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She walked away from one worthless ex—and somehow ended up with five powerful mates. He thought losing him would leave her with nothing. Instead, she kept getting stronger: cleansing fallen warriors, bonding with the hive core, pulling allies to her side, and unlocking one rare ability after another. ===== Chapter 1 Anja's eyes snapped open. A spike of pain, sharp and blinding, shot through her skull. It felt like her brain being split in two. She gasped, a ragged sound in the dead quiet of the room, her hand flying to her forehead as if she could physically hold the pieces of her mind together. The bed was wrong. It was too soft, the sheets like cool silk against her skin. A low hum vibrated through the mattress, a subtle, calming frequency. Her bedroom in her tiny off-campus apartment had a lumpy mattress and scratchy polyester sheets. Memories, not her own, crashed into her consciousness. The Commonwealth. A sprawling interstellar empire. Genetic corruption. Psionic abilities. The ratio of females to males was one to one hundred thousand. Females were rare, precious assets, revered wherever they went. A society where matrimonial contracts were brokered by a central authority dedicated to finding males worthy of their scarce females. And a name. Kenny Mcdaniel. Her fiancé. Before she could fully process any of it, a voice rang out from the doorway. "Even if I die, even if I get exiled to a barren mining planet, I will never form a bond with you!" The door to the bedroom slammed open, the sound cracking through the silence like a gunshot. A man strode in. He was tall, with sandy blond hair and a suit that was trying too hard to look expensive. It was tailored just a little too tight across the shoulders, the fabric a synthetic blend that caught the light with a cheap sheen. He carried himself with an unearned arrogance, his chin tilted up as he looked down his nose at her. Kenny Mcdaniel. The name clicked into place with a fresh wave of nausea. He sneered, a curl of his lip that was meant to be disdainful but only made him look petulant. "Finally awake, are we? Don't bother putting on a show. I'm not here to play games." Anja just stared at him, her mind a whirlwind of two lives colliding. One was a college student from Earth, drowning in student loans and surviving on instant noodles. The other was Anja Compton, heiress to a minor noble house, betrothed to this... this peacock. And from the memories of the original Anja, she could see the woman had been utterly blind. She had cried over him, pleaded for his attention, and rearranged her entire life to please him. For what? For a male of thoroughly average looks-decent, but nothing special-whose only remarkable feature was his physique, which was standard issue for any male who had completed the mandatory academy training. He had been handed a priceless gem on a silver platter and somehow convinced himself he deserved better. What a joke. "I'm here to make things perfectly clear," Kenny continued, pacing in front of her bed like a lawyer in a courtroom drama. "This political arrangement our families cooked up? It's over. I've found someone I actually love. Someone who understands me. I will not sacrifice my happiness for some dusty old family alliance." He punctuated his speech by sl**ping a thin, transparent data slate onto the polished wood of the nightstand. The clack was sharp and final. An electronic contract glowed on its surface: Agreement for Matrimonial Annulment. "So you can take your pathetic, clingy affections and find someone else to bother," he spat, his voice rising with theatrical fervor. "I'm telling you now, Anja. Even if I die, even if I get exiled to a barren mining planet, I will never form a bond with you!" Anja slowly pushed herself up, the silk sheets pooling around her waist. The headache was receding, replaced by a strange, icy calm. The Anja from Earth thought he was a joke. A weak, insecure man puffing up his ch**t to feel powerful in front of a woman he perceived as weaker. It was pathetic. And frankly, hilarious. She let a slow, deliberate gaze travel from his cheap shoes up to his self-satisfied face. Then she met his eyes. "Are you done?" she asked. Her voice was quiet, devoid of the hysteria he was clearly expecting. Kenny froze mid-stride. The triumphant look on his face faltered, replaced by a flicker of confusion. "What?" "Your performance," Anja clarified, leaning back against the plush headboard. She crossed her arms. "The big, dramatic speech. Was that the grand