Matt met him at the door to the containment chamber. He had two inches on Jonathan but wasn’t as wide in the shoulders. Matt grinned, flashing sharp canines.
Jonathan knew it wasn’t a secondary change left behind from his first Phase. Matt just liked to show off, scare the lower betas, terrify the deltas and omegas.
Neither Bennet nor Lee would be as easily impressed.
Matt stripped off his shirt, then his pants.
Jonathan undressed, folding each garment before leaving them on the floor. “You don’t have to rush into this. You know that, right?” He left his boots next to the wall with his utility belt and gun.
“Are you kidding me? I’ve been waiting for this since I hit puberty.” Matt put his gear with his pile of laundry. “Already told Grey I want in on the next recruits. By this time next year, I plan on having enough men to stake a claim on a territory.”
If Matt had any idea of the kind of strength it took to run a pack, he wouldn’t even want to try.
He started to open the door.
Jonathan stopped him. “As soon as Bennet and Lee begin to Phase, get your blood in them. It’s unlikely they’ll be on the same clock, so you should have time, but if they are—”
Matt’s grin turned into a sneer. “I don’t need you to tell me how to do this.”
“You’ve never done it before.”
“Doesn’t mean I need the help. Especially from someone who will choose meat for their meta-pack.”
“I choose men based on their integrity.”
“You choose men who should be bait, not soldiers.” Matt shoved Jonathan’s grip from his arm. “Now get the fuck out of my way.” He yanked open the door, nearly clocking Jonathan in the face.
Arrogant, self-inflated hothead who was also dumb as shit.
Jonathan followed Matt into the room.
Bennet and Lee grazed a look over Matt, then glanced at each other. Even Kim seemed surprised to see Matt in the pit.
“Just tell me when you’re ready,” the doctor said.
Johnathan said, “Give us—”
“Do it.” Matt cracked his knuckles.
The doctor raised his eyebrows and Jonathan nodded. He pressed the pneumatic injector against Kim’s arm, and the air gun hissed as it dosed equal amounts of VrK and sensory inhibitor. The doctor moved to Lee, then Bennet. Neither one took their eyes off Matt.
This was going to be bad, really bad.
The doctor left, a bolt thumped into place, and Jonathan was alone with three men about to go through the most explosive metabolic experience of their lives.
Matt bounced on his toes, looking more like a man about to toss the winning shot through the hoop than someone looking death in the eye.
Kim hissed and rubbed the spot on his arm. The red circle left by the pneumatic injector darkened to purple, then black. Root-like bruises spread down his upper arm.
“Just breathe.” Jonathan stepped closer.
Sweat soaked Kim’s hair and beaded his skin until it rolled in rivulets. His face flushed; his throat swelled. Panic filled his eyes, and he clawed at his neck.
Jonathan grabbed the man’s wrists. “Give it a second. It will pass.” Lumps bulged under his jaw. The ichor inside the VrK had been modified to bind with living flesh, but it didn’t mean those living cells wouldn’t react and fight the change.
Kim’s eyes dilated, blood painted his lips, then the color drained from his skin. Jonathan got him to the floor before the first convulsion hit, but not fast enough to keep Kim from kicking the chair.
It clanked, metal on concrete, coming to a stop on the other side of the room.