The Erotic Mind-Control Story Archive

The Essence of Being a Bitch

Codes: (mc, be, mf, ff, ds, ft, fu, in, nc, ex, hm, la, gr, sf, ws)

Synopsis:

Melissa Packer is a brilliant scientist on the cusp of a breakthrough, using signaling technology to directly alter the mind of a dog. Though initially altruistic in her intentions, an incident in the lab changes her goals when things suddenly go wrong. Very wrong. Her life, and the world at large, will never be the same.

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Comments:

The idea for this story originated as a continuation of Bitch by Tabico. As I was unable to reach the author for permission to write that, I have instead written a new story inspired by her work. While a few similarities can be drawn, this is a new story with new characters. It is also a slow burn for the first two chapters as this is intended to be a bit of long story, but the fun really kicks into gear in chapter 3, if you’re one to jump ahead that is.

With that out of the way, I hope you enjoy this story of bestiality, transformation and much more. Send me a message at if you do. Send me one if you don’t as well. This is my first published erotic story, so any constructive criticism, including ideas for improving my writing, errors, and where this story might lead, will be especially welcome.

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Disclaimer:

In case it is unclear, this story contains graphic bestiality and other occasional extreme content. You have been warned.

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The Essence of Being a Bitch

Chapter One — The Bitch Signal

Melissa Packer adjusted her rimless glasses as she scrutinized the data displayed on the monitor in front of her. Her green eyes soaked in the information, tracking the patterns, looking for any alteration, no matter how small.

Nothing. Not a single variance. Yet another failure.

The lab was dimly lit, with the only illumination coming from various computer screens and a few overhead fluorescent lights. In the corner, a female Doberman lay in a glass-walled testing chamber, its sleek body still, eyes alert.

“Stacy, let’s try adjusting the frequency to 3.7 megahertz,” Melissa suggested, her voice calm but determined. While she waited for her assistant to make the adjustments, Melissa typed a few commands into the computer, her chestnut brown hair falling over her shoulder. For a woman in her mid-40s, she looked only somewhat older than the recent graduate sitting next to her, aside from a few newly-formed crow’s feet and a hint of forehead wrinkles, which had been exacerbated by her recent research efforts.

Stacy Chen, the 20-something standing nearby, her long black hair tied back with a bright green bow, nodded in agreement and made the adjustments on her own terminal. “Got it. Ready to run the test again, Dr. Packer.”

Melissa pressed a button, and a low hum filled the room as the audio signaling technology began to emit waves intended to influence the dog’s own brainwaves. The waves were carefully oriented to focus on the reinforced testing chamber, and designed with such careful precision that they could be tuned to specific regions of the Doberman’s mind. Melissa, her green eyes focused, listened intently through her earbuds to her favorite podcast, Confronting Underlying Modern Beliefs In The Conventional Home.

The voices of Ryan Hart and Kana Inuzaki provided Melissa with a strange comfort amidst her intense concentration. She had enjoyed the podcast daily every since her divorce two years prior, when Melissa had first questioned everything she had believed she wanted out of life. While it may have seemed like trashy entertainment to some, the podcast had somehow helped Melissa cope with the misery she felt over her extinguished marriage, and the resulting chaos in her life that she was still struggling to return to a semblance of order.

“Today’s topic: navigating conflicts in relationships,” Ryan’s voice crackled in her ears, his tone provocative as always. “Why do we always hear about men needing to be ‘more in touch with their feelings’? Men know how they feel, but they don’t always want to share those feelings with others, so why does society insist upon this?“

Kana’s voice responded, soothing and patient. “Because emotional intelligence is key to a healthy relationship, Ryan. It’s not just about traditional roles anymore. Men need to communicate their feelings better so that their loved ones can help them. Women won’t tolerate a mute for a partner anymore. It’s quite simple, really.”

The Doberman shifted slightly, and Melissa’s eyes darted to the monitor. “Any changes?” she asked, her voice tight with anticipation.

Stacy shook her head. “No significant changes in brain activity. Maybe we need to recalibrate the intensity?”

