Page 109 of Knot Their Soldier: Part One
“The military isn’t exactly well liked in the general population. Too many kids stolen from families, too many deaths without explanation. Betas are expected to comply with Alpha orders, and not every Alpha is careful with their Commands. Not to mention the Omega issue.”
“Oh,” is all I can say.
‘The Omega issue’echoes through my mind.
He leads me further into the forest, and I trail behind him, lost in thought. With each camera and sensor Shade checks, he takes the time to explain the process. He shows me the maintenance procedure and the tests he runs to ensure they’re working.
“You said you were taken…” I begin, my thought not fully formed but my curiosity burning in my chest. “Can you tell me about it?”
He stops mid-stride and turns to look at me. “I can, but not everyone is comfortable talking about what happened to them. I wouldn’t ask the others about their experiences unless they mention it themselves… especially Blaze.”
My heart pangs for Blaze. I can tell he’s the most damaged of the team; his body is a canvas of scars, and despite his jovial attitude, his eyes hold a haunted, tormented depth.
“I won’t say a word to anyone else,” I assure him. “I just want to understand why the population is angry at the military. For me, The Omega Division was a safe haven, a port in a terrible storm. I know it’s not perfect, but it saved me.”
“Okay,” he agrees, and his eyes are soft as he gazes at me. I know he sees me, not the Omega designation, or the burden dumped on his team, but a woman looking for answers.
“I grew up in a small village in the east where the accents are sharper and our traditions run deep,” he begins, and we resume walking. “Our community was supportive and full of extended family. I had a mother, a father, and a younger sister. Each night I’d help cut up her dinner with a knife and fork. I felt so big and grown up, having this responsibility. I liked having someone to care for.
“Then the military visited our territory. We expected them to come for the Alpha children, to take them to the military to defend the border as they have for generations, but they also focused on me. I’d tested off the charts in intelligence and analytical aptitude, and they wanted me trained in The Beta Specialist Division. I didn’t want to go, and my family protested, but we didn’t get a choice. My childhood ended at seven years old. From that moment, I was a soldier being trained to be an asset to our country.”
“Shade,” I breathe, my eyes swimming. “I’m so sorry.”
“Yeah, well, it worked out. I get to play with some pretty cool tech,” he shrugs, like he’s shaking off his memories.
It’s an oversimplified story, and I can’t help but feel there is a trove of untold cruelties lurking beneath the surface. I’ve seen glimpses of the training they put soldiers through, but I didn’t know they were kidnapping and training children. My family never produced Alphas, and our Betas were nothing extraordinary. I’ve been so isolated my whole life.
I feel naïve for never wondering how they created super soldiers, and I feel guilty for making him relive it.
“Let’s keep moving.” He gives me a small smile, and I return it. Despite the horrifying revelation, I feel closer to Shade.
I spend a lot of time churning over his words. The general population doesn’t like the military. They steal children to train for war. The Alphas in charge lord their Alpha Command over the Beta population, forcing them to comply. My perspective of the military being some great protector feels like it’s shattered, and I’m scrambling to pick up the pieces.
We walk for hours, and Shade tells me stories about his sister. I enjoy hearing about her, imagining a young version of him caring for her like he does the squad. It makes sense that he’s taken on the sensible Squad Daddy role. I don’t call him that name aloud though, remembering how it made his eyes burn for me.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Halley
Our walk becomes more challenging as Shade leads me up a steep incline. My tired legs stumble over loose rocks and I’m breathing heavily. Without a word, he slows and moves to walk behind me, bracing my lower back when I waver. Each time he touches me, a spark of delight zips through my body, and it makes the physical exertion worth it. I more feel connected to him after our chat, and my developing feelings for the Beta Specialist are now full-blown infatuation.
He’s insanely smart, but also has the most tender caring side.
Finally, just when exhaustion sets in and I feel the tendrils of Omega sub-space wrapping around my foggy mind, we make it to a flat plateau.
As my knees give way, I collapse in a heap on the damp ground, feeling it sink beneath my weight. Leaning back on my hands, I stretch my aching legs out before me and take in the view while panting. The trees are starting to thin the more we climb, and the forest appears less threatening.
I sigh, a self-satisfied loopy smile slipping over my features. As much as my body hurts, I don’t regret the trek up the hill. I never realized how much I missed the beauty of nature. The more I think of The Omega Division with its concrete walls and stifling rules, the less I think of it as a safe haven, and more like a detention center. A prison for defective Omegas.
Shade drops next to me. Our shoulders brush and my stomach does a somersault.
“It’s not a bad view, is it?” he asks.
It’s mid-afternoon, and the sun has cleared away the mountain mist. The sky is a brilliant blue, and the sun bathes us in a golden light. The trees are still, and the birds are singing.
“It’s beautiful.”
“It is,” Shade says with a nod, and I catch him looking at me with a peculiar expression. He quickly ducks his head to look at his boots.
