Page 87 of Blood Fist

While Halm knelt beside Buzzard, peppering him with questions, Brune’s vision tunneled to Ridan. It was like his ears were filling with cotton, and someone had blinded him to anything but his Ridan.

The need was too great. He lurched forward only to be blocked by a riot of curls and thick set shoulders. Jonen moved between them, a hand landing on Ridan’s shoulder.

“Ridan, are you?—”

“Don’t fucking touch him!” Brune roared, ripping Jonen back by his shoulder, throwing him to the ground. Jonen rolled to his knees, scent thickening with the threat, lips pulled back to expose his fangs. Brune put Ridan at his back, snapping his jaws toward the downed alpha. The smell of black tea nearly made him gag.Disgusting.It seeped into his nose, trying to cow him. But rather than backing him off, it only enraged him.That scentwas going to be touchinghim.Like he belonged to Jonen.

Corric was suddenly between them, grey eyes steely and cold scent unforgiving. The presence of an omega seemed to snap the two alphas out of it. Brune blinked, shaking his head, only to realize he’d pulled hishammer. The weapon was firmly gripped, ready to strike.

“Uh…I…” he stammered, unsure when that happened. Or why? Jonen was a friend; he didn’t want to hurt him.

He touched our omega.

A shiver rolled down Brune’s back as he realized what had happened. His alpha had perceived Jonen as a threat. Which didn’t make sense. He was Ridan’s brother, his packmate. He wasn’t a threat.

Corric brushed past him. “Ridan, we should go.”

Brune turned to see Ridan nod tersely. There was something wild in his eyes, and he was tense. Fingers digging into his skin.

“Jonen, take a walk.”

The alpha snarled, hands tightening at his sides. “I’m not?—”

“Jonen,” Corric snapped, staring the alpha down.

Whining softly, Jonen stormed out of the tent, taking his sickening scent with him. Corric took Ridan by the wrist, dragging him forward. Brune made to move forward, but Halm grabbed him, shaking her head.

He started protesting when Halm spoke over him. “Ridan will need you to watch over what’s going on here.”

That settled the anxiety that bubbled in his gut. He nodded, watching as Corric guided Ridan from the tent with a firm hand.

Brune didn’t know what had just happened. He’d never felt his alpha so strong before. And he certainly had never called Ridanhisbefore. Not even in his most private thoughts would he have considered Ridan to be his.

Scrubbing his hand down his face, he tried to takein deep breaths. The lingering stench of black tea made his nose wrinkle.

The next day didn’t see Brune faring any better. He was still antsy. Even when he tried to relax, he found himself up on his feet, heart pounding as he paced. He kept looking over his shoulder, as if he was waiting for someone. He was sweaty, and no matter how much water he drank, his mouth felt dry as dust.

A lot of times he found himself outside Ridan’s tent. He didn’t dare go inside, but he wanted to. Keeping himself out was like fighting off the Snap Jaw all over again.

The third time he ended up outside the tent, Jonen was waiting for him. He didn’t look angry, but his lips were pressed together in a thin line. With a sigh, he took Brune by the bicep, turning him away from the tent and leading him towards the field.

Staring down at the shorter alpha, Brune felt all the shame from their previous fight come rolling back in.

“I’m sorry about last night,” he began awkwardly, trying to find the words while the shorter man dragged him along.

“It’s fine,” Jonen grunted, his fingers loosening a little. “I should have realized.”

“Realized what?”

Jonen stopped, peering up at Brune through thick lashes. “Ridan’s heat?”

His heat?

Brune felt like his brain had been disconnected. There was only the buzzing of blood in his ears as he tried to process what Jonen was telling him.

It wasn’t as if he’d forgotten Ridan was an omega,or that omegas had heats. He’d just…never spent any time around omegas. Let alone ones in pre-heat. He was only peripherally aware of the symptoms—some of his barrack mates had discussed them. Often, and with great detail. They said omegas would be sex crazed maniacs willing to jump the first alpha they saw.

Ridan certainly wasn’t like that. Maybe he smelled a little stronger that last day or two, but Brune had chalked that up to not bathing. He did sweat a lot more too, but again, Brune had thought that was just riding under a clear sky.