Chapter 51: The Reunion.

The words had barely left Shao Ye’s lips when the holographic screen flickered to life, revealing Mrs. Thomas’s serene face. Her calm voice carried no trace of fear, even as she spoke from the brink of death.

“Shao Ye, if you’re seeing this, I’m already gone. But I know you’ll watch this because giving up has never been your style. You don’t quit, not while there’s still a fight to win.”

Her tone was steady, almost chilling in its certainty.

“The fault in the warp was caused by a rogue magnetic field. As the mech crossed the interference zone, I recalibrated the balance between the warp route’s disruption factors and the magnetic frequencies. The numbers were razor-thin—warp N+7F—but I nailed it.”

“I won’t make it back, but piloting the Alliance’s most perfect mech into eternal rest? That’s a privilege no one else will ever know. I’m the first. I’ll be the last. And if this means future pilots—especially my students—won’t face the same danger, I’ll die content.”

“Shao Ye, I couldn’t be there for your wedding to Commander Lu, and now I can’t fulfill Yas’ wish to stand in his place. That regret will haunt me even in death.”

“Still, I wish you happiness. Endless happiness. Keep moving forward. The future of the Alliance and the liberation of the Omegas depend on you. Fight. Win.”

The screen dissolved into static, the grating hiss filling the silence. Shao Ye stood frozen, his breath heavy, tears streaking his face unchecked.

Mrs. Thomas... you saved me and my child again. Not just us—every future mech pilot and the Alliance’s entire damned hope.”

He dropped his mech to one knee, right hand solemnly pressed to his chest, gaze lowered. It was the deepest bow, the kind reserved for the greatest respect.

The military code forbade kneeling in mechs, but Shao Ye didn’t care. Mrs. Thomas deserved it. She deserved every pilot in the fourth-gen suits to bow when they donned the damn things.

Her data solved the warp interference. With her sacrifice, the Alliance’s most perfect mech was born.

The day the tests concluded, Shao Ye didn’t waste a second. He boarded a warship bound for the Seventh System under the guise of a family visit, claiming his husband’s “emergency susceptibility period” to bypass Omega restrictions.

He didn’t tell Lu Zhanxing he was coming. Surprise was the plan. He just needed to see him—needed him.

*

Commander Lu Zhanxing stormed out of a meeting, tension rolling off him like a storm front. His aide scurried after him, panic in their voice.

“Commander, the last shipment of inhibitors is gone. And your doctor says you’ve developed antibodies to the special formula. They’re useless now.”

Lu Zhanxing’s scowl deepened, his steps quickening as he shoved open his office door. Tossing his files onto the desk, he collapsed into the sofa, fingers massaging his temples.

The aide hesitated. “Should I inform your spouse?”

“Ah Ye…” Lu Zhanxing muttered, exhaustion dripping from his words. “The frontlines are no place for him. I’ll manage. Leave.”

The aide faltered but nodded, retreating reluctantly.

The door creaked open again moments later. Soft footsteps approached, stopping right before him.

Lu Zhanxing sighed, not bothering to look. “I said—what now?”

No response.

Then came the featherlight touch on his lips. Warm. Familiar. Electric.

His eyes snapped open.

Standing before him was the man he’d been craving like air.

For a heartbeat, Lu Zhanxing froze, thinking it might be a dream or some cruel hallucination from exhaustion. But the heat, the scent, the undeniable presence—it was real.

“Ah Ye…” he breathed, his voice breaking as the dam of restraint shattered.

How the hell did he run into Shao Ye here?

No way. This had to be a dream, right?

But the burn of lips pressed against his, the taste so familiar it was seared into his soul—none of that screamed dream.

It was real.

It was him.

Shao Ye eased back from Lu Zhanxing’s lips, his eyes locked on Lu’s wide, stunned gaze. Calm as hell, like he hadn’t just wrecked the man’s composure, he murmured, “Lu-ge, I missed you.”

Before those words could even settle, something inside Lu Zhanxing ignited like a lit match. He grabbed the back of Shao Ye’s head, his other hand yanking him closer like he’d been starving for this moment. Their mouths clashed again, rough and urgent, every bit of longing pouring into the kiss.

This wasn’t a hallucination. His treasure was right here, solid and real in his arms.

His Ah Ye came back for him.

The rush of emotion shredded what little restraint he had left. He gripped Shao Ye tighter, kissing him with a ferocity that stole both their breaths. He didn’t care, not for air, not for reason, nothing except this. When he finally pulled back, it was with a reluctant gasp, his heart hammering like it wanted out of his chest.

“Ah Ye…” Lu Zhanxing’s voice trembled as his hand moved to trace the sharp lines of Shao Ye’s face, his touch achingly gentle, reverent.

Shao Ye caught that wandering hand, guiding it down to rest against his belly. His eyes shimmered with something warm, unshakable. “Lu-ge, the baby missed you too. That’s why I’m here.”

