Page 55 of Reckless Consequences

The casual assessment of my pack sends rage surging through me. My scent shifts beneath the neutralizer—lemon sharpening, ozone intensifying. My canines ache briefly, gums tingling with confusion.

“Careful, brother. Your creepy surveillance fetish is showing.”

His gaze snaps back to mine, something almost like amusement flickering at the edges. It’s gone so quickly I might have imagined it.

“You don’t understand what you’ve done.” He approaches a containment unit, activating the display. Molecular structures rotate in holographic clarity. “The virus you uploaded won’t just corrupt shipment data. It’s already spreading through Sterling’s network. Clinical trials, test results, safety protocols—all compromised.”

“That was the point.” But uncertainty creeps in, settling cold in my stomach.

“Was it?” His eyes meet mine with unsettling familiarity. “Or did Mona fail to mention that without proper deactivation sequences, the formula becomes unstable? That existing batches could mutate beyond their design parameters?”

Finn steps forward. “You’re suggesting the corruption could trigger uncontrolled mutation?”

“I’m stating it as fact.” Alexander’s attention shifts to Finn with clinical assessment. “The virus was contained for a reason. Controlled application. Supervised transformation. Not widespread contamination.”

The blocker’s effectiveness fades with each passing minute. My senses sharpen—I can smell Alexander’s suppressed emotions beneath his controlled exterior, can hear the elevation in his heartrate. My fingers twitch with the need to code, to hack, to solve this problem.

“Why are you telling us this?” I demand. “You could have just let us rot in a cell while it happens.”

His mouth tightens. “Because father has gone too far.”

The confession hangs between us, unexpectedly raw. For the first time, I see something beneath the perfect Sterling soldier—doubt, buried so deep even he might not recognize it. His scent shifts, the metallic notes receding beneath something almost vulnerable. My own scent responds unconsciously, a subtle harmonization that makes Finn’s nose wrinkle with surprise.

“This was supposed to be controlled application.” He moves to another terminal, pulling up distribution reports. “Designated facilities, medical supervision, signed consent. Beta enhancement, not extinction.”

“Enhancement?” Finn sounds skeptical.

“Imagine tactical teams with alpha strength but beta stability. Diplomatic corps with omega communication skills but beta resistance to hormonal influence.” Alexander’s explanation carries genuine belief. “The disease designation model is fundamentally flawed. This was meant to correct it.”

My fingers find the matryoshka doll again, turning it over. The carved binary pattern seems to vibrate against my skin. The longer I hold it, the more it feels like it’s communicating—a sensation I’d dismiss as paranoia if my body hadn’t been showing increasingly non-beta responses to everything around me.

“By forcing transformation on an unwilling population?”

“By offering choice.” His certainty wavers almost imperceptibly. “That was the agreement. That was the protocol.”

“Until it wasn’t,” I finish for him.

His silence confirms everything.

Through our bond, I feel distant distress—Ryker and Jinx encountering unexpected resistance. The connection hums with concern, stronger than before but still vague—emotions rather than thoughts, impressions rather than messages. My heart races, muscles tensing. Theo’s presence registers more distinctly, reaching for pack in danger. The connection feels stronger, clearer than when I first joined them.

“You really believe you’re the hero of this story, don’t you?” I step closer, studying the face that carries echoes of my own. The same green eyes, similar jawline, shared genetic legacy wrapped in different packaging. “That daddy’s perfect alpha soldier is just following orders for the greater good?”

“You know nothing about being a Sterling.” His control slips, revealing the first real emotion—bitter and sharp. His scent spikes with frustration, making my skin prickle. “About what it means to bear this name, this legacy, this burden.”

“I know more than you think.” The matryoshka doll grows heavier in my hand. “I know what it feels like when Sterling DNA fights against who you really are. I know what it’s like to have him haunting your biology even when you’ve never met him.”

Alexander’s expression shifts. Recognition, maybe. Understanding, possibly. His pupils dilate slightly, finally noticing what his alpha senses should have detected immediately. “The genetic blocker is wearing off. And the neutralizer isn’t working on you like it should. Your scent is coming through—something different. Not quite beta.”

“Sterling genetics,” I say. “Overriding standard chemical suppressants. Guess we have that in common.”

“Did mommy dearest teach you that trick too?” I snark, deflection as automatic as breathing. “Before or after she showed you how to electrocute siblings?”

His laugh surprises me—short and harsh but genuine. “Mona has always been... creative in her education methods.”

Finn moves closer, his hand brushing mine. The contact sends steadying warmth through our bond, anchoring me. His scent wraps around me, offering stability despite the tremor in his fingers and the careful way he manages his breathing—still recovering, but determined.

“We need to go,” he murmurs, eyes on the security feeds where our packmates fight for their lives. “Extraction window closing.”

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