Chapter 37
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Halley
“Punch me.”
I blanch.
“Punch me, Omega Sparks,” Prime Alpha Knox repeats. He beckons at me with both hands.
I clench my jaw and shift uneasily. A snicker arises from the three amused spectators.
Assholes.
It’s my first hand-to-hand combat session and I’ve never punched someone before. I think I’m entitled to feeling like a fish out of water.
“Come on, we don’t have all day.”
I don’t think that’s the truth. In fact, I think this is all Prime Asshole has planned for today.
I bet ‘Punish the Omega’ is scrawled at the top of his agenda.
His good mood from our hot chocolate night by the fire is gone, and the antagonistic smirk is back in his rightful place.
The dickbag looks almost giddy with the idea of throwing me around under the guise of training.
Prime Asshole is waiting. He’s wearing his usual military attire, and I don’t understand why the sight of his tight shirt and camouflaged trousers still causes a stirring inside me.
He hates you, I try to remind myself.
Except, I don’t believe that’s true anymore. I think he simply doesn’t know how to behave around me.
“Well? Are you ready to admit defeat?” He folds his arms, widens his stance, and my eyes flick to his thickly corded muscles. My traitorous inner Omega swoons as his shirt tightens around his biceps.
I tear my gaze away and fixate on his boots. Tuffs of hardy grass are pushing up through the rocks and dirt, fighting for life despite the harsh conditions.
I shouldn’t be here.
Omegas don’t fight. It goes against every biological urge, against our very nature. We nurture and provide comfort. We create life and preserve it.
Except that’s another lie I’m telling myself.
That’s why I’m here. I’m not a typical Omega. I never will be ordinary and this is my chance to prove I’m worth more. To prove Omegas are capable of more if we put their minds to it.
I’m scared and out of my depth, but this isn’t where my story ends.
I tightly squeeze my fist, feeling my knuckles crack, as I forcefully bite my inner cheek to suppress my appalled Omega instincts.
Run. Flee. Submit. Submit to Prime Alpha. Submit.
The instincts are powerful. They rise up and up. My entire body trembles as I fight against myself. I focus on the thick, white scar that crossed over the bridge of Knox’s nose, the deep scar that tells a story of its own, to center myself.
“Do it, Omega Sparks.”
He says my name, and it’s enough to break through my body’s demands.
With a primal shout, I burst forth like a firework.
I want to slam my clenched fist into his smug face, but he’s too tall. I can’t reach, so I settle for throwing my punch at his gut.
He doesn’t even flinch as my fist collides with him. Prime Alpha Knox stands tall, arms still folded over his broad chest, unmoved by my pathetic attack.
My forward momentum puts me off balance and I trip on my own feet, clumsily stumbling.
Pain radiates from my hand and I clutch it to my chest, swallowing the howl of pain straining to escape.
My ego hurts almost as much as my fist.
Prime Alpha Knox lets out an exasperated sigh.
I glare at him through the single rebellious strand that has somehow managed, once again, to escape from my tight braids.
“Terrible.”
I rub my hand and grimace at the pain. It’s exactly what I expect punching a brick wall would feel like. Knox is pure rigid muscle.
“What was that, Omega Sparks?”
I frown at his condescending tone. “A punch?”
He snorts and looks at his squad, watching from the sides.
I don’t look at them.
I’m fighting the instinctual urge to seek comfort from them.
My Omega knows that if I bury myself in Viper’s massive chest, he would envelop me in those powerful arms and hold me close. The big lug has fast become the go-to safe place in my silly Omega mind. He seems determined to keep me at arm’s distance, but I know he’d make me feel secure.
Shade would fuss over my hand, praising me and telling me how brave I am.
Blaze would take my mind off my humiliation, play fighting with me and making me laugh.
I’d inhale the combination of their scents and immediately be soothed.
I’ve lived and slept in a haze of their scents, and I’m intimately aware of how each team member smells. Each of their scents is embedded in my brain, insistent that they’re safe. Even Knox’s.
Sometimes… especially Knox’s.
Right now, I want to prove myself to him. I want to show him I’m worthy. I want him to hold me close and tell me he’s proud.
So fracking stupid, I chastise myself.
Training is all that matters. Definitely not the attraction I feel fizzing between the squad and me.
Knox snarls and snaps me back in the moment. “Get up and show me what you got, Omega. That wasn’t a punch,” he says.
My inner Omega whimpers. I can’t bear to see our Alpha displeased.
I clench my fist and strike out again. He effortlessly side steps.
