Page 67 of Knot Their Soldier: Part One
I shake my head and cross my arms over my chest. I’m tired and there’s a blister threatening to form on my right heel, but I don’t feel the vulnerability from yesterday looming.
“Alright then, let’s kick it up a notch.”
In my opinion, they kick it up five notches.
Viper doesn’t keep pace with me. Instead, he walks behind me and pushes me to move faster than is comfortable.
So much for my caring giant.
It’s hard, sweaty work and I constantly adjust my pack, roll my neck, and shift my sore feet in my boots. We don’t stop for lunch,and they only let me drink enough to stay hydrated, but still, the brain fog doesn’t roll in.
By mid-afternoon, and after hours of walking in what feels like circles, Shade brings us to a halt. He takes careful measurements of my health status. His fingers hold my wrist while he looks at his watch, calculating my pulse rate. He checks my eyes, commenting that they appear their normal ‘pretty purple.’
I’m so tired that I can’t even appreciate the compliment.
“We’re not getting anywhere with this,” Knox grunts, frustration evident in his voice.
I feel the need to apologize, but swallow it down. I don’t have anything to apologize for.
The three Alphas and one Beta surround me and stare, as though I have the answer. I lower my eyes, my chest heaving as I catch my breath. At some point, we’d spun around and begun walking uphill again. The muscles in my ass are burning from the uphill slog.
“We’re getting plenty of data,” Shade disagrees, gesturing with his tablet.
“Anything useful?”
Shade drops the tablet to his side with a sigh. “Nothing conclusive.”
“So, what’s different from yesterday?” Knox asks, his brow furrowed as he gazes off into the distance. “Omega Sparks? Gonna give us a clue?”
I flinch. I didn’t expect him to bring me into the conversation so abruptly, and I squirm under his red gaze. It’s such a harsh color, and on anyone else, I’d say it’d make them look demonic. On Knox, it only adds to his striking good looks.
I clear my throat and glance down the steep hill.
“Well, I guess, yesterday I felt pressure from… you.” I shrug, uncomfortable under their full attention.
They exchange a look before Blaze speaks up, “What’cha mean, Sparkles?”
I tilt my head and fight against my shyness. “You were all… there.”
“We’re here now.” Knox exhales in exasperation, those thick eyebrows bunching further. If he frowns any harder, his face might flip in on itself.
I lick my lips. “No, I mean, yesterday, you were applying pressure and pushing me to work harder. I wanted to please you and I felt…”
Blaze is the first to clue into what I’m poorly communicating. His scarred face lights up with amusement. “Sparkles, were you turned on?”
I look at my boots and nod.
Shade immediately begins tapping at his tablet and Knox huffs. “You were training. It wasn’t the time or place for feelings. Sit-ups do it for you, Omega Sparks?”
Frack, he’s such an ass.
“No,” I spit, glaring up at him from under my lashes. “I’m trying to say that it wasn’t just the exertion that pushed me off the edge. I felt close to you all, like I was part of the squad.”
He clucks his tongue and rolls his eyes.
My anger rises fast and hot. I unclip my backpack and it thuds heavily onto the ground, the sound echoing through the silence.
I poke his chest in accusation. “I can’t help how my body reacts!”
