Page 236 of Knot Their Soldier: Part Three

My whole body answers with goosebumps and shivers.

"Mhmm," he says, his voice low against my ear. "And who is this Alpha? I’ll kill him for romancing my Omega."

A laugh slips out of me.

Viper laughs too, but his grip tightens around my wrist, which tells me he absolutely would murder for me. He's done it before, and he'll do it again without hesitation.

The playfulness fades between us, and the unspoken weight of what comes next settles in its place.

He’s leaving for a week. Maybe more if the weather turns, or the group struggles with the climb and the trip through Blackreach. He’s leaving because our people need him.

I’m proud of him.

I hate it anyway.

Blackgate soldiers are checking names against a manifest and tying colored strips of cloth around each survivor’s wrist to mark their assigned travel group.

Two groups. Five survivors each with two support soldiers assigned to each line. Viper will lead the first, and Prime Alpha Zero will lead the second.

Viper follows my gaze to the two lines, and his thumb keeps moving over my pulse.

'Zero’s taking the slower group,' he says, using the bond to speak again. 'Older survivors, two children, and anyone Everlyn thinks needs extra stops. I’m taking the stronger climbers ahead to secure the first camp before nightfall.'

I frown. I dislike that it reminds me that he'll be sleeping somewhere other than our Pack nest.

'How many camps are there?' I ask, partly because I'm interested, but also partly because I need to distract myself from our coming separation.

Blaze leaves for days at a time regularly. He's like a half-feral house cat that comes and goes as he pleases. Viper, however, is domesticated.

'Three before we cross into Blackreach proper,' Viper says. 'After that, Zero leads us across the plains on the relocation route his team used before the Pass fell. With civilians, rest stops, and weather, it’ll take the full week to get them to the closest settlement.'

'A full week,' I repeat, hating the shape of it in my mouth.

'One night there to make sure they’re received safely,' he says. 'Then Zero and I come back alone. Without civilians to protect, we can move fast and travel light. Less than a day, if the mountain behaves and doesn't kill us.'

I look up at him. 'Comforting.'

His mouth twitches. 'I’m excellent at comfort.'

'Yeah, you are,' I agree, because it's true. No one gives a hug like Viper. He's so big, when he wraps me in his arms, I feel so safe.

I try to smile, but it doesn’t hold for long. A week should feel insignificant after everything we survived, yet I already want to cross my arms and pout like a spoiled Omega from the Capital. I have three other mates, so I won’t lack affection or company, but Viper’s place in our nest will still be empty.

Viper’s expression gentles, the amusement slipping away as he reads me. He releases my wrist only to cup the side of my face, his gloved fingers careful against my skin.

'I’m coming back,' he says.

'You’d better. I’ve become fond of you.'

'Just fond?' I poke my tongue out at him.

His eyes dart down to my mouth and darken with a hint of arousal before he forces himself to look away.

A wave of Omegan smugness washes over me.

His thumb brushes beneath my eye. 'This route exists because you wanted a way back to Blackreach. Now we have one. People are going home because of you.'

'Because of us,' I correct.