PROJECT: CAYRO

Cayro Bracton:

September 6, 2025

13:06 CST

S.A.F. Medical Facility

Cedar Rapids IA.

Waking up from a normal night’s sleep is one thing. Waking up from being tranquilized in an unfamiliar location, with a headache that feels like needles are being driven into your skull, is something else entirely. As I stirred, I found myself sprawled on a couch that might as well have been a brick in a previous life, a blanket reeking of laundry detergent and bleach draped over me. The relentless beeping of a heart rate monitor pierced through the fog in my mind, cluing me into my surroundings—a medical facility, yet again, though this time, I wasn’t the one lying in the bed.

My eyes throbbed with pain, so I tuned out the beeping, focusing instead on the steady rhythm of the heartbeat nearby. Star’s heartbeat. Her soft, soothing snores reached my ears, reassuring me that she had made it through the operation. Last night, I had become so attuned to her presence that I could recognize her heart’s rhythm as easily as my own. The beast within me, usually restless, calmed as the familiar sound filled the room. In my mind, her presence pulsed brightly, strong and clear.

I shifted my focus away from her, trying to tune into anything else in the room. Besides the droning of the HVAC system, there was little, but then I caught the faint murmur of voices beyond the door. Tilting my head slightly, I strained to make out the conversation.

“I don’t know why it didn’t work, Stephan. All her implants are active and functioning, but she hasn’t... changed. It’s as if the bioengineering didn’t take effect. It makes no sense,” Dr. Volkova’s voice was anxious, rising and falling as she paced. “Based on what the A.I. showed me from Cayro’s operation, the effects were almost immediate. But with her... there’s nothing.”

“Could it be connected to this ‘mate bond’ they share?” Director Staroko’s voice held a note of puzzlement. Something about him felt familiar to me, though I couldn’t place why.

“Stephan, they’re not wolves, or any other of our kind. Cayro isn’t, and Star hasn’t shown any sign of... well, anything like what her father can do, even though she’s only half-human. We barely understand Draconians, and Cayro isn’t one. There’s no reason to think a mate bond would interfere with the augmentation. If anything, it should enhance it. But... how could they even form such a bond without a royal bloodline?” Dr. Volkova sounded frustrated, trying to rationalize something irrational.

“What did her blood tests show?” Staroko asked, his tone more measured.

“No changes,” Dr. Volkova replied, exasperation creeping into her voice. “And without her medical history, I can’t compare them to anything. All I can say is that she carries the genetic markers from the first operation, but they haven’t changed. And as for the bond... How could they have a mate bond when neither of them comes from royal heritage?”

“Katrina, we’re dealing with a half-Draconian hybrid. Dr. Zaraki has never let us study him, and the little we know comes from what he’s been willing to share. If Draconians have bonded mates—and if he carries royal blood—it could explain why he’s never sought another partner since Star’s mother died. Maybe... just maybe, the augmentation activated something we don’t understand. But whether that’s due to royal blood or the DNA used in the augmentation, who can say?” The director’s voice softened, as if the weight of their uncertainty was pressing down on him.

“Bullshit, Stephan,” Dr. Volkova’s voice sharpened with anger. “You were with him throughout this whole project. There’s no way you don’t know whose blood he used. The last royal bloodline was the Lycotonu lineage, and from what I understand, the last of them died out centuries ago. What aren’t you telling me? Because right now, I need to know everything. Something’s gone wrong, and now we’re dealing with a human hybrid mix of our species and a human-Draconian hybrid mix with a royal mate bond. Do you realize what this could mean for the packs? They won’t accept those two as their rulers!”

“Calm down,” Director Staroko’s tone was firm but measured. “We don’t need to worry about them becoming rulers over the packs. As for their hybrid status, that’s for Dr. Zaraki to handle. His priority is ensuring their survival and safety, which means they won’t be involved with the outside packs. Our pack won’t breathe a word of this beyond the compound. My word is law here, and you know it.”

“You’re one of the strongest Lycans alive, Stephan. The council’s been pushing you to take on the role of King. We need a strong leader, especially with what’s happening with the Nacht. I don’t understand why you don’t step up,” the doctor pressed.

“You, of all people, know I never wanted to be an Alpha,” the director growled back. “But with all the rogues joining SkyTeam, I had no choice. And don’t even start on being King. I’ve got more than enough responsibilities as it is—I don’t need or want any more.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know,” Dr. Volkova sighed, the frustration clear in her voice. “We’ve had this argument more times than I care to count.”

“Anyway, about Star and Cayro. Let’s keep observing them for now—see if the augmentation has a delayed reaction. I’ll get in touch with Dr. Zaraki, update him on Star’s condition. He might be able to get us her medical history from the Autumn. We should also consult with the A.I., see if it can run some simulations with Star’s blood and figure out what went wrong,” the director suggested, his voice returning to its calm tone.

“You’d think they’d have that discussion in an office, not right outside our door,” Star whispered, startling me.

I cracked my eyes open, wincing against the light, and turned to her. “You’re awake?”

“Mhm, been awake for a few minutes,” she replied softly.

“You heard all of that?” I asked, surprised.