Melissa sighed, a mix of frustration and determination wrestling in her chest. “Let’s try increasing the amplitude by 5%. Maybe that will display a measurable effect, given the preliminary results Dr. Schuster faxed over from Oxford.”

As Stacy made the necessary adjustments, Melissa’s mind wandered briefly. Victoria Schuster, Melissa’s colleague and friend, had managed both incremental changes in mouse behavior and stalling neural degeneration using a similar technology to Melissa’s own device, but had soon run into limitations on how far those changes could go, especially without further funding from Oxford University being readily available.

Those results were promising, but they weren’t ambitious enough for Melissa, who genuinely believed in her technology’s potential to save lives or even restore damage to the mind. If only she could find the key to unlocking that potential. Meanwhile, the podcast continued to play, filling the silence between the doctor and her research assistant.

Ryan’s voice cut through Melissa’s thoughts. “So, Kana, are you saying men should just sit back and let women lead everything? Expressing feelings is generally interpreted as weakness to women, which is precisely the reason why we men don’t share our feelings. Women these days have enough power over men as it is. Why give them another source of power?“

Kana’s laugh was light but firm. “Really? You know the gender gap is as wide as ever, but that’s not my point. I’m talking about family, friends, loved ones who want to support the men in their lives. Especially a significant other. I’m saying that a sustainable partnership means equal effort and understanding. It’s not about dominance. In today’s world, men must be both providers and emotional supporters.“

Melissa couldn’t help but smile slightly at the banter. It was a reminder that everyone had their own battles, their own conflicts. She glanced at the Doberman again, then back to Stacy. “Ready for another round?”

Stacy nodded. “Ready.”

They initiated the next test, the hum of the technology filling the lab once more. The Doberman’s ears twitched, but there was still no significant change on the monitor.

“We’re missing something,” Melissa murmured, half to herself. “There has to be a way to stimulate the right part of the brain. Adjusting for size and the simpler neural make-up found in mice, this technology should work nearly as well with canines.”

Stacy’s brow furrowed in concentration. “Maybe it’s not just about the frequency or amplitude. Maybe it’s the pattern of the signals. Perhaps more complex brainwaves require more complex signal patterns. We could try modulating the wave-forms differently.”

Melissa considered this, then nodded. With more experience under her belt, Stacy would make a fine scientist some day. “Let’s try a series of pulses instead of a continuous wave. Short bursts, varied intervals.”

As they set up the new parameters, Melissa listened to the podcast in the background.

Ryan’s voice was heated. “You always take the woman’s side, Kana. What about when women are in the wrong? Women aren’t saints. If a wife sleeps with another man, do you really think she should just be forgiven by her husband? Whereas men in the same situation are immediately subjected to the third degree?”

Kana’s response was measured. “It’s not about sides, Ryan. It’s about understanding both perspectives. Everyone can be wrong sometimes, but the key is communication and respect. A wife wouldn’t just cheat on her husband if she was happy in the marriage, which means somewhere along the line the husband was in the wrong too.”

“There’s a moral difference between a husband not meeting his wife’s expectations and a wife flagrantly throwing her marital vows in the gutter to get bonked by another man. The decision to cheat was made long before the act, because it means there exists a fundamental flaw in that person’s moral character.”

“I disagree. Sometimes those decisions are made in advance, and sometimes in the moment, when feelings have clouded over judgment. But it doesn’t mean that person was a cheater at their core. And even if they were, they deserve a chance to change, to be better and receive better than what they had before.”

“Do you really think people can just change their core beliefs overnight?” Ryan asked, his tone skeptical.

“People can change if they’re given the right incentive,” Kana countered. “It’s all about motivation.”

Melissa chuckled bitterly, shaking her head. “Sounds like my marriage, if the roles were reversed,” she muttered under her breath, then focused on the task at hand. “Okay, Stacy, that looks good to me. Let’s run it again.”

Just as the pair were about to launch the next test, the lab door swung open with a loud creak. Joanna Esplin strode in, her presence immediately dominating the room. Her tall, muscular frame—the result of an attempt at becoming an Olympic runner in her early years and retained even in her 30s thanks to rigorous fitness choices—seemed even more imposing under the harsh fluorescent lights. She scanned the lab with her sharp hazel eyes before fixing her gaze on Melissa.

