Page 80 of Knot Their Soldier: Part Three

The tips of Shade's ears go pink, and I mentally high-five myself. I've made it my duty to call our Beta out whenever his inferiority complex shows. I won't let him go on thinking Alphas mean more in this Pack than him. He's our glue and we all fucking know it. Just gotta get his big, fat brain to clue in too.

"Tell me more," I beg Halley, sitting back on my heels, bouncing.

It's all so exciting. Not only are we an official Pack now, but we get to have the most epic sex of our lives to do it!

"The craving, the need, it's so much," she says, eyes widening and her expression darkening. "It feels like it'll swallow me whole if I don't have one of you to hold on to."

I lean forward and wink at her. "Good thing you won't ever be alone. We've got you, Sparkles."

She smiles at me and settles back down in Shade's embrace, closing her eyes to rest.

"Damn. Prime Alpha really did a number on her, didn't he?"

Shade hums in agreement. "We'll let her rest for a bit. Judging by how fast her skin is warming, I don't think it'll be long before the next wave hits. You ready?"

I clap my hands together and rub them, waggling my eyebrows at him. "I was born ready for this. How about you? You ready for your world to be rocked, Omega heat style?"

Shade purses his lips. "Mmm, think I'll leave that up to you lot. I'll be here in a supporting role."

My smile drops, excitement wavering.

I want to slap him up the side of the head.

So I do.

"Ow! Fuck, why is everyone hitting me today?" he asks, rubbing the back of his head.

"You aren't getting out of heat duty just cause you don't have a knot, idiot," I say, reaching over to slap him again.

He bats my hand away, frowning. "Oi, would you cut it out? You're being a brat."

I sigh and extend my hand. "Hi, I'm Blaise. Nice to meet you. Always have been and always will be a brat, just ask my Daddy."

He doesn't shake my hand, and I pout, pulling it back to my chest.

Shade sighs, still rubbing his head. "I don't know why you're hitting me — I'm stating facts. Halley is in heat. She needs knots to control her symptoms. I don't have a knot. Therefore, I am not critical personnel. I'll take watch when Viper gets back."

A small arm whips between us and slaps the back of Shade's head, exactly where I did.

"Ah!" he cries out, deflecting Halley's hand as it swings for another hit. "Why is everyone choosing violence?"

"Cause you're being an idiot and idiots get slapped," Halley says, one eye cracked open, and a hint of a smile tugging at the corner of her lips.

"That's right, Sparkles. Idiots get slapped," I crow, smirking.

"Great, now there are two brats in this nest." Shade exhales heavily through his nose and looks to the ceiling like he can find his sanity up there. It's no use; I already checked for mine there and came back empty-handed.

Halley sits up on her elbows. She has the expression she sometimes gets when she's hungry, which I know means we have to feed her immediately, or we will be graced with a pocket-sized megalomaniac.

"What are you going to do about it then, Daddy?" she says teasingly.

Ah, that's not hunger for food. It's the kind of hunger only Shade can satisfy.

I start bouncing on my heels again, eyes flitting between Shade and Halley.

Shade looks hesitant, like he's worried playing around during her heat crosses some kind of boundary, but Halley licks her lips and his eyes lock onto her pink tongue, tracking its movement. I see the moment he breaks. His eyes lower to half-mast and go flinty with determination.

"Do you want to play, little girl?" he drawls, running his finger over her wet lips, plucking at her lower lip idly. "Think you can handle it while in heat?"