The two days leading up to the mission were unlike anything the pack had experienced since the start of the program. Rest and recovery replaced the grueling training routines, and the tension that had gripped them began to loosen. Food was plentiful, and the barracks buzzed with quiet camaraderie. Training sessions were minimal, limited to light drills and discussions of strategy. For the first time in months, the Dogs were allowed to breathe.

  But the reprieve was short-lived. When the morning of the mission arrived, the pack gathered in the briefing room, their anticipation palpable. Captain Mikhailov stood before them, his presence commanding as ever. His voice was calm but firm as he addressed the soldiers.

  "There is nothing different here from what we have each spent years training for," Mikhailov began, his gaze sweeping the room. "Don’t worry about your body and the changes in your instincts and urges today. The key is to come to a balanced agreement—negotiate with your beast. Remind it why we don’t let it out… until we do."

  The room was silent, the soldiers hanging on his every word.

  "You can accomplish much with the small changes you experienced when you received your injections. Each of you had unique and common changes that will serve you. Let the beast play, just don’t let it out. Trust your gut. Thank it, even when what lay before you seems to have come from the devil himself."

  The weight of his words settled over them like a thick blanket. Dmitry, seated at the front, felt a flicker of reassurance. He had fought hard to master the primal force within him, and now it was time to put that mastery to the test.

  The roar of engines filled the air as the transport vehicles rumbled across the frozen tundra. Snow kicked up in swirling clouds, masking the convoy from above. Dmitry Ivanov sat at the front of the lead vehicle, his gaze fixed on the horizon. Beside him, Captain Mikhailov reviewed the mission details on a tablet, his face lit with a cold, flickering light.

  "This is it," Mikhailov said, breaking the silence. "The first deployment of the Dog Pack. The world will soon see what the Motherland has created."

  Dmitry nodded, his expression unreadable. Behind them, the pack sat in tense silence, their enhanced senses attuned to every jolt of the vehicle, every whisper of the wind outside. Even the beast, nestled in the back of the largest transport, seemed to share their collective focus.

  The mission was simple in concept but perilous in execution: neutralize an enemy outpost deep within contested territory. The opposition forces had fortified their position, relying on cutting-edge technology and relentless vigilance. They had no idea what was coming for them.

  The convoy stopped a mile from the target, shrouded by the dense forest that edged the battlefield. Dmitry and his pack disembarked silently, their movements fluid and coordinated. The snow underfoot crunched softly, but even that sound seemed muted against the cold, still air.

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  Mikhailov addressed them with a low, commanding voice. "The objective is clear. No survivors, no witnesses. Move as one, strike as one. Dmitry, your pack leads the charge."

  Dmitry turned to his pack, his amber-tinged eyes scanning their faces. “You know what to do. Stay sharp, stay together. Let’s show them what we’re capable of.”

  The pack fanned out, their enhanced senses guiding them through the dark forest. Dmitry could hear the faint hum of the enemy’s equipment long before they reached the perimeter. He signaled for a halt, crouching low to study the layout of the outpost.

  The enemy camp was a hive of activity, soldiers patrolling in disciplined patterns, drones hovering overhead, their searchlights cutting through the darkness. The pack watched silently, their breaths steady, their muscles coiled like springs.

  Dmitry raised his hand, signaling Yuri to disable the perimeter defenses. Yuri moved with a predator’s grace, his fingers a blur as he hacked into the enemy’s systems. Within moments, the drone lights flickered and died, and the electric hum of the fence faded into silence.

  “Go,” Dmitry whispered.

  The pack surged forward, shadows in the night. They moved with an inhuman speed and precision, their enhanced bodies a blur of controlled violence. Dmitry led the charge, his claws slicing through barriers and enemies alike. The beast followed closely, its massive form tearing through obstacles with a brutal efficiency.

  The enemy didn’t stand a chance. Confusion spread like wildfire as their defenses crumbled. Soldiers shouted orders, their voices tinged with panic, but the Dogs were relentless. Pavel took out a machine gun nest with a single, thunderous leap, while Yuri disarmed a squad with a combination of speed and cunning.

  Dmitry’s focus narrowed as he reached the command center. Bursting through the reinforced doors, he found the enemy commander surrounded by a flurry of tactical maps and monitors. The man’s eyes widened in terror as Dmitry approached, his claws gleaming in the dim light.

  “Please,” the commander stammered. “I… I can…”

  Dmitry didn’t give him a chance to finish. One swift motion, and the commander’s body crumpled to the floor. He turned to the monitors, smashing them with his fists to erase any trace of their operation.

  By the time the pack regrouped at the edge of the forest, the outpost was nothing more than smoldering ruins. Dmitry looked at his team, their faces streaked with sweat and blood, their breaths steaming in the cold night air. They had done it. They had become the apex predators Mikhailov had promised.

  The convoy awaited them, engines idling in the distance. As they boarded, Dmitry couldn’t help but notice the way his pack carried themselves. They moved with a confidence born of survival, their bond stronger than ever.

  Back at the base, the soldiers were greeted with a rare moment of celebration. Word of their success spread quickly, though whispers of something inhuman began to surface. The surviving enemy soldiers—those too broken to resist—spoke of monsters in the night, creatures that moved with terrifying speed and strength.

  In his quarters, Dmitry stared at his reflection in the frost-covered window. The amber glow in his eyes had grown brighter, and for a fleeting moment, he wondered what he had truly become. The beast’s reflection appeared beside his, its gaze steady and unyielding.

  “We’re just getting started,” Dmitry murmured, his voice barely audible. The beast rumbled in agreement, a low sound that resonated deep within his chest.

  Tomorrow would bring new challenges, new battles. But tonight, the Dogs had proven themselves. And the world would never be the same.