“Melissa,” Joanna said curtly, her voice a mix of authority and impatience. “How’s the progress on the signaling technology? Promising updates, I hope? I don’t need to tell you, but we’re really starting to run low on time. The shareholders’ demonstration is in less than a month, and we need something concrete to show them.”

Melissa straightened, trying to suppress the nervous flutter in her stomach. “We’re making incremental progress, Joanna. It’s a complex process, and we need to ensure the technology is both effective and safe.” Melissa had mastered the arguments that scientists often needed to stave off corporate oversight, even though it meant she sometimes had to stretch the truth a bit.

Joanna’s expression hardened. “Incremental progress isn’t enough. Vericorp has invested heavily in this project, and the shareholders expect results. We need a breakthrough, Melissa, and we need it soon. If we don’t have a viable demonstration ready, this entire initiative could be scrapped.”

Vericorp was a major international conglomerate, with its hands in many scientific fields, most recently neurological health and treatment. It was thanks to Melissa’s colleague Dr. Victoria Schuster that Vericorp had even invested in the field to begin with.

Melissa felt a surge of anxiety but also a flicker of defiance. “I understand the urgency, Joanna, but this isn’t a simple task. We’re trying to precisely influence brainwaves to elicit specific physiological changes. That requires meticulous fine-tuning. Rushing this process could compromise the integrity of the results.”

Joanna stepped closer, her eyes narrowing. “I don’t need excuses, Melissa. I need solutions. If you can’t deliver, we’ll find someone who can. The shareholders want to see a return on their investment, and right now, you’re not giving them that.”

Melissa’s heart pounded, but she stood her ground. “The potential applications of this technology are enormous, Joanna. Once we get it right, it could revolutionize our approach to genetic modification and animal testing, to say nothing of the direct benefits to humanity. But that requires thorough, deliberate work. We can’t afford to cut corners.”

Joanna stared at her for a long moment, the tension in the room palpable. Melissa didn’t like to throw around the b-word too often, but of all her dealings between the scientific community and corporate culture, Melissa felt the word was the most suitable description for Joanna. The woman was fierce, demanding, and full of herself. She was a bitch.

But that didn’t mean Melissa couldn’t be a bitch when the situation demanded it. She returned her boss’ stare while Stacy fiddled with something in her notebook. Eventually, Joanna sighed and backed down slightly. ”Fine. I’ll give you more time, but remember this: the deadline is non-negotiable. Have something to show, or there will be consequences.“

With that, Joanna turned on her heel and left the lab, leaving a heavy silence in her wake, her presence lingering like a dark cloud. As soon as the door closed behind her, Stacy let out a breath Melissa hadn’t realized she’d been holding.

Stacy spoke in a small voice, glancing up from her notebook, where Melissa now observed that she had been quietly doodling a cute, fantasy-themed anime girl battling an angry dragon. “What are we going to do, Melissa? We haven’t made any real progress, and now we have a deadline looming.”

Melissa leaned back in her chair, frustration evident in the lines on her forehead. She took a deep breath, trying to project confidence she didn’t feel. “I have a plan, Stacy. We’re going to keep pushing and exploring new angles. There has to be a solution.”

But inside, she felt a sinking sense of defeat. Another lie. Melissa didn’t have a plan, and the pressure was mounting. She forced herself to stay calm for Stacy’s sake.

“For now, let’s wrap up for the day,” Melissa said, her voice steadier than she felt. “Return the test subject to the kennels. We’ll regroup on Monday and brainstorm a new approach.”

Stacy nodded and began to pack up, but not before giving Melissa a reassuring smile. Melissa watched her go, leading the Doberman back to Vericorp’s kennels, feeling a mix of gratitude and fear. She had promised progress to Joanna, but the path forward seemed murky and uncertain.

As she powered down the equipment, Melissa resolved to spend the night reviewing the data again. She couldn’t afford to fail, not with everything on the line. Despite the overwhelming odds, she clung to a fragile hope that somehow, they would find the breakthrough they needed.

