Page 52 of Knot Their Soldier: Part One
I’m tempted to tell him to frack himself. Instead, I swallow hard and force myself to reach out for the rope. The coarse texture bites into my palms as I tentatively tighten my grip, feeling its rough, unforgiving surface against my skin. A knot ofuncertainty twists in my stomach. There is nothing beneath the rope to catch me if I fall.
I’ve never climbed a rope before, and the task ahead seems daunting. With my heart pounding and adrenaline coursing through my veins, I summoned my courage and hoist myself upwards. My arms immediately scream in protest, and I know a whimper slips out in the strain.
A deep voice rumbles from beside me as Viper says, “Use your feet.”
I frown but fumble with the rope dangling around my legs, flailing wildly and failing to hook the rope between my feet.
A gentle hand stills my thrashing and slips the rope between my boots, allowing me to gain traction and hold my position on the rope.
“Viper, no interference, for rut-damn sake,” Shade shouts, but it’s lacking bite and I think I can hear a smile.
I look back at Viper and let a tiny smile slip through. He helped me. He touched me. My body is far too preoccupied to react, but I know I like it. A lot.
Using my legs makes climbing the rope much easier. I use the strength in my legs to propel myself higher. Each upward pull still feels like a battle. The ground below is impossibly distant, but with each agonizing inch I climb, a sense of accomplishment settles behind my breastbone.
With one final grunt of exertion, I reach the top and secure myself in place by hooking my feet around the rope, and take a shuddering gasp of air.
I did it! I completed the obstacle course.
My body is pumping with adrenaline and the excitement, and I let out a brief burst of laughter.
“I don’t know what you think you’re celebrating, Omega,” Prime Asshole shouts, and it’s like a cold splash of water. I feel his icy gaze on my sweaty back. “You’re not done yet.”
I keep underestimating how difficult getting down from high places is. I get halfway down the rope when my feet slip and my weak arms can’t slow my rapid descent. The ground rushes up to meet me and I squeeze my eyes shut to brace for impact.
I’m swung sideways instead.
Heat and vibrating strength cradle me against a familiar, muscled chest.
Viper.
My belly flutters and my skin tingles where we touch.
“Good catch,” Shade remarks, and the lieutenant releases me immediately. He moves away like touching me is painful.
I stare after him, but he ignores me, already striding away, shaking his head.
The Prime Alpha snarls, “Keep moving, Omega.”
I’ve finished the obstacle course. What more does he want from me?
Chapter Twenty-Two
Halley
I am given a brief rest to have a meal and drink water. The moment I’m done eating a banana and some trail mix, I’m thrown straight back into training.
This time it’s Shade running the show, and he’s measuring my fitness baseline.
I thought I was relatively fit, but the Beta quickly proves how wrong I am.
He instructs me to do pushups, counting out loud with each one, until I can’t hold my weight anymore. He taps away at his tablet, his dark eyebrows pulled tight. I want to see what he’s recording, to ask him how I’m doing, but I can barely breathe.
Next are sit-ups, and then burpees, and then jumping jacks, and then the banana makes its reappearance, much to the Prime Alpha’s disgust.
Shade stops me multiple times to give me advice and the best ways to regulate my breathing or hold my posture to avoidinjury. His touches are always quick and efficient and are over before I have time to feel anything other than a promising tingle.
I push myself harder and for longer than I thought possible. I don’t even feel present in my own body anymore, just hovering on the outskirts of my consciousness as I force myself to keep going.
