Jack didn't remember walking back to his quarters.
He didn't remember the elevator ride.
He didn't remember Rafael barking orders into his comm.
He didn't remember Ward shouting to seal every corridor.
He only remembered Maya's hand gripping his arm.
Firm.
Warm.
Grounding.
She didn't let go until she closed the door behind them.
Then she turned to him.
And Jack realized —
Maya Rios looked scared.
Not of Mantis.
Not of Mercer.
Not of Helix.
But of him.
"…Jack?" she asked softly.
He swallowed hard. "Maya… I don't… I can't…"
He couldn't finish.
Couldn't think.
Couldn't breathe.
His skull felt like it was splitting open, pressure building behind his eyes.
He stumbled back and crashed onto the bunk.
Maya rushed forward instantly.
"Jack—talk to me."
He squeezed his eyes shut.
"It's like something in my head is… moving."
Maya's stomach clenched. "What do you feel?"
Jack pressed his hands against his temples, trembling.
"Voices."
Maya froze. "Mercer?"
"No."
A shaky breath.
"Not words. Just… something."
"Something what?"
Jack looked up at her —
His eyes flashed silver.
Maya inhaled sharply.
Jack whispered, terrified:
"It's like instinct. Like something wants to control my body, not me."
His hands clenched.
"I'm losing myself."
Maya grabbed his shaking fists and held them still.
"You're not losing yourself," she said firmly. "I won't let you."
Jack looked into her eyes like they were the last thing keeping him human.
Then—
He gasped.
The pressure behind his eyes intensified.
The room spun.
The air vibrated.
Maya reacted instantly.
She pulled him into her arms, forcing his head against her shoulder.
"Breathe, Jack. Listen to my voice. Breathe."
He tried.
Failed.
Tried again.
The silver flicker grew brighter — enough to cast a faint reflection off the steel walls.
"Maya," Jack choked out. "Make it stop—please, just make it stop—"
She tightened her hold on him.
Her voice trembled — something it never did.
"I'm right here. I'm with you. You're safe."
Jack's breath hitched.
But the instinct inside him wasn't listening.
He felt it rise.
Hunting.
Learning.
Waking.
"Maya—I can feel him," Jack whispered. "I can feel Mercer. Like he's—watching."
Maya froze.
Then she cupped the back of Jack's head and forced him to look at her.
"Listen to me," she whispered fiercely. "Mercer isn't here. He can't reach you."
Jack's voice cracked.
"He will."
Maya shook her head. "No."
"You don't know that."
"Yes," she said. "I do."
Her hand slid up to his cheek, thumb brushing the skin beneath his trembling eye.
"You're Jack Williams. You're not Alpha. And you're not his."
He closed his eyes and leaned into her hand.
"Maya… I'm scared."
"I know," she whispered.
The Surge
Jack tried to stand up.
He made it half a step—
—and the world exploded in pain.
A surge ripped through his veins like electric fire.
He screamed.
Dropped to his knees.
Grabbed the floor like it was the only thing anchoring him.
Maya's heart stopped.
"Jack!"
She fell to her knees beside him, catching his body as he convulsed once, twice—
His head snapped back, eyes flashing bright silver now, not faint.
Too bright.
"MAY—"
The word dissolved into a strangled gasp.
Maya held him tightly, panic rising like bile.
"Stay with me—Jack, stay with me—"
The lights flickered in sync with the tremors in his body.
"Ward!" Maya yelled into her comm. "Jack is going into a neurological surge! I need medical backup, NOW!"
Only static replied.
Maya's blood ran cold.
"Ward, do you copy? Rafael? Anyone?"
Silence.
Jack's fingers clawed at the floor, leaving scratches in the metal.
Actual scratches.
"Oh god," Maya whispered. "It's accelerating…"
She grabbed his face, forcing him to look at her again.
But his eyes weren't Jack's.
They were silver.
Empty.
Lost.
"Jack—listen—please, listen to me—"
He blinked.
The silver flickered.
Maya leaned closer.
"That's it," she whispered. "Follow my voice."
His shaking slowed — slightly.
She brought her forehead to his.
"I'm here. You're not alone."
For a second —
just one —
his breath synced with hers.
Then—
The door slammed open.
Maya whirled, knife drawn, positioning herself in front of Jack—
—but Rafael rushed in, panting.
"Maya—we have a problem."
Maya didn't take her eyes off Jack.
"What problem?"
Rafael swallowed.