* * *

Melissa Packer left the Vericorp lab, her mind swirling with frustration and anxiety. As she drove, the city lights flickered past, a blur of colors against the darkening sky. The Seattle Space Needle loomed in the distance, growing smaller as Melissa crossed Lake Washington over the Murrow Bridge toward home.

The conversation with Joanna had left her feeling cornered, but she was determined to find a solution. She had to. Not just to appease her corporate overlords, but because this technology had come to mean so much to her. She had lost her own father early to dementia, and her ex had lost his mother to Alzheimer’s before Melissa had even met her. That was two grandparents her daughter Courtney had never known. Two that this technology might be able to save someday.

Melissa pulled into the driveway of her spacious home in Lake Hills. She had inherited her house from a wealthy aunt, and it was by far the largest in the neighborhood. It had been built in an opulent, ranch style by her wealthy settler ancestors in the ’20s, more suited to California than the Pacific Northwest, and then renovated several times, most recently back in the ’90s. When it was built, it was the only non-farmhouse in the area, set among pine groves and small farms run by Japanese immigrants prior to World War II. Now the farms and farmhouses were all gone, replaced by single-family dwellings, while Melissa’s house was left by itself on two acres, surrounded by suburbia.

Once inside, Melissa kicked off her shoes, grabbing a partial bottle of Chardonnay and a glass before collapsing onto the couch, exhausted. She fumbled for her phone and once again put on her favorite podcast, Confronting Underlying Modern Beliefs In The Conventional Home. Ryan and Kana’s familiar voices filled her living room, a comforting backdrop as she tried to unwind.

“Tonight’s first topic,” Ryan’s voice echoed, “is all about obedience training. We’re diving into the psychology behind it and looking at classic experiments, most famously Pavlov’s experiment with dogs.”

Kana chimed in, her tone calm and measured. “We have three guests with us here: Dr. Karen DeGenhret, a psychologist and popular feminist author who specializes in behavioral patterns and post-modern theories, as well as the host of the Bitches Give Stitches podcast; Markus Khan Kwaest, tradvalues entrepreneur, rapper and host of the Doggin’ Duties podcast; and for the first portion of our segment tonight, we have Michael Rourke, a renowned dog trainer, joining us remotely. Welcome, all three of you, and thanks for coming tonight.”

“Thank you for having me,” Dr. DeGenhret said, her voice soft and almost submissive, an unexpected contrast to the reputation that Melissa knew Dr. DeGenhret by.

“Glad to be here,” Markus’ voice was confident, almost arrogant. Melissa wasn’t familiar with the man or his work, aside from being a name a few of her daughter’s friends had mentioned in passing during their high school years.

“Really excited to contribute,” Michael chimed in. Melissa had read a few articles while conducting research that had mentioned his name. This episode was shaping up to be a good listen for her.

“Michael, why don’t you start us off, what can you tell us about obedience training?” Ryan asked.

“Well fundamentally, obedience training is all about consistent signals and reinforcement,” Michael said. “Dogs, and for that matter all mammals, respond well to patterns. It’s a well-known science.”

Melissa’s ears perked up, her interest piqued. Maybe this would give her the inspiration she needed to fix the signaling device. She listened intently as the discussion continued.

“Dr. DeGenhret, as one of the most famous examples of obedience training, could you explain Dr. Pavlov’s experiment for our listeners?” Kana asked.

“Of course,” Dr. DeGenhret replied. “Pavlov discovered that dogs could be conditioned to respond to a neutral stimulus, like a bell, by associating it with food. Over time, the dogs began to salivate at the sound of the bell alone, anticipating the food. This demonstrated the power of associative learning. That, however, is of arguable benefit, based on repeated tests. Not all dogs responded like Pavlov’s, especially the brighter ones, so any benefit that research provides has significant limiting factors.”

Markus interrupted, his tone dismissive. “Y’all hung up on that basic stuff, really. I bet those other tests didn’t last near long enough or go far enough to produce the same results. The key is repetition and consistency. Dogs learn patterns and react predictably if you know what you’re doing. If they’re stubborn, well you just gotta break them down a bit first before the pattern will set in. With patience and a firm hand, they all eventually fall in line.”

