Iris's POV

The text sat on my screen like a live wire.

I locked the screen and slid the phone back into my pocket. The words kept circling while I walked into the science building.

My skin still felt too warm under the high-neck top. The fading bite mark on my shoulder throbbed every time the fabric shifted. Scents in the hallway hit sharper than they should have,floor cleaner, someone’s leftover coffee, the faint alpha trace on a jacket draped over a chair. I found a seat near the back of the lab, set my bag down, and tried to focus on the practical.

"Three diluted pack markers today," Lancaster...