The silence stretched as Samantha stood tall, fully transformed yet entirely herself. The air around her crackled with raw energy, her body humming with untamed power. Her blue eyes, now fully illuminated with the essence of her Hybrid form, met Marcus's stunned gaze first, then Kai's, then Callum's. Even Orion, ever composed and unreadable, had a flicker of something unfamiliar in his expression—perhaps approval, or curiosity.
A slow smirk played on her lips. "I think I just figured it out."
Marcus took a hesitant step forward. "Samantha?"
"I'm fine," she reassured, flexing her claws experimentally. They responded smoothly, her senses sharper than ever before, yet her mind was clear—focused. There was no inner battle, no resistance. She wasn't fighting the Hybrid anymore. She had become it.
Kai, always protective, narrowed his eyes. "Are you sure?" His voice was gruff, but beneath it, there was the barest trace of awe.