And like some cosmic cue, the little life inside stirred against Lu Zhanxing’s palm. That tiny motion shot straight to his chest, twisting his breath into something raw and overwhelming. His mouth opened, but no words came out.

“Lu-ge,” Shao Ye whispered, a teasing smile curling his lips. “The doctor said you should release some soothing pheromones. They’re good for the baby’s development.”

Lu Zhanxing snapped out of his daze, fumbling for control as he wrapped Shao Ye in his arms, tighter, closer. He let his scent bloom, a heady burst of oleander filling the space.

In that moment, no calming incense in the world could touch what his pheromones did. Shao Ye melted into him, exhaustion from months on the road dissolving like frost under the sun.

But it wasn’t enough.

Not even close.

With his cheeks tinged red, Shao Ye shifted, settling himself into Lu Zhanxing’s lap. His wide, innocent eyes glinted with a mix of bashfulness and fire, like a deer tempting the hunter.

“Lu-ge…” His voice was low, laced with something that shot straight through Lu’s control. “Isn’t your heat cycle coming soon? Let me… help you with that. I’ll be your cure, okay?”

Lu Zhanxing froze, his pupils dilating as a surge of heat swept through him. For a moment, he nearly gave in, his instincts roaring to take and claim. But sanity clawed its way back, barely.

He tightened his grip, voice gruff but edged with restraint. “Ah Ye, you’re pregnant. I won’t risk hurting you.”

Shao Ye wrapped his arms around Lu Zhanxing's neck, his voice urgent and trembling. “I trust you. I know you’d never hurt me. I’ve taken the prenatal classes too—if we don’t get too wild, it’ll be fine.”

“Idiot…” Lu Zhanxing’s gaze softened, a mix of amusement and affection glimmering in his eyes. His heart clenched with something raw.

How could his sweetheart be this naïve?

An Alpha in the throes of a rut was a loaded weapon, and his baby had no idea how dangerous it could get. Hell, they’d been stationed apart for over three months. Just seeing his lover within arm’s reach had his blood boiling and every nerve alight.

Restraint? Forget it. That ship sailed the moment Shao Ye smiled at him.

And now this rare, bold invitation?

If he hesitated like some shy schoolboy, what kind of Alpha would that make him?

What kind of husband?

If a little lamb is going to offer itself up on a silver platter, the wolf has no reason to decline. Right here, right now. No time for second thoughts.

Lost in each other, the reunited couple let their instincts take over, utterly oblivious to the fact that they were still in Lu Zhanxing’s office.

The sharp, overwhelming tang of Alpha pheromones began seeping from the room, saturating the air like a warning siren. Thankfully, the office was tucked away in a quiet corner of the building. But even that didn’t stop the heavy tension from creeping out, gripping anyone nearby with gut-churning fear.

The assistant, sharp-eyed and quick-thinking, immediately noticed the signs. Panic flared as he grabbed his comm device to call in the Special Ops team.

If the Commander was losing control in the middle of the office and spiraled into full-on feral mode, it’d be chaos. Worse, if he fully shifted, containment would be impossible without outside intervention.

This wasn’t just some scandalous workplace drama. Lu Zhanxing was the backbone of the military. Any mishap with him could gut the morale of the entire Alliance army. They couldn’t afford even the tiniest slip-up.

The Special Ops team rushed in, the air already thick enough to make their legs tremble. Even from a distance, the raw, unfiltered potency of the pheromones was enough to suck the air out of their lungs.

The youngest of the team, Li Rui, froze ten steps from the door, his face pale as a ghost. “Holy hell, that’s intense. Did the boss lose it again?”

Yu Han and Yu Mo, braver than most, dared to inch closer. As they reached the office door, muffled noises slipped through the crack. Their eyes widened, pupils shrinking to pinpoints. Whatever they’d been expecting, this wasn’t it.

“What the hell is going on in there?” Lai Xueluan snapped, pacing furiously. She shot a sharp glare at the brothers. “Aren’t you two supposed to have ears like a damn bat? Can’t you hear what’s happening inside?”

The twins exchanged horrified glances, faces burning red as embarrassment and discomfort warred in their expressions. Damn these heightened senses. Damn them straight to hell.

“What’s wrong?” Lai Xueluan pressed, irritation mounting. She leaned closer to the door, her sharp instincts kicking in. “Wait a second… is the boss…?”

The idea hit her like a slap, and she reeled back, face twisting. “He’s rutting, isn’t he? Totally out of control.”

She grimaced. The barracks were crawling with Alphas and Betas. She didn’t even want to imagine who had been unlucky—or maybe reckless—enough to end up in there with Lu Zhanxing right now.

Yu Mo hesitated, chewing on his lip before muttering, “So, uh… what’s the plan? Do we just… kick the door down and separate them?”

His voice cracked at the suggestion, fully aware of how suicidal that sounded.