Everlyn catches the look, clearly entertained.
"So… how’s the reunion going?"
Halley’s eyes snap up, eyes wide as she realizes just how hard she’d been staring at my bulge.
"Better for some than others," I mutter, jerking my chin toward Viper, still basking in the afterglow.
“No, no. We’re not talking about this—” Halley tries.
But Everlyn’s caught the scent of gossip in her nose and she’s not letting go.
"Oooh, I see. Well done, lieutenant. I'm glad someone handled business. Our Omega has been cranky and repressed since she got here."
Viper grunts, a smirk of pride lifting his scarred lips.
Halley pins the giant Alpha with a look that can only be described as incredulity. "Viper, don't indulge her!"
She's the color of a tomato. A very cute tomato, but bright red nevertheless. It's clear that her friend knowsallthe juicy details, and I think we may have found an ally in doctor Everlyn.
“Anyway, I’ve got a free moment to look at that leg of yours again,” the doctor says to Halley, and puts an arm over her shoulders.
"It's fine and completely healed," Halley pouts and protests.
"I'll be the judge of that, come on."
“I… I’ll see you around,” Halley says weakly, suddenly bashful and shy, peeking up at Viper through her thick lashes.
I can almost see the adrenaline draining from the Omega. Her shoulder slumping, and eyes weary as her day catches up with her.
"Nice to meet you," Everlyn calls, waving at us both.
Halley utters another sluggish goodbye, allowing herself to be led away.
I wait until they’re out of earshot before punching Viper in the arm.
Pain rockets up my hand. I shake it out.‘Ouch, you dense mother-fucker! Why are you built like a brick shithouse?’
"The fuck was that for?" he exclaims, rubbing his arm. He's playing it up. The fucker is pure muscle, and it hurt me far more than it hurt him.
"For rutting our Omega without the rest of us," I reply, and walk away. “That wasn’t the plan, and you know it.”
Viper strides beside me without agreeing or disagreeing, but a goofy, satisfied grin is pasted on his face.
“What plan? Therewasno plan.”
“That’s cause you jumped in knot first before we could make one.”
We leave the courtyard of the main fortress, pass the derelict old stables being used as storage for vehicles, and tread through the icy slush towards a single-story out-building.
The General promised us a place to stay, but he's not stupid enough to put us in with the rest of his people until we commit to his terms. The small stone shack that, thankfully, has indoor plumbing. It's ugly and uncomfortable, but still the safest place we've stayed in months. It's far from the front lines, no sounds of bombs dropping in the distance, and the best part is, our Omega is just across the courtyard.
"You were an asshole," Viper grunts.
‘I know.’I sigh and scrub my face, bringing blood to my frozen nose and cheeks. “The others aren’t going to react any better.”
Viper grunts. He knows Knox and Blaze are likely to blow their lids the moment they catch the scent of her slick on him.
The small cabin is getting nearer, and I can feel Viper tensing with each step. He knows he'll have to answer to the whole squad when he gets inside.