Michael jumped in. “That’s true, but unlike most mammals, dogs are capable of complex thoughts and memories. They’ve evolved alongside humanity for tens of thousands of years, and our evolution has been impacted by dogs nearly as much as we’ve impacted theirs. Cognitively, dogs are more similar to humans than most closely related species, aside from apes of course.”

Melissa sat up, her mind racing. Patterns and consistent signals. Cognitive evolution. Of course! She grabbed a notepad and began jotting down ideas frantically. What if the problem with their audio signaling technology was that it lacked a clear, repetitive pattern that the animals could learn to respond to? What’s more, what if basing her experiments off of the ones Victoria had conducted on mice was fundamentally flawed? Cognition in mice was not remotely similar to dogs or humans. Racing for her laptop, Melissa began pulling up all the research she could find on simian, canine and human cognition, especially anything to do with training or learning patterns. If she re-calibrated her device to match the cognitive activity that all three groups displayed, perhaps she would finally get results.

Even as she pored over articles and academic papers, Ryan’s voice brought her back to the podcast. “So, Michael, you’re saying that with the right signals, you can train any dog?”

“Exactly,” Michael replied confidently. “It’s all about the right combination of signals and reinforcement. If you get it right, you can shape behavior very effectively. But the intelligence of the dog must be factored in. More intelligent dogs tend to be stubborn, but by the same token, once they’ve accepted their conditioning, it becomes thoroughly ingrained in their behavior.”

“That explains why dumb bitches need constant reminders,” Markus said, chuckling softly. “The smart bitches learn to obey, but they also learn not to forget.”

“I do hope you meant that in reference to dogs just now, Markus. The term ‘Bitch’ has been re-claimed by the feminist community, you know,” Dr. DeGenhret added. “Bitches are powerful women who know who they are and aren’t afraid to take what they want. Anyway, regarding the subject at hand, it’s important to remember that the brain is highly adaptable. With the right stimuli, you can create new neural pathways and influence behavior.”

“I’ve even discovered that with dedicated training, the smartest dogs can achieve some truly wondrous feats,” Michael said. “I’d dare say my best dogs are even more intelligent than humans.”

Melissa’s eyes widened as the pieces fell into place. Stacy and her had been focusing too much on the technical aspects and not enough on the behavioral patterns they were trying to create. If they could design a series of audio signals that mimicked the principles of Pavlov’s conditioning, they might be able to achieve the breakthrough they needed.

Melissa felt a surge of excitement, her genius mind whirring with possibilities. She paused her podcast, too excited by her thoughts to focus on the conversation any longer. Holding her phone, she considered calling Stacy for help but hesitated. It was the weekend and Stacy was probably deep into her cosplay preparations for the upcoming anime convention in Seattle next month. Melissa didn’t want to interrupt her assistant’s well-deserved free time.

Instead, she decided to dive into the work herself. She powered up her device control app and began designing a new set of audio signals, incorporating clear, repetitive patterns and intervals. The goal was to create a conditioning effect, much like Pavlov’s bell.

Hours passed in a blur as Melissa worked tirelessly, her energy renewed by this novel approach. She crafted sequences, tested them with simulation software, and refined her design. The potential applications were exhilarating.

Finally, as the first light of dawn crept through her window, Melissa sat back and smiled, exhausted but triumphant. She had a plan—a real plan that could work. She would return to the lab and test her new approach. Being a Saturday, she didn’t have to worry about Joanna monitoring her progress. And this time, she was quite hopeful she would see results. The deadline loomed, but for the first time in days, she didn’t feel lost anymore. She was going to make this work. She had to.

* * *

Feeling a mix of both excitement and trepidation, Melissa drove back to the lab in the earliest hours of the morning. Part of her knew that she should sleep, but as hyped as she was, she also knew it would be futile until she had a chance to really test her adjustments out. The dark, empty streets offered a stark contrast to the thoughts racing through her mind. She had a breakthrough idea, and she was determined to see it through. As she navigated the winding roads, she replayed the podcast segment from earlier in the evening, focusing on the discussion about obedience training and Pavlov’s experiments.

