Page 6

My five men and I all stand in a neat line, watching as two large vans appear from the south, both white and marked withMidlandsMedical College. I turn my head south, watching as two more vehicles approach – military transport this time, all green and brown.

Good. Right on time.

“Let’s go down, men,” I say, nodding to the Corporals. They follow my charge readily, stepping off the platform and standing by as both sets of vans pull up. A driver steps out of the military vehicle and approaches me with a clipboard, confirming that everything is in order.

I look through his commands, confirming everything even as my heart pounds, my ear attuned to the sound of twenty volunteer nursing students climbing out of their vans.

Just as I hand the clipboard back to the driver, nodding to indicate that it’s all correct, I hear a gasp that rings through me. My wolf turns in an eager circle, yipping to the sky even as I close my eyes, dreading this.

“Oh mygod,” she groans. “You havegotto be kidding me. This is suchbullshit.”

Chapter 5 – The Alpha who Claimed Me

Cole

I turn, sighing out my nose, meeting Nadia’s eyes as she stands slump-shouldered next to a shorter girl with long, straight red hair and a lovely round face. The new girl looks between us, shocked.

I just take a deep breath, clenching my jaw, holding Nadia’s gaze steadily and not saying anything. Just…letting her see with my complete intransigence that I’m not kidding. Not at all.

“Wait,” the redhead says, her eyes going wide with surprise and then delight. “Seriously? Is thathim? The Alpha who claimed you?”

Nadia doesn’t respond, just standing straighter now that her initial surprise has passed. She crosses her arms over her chest and glares at me so hard that I wonder if she’s trying to make me explode with the power of her gaze alone.

“Wait, what?” Another young woman with wavy light-brown hair steps to Nadia’s other side and stares between me and my mate. “Is that – is thathim?”

“It’s him!” The redhead hisses, grinning eagerly at her friend.

“Well, what the hell, Nadia!” the brunette says, smacking Nadia on the arm. “You didn’t tell us the Alpha was Cole Kincaid! The goddamn Prince!”

Nadia

“Um, should we get going?” The military driver’s voice rings out awkwardly in the clearing. He stands looking between our two groups of nurses and Alpha jerks, probably because we’re just standing here gawking at each other, unmoving and silent.

Cole breaks first, to my delight.

“Let’s go,” he says, looking to his men and pointing to us. “You know what to do.”

As one they start to move, hefting their guns and starting to walk around us, herding us forward like they’re sheepdogs and we’re their new flock. My pride rankles as Cole, head border collie, turns towards the trucks and waves for us all to follow.

I cross my arms, digging my heels in, ready to refuse. But Shayne places a hand between my shoulder blades and gives me a hearty shove.

“What was that for?” I gasp, stumbling forward and whipping my head up to glare at her next.

“You’re being weird!” she snaps back, shaking her head at me. “What are you going to do,quitthe mission just because yourboyfriendshowed up?”

“He isnotmy boyfriend-“

“Oh, leave her be, Shay,” Grace sighs, rolling her eyes and walking steadily at my side. “You can tell she’s upset!”

“Aboutwhat?” Shayne asks, laughing and looking forward at Cole’s tall form as we follow him to the trucks. “Seriously, Nadia, I was pissed for you when you told the story – but you didn’t say he washot–“

I gasp at Shay, livid, opening my mouth to say that whether or not he’shothas nothing todowith how fuckingwrongit is to justclaima woman as your mate without evenconsultingher about it –

But my outrage turns tocompletemortification when Cole turns at the transport, pulling the door open, a shitty little grin on his lips – hiscompletechange in mood evidence of the fact that he definitely,definitelyheard what Shayne just said.

Inwardly I groan again, remembering that these Alpha wolves have like, insanely good hearing or some shit.

“Welcome,” Cole says, offering his hand to Shayne first, giving her his most gorgeous smile. “Can I help you up into the vehicle?”