Page 94 of Knot Their Soldier: Part One
“Ughhhh.” I fold my under-stuffed pillow over my ears. “Why are you so cheerful? Let me sleep, you twittering dickbags!”
Trees are a rare sight at Barkrood Base, and I’d forgotten just how noisy wildlife could be.
Don’t they know I’m operating on fumes here? I need my sleep. Even the birds want me to suffer in this forsaken training camp.
I try to drift back to sleep, but bright dawn light seeps through the weathered canvas walls of the tent, casting a warm glow inside.
“Fine, Mother Nature, you hateful bitch. You win.” I’ve never been accused of being a morning person.
My mouth opens in a jaw splitting yawn, and I uncurl into a long stretch. I wince as my stiff muscles scream in protest, sucking in an inhale of air.
It’s been three long, painful weeks of running that damn obstacle course, with Viper and Blaze pushing me harder each time.
Their touches lingering longer and their gazes getting hotter. I would’ve given up long ago without the promise of Blaze’s encouraging touches, or Viper catching me when I fall.
At this point, it’s the only thing getting me out of bed. That and the constant anxiety about protecting my Omega family. It hovers in my mind like a storm on the horizon, thunder rolling threateningly the moment I remove my attention. I can’t let myself fail. If I don’t try my absolute hardest and The Omega Division is shut down, I don’t know how I’ll be able to live with myself. I love those three Omegas more than anything else in this messed up world, and I’ll do whatever it takes to keep them safe.
It’s also been weeks since that cursed experiment that resulted in Viper’s cock rutting against my ass. I’m plagued with dreams of Knox growling against my throat, his voice burrowing deep into my core. My inner Omega’s submissive side yearns to please the stern Prime Alpha.
Then there’s Shade and his reassuring presence.
The soft, “Well done, Omega Sparks,” spoken after I’m done with a rep of push-ups, is intoxicating. I’m addicted and I’ll keep pushing myself to the edge just to hear him praise me. I’m sick in the head, that’s for sure.
Licking my dry, cracked lips, I grimace as my mouth feels like cotton. I feel worse today. I’m actually worried I might not be able to stand, let alone perform the training drills.
The last time I felt this worse for wear was after Ember procured a bottle of moonshine from a soldier who wanted to get into her nest, and we indulged a little too much. I swear, after that monster hangover, I still can’t smell alcohol without gagging.
I groan, slowly kicking the scratchy blankets off my overheated body to the bottom of the bed.
The cool morning air feels nice on my sweaty, exposed skin.
I surreptitiously sniff the blankets, and tingles flicker in my core as I detect Viper’s scent of gunpowder and roses. He’s been the one to tuck me into bed every time I collapse from exhaustion, and the little bright spark in my chest where my affection for him resides burns a little brighter.
I rub my hands up and down my exposed arms as a dangerous feeling coils inside me. The giant Alpha and I have barely spoken a few words to each other, but I feel such a strong bond with him. I know it’s him I reach for when the O-space arrives.
I glance around the tent and see that everyone else is gone. The beds have each of their distinct scents lingering on them, so I know that they slept here during the night.
An odd contented feeling settles behind my breastbone. My inner Omega likes that our Pack all slept in the same place last night.
Wait.OurPack?
No.
Nuh-uh.
Don’t even go there. Omegas like me don’t get mates. We’re defective and sent to The Omega Division for a reason.
Besides, mating Packs don’t exist anymore. These guys are a squad of super soldiers. Just teammates.
Right?
Sure, they seem bonded beyond what is typical for work colleagues, but what do I know? This might be normal for military units.
I shake my head and wince as my body protests the movement. Tension radiates through every muscle and joint in my body. I feel wrung out, like all the moisture has been wicked from my pores.
I reach for the cup of water that’s placed at the side of my bed and drink. The cup smells like Blaze. He’s been the one to make sure I eat and drink enough.
Our Pack cares for us.