Ryan’s voice filled her car once again. “So, Michael, can you elaborate on how you use consistent signals to train dogs?”

“Absolutely,” Michael replied, his tone confident. “While the focus is about creating a predictable pattern that the dog can learn and respond to, it’s equally important to create a stable environment that naturally presents the dog with the pattern you desire on a consistent basis.”

Melissa thought about the brain activity involved in obedient behavior and submissive actions. The dopamine response, the formation of neural pathways—it all made sense now. If she could design her signals to tap into those same brain mechanisms, she might be able to achieve the breakthrough she needed.

“You need to reinforce the behavior you want with rewards, and eventually, the dog will associate the signal with the desired action,” Michael continued. “After extensive training, the signal won’t even be necessary, their mere presence in the stable environment will ensure the desired behavior, with the dog knowing it will receive a reward in time. Smart dogs usually achieve this stage quicker, despite their initial reluctance, because the eventual reward remains more present in their thoughts.”

Melissa parked her car in the nearly empty lot and hurried into the building, her heart pounding with anticipation. The lab was silent, the only sound the hum of the HVAC system. She retrieved the Doberman from the kennels, gently leading the dog to the testing chamber. The sleek, muscular animal looked up at her with trusting eyes, and Melissa felt a pang of guilt for the countless tests it had endured.

“I promise we’re getting closer,” she whispered, more to herself than to the dog.

She made the necessary adjustments to the audio signaling technology, focusing on the areas of the brain responsible for behavioral patterns, obedience, and dopamine responses. The theory was sound, but now she needed to see if it would work in practice.

Melissa initiated the test, her eyes glued to the monitor. The new sequence of signals began, the pulses creating a rhythmic pattern designed to mimic Pavlovian conditioning. The Doberman’s ears twitched, and its body tensed slightly. Melissa’s heart skipped a beat as she saw a small but significant change in the brain activity displayed on the screen.

“It’s working,” she murmured, a smile spreading across her face.

She hesitated for a moment, knowing that the prudent course of action would be to slow down and thoroughly explore these initial results before making any further adjustments. But the looming deadline set by Joanna gnawed at her mind. She couldn’t afford to take her time—not with so much at stake.

Melissa took a deep breath and made a few more adjustments, increasing the intensity of the signals and fine-tuning the intervals. It was a risk, but she needed results—tangible, demonstrable results.

She initiated another test, her hands trembling slightly. The dog’s brain activity showed more significant changes this time, indicating that the signals were starting to have a noticeable effect. The Doberman’s posture became more relaxed, its movements more subdued.

As she adjusted the signal parameters, she decided to push the technology further. She increased the signal strength and distance, hoping to enhance the effects and speed up the conditioning process. Her anxiety was spiking alongside her excitement. To calm her nerves, Melissa popped her earbuds in again, continuing to listen to her favorite podcast where she had left off just to provide some background noise. It was a habit now, and it helped her think.

Ryan’s voice filled her ears. “Thank you once again Michael for joining us for the first portion of our podcast. Your insight on dog training was invaluable. Take care. Let’s now turn to our two remaining special guests, as our second debate today is sure to be a heated one: post-modern feminism versus traditional patriarchal values. Dr. DeGenhret, as a well-known feminist podcaster, can you describe your views for our listeners?”

Karen’s voice was suddenly sharp and passionate, any residual softness seemingly gone with the change of topic. “The patriarchy has oppressed women for centuries. Yes, it’s true that women have made significant gains over the past century, but there are still lingering shackles placed on us due to our gender. I believe it’s time for a radical shift, a complete dismantling of these outdated, patriarchal structures. Only with men out of the way can women know true freedom.”

Kana’s voice chimed in. “Markus, you support traditional values while also posturing for a new world order. Can you explain how your views compare to Dr. DeGenhret’s?

“A re-structure certainly is needed, but not along gender lines,” Markus countered, his tone authoritative. “Traditional values are the backbone of our society. Of all societies. They exist for a reason. To discard them altogether would be a real dumb move. Besides, any real change in the world requires both power and popular support. Trying to exclude an entire gender from society basically kills any chance of popular support. A balanced approach that addresses the wrongs of the past, while being guided by traditional values, is the only way to create a stable and fair world.”