finale, or is there an encore?" He stared at her, his mouth opening and closing silently. This wasn't how it was supposed to go. She was supposed to cry. To beg. To make a scene that would validate his decision and allow him to storm out as the wronged, romantic hero. "You think this is a joke?" he stammered, his voice losing its confident edge. He puffed his ch**t out again, a desperate attempt to regain control. "I'm serious, Anja! I'm leaving you!" "I heard you the first time," she said, her tone bored. "You want to end the engagement. Great. Let's do it." She didn't even glance at the data slate he had thrown down. She simply looked towards the empty air near the door. "Unit 01," she commanded. A soft, synthesized voice replied instantly from an unseen speaker. "Yes, Mistress Anja." "Access the Federal Marriage Center," she ordered. "Project the annulment agreement and initiate the signing protocol." "At once." A holographic panel of brilliant blue light materialized in the air beside the bed, displaying the contract in crisp, clear text. At the bottom, a glowing box waited for a biometric signature. Kenny's face went slack with shock. "What are you doing? That's not-you can't just-" Anja ignored him. She reached out, her fingers steady, and pressed her thumb against the glowing box. The system chimed, a clear, pleasant tone that echoed in the tense silence. BIOMETRIC SIGNATURE VERIFIED. ANJA COMPTON HAS UNILATERALLY DISSOLVED THE MATRIMONIAL CONTRACT. STATUS: FINALIZED. The words burned in the air for a moment before the holographic panel dissolved. Almost immediately, a series of chimes sounded from the room's speaker system. A new, distinctly official synthesized voice read out three consecutive messages: "Message from the Federal Marriage Center: Esteemed Lady Anja, your matrimonial contract has been successfully dissolved. You are now returned to single status." "Message from the Federal Marriage Center: Esteemed Lady Anja, there are hundreds of millions of males in the Commonwealth. If one lacks vision, there will always be another. Please do not let a male with poor taste affect your mood." "Message from the Federal Marriage Center: Esteemed Lady Anja, should you desire, the Federal Marriage Center is ready at any moment to match you with new husbands." Kenny stared at the empty space where the contract had been, then back at her. His expression was a comical mix of disbelief and panic. He had come here for a fight, for drama, for a validation of his own importance. He had not, under any circumstances, expected this easy, dismissive acceptance. "You... you just signed it?" he said, his voice a weak squeak. "Just like that? This is a trick. Some kind of game to make me feel guilty." Anja gave him a small, pitying smile. "There's no game, Kenny. You wanted out. You're out. Congratulations. The door is over there. Get out of my house." The shift was instantaneous. The moment she finished speaking, the AI's synthesized voice spoke again, its tone now stripped of all warmth. "Warning," Unit 01 announced. "Kenny Mcdaniel, your security clearance for this property has been revoked. You are now classified as an unauthorized intruder. You have ten seconds to vacate the premises before defensive measures are deployed." A cold, red light began to sweep across the room, originating from a sensor near the ceiling. Kenny paled. "Your... your security? You can't-" He was cut off by a heavy, mechanical whirring sound. Two panels in the ceiling slid open, and a pair of sleek, gunmetal-gray security drones descended. Their optical sensors glowed with the same menacing red light, and the barrels of their plasma weapons swiveled to lock directly onto his ch**t. Fear, primal and undignified, washed over Kenny's face. All his practiced arrogance vanished. He threw his hands up in a gesture of surrender. "Okay! Okay! I'm going!" he yelped, stumbling backward. The drones advanced on him silently, their movements perfectly synchronized, herding him towards the door. He tripped over the edge of an expensive rug, catching himself on the doorframe. He looked back at her, his eyes wide with a mixture of terror and wounded pride, as if he wanted to say one last thing to salvage his dignity. Anja didn't give him the chance. "Unit 01," she said, her voice dripping with finality. "Close the door." The heavy, soundproofed metal door slid shut with a deafening thud, cutting off his last pathetic look. Silence returned to the room. Anja fell back against the pillows, the silk cool against her neck. A long, slow breath escaped