Page 16 of Alpha Bond
He hovers for a moment as if about to say something, then seems to think better of it.
“I’ll leave your meds here.” He drops the bag on the lone table. “I have to make a report to my commander, so you’ll have a couple of hours of privacy. You can clean up in there.” He points toward an open door to one side; I can see a small bathroom beyond it. Moving to a rack of clothing, he pulls out a pair of sweatpants and a plain black t-shirt and hands them to me. “I doubt they’ll fit, but they’re clean.”
“I… thanks,” I repeat, holding the clothing in front of me.
“Get some sleep. I’ll be back later.” He nods at the bed and then leaves the room without another word. I stare after him. In just a couple of weeks, my whole world has been turned on its head, and my only life raft is this oddly aloof male who seems determined to put distance between himself and what is clearly an available female. He’s an enigma.
Be grateful, Sierra!
At least he’s not pawing at me. Still, I wait for his footsteps to fade to silence down the hall before stepping into the cubicle and stripping quickly. A burst of icy water hits me, taking my breath away before I realize there’s a hot water faucet. It seems like the ultimate luxury to be able to scrub away the reminders of my ordeal beneath the warm stream.
I’m sure that a lifetime passes before I feel clean enough to step out, towel off and dress again. Reaching for the fabric I’ve had wrapped around my neck, I rinse it out carefully, then wring it out before winding it around my neck again. It’s damp against my skin, but at least it’s clean. With any luck, I’ll be able to explain it away as some sort of traditional garment. But now, exhaustion overwhelms me, and I find myself drawn to the narrow bed that carries his scent. A scent that’s oddly comforting, but I don’t question that now.
As I sink into the firm mattress, my mind races with questions – about Jagger, about the pack, and about what the future holds in a world that seems hell-bent on breaking me. But as sleep begins to claim me, one thought floats above all the others:
I will survive this. No matter what it takes.
Chapter 8
Jagger
I’m groggy from lack of sleep. It’s not as if this is the first time I’ve slept on the floor, but this time was different. This time, I found myself constantly trying to ignore the scent of her. Sweet, earthy. Like sunlight on wheat fields and lush, fertile soil.
Pure female.
Dear God.
There’s no mistaking the wave of raw pheromones that rolls from her. Even breathing through my mouth doesn’t help – it’s as if I can taste her. I toss and turn fitfully until, eventually, I give up. It’s barely dawn when I rise from the bedroll I’ve laid out in front of the door – partly to give myself an easy way out and partly because I’m almost anticipating someone barging in.
“Jagger?” Her voice halts me as I try to pad silently across the room to the tiny bathroom area.
I stop in my tracks and turn to face her. “You’re up. Sleep well?”
She nods and stretches her arms over her head. “Wonderfully.”
Even in the dim light, I can see how the fabric of my T-shirt moves over the full swell of her breasts.
Goddammit! Why the fuck did Titer pick me for this?
“Glad to hear it. Hungry?” I fight to keep my eyes on hers.
She nods, then looks around. “What time is it?”
“Round 4.30 a.m.”
“And we’ll get food at this hour?” She seems surprised.
“Sure. Canteen’s open 24/7.” I shrug.
Sierra pushes herself into a sitting position and swings her feet out of bed. My bed. Which is now going to be soaked in her scent. Probably forever.
Fuck.
“Why would they need to serve food all day?” Her brow furrows. When she stands, I realize that she isn’t wearing the pants that I gave her. My T-shirt hangs mid-thigh, but when she moves, I get a tantalizing glimpse of soft flesh and the curve that leads to her buttock.
I turn away sharply. “Got teams out all day. They come in hungry most times.” I push open the door to the bathroom and step into the shower cubicle. It makes my nose wrinkle – the alpha scent is faint, but it still taints the air. I turn on the faucet to hot and run the water full blast in the hopes of washing it away.
“What teams? What do they do?” Her voice comes to me from the bedroom.