Page 101 of Knot Their Soldier: Part Three

Halley’s mouth actually falls open at his command, but it's more begrudging than in compliance.

Blaze's pupils expand, and he shivers from head to toe. "Oh yeah, that's the stuff."

"You're being fucking weird, cut it out," I say, but I know any order I give will make no difference. Blaze is going to do whatever Blaze wants.

Halley finishes chewing and wrinkles her nose at Blaze. "This seriously cannot be that interesting."

Blaze’s eyes go wide with offended devotion. "Halley Sparks. My Omega. My mate. The love of my life. The center of my universe. I have wanted to feed you since the moment I met you, how have you not noticed?"

I snort. We've all noticed his fixation. He has not been subtle.

Halley’s eyes narrow. "Let me eat my own bacon."

Blaze mirrors her expression, face set with ridiculous determination. "Nope."

Halley turns her head slightly, looking past him as if searching for a reasonable adult in the room. Her gaze lands on me in the doorway, and her lips twitch, like she’s trying not to laugh.

'Help.' I hear her voice in my head clear as a bell. Our bond resonates as though it's been plucked, and I rub my hand over my chest, unused to the feeling of such connection.

Our bond didn't form exactly as I thought it would. The others made the bond forming between Halley and themselves seem so profound and soul-shattering.

And it is, in a way. It has certainly changed my life irreparably.

But it's also similar to the bond I have with the rest of the Pack. I haven't discussed it with Shade yet, but I'm sure he will theorize that it's because I'm a Prime Alpha and it's always been my role to be connected to every member of my squad. Or maybe because Halley and I were already bonded in other ways. It just felt like a small shift. A click of the last puzzle piece slotting into place. A sense of rightness and completion.

I raise my brows. 'You’re on your own, princess.'

Hearing her in my head and being able to share our own private conversations is certainly a plus.

Slipping into the chair next to Shade, Viper hands me my plate. I dig in while the food is still piping hot, unlike some fools.

Halley turns back to Blaze and rests her elbow on the table, adopting an expression of a patient, long-suffering lover. "Blaze."

He leans in, eager. "Yes."

"I appreciate your intense, and frankly alarming commitment to me consuming protein," she says slowly.

His eyes soften. "Yes, good. That is my sweet spot. Intense and alarming."

"But," she continues, tapping her fork against her plate, "if you try to feed me like I’m a toddler one more time, I will bite you."

Blaze's grin widens, delighted. "Oh, fuck yes. Please. I need an excuse to put another bite on you."

Shade makes a quiet noise that might be a laugh disguised as a cough.

Viper mutters, "For the love of—"

Halley’s cheeks flush, and I can almost hear her thoughts through our bond. She's thinking about the fresh mating bites decorating her shoulders. It's such a strange thing to be so connected to someone I can feel the slightest shift in their emotions.

Blaze should realize he's out of his depth. If there is one thing I know about our Omega, it's that once she puts her mind to something, she will fight with everything she has to achieve it. He's forgetting that he's wagering against the first-ever Omega soldier. Something everyone, including me, thought was impossible.

"Blaze, move your fork," she says with a firm set of her jaw.

"No," he says, cheerfully defiant. "Open."

Halley lifts her chin. "I will not."

Blaze’s gaze flicks to her mouth, to her eyes, then back to her mouth with relentless determination. I can see that he's chasing an instinct. It's not a compulsion that I share, but I can recognize it for what it is. Sometimes my Alpha has a primal urge that I cannot shake.