Chapter 6: Necessary Precautions
After what felt like an eternity trapped inside the vehicle, the car finally slowed. Starlight looked out the window just in time to see a massive steel lift gate rising from the ground.
Armed guards stood at attention on either side as the vehicle rolled forward through the checkpoint. A second gate waited beyond the first, followed by tall concrete walls crowned with layers of security fencing.
The place looked completely sealed off from the rest of the world.
What exactly do they do here?
The vehicle eventually descended into a sleek subterranean garage and came to a stop in front of a pair of heavy metal doors.
Vanessa immediately opened her door, the cool, exhaust-heavy air of the garage rushing in. She stepped out, smoothed down her black skirt, and turned to look back into the cabin. "Alright, Miss Dawson. Out of the car."
Starlight frowned. "Why should I?" she asked, remaining firmly seated. "Wasn’t it you who wanted to stop at this facility?"
Vanessa’s polite smile tightened. "Miss Dawson, stop making my job any harder than it already is and get down already. We don’t have time for this."
"But you said you were taking me straight to the Academy," Starlight said, suspicion creeping into her voice. "Why should I follow you into some underground bunker? Who’s to say you’re not planning to do something funny to me in there?"
To her surprise, Vanessa laughed. "I didn’t know you had such a vivid imagination, Miss Dawson." She leaned against the open door. "Now, are you coming down on your own, or do I have to make the guards pull you out?"
Starlight looked at her for a long moment before reluctantly climbing out of the vehicle.
"That’s what I thought." Vanessa turned on her heel and started toward the heavy metal entrance. "Follow me."
Starlight hesitated before trailing after her, her eyes scanning the surroundings as she stayed close behind. The facility looked like a high-security military installation. Armed security personnel in dark, sleek uniforms were everywhere. Guards patrolled the perimeter. Surveillance cameras monitored every angle. Electronic scanners lined the entrances. The entire place radiated control, secrecy, and authority.
Worse, there wasn’t a single human in sight. She was surrounded by beasts.
A knot formed in Starlight’s stomach. She did not like this one bit. How exactly was she supposed to know they hadn’t brought her to some black site to be disposed of?
They walked through a pair of heavy bi-parting glass doors that hissed shut behind them.
As they reached the elevator bank, Starlight couldn’t help but ask, "Would you mind telling me what we’re actually doing here? Is this also part of the lottery process?"
Vanessa pressed a button.
The doors opened. She stepped inside, and Starlight followed. Vanessa selected a lower floor and leaned back against the handrail.
"Hmmm. I suppose I owe you that much."
As the elevator started moving with a quiet, stomach-dropping hum, she continued.
"We are here to determine whether you are physically and biologically compatible with mating with a werewolf."
Starlight’s brow furrowed. "But I thought the Lunar Lottery was guided by the Moon Goddess herself. Why would she choose someone who isn’t compatible with one of her precious children?" she asked dryly. "Don’t you guys trust your all-knowing mother?"
The last words dripped with sarcasm.
Vanessa sighed. "It’s not that we don’t trust her. We’re simply being careful. No matter how perfect the divine selection may be, there is always the possibility of error. Let’s just say we’re taking necessary precautions to avoid unnecessary tragedy."
Starlight scoffed. "Sounds to me like you werewolves don’t even trust her decisions."
The atmosphere inside the elevator shifted.
Vanessa slowly turned toward her. For the first time since they’d met, her smile disappeared.
Her eyes hardened into two icy stones.
"Do you, by any chance, have something against werewolves, Miss Dawson?"
Starlight swallowed hard, her throat suddenly dry. The woman had been smiling throughout their entire journey. Seeing her like this was a stark, terrifying reminder that she was dealing with a werewolf, an apex predator who could snap her neck before she could even scream for help. She suddenly became very aware of how alone she was, her heart hammering against her ribs.
"Well, Miss Dawson?" Vanessa pressed, her voice dangerously quiet. "Do you not like us... werewolves? Is that why you don’t seem particularly thrilled about becoming a lottery mate?"
"It’s just—"
Ding.
The elevator doors slid open, cutting Starlight off. Vanessa held her gaze for one final, tense second. "We’re going to continue this conversation later," she said coldly before stepping out into the white hallway.
Starlight released a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding and hurried after her.
Why did I let my mouth run like that? She should be keeping her head down, playing the quiet, submissive human, not provoking them. What if they decided she wasn’t compatible and simply got rid of her? Nobody back home would ever know what happened. The Empire could easily come up with some fabricated medical excuse to explain her disappearance. She really needed to be more careful if she wanted to survive this.
The interior of the facility looked even more intimidating than the lobby below.
The place resembled a high-tech research laboratory. Stark white walls stretched in every direction, and staff dressed in crisp white uniforms moved through the corridors with mechanical precision, carrying tablets and folders while speaking in low professional tones. None of them were human either.
Starlight could tell by the way their heads turned in unison to catch her scent as she passed, their nostrils flaring subtly.
A woman approached them from farther down the hall, dressed in a pristine lab coat. Her silver hair was pulled into a neat bun, and her expression was completely blank, devoid of any warmth. She stopped directly in front of them and nodded toward Starlight.
"Is this her?"
"Yes, Dr. Genesis," Vanessa replied, stepping aside.
Dr. Genesis frowned as her gaze settled on the bandages wrapped around Starlight’s forehead. "What happened to her head? Why is she bandaged?"
"A minor scrape from the chaos while retrieving her," Vanessa answered with complete indifference. "The crowds were particularly enthusiastic, as usual."
Dr. Genesis murmured something under her breath as she adjusted her glasses. "I see."
She looked Starlight over once more before nodding. "Alright. I’ll take it from here, Miss Hartwell. You can wait in the observation lounge. We’ll be done before you know it."
"Take your time," Vanessa replied.
She turned to Starlight, her professional smile returning as though their conversation in the elevator had never happened.
"Follow her. I’ll be waiting in the observation lounge when you’re done."
Starlight’s chest tightened. "Wait. Where am I going with her? Aren’t you coming with us?"
She didn’t particularly like Vanessa, but a familiar werewolf, even one she had only known for few hours, felt infinitely safer than this cold, silent doctor in a sterile lab coat.
Vanessa blinked before placing a hand dramatically against her chest. "Aww. I didn’t know you’d grown so attached to me already."
Starlight immediately regretted opening her mouth.
"But sorry," Vanessa continued with a cheerful smile. "I don’t do needles, Miss Dawson."
She gave her a playful little wave and started back toward the elevator.
Starlight watched her go, fighting every instinct urging her to run after her. She did not like this new woman at all. Especially the way Dr. Genesis kept looking at her, like she was a specimen that had just arrived for examination.
"Well, if you’re quite done ogling Miss Hartwell," Dr. Genesis said, her voice sharp and clinical, "then follow me."
She turned and began walking down a long, white corridor.