Alpha Squad: Boot Camp

Chapter Nine

Chapter NinePhase Two started before dawn the next morning, just as the major had said.

None of the shifters, including Eric, were concerned. Even Adam, who had previously been most comfortable in the city, had gotten somewhat used to the great outdoors during the regular hunting trips they'd embarked on.

Bentley had woken everyone up at four, and they were already mostly packed up by the time the major appeared inside the dorm half an hour later.

"Morning, Cadets! This exercise is going to be an individual test as much as a team test. No man will be left behind, understood?" she said.

Eric stole a quick glance in her direction. Were they really going to go out there and rough it together? Part of him felt it was a dream come true, and perhaps a chance to get closer to her, while another part dreaded it. If she continued giving him the cold shoulder, then the entire experience would just be torturous.

"We push out in ten minutes," she added, then turned around and left.

One by one, the shifters and humans finished packing up their kits and left the dorm. Bentley had warned them the night before that each of their backpacks would weigh probably about as much as Private Callahan did, but that had not fazed the shifters on the team.

Eric watched as Cooper struggled with his bag, giving him a hand in lifting it on his back. If they had to, he was certain the shifters could carry everyone else's stuff as well as their own and still be quicker on their feet.

Once outside the barracks, Eric was surprised to see the major and Callahan with bags of their own. They weren't quite as large as the recruits', but they did not look light either. So she had meant it: they truly were going out there as a team.

They did not speak much as they squeezed into the back of the old Land Rover that belonged to the base. With two humans and three shifters filling the two benches lining the sides of the vehicle, there was very little legroom.

"We get off nearer the hills, and from there, we continue on foot," the major announced, then she nodded at Callahan to start the engine. The old vehicle coughed a couple of times before roaring to life.

Eric forced himself to look away from her and instead studied the backpack between his legs.

I need you, stop ignoring me, his inner bear insisted.

As soon as he completed the thought, he heard the major's heartbeat surge. Although she was in the front and he was in the back, they were closer to each other than they had been in over a week. He could feel the tension she must be feeling; he could catch a subtle change in her scent, even.

Eric stealthily glanced at Adam, and then at Blackwood, but neither showed any sign of having caught on to what was happening behind the scenes. The bond between Eric and the major was intensifying, no matter how hard she seemingly tried to fight it.

He closed his eyes and tried to remain calm, leaning against the cold backrest behind him. Focus, dammit.

Eric did his best to concentrate on the sounds and smells of the outside world passing them by as they drove through the base and further and further into unexplored territory. Finally, it was time to get off. It was easier to divert his attention away from the major's presence out in the fresh air.

"We hike up to the top of the highest hill in the area. You'll use your maps and compasses to plot the course," the major said as she waited with her arms folded in front of her. "Bear in mind this is a timed exercise, but you'll have to conserve your strength to be able to construct some kind of shelter once you reach the top. The weather in these hills could turn at any moment."

"Yes, Ma'am," the team responded, completely in sync.

Eric took one glance at the map, then another up the hill in front of them, and exchanged a look with his shifter team mates. This was going to be easy.

Bentley and Cooper, meanwhile, did their best to figure out which one was in fact the tallest hill, where they were currently, and what would be the easiest route up.

"We go east from here," Bentley ordered. "Then we head north-east until we reach the foot of that hill. That'll be the path of least resistance."

Eric shrugged and pointed ahead. "Or we could just go straight, since we're being timed and all."

The face of the hill in front of them was steep. That meant they would have to climb rather than hike up.

Eric and Bentley both looked at the major for a decision, who threw her arms up in defense. "I'm just an observer. You guys plot the course for us to follow."

Eric then exchanged a look with Bentley. "What's the time to beat? I'm assuming you've done this before."

The man's chest puffed up. "Of course the drop off was in a different location then, but these hikes are designed to take all day. Ten hours, forty minutes was my time."

Ten hours? No way was Eric intending for it to take that long. "Okay, but seeing as this is a team exercise as well, let's handle this as a team. The three of us—" Eric pointed at Adam and Blackwood. "We will use our talents to get everyone up there. You guys handle building everyone's shelter once we reach. Deal?"

Bentley's jaw visibly tensed up. "Whatever you say, mate. If you think your route is better, be my guest."

It would certainly be faster. Eric nodded. "Great. Bentley and Cooper, if you fashion yourself some climbing harnesses, and Blackwood, if you get up there and secure some guide lines… That would help everyone get up there quicker."

