Page 135 of Knot Their Soldier: Part Three

"Well," I say, letting my hand settle firmly at her waist, "you are my princess, and princesses belong in towers."

A laugh slips free, so unexpectedly sweet it cracks straight through the stress sitting densely in my chest.

I stare at her, a little stunned every time this happens. I am not the Alpha who makes people laugh. I never have been. That has always belonged to Blaze, or Shade with his dry wit, but Halley laughs for me these days, and I swear it feels better than that first cup of coffee in the morning.

I sigh and pull her into my chest, wrapping my free arm around her and holding her close.

"Is it any wonder I want to keep you safe now that you’ve got my bite on your pretty neck?"

Her arms slide around my waist, holding me back. "Mmm. Sure. And before your bite, I was just some random woman to you?"

She pokes my side.

I grunt like she’s actually wounded me. "Exactly. Barely noticed you. Certainly didn’t think about you constantly or lose sleep over you."

Her head tips back so she can stare up at me. "Lose sleep?"

I lower my mouth to her ear. "Princess, this body has been tormenting me for months."

My hand slides down to cup her ass, squeezing hard and earning a sharp little inhale. I groan against her skin, filthy on purpose.

She shivers as a sweet spike of her arousal cuts through the air between us again, and satisfaction flashes hot in my chest.

She sighs and suspicion creeps in under the heat in her eyes.

"Don’t think I don’t know what you’re doing, Prime Alpha."

I drag my thumb over the curve of her plump bottom and give her my most innocent look. "Can’t an Alpha appreciate his Omega’s ass?"

"He can," she says, but her fingers close around my wrist before I can touch her again.

The playful warmth lingers in her eyes, then fades as she pulls my hand away from her body.

"Just not when he’s clearly using it to avoid a conversation."

My amusement dies with hers, and I step back, putting space between us. "I’m not avoiding anything."

"No?" Her chin tips up, frustration entering her voice. "You’re scared, and you don’t know what to do next. That’s it, isn’t it?"

I say nothing.

She has her answer.

Halley folds her arms over her chest, watching me too closely. "You think I don’t know how bad this is? I’ve seen Shade’s numbers. I’ve sat in those meetings with you and the other Prime Alphas. Tell me the truth. What has you so rattled, Knox?"

A bitter laugh rips from me as I rub at the scar over my nose.

"You want the truth, Princess?" I ask. "Fine. Here it is. Your Omega Command is the one advantage we have left, and I hate that it’s come to that."

Her face shifts, surprise cutting through the heat.

I let out a short, humorless breath. "I took this position because I thought being in charge would mean I could keep you safe and away from the fighting."

"Knox."

"I told myself I could out-think this. Build something smarter than what Stone came up with. That my strategy would be cleaner." I reach up, aiming to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear, needing the contact, but stop myself before I touch her while I'm so riled up, in case I hurt her. "Instead, I spend my days deciding which soldiers will die first, and knowing the woman I love is going to end up in the middle of it."

Her eyes soften, but I keep going.