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“Fuck, are they gonna…?” Slade asked, just as Hawk struck.
Is this what it looked like when we did it? I wondered as light exploded. Jack sobbed for real now, clawing at Hawk’s back as the other man sank his fangs into his neck. Blood and venom, looking for all the world like liquid light, trickled from the marking site. The tattoos on their chests glowed brighter and brighter, then the beasts appeared to spring free, standing over the two mating men for a moment before the bigger darker one nodded to the other, launching into a sprint.
The door flap of the tent was flipped open before I could track where they went, and Aaron stepped in, his commanding façade slipping when he saw what was happening. I had a front-row se
at with which to watch his reaction—of surprise, shifting to envy, then softening into the same gentle expression I often saw him sport when we were alone. He nodded, smiling a little.
“Finish up,” he half-whispered to me, “then meet me out by the fire.”
2
We emerged from the tent a bit like disaster survivors, though this time with grins on our faces.
“You did it,” Jack said, his hand straying to his mate mark.
“Yeah.” Hawk wrapped his arm around his mate’s shoulders.
“We always said…”
“You were dragging your fucking feet, Jack. You were never going to get around to it.”
“I was.” Jack shook his head, eyes trained sightlessly on the ground. “I had this whole big gesture thing planned for when we got home.”
Hawk tipped Jack’s chin up and then kissed him, slow and sweet.
“I’m sick of waiting, Jack. I told you that. You’re mine, I’m yours. There’s no going back, no need for grand gestures. You’re my mate, so deal with it.”
“Stop it. All this dominant shit is turning me on.” Jack was smirking, but we could all see the evidence that what he said was true. He forced his eyes away from his mate and then said, “Don’t think this means you’re the top now. I’m all for equal opportunity arse fucking.”
“Fucking Jack,” Slade said with a shake of his head, then steered me towards the fire.
“Fucking Jack, indeed,” Hawk said, with quite a different inflection.
“Congratulations,” Aaron said, getting up from the log he’d been sitting on by the fire. For a moment, he just sat with that, a warmth radiating from his eyes as he regarded the two men. He seemed to bring himself back to being the commanding officer with some effort. “I’ve gotta be honest, I’d hoped this would happen. If we’re going to get through this, I need to know what we’re dealing with, and a cohesive team makes it that much easier.” His eyes flicked to me. “Not saying people should be forcing bonds or anything, just if it’s on the table, here’s probably the safest place to resolve them.”
“Those that should be bonded, should do so before we reach Leifgart.” I felt everyone but Aaron stiffen at the appearance of Sylvan. “There is a power to your bonds that others don’t have. Strengthening them consolidates your position.”
“Something you and I need to have a conversation about later,” Aaron said with a quirk of his eyebrow. “From what I’ve been able to glean, seers don’t share a lot of intel for fear of changing the outcome. That shit needs to stop. I…we need as much information as we can to get through this. We’re in a whole other dimension. Initial reports from the scouts say there’s plenty of wildlife here that poses a potential threat, and at least some of the sentients appear to be allied with the hostiles.”
“I’ll do my best,” Sylvan said, though I’m not sure if any of us were convinced. Sylvan always looked like the cat that got the cream, so I didn’t think I’d know his sincere expression, even if he was.
Aaron nodded but didn’t look pleased. “Jack and Hawk, both of you can use guns competently, so you’ll be in the back of one of the tactical vehicles. Don’t go taking potshots, I have no idea how much ammunition has been stored in the caches. Take your directions from the guys I put with you.” He turned to Slade and me. “Slade, you’ll be on bodyguard duty. You can shoot, fight, and you’re the one I’m the most confident can look after Jules.”
“What about Finn?” he replied.
“Yes, what about Finn?” the man himself said, arriving at the fire site and standing there, looking pissed off. “You’re resisting pushing forward with the mission, and now you’re taking me away from Jules?”
Finn had maintained his optimistic façade until it looked like we’d be staying at the mining camp for a few days. The soldiers needed to secure the gate as best they could. It wasn’t just the Volken who liked to try to get through. Aaron was also cautious, not wanting to rush in, something I think Finn had been banking on. With every day we delayed, his mood got worse.
“No one’s taking you anywhere,” Aaron said with a shake of his head.
“Then why? Answer me that.”
“Which part?” Aaron said with a shrug. “The moving forward part, or the Jules part? Or the part where you’re torn up with anger and guilt and wanting to rush in where angels fear to tread to try and absolve that?” I blinked, staring at Aaron for a moment. There were whole other sides to the guys, that I knew. It’d taken me ages to see into Jack, and I’d never suspected Brandon even had a secret, let alone what it was, so I guess seeing another side to Aaron wasn’t unexpected.
“It occurs to me that observing your command is pretty much a courtesy,” Finn said, that alpha whip creeping into his voice. We all sat up straighter, and the hairs on the back of my neck began to stand up. “I could take control of this mission and damn the bloody detours and delays.”
“But you won’t.” Aaron didn’t move in or face-off against Finn, just stayed exactly how he was. “Not if you want to get those men out. Not if you want Jules to return to Sanctuary. You think I haven’t seen a man on a suicide mission before? Willing to throw themselves into the fray, sacrifice everything to make amends? This is not some fucking heroic mission that a bit of pluck and clear heart will get you through. This is a whole society of warriors, intent on wiping our people out. Even with modern weapons, if we’re not careful, we’re fucked. You wanna pull the alpha shit and take over? Well, I can’t stop you, but if you want to actually achieve your objectives, you’ll listen to me and my guys.”