“Untuck your thumb, or you’ll break it,” Knox scoffs, and my anger surges.
I give it another shot, this time ensuring that my thumb stays tucked underneath my fist. I hit his rock-solid belly harder and with more confidence. It’s not much of a punch, I know, but my body has stopped resisting the mere idea of violence, and I let out a small cheer of achievement.
I hear a light chuckle from Blaze and my heart flutters.
Knox shakes his head and folds his arms across his chest. “I don’t know what you’re celebrating. Go again.”
It’s odd that he’s letting me use him as a punching bag, but I don’t hesitate to pummel him with my fists. It feels good to hit him and let out some of my frustrations.
“Now, throw a kick in my thigh and a knee in my groin.”
I hesitate. “Isn’t that going to hurt you?”
His features darken, and my inner Omega quivers beneath his heated stare. He looks dangerous, a lot more Alpha than coolly detached leader at this moment. Almost as if he’s excited by the idea of me hurting him. My inner Omega is both aroused and fearful.
“I doubt it.”
I narrow my eyes. Well then. I don’t like to be underestimated. With clenched teeth, I make a resolution to do my best and make the arrogant Alpha at least wince.
I throw all my strength behind my next punches.
Knox remains unaffected by my pitiful attempts. “Again.”
I growl under my breath, frustrated that he’s making a mockery of me, but I don’t dare go against the order. I try again, using a combination of punches, kicks and knees to make him hurt.
Knox adds comments and corrections after each hit. “Put your weight behind it,” and “Sharper movements, Omega.”
Nothing works and I get more and more frustrated.
The amused snorts and chuckles from the sidelines aren’t helping either.
“It’s like a little kitten trying to beat up a tiger,” I hear Shade say with a laugh.
My cheeks warm and my ears grow hot. I feel so fracking small and inadequate. I know my skills are laughable, but I’m an Omega! I’ve never done something like this in my entire life.
Knox watches as I pant, sucking in deep lungfuls of air and readying myself for my next attack, mulling over his advice and incorporating it into my movements.
His gaze is no longer detached appraisal, it’s scorching heat.
My next attack leaves him breathing heavily too, and I know that it’s not from my blows. He’s affected by my proximity, by my touch, by my violence.
Interesting.
I can work with that.
Slowly, I lift the bottom of my shirt to wipe the beaded sweat from my forehead, and a chorus of hitched breaths is music to my ears.
Bingo. Weakness detected.
“Are you enjoying yourself, Prime Alpha?” I ask coyly and I flick my gaze from him, to Viper and then to Shade, finally lingering on Blaze who is blatantly staring at my exposed stomach. “Do you like being touched like this?”
A thrill goes through my veins as I see Blaze lick his lips.
Oh yes. Definitely an exploitable weakness.
Knox shakes his head, as if to clear it of lusty cobwebs. “Stop messing around, Omega Sparks.”
My scent has permeated through the space of the training ground, and an idea blooms to life.
I release the tight reins I’ve kept on my sensuality and let myself indulge in some gentle fantasizing. My perfume thickens. It lingers in the clearing, teasing them to come closer to me, to rub against me, to rut me.
It’s a weapon I have at my disposal, and I will not shy away from using it if I have to. I want to prove I can fight, but I’m going to use every advantage I can.
“No?”
Knox’s pupils have swallowed the glowing red. He’s hyper-focused on my body, and I smirk as he tracks me with a predatory intensity while I sway innocently from side to side.
I drive my knee up and into his groin.
The Prime Alpha grunts in pain and surprise, stumbling back two steps as he folds in on himself.
Gotcha.
I kick him with all of my strength right in the center of his chest, forcing him to take another step backwards. His legs catch on one of the tires used for the obstacle course and he tips over backwards, landing heavily with a shout of surprise.
Without a moment’s hesitation, I take action.
I throw myself on top of him and punch. With his face within my reach, I’m ready to rain down fury using the lessons he taught me.
I use my shoulders and follow through. I channel my anger and rage and helplessness into each punch.
The rejection I’ve felt for years, wasting away in The Omega Division.
The self-loathing over my defective body.
It all flows through my fists and onto Knox’s handsome face.
“Woah, woah, woah!”
Strong hands wrap around my waist and I’m forcefully pulled off Knox.
I’m still swinging, caught in a frenzy driven by adrenaline.
My entire body thrums with the need to beat the Alpha up for insulting me and treating me with such disdain.
I’ve had enough of the bigoted views on Omegas, and I won’t take it from him. Not from anyone.