her lips. She felt a profound sense of release, of lightness. The headache was gone. The confusion was gone. She thought about the Federal Marriage Center's final message-match her with new husbands. And the words "no upper limit" echoed in her memory from the original Anja's knowledge of the law. A villa this large, five stories and hundreds of square meters per floor... it would be a shame to live in it alone, wouldn't it? She wasn't admitting anything. She was just curious. For the first time in this new world, she felt free. Chapter 2 A new light bloomed in the room, soft and golden. It wasn't sunlight. Anja turned her head. A holographic panel, the color of warm honey, floated in the air where the blue contract had been. It bore the official crest of The Commonwealth Eugenics & Pairing Directorate. A gentle, synthesized female voice, far more sophisticated than Unit 01's, filled the room. "Congratulations, Citizen Anja Compton," it purred. "Our records indicate you have successfully terminated your betrothal contract. Your status has been updated to 'Unbonded.' Welcome to a new chapter of your life." The panel shimmered, and text began to scroll, listing the benefits that were now active for her. Federal Income Tax: Exempt. Property Tax, Core Worlds Sector: Exempt. Priority Purchase Rights, All A-Class Residential Zones: Activated. Tier-One Medical and Nutritional Subsidies: Activated. Personal Security Detail Allotment: Pending Review. Anja felt a breath catch in her throat. This wasn't just a breakup; it was like winning the lottery. She had been vaguely aware of the laws from the memories she'd inherited, but seeing them laid out like this was staggering. "Unit 01," she said, her voice a little hoarse. "Pull up the Commonwealth's legal statutes on marriage and asset sharing." "Of course, Mistress," the house AI replied. The golden panel was replaced by a dense wall of legal text. "Summarize," Anja commanded, not in the mood to read hundreds of pages of legalese. Unit 01's voice began a concise audio summary. It explained that due to the scarcity of females, the law was designed for their absolute protection and prosperity. A bonded male's assets, income, and even inheritances were automatically and irrevocably linked to his Matron's primary account. He was, in financial terms, an extension of her. And then came the part that made Anja's jaw drop. "There is no legal upper limit to the number of Consorts a female may bond with," Unit 01 stated calmly. "The formation of a Consortium is considered a private matter, encouraged by the Directorate as a means of ensuring genetic diversity and providing comprehensive support for the Matron." No limit. Polygamy. No, polyandry. And it was legal. Encouraged, even. Anja thought back to Earth. The endless, bitter divorces. The fights over money. The prenuptial agreements that were more like business contracts than declarations of love. Here, the system was brutally simple: everything belonged to the woman. A laugh escaped her lips. It started as a small chuckle, then grew into a full-throated, joyous peel of laughter that echoed in the luxurious bedroom. This wasn't a dystopia. It was a custom-built paradise. The system seemed to anticipate her thoughts. A new, shimmering button appeared on the golden panel: Initiate New Matching Cycle? Her laughter subsided into a wide, mischievous grin. She was tired of being sad and pathetic for a man like Kenny. It was time to see what this new world really had to offer. She tapped the button. The panel transformed into something that looked like a high-end, exclusive dating app. Profiles began to slide across the screen, each one featuring a stunningly handsome man. There were soldiers with chiseled jaws and intense eyes, businessmen in sharp suits with predatory smiles, artists with soulful gazes and long, clever fingers. Their stats were listed beside their photos: psionic grade, genetic lineage, net worth, military honors. It was a catalog of the most elite men in the Commonwealth. Anja scrolled, her interest piqued. She noticed a small tag on some of the profiles: Latent Bestial Morphology. Curious, she tapped on one. The profile expanded. In addition to the man's primary photo, there were smaller, secondary images showing him with a pair of sharp, tufted wolf ears and a thick, bushy tail. The description noted these features were highly sensitive and could manifest during moments of heightened emotion. Fluffy ears. A tail. Anja felt an unexpected jolt of interest, a deep, primal pull that the perfectly polished men