Page 12 of Alpha Awakened

On the heels of his final thoughts on Mitchell, footsteps approached his table. Assuming they’d pass him by, Ice didn’t bother to look up from his food. But the footsteps stopped beside him and a shadow fell over his tray. He raised his head to see Mitchell standing there.

“What?” he asked, not caring that annoyance was clear in his tone.

“You are a ball of sunshine, aren’t you?”

To his surprise, Mitchell sat down across from him. The man was either bold as hell or plain, fucking stupid to not only join an officer uninvited but to talk to one he barely knew so casually.

“What do you want?”

“I wanted to apologize for our first meeting.”

Ice crossed his arms over his chest. “Why bother? You haven’t changed your insubordinate behavior.”

Mitchell met his gaze and smiled. Those jade green eyes of his sparkled with the expression.

“I like to think of it less as insubordination and more as being... relaxed.”

Ice silently glared at the omega, unamused and unimpressed.

“Fine.” Mitchell dropped the smile and sighed. “I was hoping we could have a fresh start since we’re partners now.”

“I prefer working alone.”

“Yeah. I kind of figured that. But wearegoing to be working together for the foreseeable future.” He propped his elbows on the table and leaned forward. “And I bet eventually you’ll grow to like me.”

Ice took a final swallow of his water before he stood and picked up his tray. “Don’t count on it,” he said gruffly. He walked off, leaving his uninvited lunch guest there on his own.

Chapter 5

Hazard had been at Fort Grove for a week. It was an adjustment, getting used to a new base. He spent time learning where everything was, determining which gyms were least likely to be crowded when he liked to work out, and introduced himself around, getting to know names and faces.

The 448 obviously had a high level of respect among the soldiers and officers stationed there. Whenever he revealed that he was the newest member of the squad, he was met with wide eyes or an impressed nod. He was often asked questions about the members. Most wanted to know if Ortiz was cool to work under and if Jax was all serious all the time. She was and he wasn’t. Questions about Ice were asked in hushed tones, as if they were afraid he’d pop out like the Boogey Man and get them for even saying his name. Hazard mostly answered the questions honestly, but sometimes he shamelessly added a little spice to enhance the reputation of the 448.

No one had been disdainful of him, an omega, making the team. Until now. A young human soldier stood in front of him. He had dark hair cut into a severe high and tight and a sneer curled up one side of his thin lips. He was bigger than Hazard. He’d used his size to block his path and was now aggressively crowding into his personal space. A bully born and bred.

The soldier’s attempt at physical intimidation didn’t bother Hazard at all. He could lay him flat without even causing anincrease in his heart rate. It was the disrespectful words coming out of the bully’s mouth that pissed Hazard off.

“You’re an omega right? I can guess why those 448 alphas wanted you added to the team.”

Hazard narrowed his eyes, ready to light into this nasty little fucker and set him straight. However, before he could respond, Jax arrived on the scene. He stepped up to Hazard’s side and crossed his arms over his chest. The short sleeves of his T-shirt pulled tight on his muscular biceps and the sun gleamed on the oiled mahogany brown of his skin. Jax had several inches in height on the other soldier and he was definitely more built. Suddenly, the bully didn’t look so sure of himself.

“I must need to get my hearing checked because I know I didn’t hear you insinuating that I need the brass to supply me with bedmates. You think I can’t pull my own?” Jax asked as if he were in complete disbelief.

A ruddy flush crawled up the soldier’s thick neck and stained his cheeks red.

“Of course not!”

“Then what are you suggesting?”

“It’s just... I’ve heard that omegas —.” He stopped, nervously licked his lips and tried again. “That with you shifters, they’re uh... That omegas are soft.” He finished in a rush, obviously trying for the least offensive way to say what he was thinking. That omegas were for sex.

“Does he look soft to you?”

The soldier flicked his gaze over Hazard once before looking back at Jax.

“No.”

“Because he’s not. I’ve watched this omega crush on the bench press, run the bone breaker obstacle course in under five, and hit a near perfect score on the eagle’s eye shooting range. And even if he wassoft, in the way that I know you fucking meanit, it wouldn’t matter because he’s an expert at doing the job he was brought in to do. And that is the only reason he’s on the 448. Is that clear, soldier?”