Page 30 of Alpha Awakened

“Whether it does or not, I’m sure Thomas will be grateful he doesn’t have to deal with them anymore.”

“Mmmm.”

They walked the rest of the way in silence. In the barracks, Ice went straight to his bedroom door. Hazard called out to him before he could disappear inside.

“Have a drink with me?”

Ice paused, one hand on the doorknob. “I thought you were tired.”

“Got enough energy for one more drink. Besides, easy enough to walk a few steps and fall into bed when we’re done.”

At that, Ice snapped fully around to face the corporal. Had Hazard propositioned his superior? “Excuse me?”

Hazard’s brows drew together in a confused frown before he laughed.

“Fall into my own bed alone, Captain,” Hazard clarified still smiling. “Get your mind out of the gutter.”

Ice felt silly at his incorrect assumption of Hazard’s meaning. But since there was nothing suggestive about the invitation, he agreed to stay out with him. “One drink.”

“One drink coming right up,” Hazard said on his way to the kitchen. “Hope you like rum and coke. Because other than popping the top off a beer, that’s all I know how to make.”

He went over to join Hazard in the kitchen. “Rum and coke is fine.” It was actually a little too sweet for his taste, but he could deal if that’s what Hazard was making.

Once they had their drinks, they took them and went to sit on the couch. The common area was lit only by the light that spilled over from the kitchen as they hadn’t turned on the front room lights when they first came in. At first they sat there quietly, slowly sipping their drinks. Naturally, Hazard spoke first. He drew one leg up to sit sideways and face Ice.

“Did I thank you for saving my life?”

Ice turned his head to look at his squadmate. He nodded. “You did. But it wasn’t necessary. It’s my job as your teammate and superior to protect you and make sure you make it back under your own power.”

Hazard smiled, his eyes soft in the low light. “I think I like that. You protecting me.” He raised the hand holding his glass to point at Ice with his forefinger. “And before you say I shouldn’t have this job if I can’t look after myself, I damn well can. But I like having you as a partner.”

“You can’t tell that already. You’ve barely been here two months.”

“Hmmm. True. I just have this sense that you and I are going to make a great team.”

Hazard raised his glass again, this time indicating that he wanted a toast. After a moment, Ice obliged him and clinked their glasses together, before taking a sip of the rum and coke.

“Another one?” Hazard asked.

Ice looked down at his glass. It was empty save for a couple of melting ice cubes. He’d planned to have one drink to be polite and then go to bed. But he found that he liked sitting here in the quiet, dim common room, talking with Hazard. He held the glass out for Hazard to take. “Yes, I’ll have another.”

The pleased smile he received from Hazard made something light andniceshift in his chest.

“Good. I’ll be right back.”

Ice waited on the couch as Hazard returned to the kitchen to pour them a second round.

“So, tell me. What’s your sign?” Hazard asked when he returned and flopped back down on the couch.

Ice accepted the drink he handed him. “I’m a Virgo.”

Hazard impatiently waved a hand. “Not that human shit. What’s your wolf sign?”

“I don’t know.”

Hazard’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “How is it possible that you don’t know your wolf sign? Wolf pups grow up with their pack telling them how much like their sign they are.”

“I wasn’t raised by wolves,” he stated matter-of-factly. “I grew up in a military boarding school with humans.”