"Astra's entire west wing is down. System blackout. Every camera, every door lock, every alarm. Mantis slipped in."
Maya's stomach dropped.
"No…"
"She planted an external signal," Rafael said. "And guess who it's connected to?"
Maya looked at Jack.
Rafael nodded grimly.
"That's right. Him."
Jack's head jerked.
His eyes flashed again.
Maya grabbed Rafael's wrist.
"Stop talking."
Rafael froze.
Maya's voice lowered.
"He can hear that. And it'll make him worse."
Rafael's expression tightened. "Sorry."
Jack trembled again.
The Alpha surge was climbing.
He was losing control.
Maya cupped his face again.
"Jack. Look at me."
He tried.
Barely.
"You're here with me. Not with her. Not with Mercer. With me."
Jack's breaths became rapid again.
"Maya—I can feel her—"
Maya's throat tightened.
Mantis.
Where was she?
Rafael checked his tracker.
"She's in the ventilation grid. Moving fast."
Maya whispered, "She's coming for him."
Jack shook violently at the words.
"No—no, no—don't let her—"
"Jack—listen." She held him tighter. "Nobody is taking you. Not while I'm alive."
Rafael stepped forward. "We need to move him. Now."
Jack tried to stand — and collapsed.
Maya caught him again.
"Jack," she whispered urgently, "stay awake—"
He gasped.
Then lifted his head with agonizing effort.
His voice broke.
"Maya… if I turn into what they made…"
"No," Maya said instantly.
"If I become dangerous—"
"You won't."
"If I hurt you—"
Maya grabbed his face, forcing him to focus.
"You won't hurt me."
"How do you know?!"
Her voice cracked, raw and fierce.
"Because you care."
Jack trembled.
The glow in his eyes flickered again.
Then dimmed.
Rafael let out a breath he didn't know he was holding.
Maya sagged in relief — for half a second — before the lights shut off completely.
Darkness swallowed the room.
Rafael cursed. "Full blackout!"
A scraping sound echoed in the vents above.
Maya's grip tightened around Jack.
Jack whispered, voice shaking:
"She's here."
Maya drew her knife.
Rafael raised his gun.
Maya whispered in Jack's ear:
"Listen to me. No matter what happens, keep looking at me. Not her. Me."
Jack nodded weakly.
Another scrape echoed above.
Closer.
Deliberate.
"Mantis," Rafael said through clenched teeth.
Maya's voice dropped to a deadly whisper.
"She is not touching him."
The vent above them dented.
Once.
Twice.
Then—
S K R E E E E—
Metal tore open.
Maya pressed Jack behind her, knife raised, eyes glinting with lethal fury.
But instead of Mantis dropping down—
A small metal device fell through the grate and clattered onto the floor.
Rafael's eyes widened.
"MAYA—DON'T TOUCH IT!"
But Maya was already shielding Jack's body with hers as the device beeped once—
Then projected a hologram.
Mantis appeared, leaning casually against a digital wall.
"Hello, little wolf."
Maya snarled.
Mantis smirked.
"You're fun when you're feral."
Rafael aimed his gun at the projection anyway.
Mantis rolled her eyes.
"Oh please."
She turned her attention to Jack — who trembled violently.
"Poor Alpha," she cooed. "You're breaking so beautifully."
Maya leaned forward, voice low and murderous.
"If you come near him—"
"I know, I know," Mantis interrupted with a yawn. "You'll kill me. Very scary."
Her eyes sharpened.
"But you're not who I'm talking to."
She pointed at Jack.
"Alpha," she whispered, "your body knows me."
Jack whimpered.
Maya grabbed his hands, grounding him.
Mantis smiled softly.
"I'll see you soon."
She blew Jack a kiss.
The hologram vanished.
Silence.
Then the lights flickered back on.
The vents stopped echoing.
The blackout lifted.
Maya exhaled shakily.
Rafael holstered his gun. "We need to move him to the reinforced wing. Now."
Maya nodded.
She helped Jack stand — his legs weak, his eyes glassy.
"Maya…" he whispered.
"Yes?"
"…I'm not sure how much longer I can fight this."
Maya's eyes burned.
She held his face gently.
"You don't need to fight it alone."
He stared at her.
"You'll stay?" he whispered, voice breaking. "Even if I… change?"
Maya leaned her forehead against his.
Her answer was soft, deadly, and unshakeable:
"Yes."
Jack closed his eyes.
And for a moment — a fragile, fleeting moment —
the silver in them faded back into human.