didn't elicit. The idea was ridiculously, wonderfully appealing. She quickly filled out the matching preference form that appeared at the bottom of the screen. Age range, psionic compatibility, asset level... and under 'Physical Preferences,' she decisively checked the box for Bestial Traits. Her finger hovered over the 'Submit' button. For a fleeting second, a flicker of the old Anja's insecurity surfaced. The girl who thought she wasn't good enough, the girl who had been convinced by Kenny that she was plain and worthless. Then the image of Kenny's arrogant, sneering face flashed in her mind. She pressed the button. Hard. A confirmation message appeared: Application successfully uploaded to the Federal Central Database. Deep-level compatibility analysis is now underway. "Mistress," Unit 01's voice cut in, its tone impeccably polite, "Since you are celebrating your newfound freedom, shall I prepare a celebratory breakfast?" "Yes, absolutely," Anja said, feeling lighter than she had in years. "Eggs Benedict. And real coffee. Black." "An excellent choice." She threw back the silk covers and stepped out of bed. Her bare feet sank into a thick wool carpet that was warm to the touch. The room was vast, with a walk-in closet the size of her old apartment and an adjoining bathroom that looked like a marble sanctuary. She walked to the massive floor-to-ceiling window that made up one entire wall of the room. It overlooked a sprawling garden, with manicured lawns, a sparkling blue pool, and a forest of strange, beautiful alien trees in the distance. This was her life now. Safety. Luxury. Control. A soft, insistent chime broke her reverie. She turned back to the golden panel still hovering by her bed. A red warning icon was flashing. CRITICAL DATA MISSING. PSIONIC POTENTIAL ASSESSMENT: PENDING. The system's gentle voice returned, now with a note of official firmness. "Citizen Compton, our records indicate you have not completed the mandatory Psionic Potential Assessment. This is a prerequisite for matching with Alpha-Plus class Consorts. Your matching cycle has been temporarily suspended." Before she could even process that, the panel changed again, displaying a new document. It was an official, non-negotiable appointment. EMERGENCY APPOINTMENT: PSIONIC POTENTIAL TESTING CENTER. CAPITAL PRIME. TODAY. Anja stared at the screen. The original Anja had never gone. Kenny had told her it was a waste of time, that she was probably a worthless F-grade, and the embarrassment wouldn't be worth it. He had systematically chipped away at her confidence until she believed him. Now, that little omission was standing between her and a lineup of handsome men with fluffy tails. Well, she thought with a grim smile. They were about to find out just how worthless she was. Chapter 3 Anja read the appointment details again. The words mandatory and compulsory were highlighted in a severe, official red. Failure to attend would result in an indefinite freeze on her matching rights and a suspension of some of her newly acquired federal benefits. They weren't asking. They were telling. "Mistress," Unit 01's voice chimed in, a flicker of something that might have been urgency in its synthesized tone, "You may wish to view the GalacticNet. Your status change has been... noted." "Show me," Anja said. The large window overlooking the garden dimmed, turning into a massive screen. It displayed the landing page of the most popular news network in the Commonwealth. Her own face stared back at her from the headline banner. ANJA COMPTON, HEIRESS OF HOUSE COMPTON, TERMINATES BETROTHAL. RETURNS TO UNBONDED STATUS. Below the headline, a 'Trending Topics' sidebar was dominated by her name. AnjaIsFree. ComptonConsortium. NewHopeForAlphaPlus. The screen began to populate with comments from a live public forum. Thousands of them, scrolling by in a dizzying cascade. "Finally! I knew Mcdaniel wasn't good enough for her!" "An untested female from a noble line! This is the biggest news of the year!" "The matching pool is about to get a lot more interesting..." "Please, Mistress Compton, if you ever consider new consorts, review my profile. Class A psionic ability, five million credits, and I cook." Anja stared, dumbfounded. It was one thing to read about the value of females in the abstract. It was another to see this raw, desperate, public thirst for her attention. The old Anja had wasted years crying over one mediocre male who didn't want her, while thousands across the Commonwealth were practically begging for her attention. What a joke. She accessed the