Chapter 44
Chapter Forty-Four
Blaze
I know the moment the Command drops. Like an egg cracked over my head, it slides from me.
Crouched on the dirt, heaving ragged breaths, Knox spits a glob onto the dirt.
He climbs to his feet, and with a look of disgust, says with a cold, biting tone, “You’re done.”
It’s like he’s slapped her. She recoils and then crumples in on herself. I cup my cheek. It’s almost as if I can feel the sting on my skin.
There is no sign of her earlier anger. She’s deflated with her shoulders slumped, and her eyes water.
Before any of us can say a word, for the first time since I’ve known her, the little Omega’s bravery fails.
Halley’s bottom lip wobbles as she stammers an apology. “I— I’m sorry. I don’t know what came over me.”
And then she bursts into tears. Deep, ugly sobs wracking her tiny frame.
Frustration wells within me, bubbling in my gut like a feral thing.
My knife catches the sunlight, glinting briefly before I fling it with all my strength across the length of the camp and into the trunk of an ancient tree. The bark explodes as my knife drills deep into its wooden flesh.
Halley squeaks in alarm, but I can’t keep the fire in my blood from boiling.
“You fucking assholes. I told you we needed to tell her!” I shout, my skin fizzling beneath the surface, aching for a release.
Shade throws me a withering look, his eyes darting to Halley in warning. “Not here, Blaze. Not now.”
“Not here?” I look at Knox, still panting like a dog, sucking in air like it’s his damn job. “Not fucking now?”
I pull at my hair, focusing on the sting and trying to ground myself. It’s not helping. I’ve been trying for weeks and I’m out of patience.
“Blaze…” Viper says from beside me. His meaty hand lands on my shoulder and he squeezes.
“She deserved to know!”
And squeezes.
And squeezes.
Until the pain breaks through my hurtling, spiraling thoughts.
He only stops when I force my tensed shoulders to unclench.
“The Omega Command is too strong for her to learn yet,” Shade says, as if we’re discussing a data point on a spreadsheet. Like Halley isn’t standing right there.
I fucking hate when he does this. Detaching himself from the rest of us and disassociating from his feelings.
“Yeah, well, at least we could have helped her. It never would have come to this,” I spit. They know my opinion. I’ve told them every night since the chase.
I scratch at my sternum where my thickest burn scarring lies. The skin is never truly comfortable, but feels tighter than usual.
Knox stares vacantly into the forest as he rubs his throat. His anger fizzled the moment Halley recoiled. Now, he has a look I’ve never seen on our Prime Alpha before. He looks almost defeated. Not by her, but by his own values and morals.
He swallows and speaks in a rasping voice. “It’s General Stone’s orders. She needs to learn her place as a soldier. If she can’t follow orders, there’s no point in continuing her training.”
He’s been using the same argument for weeks. This time, it’s not very convincing.
Viper sighs and finally chimes in. He hasn’t taken part with this ongoing rift in our squad, choosing to keep himself out of the discussion entirely. Apparently, he’s ready to pick a side. Fucking finally. “It was wrong. She needs help controlling it before it controls her.”
With her body hunched, Halley stands in stillness, her senses fully engaged as she listens intently to every word.
Shade runs his hand through his hair. “We don’t even know what it is or why it’s happening… what she did to Knox. She’s dangerous.”
Halley sobs harder.
I roll my eyes and scoff, “She ain’t dangerous. Look at her. Does she look like she wanted that to happen? She’s inexperienced, and she’s fucking angry.”
“Exactly—”
“But ya know what would fix that, Specialist Shade?” I snarl his rank in a mocking tone. “Talking about what the fuck is happening to her.”
Shade uses his forearm to wipe the blood coating his face. The rest drips from my fists.
Knox’s gaze transforms into a steely glare as he swiftly pivots to confront me directly. “You’re not Prime Alpha here. I am. Do I need to remind you of that?”
Ah, yes. It’s about the time in our argument that he reminds me he’s Prime Alpha Knox. He’s the big shot in charge of all of us with his fancy, shiny rank.
It usually is enough to make me back down. He knows I won’t go against him. As much as I hate how the Omega situation has been handled, I won’t risk destroying the only family I’ve ever known. Except this time, I’m done.
“Fuck you, Prime Alpha. And fuck the General’s orders.”
“Sergeant Blaze,” Shade warns, not liking where this is heading.
I shrug off Viper’s tightening grip on my shoulder, his silent insistence that I calm down. I won’t.
I don’t give a fuck anymore.
No way am I gonna let them hurt the best thing that’s ever happened to us.
They don’t see what I see yet. Halley Sparks is our Omega, and from now on, I only answer to her.
I turn to face the small, precious creature shivering before me, and I reach out to take her hand.
“Sparkles, come on. Let’s get away from these spineless idiots.”