for the general’s mocking voice. “Welcome to Project Therianthrope, Patient 73.”