original Anja's memories, searching for context. The Commonwealth was plagued by a low-level genetic corruption that affected all males. It was a slow-acting poison, a consequence of their psionic abilities, that caused irritability, aggression, and eventually, a descent into feral madness. The only cure, the only way to soothe the corruption, was the purifying psionic energy of a female. Males who lacked a female to purify them were forced to rely on suppressants-agonizing injections with devastating side effects. The demand was infinite. The supply was critically low. And an untested female, especially one from a good family, was the ultimate wild card. She could be a useless F-Grade, or she could be a world-changing A-Grade. The uncertainty, the sheer potential, was intoxicating. It was like a lottery where the jackpot was salvation. "Unit 01," she said, her voice hard. "What's the fastest way to get to the testing center in Capital Prime?" "The journey by private shuttle would take approximately forty-five minutes, Mistress. However, it appears alternative arrangements have been made." Before Anja could ask what that meant, a low, powerful thrumming sound vibrated through the floor. It grew rapidly into a deafening roar, the sound of massive engines displacing a huge volume of air. The delicate curtains on her window whipped inward as a powerful downdraft hit the side of the house. Anja rushed to the window, peering up into the sky. A ship was descending. It wasn't a sleek, civilian shuttle. It was a beast of a machine, matte black and brutally angular, a military transport vessel designed for assault landings. The official, silver crest of the Eugenics Directorate was emblazoned on its side. It settled onto the main lawn with a final, ground-shaking whump, its landing struts sinking inches into the perfectly manicured grass. A ramp hissed open at its rear. Twelve soldiers marched out in perfect synchronization. They were clad in black tactical armor, their faces hidden behind reflective visors, and they carried heavy-looking plasma rifles. They moved with terrifying efficiency, forming two perfect lines of six leading from the ramp towards the front door of the estate. A voice, amplified and resonant, boomed from the ship's external speakers. It was deep, respectful, and utterly commanding. "Mistress Anja Compton. On behalf of the Commonwealth Eugenics Directorate, we are your designated escort to the Capital Prime Testing Center. Please prepare for immediate departure." Anja stood frozen, her heart hammering against her ribs. This wasn't a taxi. This was a military operation. For her. Was she being escorted to a testing center or to a war zone? "Mistress, I have taken the liberty of selecting an appropriate outfit for the occasion," Unit 01 said, its voice cutting through her shock. A panel on the wall of her closet slid open, revealing a simple but elegant outfit: dark, well-fitted trousers, a cream-colored silk blouse, and soft leather boots. It was understated, comfortable, but undeniably expensive. "I would advise you to change quickly." Numbly, Anja did as she was told. She dressed with fumbling fingers, her mind still reeling from the sight of the armored ship on her lawn. This was real. This was happening. Guided by Unit 01's soft light prompts, she walked through the silent, cavernous halls of the estate to the grand front entrance. She took a deep breath, her hand resting on the cool metal of the door handle. She thought about the comments she had just read-males begging for her attention, showing off their credits and their abilities. And then she thought about Kenny's parting words: "Even if I die, even if I get exiled to a barren mining planet, I will never form a bond with you." A small, bitter smile crossed her lips. He had spent years convincing her she was nothing. In a few minutes, the entire Commonwealth would know the truth. Then she pulled it open. The force of the soldiers' collective gaze was a physical thing. They stood perfectly still, rifles held at a parade rest, but she could feel the intensity of their focus. It wasn't threatening. It was... worshipful. The man at the front of the line, clearly the captain, took a step forward. He was taller than the others, his armor bearing subtle markings of rank. He removed his helmet, revealing a stern, handsome face with a sharp jaw and piercing gray eyes. He held the helmet under his arm and then, to Anja's utter astonishment, he dropped to one knee before her on the stone steps. "Mistress Compton," he said, his head bowed, "It