Page 54 of Attraction

“But maybe it’s meant to be? Did you consider that maybe we’re…fated?”

“You think?” She frowns, taking a breath, not wanting to believe it but having to admit it crossed her mind too. “No, I think it’s more like a coincidence.”

“Right, okay… yeah sure. So, what, you just randomly turned up on my doorstep like that? Kat, I…” He pauses, stroking her face, brushing sand from her cheek, and then reconsiders. “Nothin’… I think we should go.”

She sits up and looks him in the eyes. “What was the story? You said your foster Mom told you a story—about a Luna wolf. What was it about?”

“Oh, it was a long time ago, I don’t really remember it now. She said how beautiful she was and how she stalked the night. That all the pack leaders wanted her. Something about one of the Alphas, he got jealous and claimed her for his own—they knotted, and she got pregnant, but a few days after giving birth in the forest, she was killed by a hunter.”

“Wow, that is sad.” She frowns. “What happened with the pup? Did it survive?”

“Oh, I don’t really remember the rest except everything was okay, and it ended happily.” He smiles, trying to kiss her. “Now, I don’t know about you, but I am fuckin’ starvin’, so can we make a move?”

“Mm-hm…” She nods. Kneeling in front of him, she gently places her lips to his and they kiss. “You know I’m going to do this just to prove that asshole wrong.”

He wraps his hands in her hair, staring her in the eyes. “I know you are.”

* * *

“Looks like you owe me that fifty bucks QT. She’s not going to do it.” Zak smiles, adjusting the binoculars. “She’s done in.”

“Shit!” Ozzie sighs—he’s also watching. “Hell, I thought she had it licked. Man, and she got sofuckingclose.” He turns around and frowns at Darius. “C’mon man, just let us go get them. Hell, she’s gotten closer than anyone we’ve ever had, and you started her further out. You know that was a punk move by the way.”

“You also need to think: Digby’s gonna rip your throat out if he misses dinner.” Zak laughs.

“Digby brought this on himself. He needs to wake the fuck up! She may be ridin’ his dick, but she’s screwin’ his brain too,” Darius says. “Besides, she’s not done what I asked. I told her to get her casualty to exfil, it’s not my problem if she can’t. No medivac helo’s going to sit waiting under fire for her to get up off her ass.”

“Yeah but c’mon man they’re like only a few hundred feet away. If this were for real, we’d go get them.”

“No! No, this doesn’t end ‘til Digby’s laying here, at my feet.”

“Man, no way is she gonna get him up that ridge. Hell, I doubt even I could do that.” Ozzie frowns. “Surely you don’t really expect her to do that? Darius, you can’t be serious?” The whole team now turns around, growling in unison as they stare at him.

“Yeah, sure I can, why not? Look, I’m not giving her any special treatment. If she wants to be one of this team, then she gets treated like one of this team—in every way!”

“Well, it’s not special treatment, cos none of the other damn medics have made it this far. C’mon man, you’re cuttin’ your nose to spite your face. We need a medic to get back operational and she’s more than proved that she’s capable and I for one say we help them.”

“Ozzie… when I want your opinion on a leadership decision, I’ll let you know. For now,shut the hell up!” Darius takes a breath, angry at Oz’s insolent tone. “You know I do this for a reason. Because I need to know if one of you is down and you’re counting on her, that she can get you outta some hellhole to safety.”

“No, you’re just being a fuckin’jackassis what it is,” Ozzie mumbles angrily under his breath, and placing the binoculars back against this face, he quietly wills her on. “C’mon Kat, you’ve got this.”

“Nope… I hate to say it, but her legs have gone, there’s no way she can do it now,” says Zak.

“K-Kat’s sp-sp-special. She’ll d-d- do it,” says QT.

“Will you stopfuckin’saying that and just give me my damn money,” says Zak.

“Hey.” Bud shoves Zak, shutting him up, and continues, “leave him alone! Zak, sometimes you can be a real bully. Now, just wait because it’s not over yet.”

“Anyway,” Ozzie says, smiling, “look, she’s up on her feet.”

“Let me see that.” Darius frowns, grabbing the binoculars. He groans deep into his chest because Oz is right… she is up. “Oh, come on Digby, turn around… head back and just give me what I want.”

Ozzie glares at him and Zak sighs, shaking his head. “So, I was right, you’re more concerned about getting one over on Digby?” Darius doesn’t answer and Zak pushes him in the chest. “I said am I right?”

Grinding his teeth, and in one lurching movement, Darius pushes Zak to the ground. “Are you questioning me?” He frowns sternly. “Just be careful Zak, and remember your place in this team.” He takes a breath as Ozzie and Bud close in around them—Zak still on the ground, as three sets of steely blue eyes focus on their leader. “Digby needs bringing down a peg. Since she got here, something’s not right and I need him to get back in line and for this team to buckle-up. If we’re getting back out there, then I need him focused and with her around… I’m not sure if he can do that.”

“Digby will be fine,” Oz snarls as Zak gets to his feet.

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