“Yeah, my hearing’s always been pretty good,” she explained, her tone casual, as if it were no big deal.

“Oh…” I mumbled, still processing.

I lay there, the implications sinking in. “You mean you’ve had this level of hearing for a while now?” I asked, trying to keep my voice low despite my astonishment.

“For as long as I can remember. It’s not really a big deal,” she said with a shrug, still speaking softly.

My jaw practically hit the floor. That explained so much—how she could impale a wrench into a carbon alloy wall with that tiny frame of hers, and where that short fuse came from. Her augmentation must have happened when she was younger. No wonder the operation failed—she was already augmented.

“Star, did you know?” I asked, my voice tinged with concern.

“Did I know what?” she replied, her tone equally puzzled.

“Did you know that your augmentation was already complete?” I elaborated, trying to piece together the confusion in my mind.

“Cayro, this is the first operation I’ve had related to our augmentation since the one we went through as kids. Aside from the delay sequences we both experienced, this is my first real procedure. There’s no way my augmentation could’ve been activated without going through this process. I’ve read all the research on us,” she explained, her voice steady but laced with confusion.

I lay there on the uncomfortable couch, trying to absorb what she had just said. None of this made any sense. She already had abilities that should have only manifested after the augmentation was completed. How could no one have noticed? Or did they, and they just kept it quiet? And what was all this talk about half-human, half-wolves, and Draconians? What the hell was going on? Who were these people, and what was all this nonsense about packs?

My thoughts were abruptly interrupted by the sound of the door opening. Dr. Volkova stepped in, followed by Director Staroko. They closed the door behind them, both turning to face us.

“I see you’re both awake,” Dr. Volkova remarked, breaking the silence first.

I nodded, glancing over at Star as she did the same.

“That’s good. So, I have some good news and some bad news. Which would you like to hear first?” she asked, her voice maintaining a calm, professional tone.

“Hmm, let me guess… All the implants are active and functioning as they should be. The bad news is, however, the augmentation failed. Am I correct?” I responded in a flat, annoyed tone before Star could reply.

“Cayro…” Star whined softly, clearly disapproving of my tone.

The doctor and the director exchanged glances, clearly taken aback by my directness.

“How did you know?” Director Staroko asked, his eyes narrowing in suspicion.

“Pretty simple, really. Using deductive reasoning, I noticed that Star’s bio-monitor in her arm is now active. Plus, you two seem to have forgotten that I have superhuman hearing now. I heard you discussing the subject right outside our door,” I stated matter-of-factly.

“Ah, good point,” he replied, leaning against the door with his arms crossed.

“Well, since you’ve pretty much figured it out, I guess I don’t need to explain further. Simply put, we’re at a loss as to what happened, and for now, our best course of action is to discuss the situation with Dr. Zaraki and the A.I. to determine our next steps,” Dr. Volkova explained, keeping her voice calm and measured.

“Uh-huh, and what was all that about royal bloodlines, wolves, and Draconian crap? Because it sounds like some kind of made-up fantasy story that makes no sense,” I shot back, eyeing them both with suspicion.

They both froze, exchanging a tense glance. Director Staroko’s mouth twitched as if he was searching for the right words. He turned to the doctor, raising an eyebrow.

“Do you want to tell them, or should I?” he asked her, the question hanging heavily in the air.

“Stephan, it’s not our place to tell them that information,” she replied, clearly uncomfortable.

“We don’t have much of a choice at this point, Katrina. Cayro has already heard too much, and Dr. Zaraki isn’t here to fill them in. You know as well as I do that if we keep this quiet, they aren’t going to trust us. Plus, they’re just kids; they’re going to sniff around and figure it out on their own,” he countered, his voice firm.

“Hey! These KIDS are right here. I don’t appreciate being downplayed as a child after all the shit I’ve had to go through, thank you very much,” I growled, locking eyes with the director, my voice brimming with defiance.

To my shock, his eyes shifted to a bright amber, a malicious grin spreading across his face.

“Oh, you have a lot to learn, child.” The growl that escaped him was anything but human—deep, guttural, and filled with an animalistic menace. A chill ran down my spine, and the hair on the back of my neck bristled as my instincts roared to life. Rising from the couch, I never broke eye contact, standing tall and firm beside Star, who I now felt as more than just a presence in my mind—she was my mate, my anchor.

A low growl rumbled through my chest, escaping my throat as I bared my teeth, preparing to face whatever this man—this thing—was. He thought he could provoke and challenge me. He had no idea who he was dealing with. As I watched, horrified yet unable to look away, the man’s skin began to boil and shift, dark fur sprouting through as his muscles bulged and contorted.

This wasn’t a man. This was a monster—a beast I recognized deep in the recesses of my mind, a memory not fully formed but terrifying all the same. Everything else faded away—Star’s voice, the room, the entire world—until all that existed was me and this creature. I took a step forward, driven by something primal within me, something that demanded I protect my mate, even if it meant facing down this abomination.

With a snarl that could have come from a beast itself, the creature ripped his shirt open, revealing a body covered in thick black fur stretched over sinewy, powerful muscles. And then, with a speed that left me no time to react, he leaped straight at me.