is an honor. We have prepared a sterilized walkway for your convenience." As he spoke, a thin, metallic carpet unrolled from the base of the ship's ramp, gliding silently across the lawn to stop at her feet. It was a simple, practical measure to keep her boots from getting damp from the morning dew. It was also the most ridiculously reverent gesture she had ever witnessed. "Th-thank you, Captain," she managed, her voice barely a wh**per. The captain's head dipped lower. "The honor is all ours, Ma'am." Feeling as though she were in a dream, Anja stepped onto the walkway. She walked between the two lines of silent, armored sentinels, their visors tracking her every move. The air buzzed with their restrained energy. She stepped up the ramp and into the ship's interior. It wasn't the spartan, utilitarian hold she expected. It was a VIP cabin, furnished with plush, cream-colored leather chairs, polished chrome accents, and soft, indirect lighting. It looked more like the inside of a private jet than a military transport. The ramp hissed shut behind her, sealing her inside and cutting off the outside world. A small, silent service droid glided up to her, offering a chilled glass of ch**pagne on a silver tray. Anja sank into one of the chairs, the leather sighing under her weight. She took the glass, the crystal cool against her trembling fingers. Through the cabin's reinforced viewport, she watched her new home, her new life, shrink below as the ship ascended with breathtaking speed. A timer appeared on a small screen embedded in the armrest of her chair. Estimated Time to Arrival: 12 minutes. She stared at the descending numbers, her heart beating a frantic rhythm against her ribs. There was no going back now. Chapter 4 Through the viewport, Anja watched as a structure of impossible scale rose to meet them. It was a massive, silver dome that glittered in the morning sun, a pearl of a building nestled in the heart of the capital city's most prestigious district. The Psionic Potential Testing Center. The captain entered the VIP cabin, his movements silent and precise. He stopped a respectful distance away, his helmet still tucked under his arm. "We are beginning our final approach, Ma'am," he announced, his gray eyes fixed on a point just past her shoulder, as if looking at her directly was too bold. Anja offered him a small, reassuring smile. "Thank you, Captain. Can you tell me what to expect? The process." The captain's cheeks flushed with a faint pink. He cleared his throat, momentarily flustered by her direct address. "The test is... non-invasive, Ma'am. Completely painless. A deep-level neural scan. It's designed to be a comfortable experience." The ship settled onto a private rooftop landing pad with a landing so smooth it was barely perceptible. The ramp opened not to the roar of engines, but to a gentle, climate-controlled breeze and the sight of a welcoming party. A dozen people stood waiting for her, all dressed in the crisp, white lab coats of senior researchers. They were led by an older man with kind eyes and a fringe of white hair, his face etched with lines of deep concentration and, at this moment, profound reverence. As Anja stepped off the ramp, the lead researcher hurried forward, his team following a few steps behind. He stopped before her and performed a deep, formal bow, a gesture of utmost respect from an academic to a subject of immense value. "Mistress Compton," he said, his voice filled with a hushed excitement. "I am Chief Researcher Elian Vance. It is a privilege to welcome you. We have prepared the primary core facility for your assessment." She was flanked by her special forces escort and the team of researchers, a moving bubble of importance. They guided her into a transparent elevator tube that descended from the roof. As the car began its silent drop, she saw the main floor of the center below. It was a vast, sterile hall, filled with hundreds of people standing in long, winding lines. They were the ordinary citizens, waiting for hours for their own, less prioritized tests. As her glass elevator passed by, heads turned. Faces looked up. The expression on their faces was uniform. A wide-eyed mix of awe, envy, and a desperate, hungry hope. They weren't just looking at a woman in an elevator; they were looking at a symbol, a potential savior, a winning lottery ticket. Their gazes were so intense, so full of raw need, that Anja instinctively took a half-step back, pressing against the rear of the elevator car. The captain immediately moved to stand slightly in front of her, his