Page 58 of Alpha Awakened

Ice didn’t return to the barracks after gear maintenance. Since he had his knives on him, he went to the target range. There were a few soldiers there. Ice ignored them and went to the far end to be alone. He’d practice his knife throws while he cleared his head.

He knew it was wrong that he’d kissed Hazard, both in Alaska and here today. And yet, it felt right. More fucking right than anything else had in long, long time.

Ice balanced the knife in his hand, flipped it, and threw it. It struck in the center of the target.

Unfortunately, he couldn’t go any further with Hazard. He knew, deep in his bones, that if he were to sleep with the omega he would want to do it again and again. He wouldn’t ever want to stop. And with them on the same team, plus the differences in their ranks, that couldn’t happen.

They would both suffer consequences for indulging in a sexual relationship. They could be demoted, thrown in the brig, or expelled from the Legion.

He threw another knife. His aim was slightly off and he hit the second ring. Ice cursed. Getting kicked out of the military was the last thing he wanted. The military was all he’d known since he was a kid. It was the only place he’d belonged since he’d lost his family at the young age of five years old. Not to mention his goal. He couldn’t forget about his career goal after dedicating nearly all of his life to it. He wanted to be the first shifter to make it to the rank of Brigadier General. That would never happen if he were caught fraternizing with an enlisted soldier.

Ice went still, remembering... Hearing the voices of the school yard bullies from his past telling him he would never make it. That shifters would never earn any of the star ranks. He walked down range to retrieve his knives, yanking them from the target. Those voices were wrong then and they were wrong now. Hewouldearn that star.

And Hazard. He was certain that Hazard didn’t want to damage his career either. Which meant they would have to stay apart. The few kisses they’d shared were all they could ever have of each other.

Chapter 23

Ice had rejected Hazard’s half-teasing offer to fuck their attraction out of their systems. He was disappointed of course. That kiss in Alaska had yet to leave his mind. Although he hadn’t brought the topic up again, something within him refused to walk away from the possibility of intimacy with the captain.

And it wasn’t just about fucking. He could fuck anybody. He could go off base, hit up a bar, and within an hour he’d find an alpha or beta willing to rail him through his headboard. There was somethingmorethan physical need that drew him to Ice. It demanded that he be with the gruff alpha as much as possible. Like now.

They were on the common room couch talking about nothing in particular. As their conversation went on, the distance between them grew smaller and smaller, as if an invisible force was pulling them together. Hazard, sitting sideways as he usually did, had his knee pressed to Ice’s thigh. While Ice had turned slightly to the side so that they could be face to face as they talked. If they were any closer, he’d be half in Ice’s lap.

As they talked, Hazard’s gaze drifted down to the hem of Ice’s balaclava. He was wearing a T-shirt, which left a patch of skin visible between the shirt’s collar and the hem of his balaclava. That skin was pale — a sliver of moon caught between the dark of his mask and shirt. He must have been staring for longer than he realized because Ice called his name.

“Hazard.”

That voice, rough and low, sent a tingle of pleasure down Hazard’s spine. He slowly lifted his gaze to meet the alpha’s. Those expressive, whiskey brown eyes were full of unspoken words. Hazard wanted to crawl into Ice’s lap and listen as he whispered all of the thoughts that he kept to himself. He wanted to know Ice’s mind, wanted to know more about him. “Yeah?”

“You—.”

A knock came at the front door, interrupting whatever Ice was about to say.

Biting back a curse at the piss poor timing, Hazard jumped up to answer it. A young private stood outside their barracks, holding a pale gray envelope with a dark green border in one hand.

“Hello, Corporal Mitchell. I have a message for Captain Anderson.”

Hazard held his hand out for the envelope. “I’ll get it to him.”

“Here you go, sir.”

She passed the message over, briefly bowed her head in place of a salute and left.

Hazard went over and dropped back down on the couch. He handed the envelope to Ice. “This is for you.”

“This is from Major General Walsh,” Ice said as he accepted it.

Hazard gave a low, soft whistle. “You’re pen pals with a general? Impressive.”

“It’s not like that. He’s a friend of my family but he’s very much my superior.”

“Is your family military too?”

“Yes.” Ice’s answer was clipped. He abruptly rose from the couch. “I’m going to go and read this in private.”

“Okay, then. See you later.” Hazard watched, as without another word, Ice went in his room and closed the door. Hehoped the letter wasn’t bad news about his family. Going by the abrupt change in Ice’s mood, he assumed the message probably wasn’t anything good.

* * *