Page 218 of Knot Their Soldier: Part Three

Shade takes the empty canteen from me and clips it back onto his belt. "Headache?"

I blink, awareness pulling to the pinch behind my eyes. My Beta knows me better than I know myself sometimes. If we didn't have a bond, I'd accuse him of witchcraft.

"A little. It's not bad, though."

"Dizzy?" he asks, gaze raking over my form, checking for injury or hints of pain, and I'm struck by a wave of love for Shade. He always puts everyone else before himself.

"Only when Blaze talks."

"Oi!" Blaze says.

We reach the end of the courtyard right in front of the entrance to the fortress and pause. Our mission might be complete, but our day is not done yet. In the month since the battle, we've filled our schedules with responsibilities that can't be set aside.

"You’re with Viper," Knox says, looking between us.

It isn’t a question, but it also isn’t a command. Okay, yes, he can still be demanding and controlling at times, but he leads us with love and compassion first, always.

Viper nods curtly. "I’ve got her."

Blaze wiggles his fingers at me as he starts backing away with Shade. "Try not to develop any new weird Omega magic while you're gone, Sparkles."

"I make no promises."

"That’s my girl," he says, grinning.

Shade catches the back of Blaze’s shirt and hauls him bodily down the left-hand corridor toward the comms office before he can say anything explicit where anyone could hear him. It's happened before, much to the alarm of one of the young Alpha soldiers. He still can't look directly at me without blushing vividly, and it makes Blaze cackle wildly every time.

Knox lingers for one more beat. "Please get checked over by Everlyn while you're there." He turns to Viper and adds, "And make sure she eats afterward."

"Yes, sir," I say softly, blinking up at him innocently, biting my lower lip.

His eyes darken. "Don’t call me that unless you're willing to pay for it later."

I just smile sweetly.

"Brat," he growls, then turns and follows the others, leaving me in the quieter corridor with Viper.

I let out a slow breath and smile. "I love them."

Viper steps in close, his mouth curving. "That's a surprise?"

"It’s more an ongoing, chronic condition. It's terminal."

His gaze moves over my face, checking what the others already checked. "Can you walk with such an ailing condition?"

"Piggyback?" I ask, only half-joking, referring to my earlier conversation with Blaze. I am really exhausted, but so is Viper.

I should've known better than to joke, because he drops to his knee and gestures to his back without hesitation. Sometimes, I feel like a proper spoiled princess.

"Go on then, climb aboard. But I hope you know that if Blaze finds out about this, I'm gonna get shanked in the middle of the night."

I settle on his back, wrapping my arms around his neck, and plant a kiss on his neck. "Yep. Good luck."

He huffs in amusement as he scoops his hands under my thighs, stands, gives a small hop to adjust me, and heads for the infirmary.

Viper carries me through the corridors, and I rest my chin on his shoulder and enjoy every second of it. He turns his head enough to glance at me through his peripheral vision. "You sure you're up for this? We can come next week."

I know what he’s really asking. Are you too tired? Is this going to cost you more than you’re saying?