broad, armored shoulders blocking the view and shielding her from the weight of their stares. The elevator reached the lowest level, a subterranean core that was silent save for the low hum of air purifiers. The air here was cool and smelled faintly of ozone. Researcher Vance led her to a set of heavy, frosted glass doors. They slid open to reveal a room that looked nothing like a laboratory. It was more like a private suite at a five-star spa. Soft music, a gentle melody of synthesized chimes, played from hidden speakers. The air was scented with lavender. In the center of the room was a single, sleek, milk-white pod, shaped like a smooth, futuristic sarcophagus. "If you would, Mistress," Vance said softly, gesturing towards the pod. Anja took off her light jacket, handing it to a waiting assistant. She lay down inside the pod, the interior surface conforming perfectly to her body. It was warm and comfortable. A curved lid slid smoothly into place, enclosing her in a soft, blue-glowing darkness. She felt a gentle, warm sensation begin at the base of her spine and slowly travel upwards, a pleasant tingle that was deeply relaxing. She closed her eyes, letting the process happen. It was a world away from the cold, clanking MRI machines she remembered from Earth. This was luxury, even in a medical procedure. Outside, Elian Vance stood before a large control console, his eyes glued to the data streams pouring onto the screen. His assistants stood behind him, their expressions tense. The indicator light on the console, which represented the baseline energy output of the subject, was a calm, steady blue. Then, it flickered. It turned to a vibrant green, the color of a B-Class psionic. The assistants murmured in appreciation. A solid result. But it didn't stop. The green intensified, shifting to a deep, royal purple-the marker for an A-Class, one of the most powerful ratings in the Commonwealth. One of the younger researchers gasped, a sharp, involuntary sound. "By the stars..." "Quiet!" Vance snapped, his voice a harsh wh**per. He didn't take his eyes off the screen. "Do not disturb her." The purple light on the console began to pulse, growing brighter, more intense, as if the machine itself was struggling to process the sheer magnitude of the energy it was encountering. A high-pitched whine started to emanate from the console. Inside the pod, Anja heard the faint commotion. Her pleasant, relaxed state was disturbed by a flicker of anxiety. Her heart began to beat a little faster. The gentle humming of the scanner around her seemed to increase in pitch, becoming more urgent. Then, with a final, soft chime, it was over. The lid of the pod slid open, and the soft lights of the room returned. Anja sat up, blinking, feeling a little disoriented but otherwise perfectly fine. She ran a hand through her hair and looked over at the research team. They were all staring at her, their faces pale with shock. Chief Researcher Vance was sweating, his hand gripping the edge of the console so tightly his knuckles were white. Anja swung her legs over the side of the pod, her boots thudding softly on the floor. "Well?" she asked, her voice breaking the stunned silence. "Did something go wrong?" Chapter 5 Chief Researcher Vance swallowed hard, the sound loud in the silent room. He fumbled with the console for a moment, his hands trembling so badly he could barely operate the controls. He finally managed to project the summary of the test results onto a transparent data slate. He walked towards her, holding the slate out with both hands as if it were a holy relic. "Mistress Compton," he began, his voice cracking with emotion. "Nothing... nothing went wrong." Anja took the slate and looked down. The screen was dominated by a single, massive character, glowing with the brilliance of a small sun. A golden 'S'. "You are an S-Class," Vance whispered, his voice choked with awe. "The third active S-Class female in the known Commonwealth." Anja's brain went completely blank. S-Class. The memories she had inherited told her what that meant. It wasn't just a high score. It was a statistical impossibility. A legend. A force of nature that could single-handedly alter the balance of power in the galaxy. Suddenly, the gentle spa music in the room was cut off. It was replaced by a triumphant, orchestral fanfare that blared from the facility's central announcement system. It was the highest-level anthem, reserved for events of supreme national importance. In the center of the room, the air shimmered and coalesced. A life-sized, full-color hologram