Chapter 64
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The attention I am getting is unnerving. Training has become a bit of a chore now that everyone is paying close attention to my every move. The general isn’t the only one going out of his way to get my attention. All of this reminds me of when peacocks run up on females and shake out their gorgeous feathers. It’s been forever since I’ve felt this flattered.
One thing I haven’t been able to do is thank Ragnar for showing up for me. I texted him a couple of times, but I was left on read. I hope he’s okay and that I didn’t hurt him while I was in the middle of my first shift.
Just thinking about it makes me giddy. After all this time, the missing part of me has come to light, and I don’t know how to fully deal with it. I’ve noticed the insane changes. I used to be fast, but now I have to pace myself so I don’t slam into things or knock things over.
It’s happened a couple of times now. My strength is over the top. There are times when I reach for something and end up breaking it without thinking. I have to remind myself to be gentle with everything around me. Especially others.
“Wow, you look amazing in your formal uniform,” Sasha says, fixing my collar.
“So do you,” I smile and fix her tie. “How is Avian doing?”
“Very round?” she says, unsurely. We both laugh.
Avian found her mate the moment we stepped foot on base. He immediately demanded that she be removed from the ranking system and sent to his villa in town. When she told him about the arrangement she has with the other alphas of her region, he was not happy about it, but since he’s a staff sergeant and now an alpha, they’ll be transferring after today’s
ceremony.
I look down at my paperwork and look around the space I had called my home for the past two years. There wasn’t a lick of privacy. Sasha and Kennedy were bunked on either side of me, so we ended up getting very close. I’m glad that they live an hour’s drive from the palace.
Despite not having the same abilities they did, no one treated me any differently and taught me ways to keep up with them. I felt something I’ve never had before. Welcomed. Not just by the other recruits, but by everyone I came across. They didn’t see a wolfless nobody. I wasn’t even the Major General’s granddaughter. I was plain old Petty Officer Helvig, and I’m kind of falling in love with it.
My training and development skills are better than I ever expected. I knew this route would be a lot different, but I didn’t expect it to be this advanced. I am learning things that I wasn’t set to learn until four or five years into school back in
Artume.
“Heads up,” Sasha steps back. We both take our positions at the end of our cots as the General and the King come our way.
That scent from the day I woke up after shifting is back. The two of them make their way over to us. My heart begins to beat wildly in my chest. My ears burn so intensely that my eyes water as the two of them stop in front of us. My entire body is alive as if I had just finished running a marathon.
“At ease,” the General orders, and the two of us step back to bow the two of them properly.
He begins to say something, but when my eyes meet Ragnar’s, all I can focus on is the way he’s looking back at me. I stare at him, feeling both hurt and overwhelming rage. Suddenly, all of is actions leading up to this moment make a whole lot more sense.]
I believed he was being kind to me because of how close he had been with my brothers and my family. And then trauma bonding after the rejection, but this is so much more than that. The look on his face tells me that he’s known all along.
“Helvig?” The General calls me back to reality, and I have to for down the ugly taste in my mouth.
“I’m sorry, General. What was your question?” I ask as it takes everything in me to look away from the King.
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17:16 Tue, Jan 20 GDD
Chapter 64
I didn’t ask anything. I wanted to personally congratulate the two of you for your rank–ups.”
“Oh,” I smile politely. “Thank you, sir. It’s been an honor working under you.”
“You’re on a great track. Keep up the good work, Sophie. I expect good things,” he tips my chin.
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I take a step back, and I see the way Ragnar tenses up tightly. When I look up at him, his eyes are fighting that dark shade of violet they turn when I do something he doesn’t like. In my defense, I didn’t initiate this, nor have I ever allowed him to come this close. He’s never shown any interest until now that I am one of them.
“We should probably get going,” Sasha interjects. “General, a word? We can walk together.”
“Sure,” he says, and the two of them make their way to the front of the dorm.
I don’t know what to do or say to Ragnar. Coming here has taught me a lot about Lycans, and he has been a very popular topic of interest. The way he never dates. How he’s fucking mean to everyone who gets close to him. And worst of all, the rumor about him take a no mate vow. A blood oath that is not easily broken.
Despite knowing all these new things about him, his scent is all around me. His presence is a whole lot more overwhelming than my first bond. While my bond with Santiago was intimate and gentle, at least on my end. This one feels violent. Something is consuming, and it’s beginning to scare me.
“How long has he been coming on to you?” he snaps.
His voice rings in my ears in a way it didn’t before. I want to keep hearing him speak. He stares at me for a while, and it dawns on me that he really expects me to answer that question. What did he ask again?
“How long have you known?” I ask. His domineering expression softens, and he straightens up.
“Soph-”
“How long?” I growl. The sound of it echoes all around us, and it makes him smile.
“I didn’t figure it out until the first time we kissed in the car after coming back from Artume together, but I think I knew from the first moment I heard your voice over the phone,” he admits.
“So, this entire month, you’ve ghosted me on purpose, knowing that the moment we were this close to one another, I’d figure it out myself,” I nod.
“Sophia,” he sighs.
“Thank you for reminding me that fate likes to fuck me no matter what race I am,” I scoff.
He flinches, and I turn around to leave. He doesn’t stop me, knowing that my reaction was mild compared to what it could really be. Especially now that all of my instincts have been heightened by a million.
The cold air feels like a slap across the face when I get outside. The General and Sasha have caught up with Kennedy. The girls know I’m pissed the moment they see me, but the General misinterprets it and reaches out to take my hand. Before I can pull away, Ragnar is standing between us with his hand around his throat.
“Touch her again and I will fucking end you,” he shouts in his face. The General lets out a pain–stricken growl as the snap of his wrist cracks in Ragnar’s hand. He shoves the General hard enough to make him fall back on his ass. He’s quick to grab me by my arm and pull me to him. “You’re lucky I don’t take it for putting your filthy hands on my Queen.”
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
