Page 167 of Alpha Awakened

“Great. I’ll have my aide call you with arrangements.”

Ice rose from his chair. He saluted the general and made his exit. After three days apart, he was eager to get back to his mate.

Chapter 64

Ice returned to the barracks after his meeting with Walsh to find the rest of the pack already there. They all smelled of happiness and relief, which helped to take his mind off the slight unease he’d had when talking to his mentor. Whatever was bothering the major general, it was no concern of his.

He went over to sit on the couch next to Hazard. His mate smiled at him and scooted over so that they sat touching from shoulder to knee.

“Now that two of our members are out of the brig, we can finally celebrate our win over Cortez,” Ortiz said from her spot in the arm chair.

Jax came out of the kitchen with a glass of Coke and a bowl of chips. “What do you suggest, Major?”

Ortiz sighed. “I’m mentally exhausted. You underlings think of something to make up for abandoning me to that hours long debriefing on my own.”

“How about a campfire in the woods tonight?” Hazard suggested. “We can have some beers, roast hot dogs, and relax.”

“I like that idea,” Ice said.

Ortiz nodded. “It’s a good one.”

Hazard pushed up from his seat. “Ice and I will go and get the food and drinks. Consider it our thanks for helping to get us out of that mess.” He turned to look down at Ice. “Is that okay?”

“Yep. As long as you let me pick out the beer.”

* * *

Later that evening, the team piled into Ortiz’s Range Rover and headed up to the woods. They found a spot where other people had previously had camp fires, leaving behind a dug-out fire pit that they could use. Jax and Ice built the fire while Hazard and Ortiz dragged over a few logs to sit on.

Once the fire was going and the hot dogs roasting, they got their beers from the cooler and took their seats. Ice sat on one of the logs. Hazard spread a blanket on the ground in front of him. He sat down on the blanket and leaned back, happily ensconced between the warmth of his mate’s thighs.

It was a wonderful night. Peaceful. The orange flames of the camp fire lit their little section of the world and warded off the chill of the Oklahoma late autumn air. Hazard breathed in, inhaling the smells of the forest and the scents of his packmates. He ate a hot dog that Ice prepared for him, perfectly blackened on the outside, piping hot on the inside and dressed with nothing but a squiggle of ketchup.

After he ate the fourth hot dog Ice passed him, his stomach was pleasantly full. Ice dropped a hand on his shoulder, giving it a squeeze to get his attention. Hazard tilted his head back to look at him.

“What’s up?”

Ice was quiet for a moment. “I think it’s time.”

Without being told, Hazard knew exactly what he meant. “As long as you’re ready. No one expects you to do it if you don’t want to.”

Ice leaned down and dropped a kiss on his forehead. “I want to.”

They both straightened to their original positions. Ice held out his beer for Hazard to take. And then, he pulled the balaclava off.

There was a moment of shocked silence. The sounds of nature filled the gap — a log popped in the fire and an owl hooted somewhere off in the trees.

Jax was the first to speak.

“Wow.”

“Wasn’t expecting that,” Ortiz said.

“Felt like it was time,” Ice said with a shrug.

“It truly is nice to see your face, Captain,” Jax said sincerely.

“Yeah, it is,” Ortiz agreed.