As Melissa listened, she pushed the tech even further, adjusting the signal strength to its maximum. Suddenly, a sharp feedback sound pierced her ears, and her phone screen flickered. The audio from her podcast seemed to merge with the signals from the tech, creating a strange, disorienting effect.

Karen scoffed. “Just what I’d expect: An ‘alpha male’ wants women to submit to him. That old world you speak of was broken beyond repair, Markus, we need to rid ourselves of societal notions of right and wrong, the taboos associated with sex and unshackle ourselves from beliefs about women belonging in the home and serving males.”

Markus quickly pushed right back. “It sounds like you’re making excuses for why women are bitches now. No one is going to just give you what you want because you demand it. Real bitches know to respect an alpha, and in turn an alpha will give bitches what they need. Everywhere in the natural world, females depend on males for protection and love. Meanwhile males look to females for care, relief and procreation. There is a way to do that with respect, but your way, Karen, that isn’t it.”

Something was wrong, the disorientation was growing worse. Melissa felt dizzy and tingly at the same time, like her body was suddenly calibrated with the signal tech that should have only affected the test chamber.

“Respect is earned, Markus,” Karen retorted, “and greedy, selfish men have done nothing to earn it. Honestly, I’d rather see a noble animal in charge than allow men to keep power. You call us bitches, well, at least real bitches are honest about their needs, while male dogs don’t oppress bitches like you men do, and they also care for their young! In fact, I’d say that men are inferior to male dogs in every way. Male dogs are real alphas, you men are just flawed creatures in comparison. If saying that makes me a bitch, fine. I’m proud to be a bitch!”

Melissa tried to pull out her earbuds, but it was too late. She felt like she was blacking out, except her vision filled with white, then rapid images flashed in her mind, pulled from her subconscious, too quick for her receding consciousness to grasp onto. The combined signal overloaded her mind, and she felt a strange sensation wash over her.

It’s time for a radical shift.

Male dogs are real alphas.

Dogs are even more intelligent than humans.

Time seemed to both pass by rapidly but also not at all. Her favorite podcast seemed to loop endlessly, in bits and pieces and out of sync, repeating the discussion about dog training, and then the debate between Karen and Markus. Except her mind was absorbing it differently this time, no longer relegating it to simple background noise to help her with anxiety.

Bitches are powerful women who know who they are and aren’t afraid to take what they want.

Men are inferior to male dogs.

The voices were suddenly her entire existence, their thoughts embedding haphazardly within her ventromedial prefrontal cortex, altering essential pieces of her beliefs and emotional responses.

Real bitches know to respect an alpha.

I’m proud to be a bitch.

At some point, the signal technology overloaded the lab system, sending the whole room into an emergency shutdown. The signal ceased it’s alterations to Melissa’s mind, causing the scientist to finally, truly, lose all sense of consciousness as she crumpled to the floor. Within the near-total darkness of the room, the Doberman lay within the testing chamber, its whimpers unheeded. Lying on the floor next to Melissa, an altered podcast played out it’s heated conclusion.

“Whoa now, Karen, no need to get so upset,” Ryan chided, his voice sounding almost melodic now. “We’re here to have a civil discussion. Why don’t you simmer down for a bit while we let Markus tell us more about his ideas for a new world order.”

* * *

Melissa Packer awoke on the cold, hard floor of the lab, her body aching and her mind foggy. The room was dark, the hum of the equipment eerily silent. She blinked a few times, trying to piece together what had happened. Slowly, she remembered the intense session of testing, pushing the audio signaling technology to its limits, and then the sharp feedback through her earbuds.

She groaned as she sat up, her head throbbing. The power was out, and the adjustments she had made while calibrating the test had likely been erased. Melissa cursed under her breath, realizing the implications. All the progress she thought she had made was gone.

