Chapter 3

Staring at the ground, a loud clap brings me back from my thoughts and makes me jump. Glancing up, I see Alpha Draegan standing front and center of our group, giving us our next instructions.

“Alright, everyone! It’s time to collect your luggage and line up to head over to the trainee barracks so we can assign your rooms. Everyone’s luggage is tagged with your name and should be easy to identify. It shouldn’t take too long to sort everything out and get yourselves in order. No pushing or shoving. Act quickly, but maintain order.

“Once we’re over there and the rooms are assigned, Colt and I will give you our numbers so that if anything happens, or you need help, you’ll be able to reach us in a timely fashion.”

After he finishes speaking, he points to the stack of bags piled off to the side.

Making my way over to the pile, I began searching for my bag. It’s easy enough to spot the tags since they’re bright and large, with bold names printed on them.

As the pile grows smaller and smaller, I realize my bag isn’t among the others. I let out a self-deprecating laugh. It must’ve been one of those oh-so-sweet pack members who took it just to mess with me. I don’t want to sound like a crying, pathetic bitch, so of course I don’t tell anyone. I just try to find it myself.

After a bit of searching, I spotted it; my bag was thrown up into a tree behind the bus, at the edge of the woods.

Fucking fantastic.

There’s no way I can climb a tree right now, not with my ribs, back, and legs all fucked up, thanks to my good ol’ father dearest.

Just as I’m staring up at the tree and my bag out of reach, trying to map out a way to get it down, I feel two large, strong hands land on each of my shoulders. My damn soul almost leaves my body, making me jump and let out a small yelp, though it comes out weak and half-stifled as the air is knocked from my lungs and my ribs press painfully into my chest.

Fear, despair, and pure panic flood me all at once as I crouch low to the ground, pulling my knees to my chest, burying my face against them, and covering my head with my hands.

Not again. I can’t go through this again. It hurts. Please make it stop. I’m begging. Just kill me if you must.

Thoughts like that rush through my mind as I brace for the blow I expect to come, but nothing happens. Complete silence. Breathing heavily and gasping for air, I slowly pull my hands away from my head and lift my gaze, peering up through my bangs. Two hands hang frozen in the air above me, and above them, two pairs of silver eyes meet mine—wide with shock, confusion, and worry. Their mouths move, but no sound reaches me.

Shit. What have I done?

My stomach drops and I quickly lower my gaze again, heat crawling up my neck as I scramble for something, anything that could explain this. Something that doesn’t make me look like I’ve completely fallen apart in front of them.

Then, finally, a voice breaks the silence.

“Are you okay? We saw you walking over here looking a little lost, so Colt and I followed you. We’re sorry for startling you. We should have made a noise before touching you. What’s your name? Is there anything we can do to help?” Alpha Draegan’s voice is softer, like he’s trying not to scare something already on edge. 

I swallow hard and force myself to stand, though my legs feel unsteady beneath me. I keep my eyes down, unable to meet theirs. The embarrassment weighs heavily on my chest, making my voice come out small and rough around the edges. 

“Sorry about that, Alpha Draegan… Alpha Colt. I wasn’t expecting anyone to follow me.” A weak, nervous laugh slips out, more out of habit than humor, as I shift awkwardly. “My name is Raymond Shade. I’m an Alpha from Nightshade. I was looking for my bag and couldn’t find it with the others, so I went around here while searching and, well...” I hesitated, my throat tightening as I glanced upward. “...as you can see, it’s up there.”

I point toward the tree, finally managing to break away from my embarrassment and lift my head, and Alpha Draegan and Alpha Colt follow my gesture as they make their way toward the base. The branch my bag is caught on isn’t too high off the ground, but at my height—only five-foot-six—it’s still out of reach. The two Alphas exchanged a sideways glance before Alpha Draegan reached up, pulled my bag from the branch, and walked back over to me, holding it out as I reached for it and took it from his hands.

I give them both a grateful smile. “Thank you both very much for helping me retrieve my bag,” I say, before giving a small bow that sends another wave of suffocating pain through my body.

“There’s no need for formalities or anything of the sort for something as minor as this,” Alpha Colt says in a deep sensual voice that once again makes my stomach flutter.

Alpha Draegan speaks almost immediately after with a slight growl in his tone. His irritation is still sharp and unfiltered. “That’s right. I had just finished informing these pathetic fools of the rules for the pack, and they actually had the balls to jump over my head a few minutes after. Fucking infuriating!” 

As he speaks, his jaw tightens visibly, the muscles ticking beneath his skin with restrained frustration. His hands remain clenched at his sides, as he holds himself back from acting on whatever impulse is burning beneath his control. The ink across his arms stretches over tense muscle, and the veins beneath it stand out in sharp relief. And fuck, it was sexy as hell.

My attention catches and sticks in places it shouldn’t, my body reacting before my thoughts can intervene. A sudden rush of heat climbs my neck and face as my pulse kicks harder in my chest. I force myself to break my gaze before I lose control and embarrass myself further.

 I look over to Alpha Colt and see that he is no different, though quieter about it. He stands with a composed stillness while his rage simmers deeper and more hidden. His silver eyes holding a sharp glint that catches the light, captivating me completely.

I swallow. My throat suddenly dries, and I realize my breathing has gone uneven without me noticing. Excuse me for thirsting for these fine specimens, but damn, it's hard not to imagine being under them and submitting. I lower my head, letting my bangs hide my face.

A slight cough pulls me out of my perverted thoughts, and my head snaps up. I can tell they noticed the blush on my face, because both of them have small smirks tugging at the corner of their lips. Alpha Draegan looks at me and speaks in a deep, gentle tone that sends a shiver down my spine and makes an uncontrollable warmth gather in my lower abdomen. 

“Let’s head back to the group and over to the barracks so you can clean up and get some rest. I’m sure you could use it. You look tired and ready to call it a night.” 

Alpha Draegan and Alpha Colt turned and started walking back, while I trailed behind them. My eyes can’t help but linger on their backs as they move. Their black, tight-fitting shirts outline the lines of their muscles and shoulders. My eyes drift down to the fitted camo cargo pants emphasizing the strength in their legs, every step controlled but laced with power. 

Fuck. I feel like I might drool a bit.

I look away for a second, forcing myself to breathe normally, because my body feels entirely too aware of them. I lower my bag slightly, because it feels like I might get a boner just looking at the eye candy in front of me. I feel like an animal lusting after them after seeing them for the first time only a few minutes ago. And the worst part is I can’t stop myself from wanting to throw myself at them.