Chapter 294 Lycan DNA
Behind the closed door, Dr. Chatmory and his nurse conducted a thorough, complete examination. The verdict was a massive relief: despite the terror and the early delivery, Ginny’s mortal body was healing beautifully from the birth. The nurse drew a few vials of blood to check her levels, and within twenty minutes, Ginny was dressed and holding Iggy again.
The heavy door finally clicked open, and Jax immediately stepped forward, his golden eyes scanning his mate for any sign of distress.
"Everything looks structurally fantastic," Dr. Chatmory reassured the fiercely protective Beta, patting Ginny on the shoulder. "She is healing incredibly well. We rushed the blood tests to the lab, and they should be fully processed in about two hours. If you folks have errands to run, or something you can go do to kill some time, get out of this sterile hallway and take a break."
A sudden, expectant silence fell over the group.
Leela immediately turned to face Jax. She clasped her hands together in front of her chest, her elemental eyes widening in a dramatic, painfully hopeful expression.
"Is it too early for the pregnant Luna to get her greasy fried onion rings?" Leela pleaded.
The sheer, unabashed desperation in her voice completely shattered the clinical atmosphere of the hallway.
Ginny burst into bright, genuine laughter, clutching Iggy to her chest. Jax threw his head back, a deep, booming laugh echoing off the hospital walls, and even the heavily armed, fiercely stoic Sarah had to quickly cover her mouth to hide a surprised giggle.
Dr. Chatmory just shook his head, smiling at the chaotic royal family. "Go feed the Luna," the doctor chuckled. "I'll see you all back here in two hours."
The diner was exactly the rundown, beautifully greasy haven Jax had promised. The bell above the heavy glass door jingled a dull, metallic greeting as they walked in, and the air inside was instantly thick with the comforting, heavy scent of old coffee and deep-frying oil.
They claimed a large, faded red vinyl booth near the back window. Jax slid in right next to Ginny, immediately placing the absolute largest strawberry milkshake the diner could legally serve directly in front of her. It was practically overflowing from a tall, chilled glass, complete with a massive mountain of whipped cream and a bright red cherry resting perfectly on top.
Ginny took a long sip, letting out a soft, genuinely contented sigh. For the first time in days, the heavy, suffocating weight of anxiety was completely gone. Knowing that her exhaustion wasn't a sign of her mortal body failing her, but simply the natural, biological result of keeping up with Iggy’s massive Lycan appetite, brought her an immense, profound sense of peace. She honestly felt completely rejuvenated just having the medical validation.
A tired waitress arrived moments later, dropping a massive, steaming basket of golden, perfectly battered onion rings right in the center of the scuffed table.
Leela practically vibrated with joy, reaching for the food before the red plastic basket had even fully settled.
Sitting on the outside edge of the booth to maintain a clear tactical line of sight to the front door, Sarah suddenly paused. The elite, fiercely stoic warrior went perfectly still as the heavy, mouth-watering aroma of the fried food drifted over to her side of the table. She looked at the basket, then looked down at her own stomach, her lethal demeanor completely fracturing.
"My pup," Sarah announced, her voice entirely deadpan but her eyes locked onto the basket with sudden, intense focus, "is officially demanding onion rings right now."
Leela burst into a bright, ringing fit of laughter. She didn't hesitate for a single second, pushing the plastic basket directly across the table toward the young warrior.
"Take them," Leela grinned, happily chewing on her own crispy ring. "I completely understand. Never argue with a Blackwood wolf when they want deep-fried food."
By the time the massive basket of onion rings was entirely decimated and Ginny had scraped the very bottom of her strawberry milkshake glass, the two hours had passed. The group made the short, quiet drive back to the hospital, their spirits significantly higher than when they had left.
Dr. Chatmory was already waiting for them in his private office, sitting behind his heavy wooden desk with a thick manila folder open in front of him.
The doctor gestured for Ginny and Jax to take the two chairs opposite his desk. Leela leaned against the wall nearby, while Sarah immediately took up a defensive position by the closed door.
"Alright, let's get right to it," Dr. Chatmory began, pulling a pair of reading glasses down his nose as he looked over the lab printouts. "The good news first. Ginny, your iron levels are definitely low. Between recovering from the birth and Iggy's massive Lycan appetite, your body is simply running out of fuel. A heavy iron supplement and a modified diet will fix the exhaustion."
Ginny let out a soft sigh of relief, leaning slightly into Jax's arm.
But Dr. Chatmory didn't smile. The older doctor set the paper down, taking his glasses off and fixing the massive Lycan Beta with a deeply troubled, incredibly serious look.
"However," Dr. Chatmory continued, his voice dropping into a tight, clinical hush. "Because I know exactly what you are, Jax, I ran Ginny's blood through our highly specialized, confidential Lycan-human panels. And I found a massive anomaly."
The relaxed atmosphere in the room instantly evaporated. Jax's spine snapped completely straight, his golden eyes flashing as a low, dangerous hum began to vibrate in his broad chest.
"What kind of anomaly?" Jax demanded, his voice thick with rising, protective dread.
"There is a foreign, synthetic property actively in her bloodstream," Dr. Chatmory explained, turning the printout around to point at a series of complex genetic markers. "It's Lycan DNA, but it's not Iggy's, and it's not naturally occurring. Ginny, you are completely human, but looking at these markers... someone has been actively introducing a synthesized Lycan serum into your system."
The doctor looked up, his expression grim. "Someone was trying to make you into a werewolf. Or, at the very least, they were trying to forcibly graft Lycan traits into your mortal biology."
Jax completely froze. The towering Beta stared at the human doctor for a split second before the sheer, horrifying reality of the words fully registered.
"Wait... what?" Jax breathed, the sound tearing out of his throat like a rough, jagged blade.
Ginny pressed a trembling hand to her mouth, all the color instantly draining from her face all over again.
"The process was crude, and it was ultimately unsuccessful, which is likely why your body is fighting so hard right now," Dr. Chatmory elaborated gently. He leaned forward, his brow furrowed in absolute confusion. "But this kind of genetic manipulation requires direct, repeated access to your bloodstream over a long period of time. Ginny, who exactly was taking care of you while you were pregnant?"
A suffocating, apocalyptic silence violently slammed into the office.