Chapter 7

The safe house turned out to be an abandoned power substation, its brick walls covered in decades of grime and graffiti. Rhea led them through a series of security measures that would have impressed Ethan's military training, had he not been so focused on controlling his transformed body. Every movement still felt like navigating between two worlds - the calculated precision of his human mind and the raw, instinctive power of the wolf.

"We should be secure here," Rhea said, activating a series of locks behind them. The interior was surprisingly well-maintained, a stark contrast to its deteriorating exterior. "The walls are reinforced with silver-infused steel. Keeps both vampires and most supernatural sensors out."

Banks of old transformers had been converted into a sophisticated command center, their hulking forms concealing modern equipment. Cables snaked across the ceiling, connecting an array of surveillance monitors to a central hub. The air carried a mix of ozone and copper, overlaid with the sharp scent of gun oil and something else - an ancient, primal smell that made the wolf within him both cautious and curious.

Ethan's enhanced senses picked up traces of others who had passed through - different scents, some similar to his new form, others completely foreign. The wolf part of him categorized them instinctively: friend, foe, prey. The human part struggled to process the overwhelming input.

A sudden wave of exhaustion hit him, and the transformation began to slip. The change back was less painful but equally disorienting. Bones shifted, muscle mass decreased, and fur receded until he found himself on his knees, human again and thoroughly drained. The shreds of his clothing hung loosely around his frame.

Rhea tossed him a bundle of clothes. "Military grade. Should fit better than what you're wearing now." She turned to give him privacy, focusing on a bank of monitors. "The first change takes the most energy. You'll need to eat soon to replenish your strength."

As Ethan dressed, his mind raced with questions. "How long have you been watching me? Before the facility, I mean."

"Long enough." Rhea's fingers danced across a keyboard, bringing up surveillance feeds. "We've been tracking the military's attempts to create supernatural soldiers for years. Project Moonweaver wasn't their first attempt, but it was their most successful."

"We?" Ethan pulled on a tactical shirt that fit surprisingly well.

"The Twilight Council." She turned to face him, her silver eyes reflecting the monitor's glow. "We maintain the balance between human and supernatural worlds. Or try to. The military's experiments threatened that balance. When they succeeded with you, it forced our hand."

Ethan processed this as he checked the room's defensive positions - old habits die hard. "The children they were using as test subjects. Was that part of Project Moonweaver too?"

Rhea's expression darkened. "No. That was something else. Something worse. The children were meant for Lilith's coven. The military gets their super soldiers, the vampires get their blood farms. A deal with the devil, quite literally."

The rage that had fueled Ethan's transformation earlier stirred again. "How many other facilities are there?"

"At least three that we know of." Rhea pulled up a map on one of the screens. "But we suspect more. The operation is compartmentalized. Each facility only knows about their immediate contacts."

"Like the one Sarah came from." Ethan studied the map, memorizing locations. "She mentioned others. Siblings, she called them. But they weren't related by blood."

"They're bred for specific traits. Enhanced healing, increased blood production, unique antibodies." Rhea's voice carried carefully controlled anger. "The vampires call them 'bloodlines.' Each facility specializes in different modifications. Some children are bred for their regenerative capabilities - their blood can heal even the most ancient vampires. Others produce blood that allows vampires to temporarily withstand sunlight. The most valuable ones," her voice dropped to a near whisper, "carry the potential for true immortality in their veins."

"And Project Moonweaver? Where does that fit in?"

"The military wanted their own bloodline - soldiers enhanced by supernatural DNA but loyal to human masters. They didn't understand that some powers can't be contained in a test tube. The old blood carries memories, instincts... a will of its own."

A distant alarm caught their attention. Rhea quickly checked the security feeds. "Patrol sweep. They're still searching the area, but they won't find us here."

Ethan felt the wolf stir within him, responding to the potential threat. It was easier to sense now, less overwhelming than during the transformation. "You said you'd teach me to control the change."

"Yes." Rhea pulled up another screen, this one showing biological data. "The serum they gave you was based on ancient bloodlines - werewolf DNA modified and stabilized through generations of research. But the physical change is only part of it. The real challenge is maintaining your identity while accessing the wolf's power."

"During the fight," Ethan remembered, "it felt like two minds competing for control."

"Because that's exactly what it was." Rhea brought up more detailed scans. "The wolf is instinct, raw power, pure survival. Your human consciousness is logic, strategy, experience. The key isn't suppressing one or the other - it's achieving synthesis."

She turned to face him fully. "The military wanted weapons they could control. They didn't count on their subjects developing true lycanthropy. You're not just a soldier with enhanced abilities, Ethan. You're something they don't understand and can't control."

"And the vampires? Why are they involved?"

"Politics." Rhea's lip curled in disgust. "Lilith's coven sees Project Moonweaver as a chance to tip the balance of power. Werewolves have traditionally been their greatest rivals. By controlling the creation of new wolves, they hope to ensure loyalty."

Ethan's stomach growled loudly, interrupting the discussion. The post-transformation hunger was becoming impossible to ignore.

"We need to get food in you," Rhea said, checking her weapons. "There's a supply cache two levels down. Then we can start your real training." She paused, studying him. "The children you helped escape - they're safe. But there are more out there. If you want to help them, you'll need to master both aspects of what you've become."

Ethan nodded, feeling the wolf's agreement. Whatever he was now, whatever he was becoming, he had a purpose. The military had tried to turn him into a weapon. Instead, they'd given him the power to fight back.

"When do we start?"

Rhea smiled, and for the first time, Ethan noticed her teeth were slightly sharper than normal. In the fluorescent light, her silver eyes seemed to shift like mercury, and her shadow on the wall behind her flickered with shapes that didn't quite match her human form. She moved with a fluid grace that spoke of centuries rather than years of practice.

"We already have." Her voice carried echoes of ancient forests and moonlit hunts. "The Council has waited a long time for someone like you, Ethan. Someone who can bridge both worlds."

[To be continued...]