Page 89 of Specter Bred

The recruits scattered, heading back toward the barracks.

"Hayes!"

My voice cut through the noise before he could disappear inside.

Maeve stopped too, glancing back over her shoulder, her eyes narrowing.

"Meet me in my office, Farm Boy," I ordered. "Now."

Maeve’s brows drew together, and I could see the conflict written plain across her face. Part of her wanted to hold on to that new detached indifference she’d been wearing lately. The other part wanted to argue with me. But Hayes lifted a hand, silently reassuring her it was fine, then turned and started toward my office.

I grabbed a folding chair from Cutter’s office and dragged it into mine for Hayes to sit on. My desk had already seen enough of Archer. Hayes sat, glancing around the room while he waited for me to explain why I’d called him in.

I let him stew long enough for the silence to turn uncomfortable. His knee started bouncing so hard I could feel the vibration through my desk. Finally, I spoke.

"I know now for certain that you’re fucking Archer, Farm Boy."

Hayes immediately started scrambling for an excuse, words tangling over each other so fast he could barely get them out.

"I—well—sir, with all due respect, I—"

I cut him off with a growl.

"I warned you about fraternization."

His knee bounced harder.

"Sir, I—uh—, I’m not technically fucking Maeve—"

I leaned forward slowly, bracing both hands on my desk and pinning him with my stare.

"You think I can’t smell her on you?" My lip curled. "And you on her."

Hayes swallowed so hard I heard it.

I pushed off the desk and stalked around it, slow enough to make him track every step.

"Listen carefully, Farm Boy," I said, my voice lowering into a threat.

"I might let some things slide, but lying to my face isn’t one of them."

"I'm pretty sure you don't let anything slide, sir," he mumbled, but I ignored him.

"So choose your next words carefully."

His whole body went rigid as I circled the desk, stopping in front of his chair. I leaned back against the edge of my desk, arms crossed over my chest, just close enough that Hayes had to tip his head back to keep eye contact.

"The truth is, Command looks the other way with fraternization more often than recruits realize," I said with a shrug. "Soldiers fuck, it happens and there's not much they can do about it. Put enough alphas in one place long enough, and instinct takes over. They rut, burn hot and need release."

I leaned forward, towering over him now, never breaking eye contact.

"Units become packs. Especially when an omega’s assigned. But even without one? Alphas fuck alphas. Alphas fuck betas. Soldiers fuck soldiers. Men. Women. Doesn’t matter."

Hayes sat stiff as a board, staring up at me like he was trying to figure out where the hell I was heading.

"As long as it doesn’t compromise the mission..." I said, my voice roughening, "as long as it doesn’t fracture the unit..."

I leaned forward off the desk just enough to invade more of his space.