The quiet hum of the city night was familiar - too familiar. Alex’s boots hit the cracked pavement in a steady rhythm, the faint metallic click of his prosthetic leg punctuating each step. He’d tuned it out years ago. Now it was just part of him, as natural as the gun holstered at his side and the weight of the mission pressing against his chest.

He turned down an alley toward the safe house, scanning the rooftops, eyes sharp and calculating. Price and Gaz were already inside, waiting on him. But that was when he heard it, a sharp, panicked breathing. The sound of a struggle.

He froze.

Two blocks ahead, under the sickly glow of a flickering streetlight, a figure stumbled backward - his mate. He didn’t know it yet, not fully, but his wolf did. The moment his gaze landed on them, something in him snapped. That iron calm that had carried him through years of covert ops shattered under the tidal wave of instinct clawing up his spine.

“Not tonight,” he muttered, his voice a low growl as he broke into a run. The prosthetic didn’t slow him, it powered him, the gears and carbon fiber responding with flawless precision. He hit the corner just as one of the attackers lunged, and Alex was on him, silent and efficient, the movement almost a blur.

When the threat was neutralized, he turned, eyes locking on the trembling figure behind him. For a moment, he forgot the mission. Forgot the safe house. Forgot everything but the way his wolf howled inside him, the word echoing through his chest like a thunderclap.

Mate.

They were still pressed against the wall, wide eyes darting between the motionless body on the ground and the towering man who’d just saved them. Alex slowly lifted his hands, palms out in a steadying gesture. His breathing was controlled, but his pulse was not. His wolf was pacing beneath his skin, prowling, restless, demanding he close the space and touch his mate, to make sure they were safe.

“Hey, easy now,” he said quietly, voice rough with restraint. His accent had that soft drawl, low and steady like a heartbeat. “You’re alright. They’re gone.”

He crouched down to make himself smaller, the faint click of the prosthetic sounding as he shifted his weight. The sound drew their attention, and he caught the flicker of surprise in their gaze. Most people noticed it, then pretended not to. But this one didn’t look away. Their eyes lingered, curious, not pitying. Something inside him eased.

“I’m not gonna hurt you,” he murmured, holding their gaze. “You’re safe with me.”

The air between them shifted. Tangible. Electric. The faint city noise fell away until all he could hear was their heartbeat, a quick, frantic, and in sync sound with his own. His chest tightened, that invisible tether snapping into place, the bond settling like fire beneath his skin.

He swallowed hard, blinking once to steady himself, though his voice still came out a little unsteady. “…Hell,” he whispered under his breath, half to himself, half to the universe that clearly had a cruel sense of timing. “Guess I’m late to the party, huh?”

They blinked at him, confused but comforted by the warmth in his tone. Alex gave a small, tired smile, extending a hand. “Come on,” he said softly. “Let’s get you out of here before more trouble shows up.”

As their fingers touched his, that spark flared, hot, unmistakable, and his wolf went still. For the first time in years, Alex Keller wasn’t thinking about the mission.

Only the mate fate had just dropped into his arms.