“Damn it,” she muttered, her voice echoing in the quiet lab. She pulled herself to her feet, swaying slightly. Her thoughts felt jumbled, like they were slipping through her fingers. She needed to focus. She couldn’t remember the details, but knew that somehow her signal had breached the testing chamber and affected her earbuds. Thankfully, it seemed that no lasting harm had been done.

Her eyes darted to the testing chamber. The Doberman lay there, its head resting on its paws, looking at her with mild curiosity. Melissa felt a pang of guilt. The dog had been through so much, and now it had been stuck in that chamber for far too long, all because of her.

“I’m sorry, girl,” she said softly as she opened the chamber door. The dog got up and stretched, then trotted over to her, nuzzling her hand. Melissa managed a weak smile, running a hand through the dog’s fur, which felt oddly pleasurable to her. Maybe her nerves were just a bit fried. “Let’s get you back to the kennels.”

She tried several times to get the power back on, flipping switches and checking breakers, but nothing worked. The lab remained dark and lifeless. The surge must have spread beyond just her personal lab, affecting the entire wing of the building. Frustrated and exhausted, Melissa realized she wouldn’t be able to make any more progress until the maintenance crew came in to fix it. Worst of all, she wasn’t looking forward to explaining what she had been doing in the lab by herself over the weekend. Come Monday, Joanna was going to have a field day with her.

“Come on,” she said, leading the Doberman out of the lab. As they walked through the dimly lit corridors of Vericorp, Melissa’s mind felt increasingly muddled. She couldn’t focus her thoughts properly, and a strange heat prickled at her skin. Was she running a fever?

When they reached the kennels, Melissa experienced an odd sensation. She looked at the rows of dogs, their eager faces and wagging tails, and felt a strange longing to stay with them. Melissa didn’t mind dogs, but neither had she deliberately sought out their company. As a child, she hadn’t been allowed to keep a pet at home, and her daughter Courtney had never asked for one. Melissa’s gaze settled on one dog in particular, a large mixed-breed male with well-defined musculature. The dog stared at Melissa and then woofed affectionately. Melissa felt a shiver run down her spine.

Male dogs are real alphas.

Melissa’s hand lingered on the latch that opened the kennel. The desire to get down on her hands and knees and crawl inside to sleep in the kennels was almost overwhelming. She imagined cuddling with the large male dog, enjoying his hot breath on her face as they pressed against each other, and suddenly felt her panties dampen shamefully. Melissa had never felt anything like it before. It had been ages since she’d felt aroused, and now suddenly she felt as horny as a teenager, but over a DOG of all things.

Real bitches are honest about their needs.

Melissa shook her head, trying to clear the bizarre impulse. “What’s wrong with me?” she whispered, her voice shaky. She managed to guide the Doberman back to its enclosure, but the feeling of wanting to join the dogs lingered, tugging at her mind. She had to get away before she did something she would regret.

It’s time for a radical shift.

As she locked the kennel door, Melissa forced herself to step back and leave. Each step away from the kennels felt like a struggle, but she finally made it out of the room. Melissa realized that the audio signals might have affected her brain in some way after all, causing these strange thoughts and feelings.

The drive home was a blur. Her mind kept replaying the events of the evening, the words of the podcast segment repeating out of sequence and endlessly in her mind. “Only with men out of the way can women know true freedom,” Karen’s voice echoed. “Real bitches know to respect an alpha,” Markus boomed. The phrases seemed to embed themselves deeper into her consciousness with each repetition.

When she finally reached home, Melissa stumbled into her bedroom and collapsed onto the bed, the voices still swirling in her head. “Bitches are powerful women who know who they are and aren’t afraid to take what they want,” Karen insisted. “An alpha will give bitches what they need,” Markus affirmed. As she drifted off to sleep, the words melded into her dreams, becoming a constant, inescapable presence.

Melissa’s last coherent thought before sleep claimed her was a mix of confusion and fear. Something had changed inside her, and she didn’t know how to fix it. The voices from the podcast were now a part of her, their influence growing stronger with each passing moment. She knew tomorrow she would have to find a way to stop it. But for now, she gave into the dreams, her sleep both fitful and joyous, where reason did not exist, leaving her free to explore her newfound passion.