Page 160 of Knot Their Soldier: Part One
My short time with Halley Sparks has proved how wrong that is. She’s strong, resilient, a fast learner, and tenacious. Oh so very tenacious. No matter how hard I pushed her away and triedto make her quit, she stayed. She doesn’t need an Alpha, because she’s perfectly capable on her own.
They also say Packs don’t exist.
That they’re dangerous and went extinct because it’s unnatural to share an Omega. That Packs aren’t healthy for an Alpha’s instincts to dominate, that they can’t play fairly together. It’s what I believed when General Stone placed us on this squad. I thought we’d kill each other with infighting. I was wrong. Since our squad formed, I’ve only gotten stronger, mentally and physically.
I feel it in my bones. My team is my Pack. Always has been and always will be.
I’m just a soldier. I don’t know how to be a good Alpha to an Omega, but rut-damn, do I want to try for Halley Sparks. I’ve never realized what the ache in my heart was before I met her. It’s the place an Alpha’s Pack and his Omega is supposed to live.
And she’s right there. A sweet little thing to warm our beds and hearts. Halley Sparks is everything we’ve ever dreamed of.
Blaze was right from the start. We’re a Pack and she’s our Omega. An untouchable dream is right in front of us, if I only I can be brave enough to reach for it. I have some serious mending to do, but it might all be for naught if she can’t forgive me.
I’ve never been good at affection or showing love, so I’d better learn quickly.
Chapter Fifty-Seven
Halley
I jolt awake when Knox abruptly pulls off the road onto a hidden track. The enormous vehicle crunches vegetation underneath its hulking wheels until it’s lodged deep in the undergrowth, hidden from the road.
“Where are—?” I begin to ask, but the others are already jumping out of the truck and grabbing their packs from the back.
They move with practiced precision, mounting equipment on their backs and clipping some to their belts. They each have a sidearm strapped to a thigh, and a rifle slung over a shoulder.
Viper has the most, his arsenal vast and heavy, and it barely looks like it bothers him.
I twist my heels in the dust, biting my lip, unsure what my role is or where I stand with them after my outburst yesterday. They don’t seem to have the same issue, entirely focused on getting their gear prepared.
I suppose this is where they’re most comfortable, in the thick of action, with a plan to execute. Sitting still at training camp must have been a challenge for them.
“Omega Sparks. You’re with me,” Knox says. He passes his pack off to Blaze, who straps it to the front of his chest. He kneels in front of me, presenting his broad back.
“Uh?” I blink at his back and look at the others for clarification.
“We’re going to be moving fast across difficult terrain. You’re still not recovered from your heat, so Knox is going to carry you.” Shade provides the answer. His voice is rough and slightly slurred with exhaustion.
I squint at him and protest. “Shade is in worse shape than I am. You should carry him instead.”
The others aren’t acting too concerned for the Beta’s wellbeing, and it irritates my Omega. She hates seeing him in pain.
When I bite my lower lip and huff, Shade steps closer, softening his voice. “It’s fine, Halley. I’m healing, and moving my body is what I want right now.”
I scan his expression, seeking the truth. His face is so swollen, he’s almost unrecognizable, but his earnest tone convinces me.
“Get on, Omega. We don’t have time to argue,” Knox says in his no-nonsense tone, and I reluctantly agree. I don’t like how exposed I feel standing out in the open. I know my scent is strong, and the longer we linger somewhere unsafe, the more risk I’m putting the team in.
I slip my arms over Knox’s shoulders and lean on his back. Before I get situated, he stands, dragging me with him. I squeak and wrap my thighs around his waist, squeezing them tightly to hold on.
Blaze chuckles and I shoot him a glare.
Knox jumps lightly to adjust my position and catches under my thighs, tugging me firmly against him.
I moan.
He flinches.
My tender core is pressing against his firm back muscles, his heat seeping through the layers of clothing like a caress.
