Fur, Cloak and Dagger (Team Greywolf 4)

The two men looked at one another and laughed. One smirked. “What are you stupid or something?”

The elevator opened into the lab area. Bolton faced th

em. “Welcome.”

They followed him down the hall to the same room where they had caged Emma. Inside the large cage in the corner sat the black and gray wolf with the floppy dog-like ears. She stood, her hackles up, and growled at them.

Emma quipped. “The wolfdoodle won’t be much of an emotional support pet.”

“Wolfdoodle.” Bolton chuckled. “Nexus will be disappointed she never turned into the bipedal werewolf form like us men.”

“Or a real wolf,” said Nik.

“Does she understand you?” Emma asked Bolton.

Nexus cocked her head and barked what sounded like, “I do.”

Emma studied her. Interesting that she tried to use human speech. She was definitely aware of her humanity.

Nik knelt by the cage. Immediately, Nexus lowered her head and then sat, in complete submission. Did his mind control work on her but not the male werewolves? The effect of the drug seemed unpredictable.

Bolton laughed. “Looks like you are a wolf whisperer.”

Nik smiled. “I worked with sled dogs.”

Bolton turned to Nik. “Nexus was supposed to have become a wolf, not a dog/wolf hybrid.”

Emma furrowed her brows. “The floppy ears indicate her phenotype retained the juvenile wolf puppy features. It’s called neoteny.”

Bolton hissed. “I know what it’s called. I just don’t understand why females are not shifting the way males do.”

“Nice pup,” said Nik.

Nexus wagged her tail. As a canine, she appeared to have a better temperament than as a human. She couldn’t be plugged into technology in wolf form. “Did the other females have floppy ears?” asked Emma.

“No. It appears Nexus is the exception,” said Bolton.

Emma tapped her finger over her lip. “I wonder if she’ll shift back or if she knows how?”

“That’s the problem.” Bolton’s brows creased. “I don’t know if she ever will.”

Bolton looked more worried than annoyed. Nexus was their best techie. What would Svetlana, the real boss, think? “I take it that means I’m off your guinea pig list?” Emma asked.

“That is up to Svetlana. She may decide having you as her wolfdoodle is a better idea than killing you, Agent York.”

Nik flinched, but remained in control.

Nexus whined and paced in her cage. Emma quirked her brow. “She’s obviously upset too.”

Bolton scratched his neck. “Males can shift back to human form at will.” He sighed.

Nik asked, “About the female monkeys, at least the ones that survived, did they shift back to their monkey form?”

“The two that survived turned back into monkey form in a few hours.”

“The reaction might take longer with females,” said Emma. “How long can a male werewolf stay in monster form?”

“No more than an hour.”