Chapter 25
Hazard did as Ice ordered. Kept it business only. Didn’t speak to the man unless spoken to. Didn’t ask him to go for runs or to spar and he damn sure didn’t try to cozy up for more late-night sofa chats. If Ice only wanted to be field partners that was fine with him. He had Jax and the major, and they were more than willing to continue building pack bonds. Let that cold bastard be alone and friendless if that’s what he wanted.
Unfortunately, the end to his personal relationship with Ice was affecting their working relationship. Prior to Ice’s abrupt reversal of demeanor, they’d functioned like two synchronized cogs in a well-oiled machine. Now, that synergy was broken.
They were running a course in a new shoot house setup. But as they cleared each room, they were out of step. Ice was either so far ahead of Hazard he couldn’t properly watch his six or Hazard was so close he nearly stepped on the captain’s boot heels. Hazard couldn’t seem to stop questioning the captain’s orders. And Ice instantly rejected even the smallest suggestion Hazard offered without considering it. Like now.
Unbelievably, they’d stopped to argue in the middle of the shoot house after Hazard suggested they scale the exterior wall and go in through an upper window to rescue the mock hostages instead of facing the enemy team head on.
“Are you having trouble following orders, Corporal Mitchell?”
“No sir,” Hazard bit out from between clenched teeth.
“Then quit being insubordinate and do as I command!”
“I’m not being insubordinate! I was simply pointing out —.”
“Soldiers!” Ortiz yelled, interrupting Hazard as she stormed into the room. “Cut this shit out!”
Trying to calm his anger, Hazard sucked in a breath through his nose and slowly let it out. “Yes, Major.”
“Go back to the start and run the course again. That’s an order.”
In cold silence, they stiffly obeyed the major and returned to the start, footsteps discordant and out of sync on the wood floor. When given the signal to go, they ran the course again. Their second attempt was successful. But their time was much slower than it should have been. And they didn’t achieve a perfect rating.
Ortiz was waiting for them at the end of the course. She gave them a long look before she spoke. “Dismissed.”
The back of Hazard’s neck burned at the curt dismissal. He knew they’d fucked up. Ignoring the captain, Hazard made his way to the armory to gear down. He hated the feelings churning in his gut — annoyance at his shitty performance, embarrassment at disappointing his CO, and upset over the situation with Ice. The last had him the most out of sorts. He’d never let personal conflict interfere with his work before. Why was it happening now?
“You okay?” Jax asked from his seat on the bench in the ready room. The alpha had run the course earlier with Ortiz and was already geared down.
“Yeah. Just need some antacid,” Hazard said, rubbing his stomach with a grimace.
“We have some back at the barracks.”
“That should help.”
Jax stood and slung an arm over his shoulders. “C’mon, let’s get you some Pepto.”
Hazard was grateful for the casual embrace. The physical contact from a packmate helped soothe some of his agitation.
Back in their barracks, Jax got him the Pepto Bismol.
“Want me to spoon feed it to you?”
Hazard laughed. “Shut up, fucker. Give me that.”
Jax grinned and tossed him the pink bottle.
Hazard took two spoonfuls of the medicine, gagging a little at the chalky taste. “Thanks.”
He rinsed the spoon off in the sink. Then, they separated to go shower.
Once Hazard was clean and dry, he started to reapply his blockers out of habit. He looked at the spray bottle in his hand, then set it back down. He wasn’t in the mood to block himself off right now. He needed to fully take in his own emotions, rather than locking them away under the empty smell of scent blockers.
Still naked, Hazard stretched. His wolf half was antsy, wanting to be let out, but he didn’t feel like going for a run. It was cold and rainy outside. “Fuck it.” Hazard opened his bedroom door then shifted into wolf form. On four paws, he padded out to the common area where Jax was on the couch.
Hazard went over to him. He could speak telepathically, but he knew puppy eyes would be more effective. He looked at Jax, then at the couch cushion next to him, then back at Jax.
The alpha laughed. “Fine. But you’re vacuuming up the fur later.” He patted the couch cushion.
With a happy chuff, Hazard jumped up beside him. He lay there sprawled out. Even as a small omega wolf, his front legs still hung down over the side of the sofa. Feeling bold, he went a step further and put his head on Jax’s lap.
“Are you serious?”
I’m the pack omega. You’re supposed to baby me.
Jax snorted at that. But he brought a hand up to scritch through his ruff.
Content, Hazard sighed and closed his eyes. The TV was on, but he didn’t pay it any attention. After a few minutes of comfortable quiet between them, Jax paused his scratching and asked him a question.
“Are you two going to be okay?”
Hazard knew he was talking about him and Ice. I think so . We just need time to adjust some things .
“Don’t take too long to figure it out. Ortiz is nice, but she’ll be on both your asses if whatever today was happens again.”
I know.
“Good.”
Jax went back to his scratching and Hazard let it lull him to sleep. He’d figure out what to do about the situation with Ice after a nap.
* * *
The next afternoon, Ortiz called the team to her office. Hazard walked in with Jax and Ice. Ortiz was sitting behind her gray metal desk.
“We’ve got a milk run tomorrow,” the major said. “A last-minute request came in to escort a high-level arms manufacturer executive and their company’s security codes over state lines.”
“Sounds good,” Hazard eagerly said. “I’m up for an easy mission.”
“Actually, you’re staying back this op.” She looked at Ice. “Both of you are remaining behind.”
Hazard’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “What? Why?”
Ortiz leaned back in her chair and folded her arms over her chest. “I think the shitshow that was training yesterday should make it obvious. But let me state it plainly in case it wasn’t.” Her expression took on a hardness that Hazard rarely saw off the battlefield. “I’m not letting you two back out in the field with the animosity you have between you. The 448 works together as a team. All of us. And what I saw yesterday wasn’t teamwork. You’re both benched until you figure out how to work as a team again.”
Hazard’s mouth dropped open. He gawked at their CO in shock. “Are you serious?”
“As a heart attack,” she answered dryly. “You two need to fix your shit. Jax, we leave at oh-eight-hundred.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Jax crisply replied.
“I’m in meetings for the rest of the day so I’ll see you all at dinner.”
At the dismissal, Hazard left the office, in disbelief that he’d been benched. In the hall, Ice stalked past him. That was fine, Hazard didn’t have anything to say to him anyway. But he glared at the alpha’s back until he was swallowed up in the crowd of soldiers going about their business. Ortiz had got on their asses, just as Jax said she would. They needed to figure out how to fix what was broken before she took further action.