Chapter 6 Bonnie #2
We do bring omegas out with us, but only if they are bonded, in a pack, or with their families.
Once a season, I take a small group of omegas out with Meg, and we not only teach them how to survive but self-defense, too.
It’s too dangerous with alphas, especially alphas with egos.
We learned hard and fast when I needed to break three alphas’ arms to keep an injured omega safe from them.
I ignore Justin, refusing to explain something he won’t truly understand.
“Hurry up!” I clap my hands.
Several of my adventurers look at me in annoyance, but most of them just continue slouching in boredom. Fine, we can play this the hard way.
“Tents up in ten or you sleep in your sleeping bags on the ground. Doesn’t bother me, but light’s fading, and we need to go find fire wood and water. So, move.”
A few of them take me seriously and get their tents up, but there are a number who will be joining me under the stars.
Including, to my consternation, the four alphas I’m trying desperately to ignore. They have hovered on the edge of my periphery every time I’m close to them. I’m hyperaware of exactly where they are. It’s driving me crazy.
Dakota heads towards me, and I consider bailing but instead straighten my shoulders and wait for him to reach me. He ducks his head, smiling. I’ve seen all the omegas and betas he’s smiled that smile at. I’m not impressed.
“Hey, so it looks like we’re all sleeping out under the stars together, want to share a swag?”
“That was a really bad line, Kota. Would you like to go away and think up another one?” I say in my most bored tone.
He winces and rubs the back of his head. “Heard it before?”
“Only about fifty times.”
“Huh. All right, how about care to show me-”
“My favourite spots, because you really want to know all about me?”
His eyes twinkle. “Or so we can just go and fuck it out, I’m happy with either.”
I scoff and drag my eyes down his body and back up. “I’m going to have to pass. You know, I’m fairly certain the dirt is cleaner than you are.”
He clutches his chest like I’ve shot him and laughs. A deep belly laugh that is as captivating as it is annoying.
“Now, that hurts.”
I shrug. “I’d apologise but my dad always told me to tell the truth.”
“Touché. All right, well, how about a conversation?” He rakes his fingers through his hair, messing it up.
“Do you know how to do those?” I ask in mock surprise.
He laughs again, and, damn, it has a very unwanted effect on me. I look away from him and try to get my treasonous body under control.
“I could just listen.”
I shake my head. “How about you spend some time communing with nature and try to find the inner self you decided to bury back before you decided it would be a good idea to live without a soul?”
He’s quiet for a long moment.
“You think I’m soulless?”
The small question is like an icy blast through me, but I force myself not to back down, not to apologise.
I shrug. “Why does it matter what I think?”
Dakota frowns. “I don’t know, but it does.”
He turns on his heel, shoving his fingers into his pocket, and walks away from me, leaving me feeling distinctly uneasy, like I’ve said something mean.
Meg slides up beside me. “Shall we shank them all and bury the bodies?”
I snort a laugh. “You know Desi would rat us out in two minutes; you just need to say ‘lie’ around him, and he starts sweating.”
“Hoes before bros,” Meg sings.
“That hurts, Megzy,” Desi calls out. “Really hurts. What happens to all the vows of undying love you gave me?”
Meg blows Desi a kiss. “Sorry, babe, but I loved her first.”
Desi flicks his middle finger up at her and continues clearing the area of rocks and sticks.
“Ready to do this?”
Meg holds out her fist. “Loser gets the water.”
I roll my eyes. “Best of three.”
She bounces on her toes and leans forward. Rock, paper, scissors is a terribly unfair game, but I’ll beat her one day. It probably won’t be today.
“Ready, set!”
I keep my fist closed, and she slaps an open palm on my fist.
“One to me!” she purrs and flutters her lashes at me.
“Again,” I snap.
This time, I go paper, she goes scissors and pretends to cut my hand. Her laughter drives me crazy, and I want to tackle her until it stops, but she’s Meg, and I love her.
I still love her, even if I do have to get water.
I scowl at her. “How do you always beat me?”
“You’ve got a tell.”
“Oh?”
“Your eyes flick left if you are going rock, and you look at your fist for scissors.”
“Bullshit.”
“I shit you not, my first love. Now, hurry to the river and bring me back some water.”
“Bitch.”
She smacks me hard on the ass. “Get moving, gorgeous, I like to see you walk away.”
I turn, swaying my hips and blow a kiss to her, which she catches and pretends to swoon.
“You seven, follow our glorious leader down to the river and bring back water. Everyone else, come with me; we’re on fire patrol,” Meg barks out, all no-nonsense again.
The seven she’s just pointed out happen to have my four alphas in the group, plus Rojer, Nathan, and Kevin. I roll my eyes and promise that I will interrupt the next sexscapade she and Desi think they are going to get away with. Cock Block, my name is.
“Grab the big water bottles.” I grab two ten-litre water bottles and indicate a fairly hidden path. You’d need to know it was there in order to find it. “This way, little donkeys.”
“Is it far?” Kevin asks.
“About twenty minutes, but tomorrow, we won’t get to another water source until late afternoon, so in order for everyone to make it safely, we need to get the water back up to camp so everyone can fill their drink bottles.”
I stumble, and someone catches me, hauling me back up on my feet.
When I look up, I find myself staring into Rory’s incredible green gaze.
Where my eyes are light, his are like emeralds.
He is so annoyingly pretty. I can’t catch his scent, even as I inhale, trying despite myself. It leaves me feeling somewhat bereft.
“Uh, thanks.”
“Watch where you’re going.” He snaps the words with a scowl and suddenly snatches his hand off me.
My cheeks burn, but I turn back to the path and focus on the way down, ignoring the men muttering behind me. I’m not going to have teeth if I keep grinding them every time they annoy me.
But twenty minutes later, I feel my tension leave me, and I look down on the incredible sight of the Hyde River with its violent rushing water and those bright blue depths.
“All right, I’ll bite,” Cyn says with a wide-eyed look at me. “How do we get the water?”
I grin widely. “You jump.”
And then I laugh at the horror on all their faces. These alphas are just children out here in my playground. I turn and grab hold of the branch and swing my way down to the ledge below; the water rushing just inches from my shoes.
I love the thrill. I love the danger.
That’s why I do this job.