Page 29 of Knot Their Soldier: Part One
The handbrake jolts into place with a sharp, metallic grind, followed by the thud of the driver’s door shutting. I’m breathing in short, sharp bursts as if the anticipation is strangling me. My ears still reverberate with the echo of the engine’s hum, and I strain to hear what is happening outside.
The low rumble of masculine voices reaches me, adding a potent undertone to the muffled sounds. Heavy boots crunch across gravel, the sound growing louder as each step comes closer to the rear of the vehicle. I hold my quickening breath, my heart hammering a wild rhythm within my ribcage as the doors open. A flood of radiant daylight pierces the darkness. I squint and raise a hand to shield my eyes, tears welling in response to the abrupt change in light.
“Omega Sparks,” the Beta grunts, his voice matching the roughness of the gravel beneath his feet. It sends a shiver that has nothing to do with my nerves down my body. “Come meet your new commanding officer.”
Chapter Eleven
Halley
A shaky hiccup escapes my lips, born of both jitters and exasperation, and I vigorously rub my eyes to dispel my blurry vision. Summoning a surge of determination, I propel myself from that wretched seat and shuffle toward the rear of the vehicle. The aftermath of sitting in darkness has skewed my depth perception, so my attempt to climb out of the rear doors results in an awkward stumble. My arms flail like unsteady wings, and I tumble ungracefully onto the unforgiving ground.
“Ow!” I yelp loudly.
Rocks embed themselves into my knees and elbows, their sharp edges sending a searing jolt of pain through my body, causing my breath to catch.
The Beta soldier grumbles lowly, like my pain is an inconvenience to him. His hand reaches down, seizing my upper arm in a firm grip, pulling me upright onto unsteady legs. He lets go immediately, like he’s been burned. It was fast, but longenough for my body to hum to life. His touch felt nice. Really nice.
Frack, my hormones are out of control.
As he strides away, he mutters, “She’s all yours now… remember, stick to the plan.”
I blink rapidly, forcing my eyes to focus. A thin stream of blood trickles down my shin from my knee, staining my trousers.
I bite back a groan of embarrassment. I’d wanted to appear as capable as possible, but with this one act I must seem nothing short of a clumsy fool. I’ll heal quickly, not as fast as an Alpha, but the wound will stop weeping soon and scab over in an hour or so.
My vision finally steadies, and I take in my new home. It’s nothing like I was expecting.
Nestled within a small clearing, deep within a forest, a cluster of tents sit snug against a formidable wall of craggy rock. The camp is on a flat patch of ground which tapers off into steep slopes. Towering ancient trees loom above, their branches creaking in a slow, mournful dance.
It’s not a military base at all. In fact, it resembles more of a makeshift camp with barely any amenities.
And it’s quiet. Really fracking quiet, and I’m unnerved by the striking absence of life. The entire camp exudes an eerie quality, like the moment in a horror movie when the plot line takes a chilling turn.
Yeah. If I’m gonna die, it’s probably going to be in this place.
There is a thud at my feet and my backpack rolls to a stop in the dirt. I turn to say thank you to the Beta, but my mouth chokes with dust as the troop carrier accelerates away. I watch it pull around the back of one of the tents, hidden but still accessible. For all the hate I directed at that vehicle, my situation didn’t feel real while I was sitting in its horrible dark cabin, but out here, reality is coming at me hard.
I inhale, sighing deeply, and choke on a thick scent.
Unmated Alpha.
My whole body freezes, and ever so slowly, I slide my gaze up.
My hands shake, and the perspiration beading on my forehead has nothing to do with the crisp morning sunlight filtering through the trees. My encounter with the Alpha in the ICU seems so long ago, and hardly the same situation. I don’t have the pumping adrenaline to mask the enormity of being in an unmated Alpha’s presence.
And itisenormous.
Heis enormous.
His towering figure casts a shadow over me.
A squeak of terror escapes me.
The man standing before me is an apex predator. His height makes me feel tiny.
Muscles ripple beneath tanned skin, a gift from the Alpha mutation which makes building muscles effortless. Neatly clipped hair, short back and sides, without a single stray hair out of place – not even a five o’clock shadow tarnishes his sharp features.
Every aspect of his being radiates a sense of duty and self-discipline, a man who had forged himself into a living embodiment of strength and capability. A rifle is strapped to his back, and a knife clipped to his leather belt. His jaw is clenched tightly, straining and twitching with tension.
