Chapter 23
Chapter Twenty-Three
Viper
She’s so tiny in my arms, and yet the weight of her trust lays heavily on my shoulders.
This little Omega, so exhausted from the training, passed out still purring while I held her.
Since I woke up in that hospital bed with this precious Omega in my arms, the primal part of myself that I believed was long gone awoke. As I stand here holding her close, the long dormant creature in my soul feels whole and virile.
I feel honored she asked me to care for her.
Me.
An Alpha with so much blood on his hands, insanity hovers just on the border of reality.
I won’t let her down.
“Great. And now she’s asleep,” Knox scoffs, his trademark scowl firming in place. He’s acting annoyed, but he’s not fooling a single one of us.
Our Prime Alpha is shitting himself.
I’ve never disobeyed a direct order from him before. Our team is built not on dominance and submission, but on respect. Except, it doesn’t feel like I’ve disrespected my Prime Alpha, rather I’ve chosen to shift it to the newest member of our squad.
Knox’s usual leadership style is not working on Omega Halley Sparks. Nothing about this training mission is going according to his plan, and if there’s anything that freaks out our fearless leader, it’s uncertainty.
Also, I know something he’s desperate to conceal. Our Prime Alpha is just as affected by her presence as we are. He won’t show or give into it. Not without a fight first.
I usually appreciate his adherence to protocol. After all, it’s kept us alive, but I’m not a fan of his strict behavior when it comes to Halley.
She isn’t like the soldiers we usually work with, and we shouldn’t treat her so.
I stare down at her face, her dark eyelashes fluttering against her cheeks as she fitfully rests.
She’s so delicate compared to us. Her bones are fragile and her skin soft.
I can’t understand why General Stone wants to make her, or any Omega, a soldier.
She’s physically not built for it. Yet, the little Omega seems determined to prove herself, and I’ve decided I’ll do what I can to help her on her journey.
“Give her a chance, Knox. She’s been here a day and we’ve pushed her hard.” Blaze’s voice is surprisingly gentle, and I can see the look of sympathy on his face. We all swing our heads to stare at him incredulously.
“Fuck, she’s even got Blaze under her spell,” Knox mutters, frustration evident in his voice.
“What? I can have compassion!” Blaze retorts, his tone outraged.
We exchange knowing looks.
“Tell that to the group of humans you hunted for sport last week,” Shade snorts.
“And then burned alive,” I add quietly, not wanting to rouse the sleeping beauty in my arms.
“Hey! That was above board and you know it. Command said nothing about how they were supposed to die… I got creative,” Blaze pleads, eyebrows raised in a weak show of innocence.
His protests won’t change the fact that we were present and witnessed the clear overkill.
None of us judge him. We each have our own special brand of violent desires.
“You toyed with them for hours.” Shade raises a brow at Blaze.
“Nuh-uh. They were more like…” Blaze’s lips curl into a wicked smile as he leans back, waves his raised hand as he searches for the right phrase. “Hide-and-seek buddies.”
Shade scoffs at Blaze, the tension from the day slipping from his shoulders. This is familiar. Teasing and roasting one another after a hard day’s work. “And these buddies were guests at your bonfire cookout?”
Knox rolls his eyes. “More like they were the bonfire cookout. Still can’t get the smell out of my nose.”
A dark shadow passes over Blaze’s pale eyes. “Those rogue Alphas deserved it for what they did to those civilians.”
I suppress a shiver, the memories of the horror we encountered during that mission flashing through my mind.
Yeah. Those rut-damned fuckers deserved to burn alive.
Like a snap of his fingers, the lightheartedness returns to Blaze’s eyes. “Besides, they failed the game of hide-and-seek, and that was their punishment.”
“She failed,” Knox says humorlessly, gesturing at the sleeping Omega still snuggled in my embrace. “You gonna find a creative way to kill her too?”
A moment of silence follows as his words sink in.
“Dude!”
“Bruh!”
“What the fuck is wrong with you, man.”
The animal inside me, desperate for blood, paces restlessly at Knox’s threatening words. The mere idea of her being hurt, let alone killed, makes my inner creature howl with anger. I hold her tighter, careful not to hurt her with my larger size.
She entrusted me, the Alpha she had seen lose control and become violent, to protect her. The insistent thrum of pride and devotion within my heart ensures not a single hair on her head will be harmed under my care.
Her purr is magical.
A lilting, musical sound that smooths the sharp edges of my mind. The spiky parts of me which indiscriminately cut and tear at my enemies, my teammates, and even myself. It allows me to think clearly and evaluate my feelings before they become unhinged.
It’s not just me who is affected by her purr.
I see the effect it has on my brothers-in-arms.
Shade’s focus is removed from the depths of his tablet. He’s engaging with us and the world outside of data and numbers.
It’s possible Knox doesn’t realize his frustration is being suppressed, but I know the sound is a calming balm for his explosive indignation.
The biggest change in behavior is Blaze.
In all my years knowing the quirky Alpha, I’ve never seen him so grounded.
His thoughts are ordered and less erratic.
The simmering malicious energy which usually fizzles below the surface has mellowed.
He’d even been sweet with her during the obstacle course.
I haven’t seen the Sergeant provide comfort to another being that wasn’t a ploy to lead a victim into a false sense of security.
In the short time she has been here she’s already made a positive impact on each of us.
“By the way, she didn’t ‘lose.’ She did the complete course and all of the measured tests we needed,” Shade says.
“That,” Knox scoffs, pointing at her trembling form, “is not a win.”
“The fuck it ain’t,” Blaze asks, chucking his chin in the direction of the course. “You were watching the whole time, weren’t you? Sparkles didn’t stop even when it hurt.”
“She might not have the physical capabilities of an Alpha, but she’s got the heart of a fighter,” Shade agrees, and I can see the gears in his head working. He’s figuring out the best way to train the Omega so she becomes an asset, not a liability.
“She’s purring in Viper’s arms,” Knox sneers, gesturing at us. “This is not normal soldier behavior.”
“She’s not a normal soldier, you fuckin’ asshole. She’s an Omega,” Blaze says.
“Trust me, I’m aware,” Knox snarls.
“Then stop bein’ a prick.” Blaze is frustrated with Knox, and he’s not the only one.
“Our orders don’t account for that. We have three months to get her on the same level as any other recruit,” he says like it explains his shitty attitude.
Shade cocks his head. “We’ll get her there. She’s doing fine. Why don’t you tell us what the actual problem is, Knox?”
He pauses for a moment, eyes scanning the tree line for a threat that isn’t there. It’s the burden of a Prime Alpha. The authority comes with great responsibility. He’s always on high alert. Always watching for danger.
“She’s a threat.”
Four sets of eyes fix on the purring, sleeping, trembling Omega in my arms.
I can’t disagree.
The way I’m feeling, like I’d burn the entire world to keep her tucked against me, is troubling. I can see the same fire burning in Shade and Blaze’s eyes. Knox hides it, but there’s desire and a hint of jealousy in him, too.
No one speaks. Because it’s true.
In such a brief span of time, our squad’s core has changed. There’s a new nucleus we’re circling. A new reason to live that isn’t killing and chasing the next thrill.
What will happen if she fails her mission and leaves?
Or succeeds and leaves?
Or succeeds and dies?
Is it possible to go back to how things were before the little Omega saved my life and joined our squad?
No.
There is no going back.
So we don’t protest his statement because he’s right.
Halley Sparks is our greatest threat.