Page 162 of Knot Their Soldier: Part Three

"Hi, Blaze," I respond, and he bites his lip, eyes raking over my helmet, armor, and face. It's sweet, he's making sure I'm all right despite the fact that I haven't set foot in the battle yet.

"Did I ever tell you how fucking hard you make me when you wear combat gear?" He bites his lip and makes an obscene grunting sound. "'Cause, damn girl, you look good."

I choke on my spit. Okay, nope. The degenerate is shamelessly checking me out.

Viper smacks Blaze's arm. "Dude, really not the time to be hitting on her."

My mouth twitches and I press my hand against my lips to smother a giggle.

Blaze just grins, cocking his head to the side as he adjusts himself in his trousers. "I've definitely had a wet dream featuring you dressed like a fucking warrior princess, holding a rifle, and bent over—"

He cuts off with a squeak as Shade reaches down, grabs his crotch, and squeezes. "And that's enough out of you."

Blaze yelps and dashes out of Shade's reach.

I can't keep the giggle from bursting from me this time, but it's quickly drowned out by gunfire cracking from down the road.

The moment is over, and reality slams back in. We're in the middle of a war zone, and there is no room for laughter or banter with my mates.

The dust from the collapsed Pass still hangs in the air in a dirty veil, but through it I can make out movement. Human soldiers climbing over rubble and bodies, scrambling to get back into position faster.

They don't look shaken or fearful, as I'd hoped. They look angry and determined.

My skin erupts in goosebumps as I suddenly feel cold under my armor.

It's as if all the newfound confidence I've had since my resurrection has abandoned me, and I'm suddenly acutely aware of how exposed and vulnerable I am. Omegas aren't meant for violence or war, it's not in my biology, and the primal part of me wants to run away and burrow under my nest.

I'm scared. Bone-deep frightened, but there's nothing I can do but endure it. I'm here for a purpose, and I won't allow fear to sway me.

A Human officer strides through the mess below, shoving his men into line with the butt of his rifle, before raising his arm and pointing straight at our position.

My gaze tracks our troops again. The bloodied soldiers hauling themselves up off the ground, preparing themselves for the next round of fighting.

Somebody farther down the barricade shouts for more ammo as they reload the belt-fed heavy machine gun mounted on a tripod. The gun fires huge rounds, kicks like a monster, and needs a full crew of support Beta soldiers to manage it. I was impressed as I watched it tear through lines of enemy soldiers from up on the fortress wall, but down here it's imposing.

The medics are dragging wounded Alphas with missing limbs back by their webbing because there is no time for anything gentler if they want to stop the bleeding in time.

Every minute we hold this road, it will cost something. Someone.

They might not defeat us on the next push, or even the one after that, but eventually their numbers will win where our strength cannot. They will keep throwing bodies at us until our dead outnumber theirs, and then they will climb over both.

My stomach tightens.

This is what Knox, Shade, Blaze, and Viper know. They spent months being pushed back all the way across Fathim, retreating again and again. Until now, when there is nowhere else to retreat to and no allies to come save us.

We're all that is left.

This is where the last stand of the Demi-humans is going to happen. Right here, on this small, dusty road.

A strange certainty slides into me.

I cannot say how I know, but it suddenly feels so obvious.

This is the moment.

The one that I've been preparing for since I met the Pack and began training to become a soldier.

No, it was earlier than that. I've been set on a course to lead me here from the moment I chose to escape my father and The Capital, and took refuge in Barkrood Base.