of a stern, regal woman in the dark robes of a high official appeared. Anja recognized her instantly: Directorate High Chancellor Valerius. The most powerful woman in the Commonwealth, second only to the Empress herself. The hologram turned to Anja and inclined her head in a gesture of profound respect. "Anja Compton. On behalf of the entire Commonwealth, I extend our deepest gratitude and congratulations. You are now officially designated a Strategic Asset of the highest order. A national treasure." Anja, still reeling, managed a weak smile and a nod. Inside her head, she was screaming. Are you for real? "Your safety and genetic stability are now our paramount concern," the Chancellor continued, her voice calm but carrying an undeniable weight of authority. "Standard protocols for a newly identified S-Class female must be enacted immediately. To that end, a preliminary High-Tier Consort bond must be established without delay." As she spoke, the data slate in Anja's hand changed. Five new files appeared, each one bearing the portrait of a man who was almost illegally handsome. They were the cream of the crop, the most powerful, influential, and genetically superior Alpha-Plus males in the Commonwealth. A chiseled soldier with eyes like chips of ice. A smirking corporate raider with a dangerous glint in his gaze. A brooding aristocrat with midnight-dark hair. Two others, equally impressive. Their compatibility scores with her were all above 95%. "These five candidates have been pre-vetted and are deemed suitable for initial bonding," Chancellor Valerius stated. It was a recommendation phrased as an order. "The Directorate strongly advises you accept all five to form a foundational Consortium. They will serve as your primary guard and support system." Anja looked at the five faces on the screen. Five of them. All hers. She thought of the boring, monogamous relationships on Earth, the compromises, the settling. Then she looked at the god-like men being offered to her on a silver platter. The choice wasn't hard. She looked up at the hologram of the Chancellor and gave a slow, deliberate nod. "I authorize the matching contracts." The moment the words left her mouth, the data slate flared with a brilliant blue light. Her biometric signature was captured and instantly replicated, searing itself onto the five digital contracts. In the vast, unseen network of the Commonwealth, five encrypted, SSS-class priority messages shot out to five different corners of the galaxy. A feeling of pure, intoxicating power washed over Anja. The entire research team, led by Vance, bowed deeply to her in unison. "We celebrate the birth of a new Matron," they chanted. "Your living standards, security, and federal stipends will be elevated to reflect your new status, effective immediately," the Chancellor said, her hologram beginning to fade. "Welcome, Anja Compton. The Commonwealth is at your service." The hologram vanished. The journey back to the estate was a blur. The special forces captain and his team were even more reverent than before, if that was possible. They treated her as if she were made of spun glass. When she sat back down in the VIP cabin of the transport ship, she checked her personal account on her wrist-mounted terminal. A number with so many zeroes it made her dizzy had been deposited. The federal S-Class stipend. It was more money than she could have earned in a thousand lifetimes on Earth. The air in the cabin seemed sweeter, the leather of the chair softer. She felt a giddy, bubbling excitement. She pulled up the files of her five new... husbands. Her Consorts. She scrolled through them, a queen reviewing her new court. Her eyes landed on one file in particular. The soldier. The one who had knelt for her on the steps. Bradford Vaughn. Captain, Commonwealth Special Forces, 7th Division. Psionic Grade: A-Plus. Latent Bestial Morphology: Canis Lupus. The photo was a stark, official military portrait. He wore a crisp, dark uniform, his shoulders broad and powerful. His jaw was set, his expression severe, but his eyes... his eyes held a tightly controlled wildness, a flicker of the wolf beneath the soldier's discipline. A small notification appeared at the bottom of his file. Subject has received and confirmed receipt of the S-Class matching directive. Current location: Capital Prime (Active Escort Duty). Immediate proximity. Anja leaned back in the plush leather seat, a slow, predatory smile spreading across her lips. The wolf was already at her door. &5&

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