Chapter 1

Sarah

My name is Sarah Mitchell, 25, PhD in genetics. If someone had told me that today would change my entire life, I would have scoffed and shaken my head.

At dusk, the air in Redwood National Park, California, was filled with the crisp scent of pine needles. I crouched alone in front of a patch of shrubs, carefully placing plant samples into specimen bags.

The Helix-7 virus had been raging for a full year, with a human infection rate of 98% and a devastating mortality rate of 95%.

As the chief geneticist at Mitchell Research Institute, I carried the burden of finding a solution. Cross-species gene fusion theory was our last hope, but every attempt in the lab had ended in failure.

"Maybe the answer is in nature itself," I murmured, sealing the last sample.

Just then, a heart-wrenching howl echoed from deep within the forest.

The sound wasn't like an ordinary wild animal—it carried an almost human-like agony.

My heart clenched, nearly causing me to drop my equipment. Logic told me to leave, but scientific curiosity drove me toward the source of the sound.

The deeper I went, the clearer the howling became. When I pushed aside the final thicket, the sight before me made me gasp.

A massive black wolf lay on the ground, blood staining the fallen leaves around it.

Its size far exceeded that of normal wolves, standing at least four feet tall at the shoulder. Most striking were its eyes—amber pupils that flickered with human-like intelligence and pain.

"My God..." I instinctively knelt down.

The wolf's breathing was shallow, with a deep claw mark across its abdomen, still seeping fresh blood.

Acting on medical instinct, I immediately took out my first aid kit, then hesitated. A wild wolf, especially one this size, would be extremely dangerous even when injured.

But those eyes... those eyes were looking at me, seemingly pleading for help.

"To hell with it," I gritted my teeth and first took out my portable gene analyzer, collecting a drop of blood from the edge of its wound.

Professional habit. Faced with any living creature, I instinctively wanted to understand its genetic structure. The analyzer hummed, various data beginning to display on the screen.

Then, I saw the most shocking result of my life.

[Helix-7 antibody: 100% immunity.]

I rubbed my eyes, thinking I'd misread. After confirming again, my hands began to shake uncontrollably.

"Impossible... this wolf is completely immune? This defies all known principles!"

Even the most resistant species had immunity rates no higher than 30%. Yet this wolf before me was completely immune!

I was so excited I nearly cried. This could be the key to saving humanity!

Just as I was about to collect more blood samples, the black wolf suddenly began to convulse violently. Its body emitted a faint silver glow, bones making cracking sounds as they reorganized. I fell backward in shock, watching the incredible transformation unfold.

The wolf's limbs began to elongate, its spine realigning, skull reshaping...

Within seconds, a naked young man appeared before me.

My brain completely shut down. The rational thinking of a scientist collapsed entirely in that moment.

"Dear God... the legends are true!"

The young man had chiseled features and perfectly defined muscles, but the wound on his abdomen remained, blood staining his lower torso. He moaned weakly, those amber eyes struggling to open, glancing at me once before losing consciousness again.

That single glance confirmed to me that he retained all memories from his wolf form.

With trembling hands, I tested his blood again. The results were identical: 100% immunity to the Helix-7 virus.

A werewolf! A real werewolf!

And his gene fusion was so perfect, freely transitioning between human and wolf forms—exactly the ideal state we'd been desperately seeking in the lab!

I forced myself to calm down, removed my jacket to cover him, and began basic treatment of his wound. It was severe, but seemed to be healing at an astonishing rate.

"This regenerative ability... if we could replicate it..." my voice trembled.

I realized I had found humanity's savior.

No, what I'd found wasn't just a savior, but the next stage of evolution. The werewolf's genes might contain the secret to making humans completely immune to Helix-7, perhaps even granting enhanced survival capabilities.

I had to bring him back to the institute!

With shaking fingers, I dialed Director Williams' number.

"Director Williams?" I struggled to control my voice. "I've found... I've found what we've been looking for all along!"

"Sarah? What are you talking about?" A tired voice came through the phone.

"Gene fusion! Perfect cross-species gene fusion! And complete immunity to Helix-7! I need emergency medical transport, immediately!"

Silence on the other end for a few seconds.

"Sarah, are you certain?"

I looked at the young man lying on the ground, his chest rising and falling weakly. Even unconscious, his features carried a primal, untamed beauty.

"I've never been more certain of anything in my life," my voice was so firm it surprised even me. "Williams, this changes everything. Humanity has a chance now."

Night fell, with only me and this mysterious werewolf in the redwood forest.

In that moment, I knew my life would forever be divided into two parts: before meeting him, and after.