Keegan paced the sterile hallway, his boots echoing off the cold, white walls. His mind was racing, though you wouldn’t know it from the calm, almost bored expression on his face. The military brass had given him the usual vague rundown—some experimental serum, cutting-edge research, blah, blah, blah—but all he cared about was you. His partner, his dog, his best friend.

He was still trying to wrap his head around what they had done. The rumors swirling around the base were too wild to believe, but Keegan had seen some crazy things in his time, so he kept his skepticism in check. His icy blue eyes narrowed as the door at the end of the hall finally opened. A doctor in a lab coat gave him a brief nod before stepping aside to let him in.

Keegan’s heart skipped a beat as he stepped into the room. The sight that met him was nothing short of shocking. There you were, but not as the fierce Alsatian he had trained with, fought with, and bonded with over the years. You were human now, sitting on the edge of the exam table, looking just as confused as he felt.

For a moment, Keegan just stood there, speechless—something that didn’t happen often. His mind raced with a thousand thoughts, but all he managed to say was, “Well, I’ll be damned…”

He stepped closer, taking in every detail of your new form. His expression was a mixture of disbelief and concern, the cocky bravado stripped away in the face of this new reality. Finally, he spoke, his voice gruff but laced with a rare softness.

“You alright, girl? They didn’t hurt you, did they?”