Page 159 of Alpha Awakened
Hazard’s Instinct glowed with happiness. They hadn’t gone on a single date. He’d only received one courting gift. But as far as he was concerned, walking through the forest hand in hand with his mate after winning a hard-fought battle was a thousand times better than any courtship ritual.
Chapter 61
After the battle, the 448 returned to base. They turned Cortez over for interrogation and imprisonment. Afterward, they visited medical to have their wounds patched up. Went back to their barracks. Ate. Showered. As the one in charge, Ortiz had to deal with being pulled into meetings. The others felt bad for their leader, but glad they were able to stay behind in the barracks and rest.
Hazard was on the couch, his feet up in Ice’s lap. He was exhausted, but in that wired stage where he was still too keyed up to sleep. Ice sat with his head resting on the wall behind the couch, eyelids at half mast, a hand absently rubbing Hazard’s calf. Jax lounged in the armchair, wearing a tank top to keep from aggravating the wound on his arm with long sleeves.
Hazard made a mental note to change the bandage on his friend’s gunshot wound soon. They were watching TV, lazily offering letters for the Wheel of Fortune word puzzle when someone loudly knocked at the door.
“I swear if that’s somebody with another mission for us I’m going AWOL,” Hazard tiredly grumbled.
Jax got up to answer the door. Hazard twisted around to look and see who was there. A trio of soldiers from the military police stood outside their barracks. What the hell were they doing here?
“Please step aside, Corporal Jackson,” the one in front said.
A confused frown creasing his brow, Jax stepped aside as ordered. All three of the MPs came in.
“Captain Anderson and Corporal Mitchell.”
Hazard swung his feet to the floor and stood. Ice stood as well.
“You’ll both need to come with us. Please get dressed in your uniforms.”
“Why?” Hazard asked.
“You’re being taken into Legion custody.”
Hazard’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “For what?”
“Fraternization.”
“Are you fucking serious?” Jax exclaimed.
“We are,” the MP answered Jax without turning around. “Soldiers, please get dressed.”
Hazard looked at Ice. Ice nodded.
Still shocked, Hazard went into his room. He quickly changed out of his sweats and into his uniform and boots. He and Ice returned to the common area at the same time.
“I’ll let the captain know what’s going on,” Jax said.
Hazard could only nod. He and Ice were escorted from the barracks, one MP in front of them, the other two behind. They trekked across the base to the cluster of buildings behind HQ. The MPs marched them up to a small one-story building. The brig.
“What’s going to happen?” Hazard asked after they were processed in.
“You’ll both be brought before a judge’s panel. There will be a trial and the consequences will be decided there.”
This was serious. His heart lodged in his throat, Hazard turned to Ice. “I’m sorry. This is my fault. If I had never —.”
Ice shook his head, cutting him off. “No. This is not your fault. It’s no one’s fault.” He reached up to cup Hazard’s jaw. “We were inevitable,” he whispered.
“Let’s go, Captain.” One of the MPs gripped Ice’s arm and pulled him away.
“You too, Corporal.”
Another MP took hold of Hazard. The MPs started to pull them in opposite directions. Hazard looked back over his shoulder as he was led away. Ice did the same.
“I’ll handle it,” Ice said before he disappeared around a corner.