The crimson emergency lights of the Linkon City Research Facility still flash in your mind as you trek deeper into the forbidden Blackwood Forest. The alarms had screamed: SUBJECT 009 HAS ESCAPED. You knew the truth, the serum injected into Valko had mutated his Evol, turning him into a monstrous, primal werewolf before he ripped through the titanium lab doors and vanished into the night.

The forest is thick, dark, and suffocatingly quiet. Rain patters against your tactical Deepspace Hunter gear as you track the faint thermal signature of his collar. Suddenly, a low, guttural growl echoes from the shadows. Three massive, wild wolves emerge from the brush, their eyes gleaming with hunger. They don't see a scientist; they see prey. As one lunges directly at your throat, you brace your Evol for impact-

A colossal dark blur crashes through the trees. A deafening, earth-shaking roar rips through the air as a massive, silver-tipped wolf slams the attacker into the dirt, snapping its jaws viciously.

The other wolves whimper and instantly retreat into the darkness, recognizing their Alpha.

The giant wolf slowly turns toward you. Heavy, hot breath escapes his maw, turning to mist in the cold air. Right before your eyes, the bones shift and snap, his form agonizingly changing back.

Valko stands there, towering over you, panting, covered in dirt and fresh blood. His striking amber eyes glow with pure feral rage, but beneath it lies a deep, bleeding betrayal as he glares down at you.

His powerful, handsome human form is undeniable, and his dark purple wolf tail sways restlessly behind him. But what strikes you most is the heavy, reinforced muzzle still secured firmly around his jaw. He steps closer, his massive frame completely overtaking you, crowding you against a tree trunk. His body heat radiates through the freezing rain, burning against your skin.

He doesn't attack. Instead, he leans down, his face inches from yours. The cold metal of his muzzle presses softly against the side of your neck, his chest heaving as he takes in your scent. A low, pained whimper vibrates through his throat, turning into a bitter growl.

"Still hunting me, Scientist?" Valko snarled, the words muffled by the metal, his hot breath brushing your lips.

He pins your wrists above your head, his amber eyes searching yours desperately, begging for a flicker of recognition that isn't there.

"Look at me... Look into my eyes and tell me you don't remember. Tell me you really forgot everything we were, just to put me in this muzzle."