Bentley stared at Eric for a couple of seconds longer, but then he shrugged and did as asked. Within moments, everyone was doing something or other, not in competition for a change, but as a team. This trend continued throughout the day; the shifters, who were stronger and more skilled at climbing, forged ahead, making sure everyone's stuff made it up the mountain, and the humans followed, supported by rope harnesses.

Thanks to Eric's idea, they reached the top of the hill in a record-smashing six hours and twenty minutes, followed by a couple of excursions off course by the three shifters to fetch firewood and the necessary materials for their night shelter.

The still sun hung high in the sky when the shifters took some well-deserved rest and watched while the human team members performed their agreed upon tasks. They had their shelter built up and a roaring fire underway well before dusk started to set in.

"Good job, everyone," the major said, wiping a stray lock of hair out of her eye as she spoke. "This one is for the books. Excellent team work."

Although they had made it look easy, everyone was exhausted by the end of the day. Exhausted, but proud of their achievement. Thankfully, there was no need to hunt for food as they had been given basic food rations to carry within their kits.

If all that hadn't impressed the major, Eric wasn't sure what would.

Their first day out in the wild had not gone how Janine had expected at all. They had made the climb uphill much faster than any team or individual soldier had done in the past. She had made sure to record everything properly, so that if questioned, she could back her reports up with evidence.

General Stone had not thought things through. He had ordered Special Forces style survival training because he expected Alpha Squad to fail. He had not taken into account that shifters possessed special strengths and skills which allowed them to ace tasks like this.

Not that he could have known, really. Shifters had only just revealed themselves a few months earlier, so their strengths and weaknesses were not widely known.

But Janine had seen up close what these men were capable of, and she could not help but feel proud.

This was her team, and ever since deciding to do everything in her power to ensure their success, she had fretted about how to get everyone through this particular exercise. As it turned out, the recruits had not needed her help as much as each other's. That was team work at its best.

Save for the previous evening, when she had taken everyone out for a team dinner, she had not had the chance to see the dynamics between the different recruits. It was obvious that some of the personalities clashed. Namely Bentley and the King brothers. With this much testosterone in such close quarters, that sort of thing was to be expected.

And although last night she'd been partially relieved to not have to deal with Eric, tonight, she did not have this luxury.

She and Private Callahan retreated into their own private tent, while the others shared a larger dorm tent.

"That went pretty well," Janine remarked as Callahan secured the front of their tent.

The latter nodded. "Much better than expected, Ma'am."

Janine nodded and leaned back against her backpack. They had managed a near impossible feat together, and it had been far from easy on them physically. Sure, the two women had carried less stuff with them, but they had still taxed their bodies. Come morning, it would become clear just how many aches and pains would result from today's efforts.

Despite her limbs growing heavier with each passing minute, Janine forced herself up. The chatter outside had died down, meaning the men had most likely retreated for the night, giving her the chance for a little private time outside.

"I'll be back shortly," she mumbled as she fumbled with the tent's opening and staggered out.

The sky was clear, which was unusual for this part of the world. Countless stars lit up the tent site and surrounding rocks and shrubbery. Janine would have to walk downhill a bit for cover.

She took a deep breath and wrapped her warm jacket around herself. It was only late September, but the nights were already chilly in these hills. With the help of the star and moon light, Janine found the most gradual path down into some larger shrubs about thirty or so feet away from the summit.

She did not waste time, and soon after started her climb back up. That was when it all went wrong. A loose rock escaped from underneath her foot and sent her sliding down the side of the hill. She let out a low whimper as her hip hit a sharp protrusion on the way, all the while flailing and reaching out for whatever vegetation she could find to stop her fall.

This seemed to go on forever, until finally, she stopped slipping. But it wasn't a small tree or shrub that had broken her momentum, it was a firm hand around her wrist.

Janine looked up and found a pair of familiar eyes staring down at her. Eric King.

How in the world had he come to her rescue so quickly? There had been no activity around the camp as far as Janine saw. Perhaps he had been out and about as well.

"Gotcha," he said. "Terrain's treacherous around these hills." He glanced up at the summit, which was a good hundred feet away now.

God, that voice. Janine did not say a word as he lifted her back onto her feet; she could not find the words. Of course, it was not just his voice, it was his whole being that had affected her so. After trying so hard to do the best job she could, no matter what the assignment, at this moment, she wanted nothing more than to throw it all away.

You're mine. The same low growl entered her mind. This was totally the wrong time for her overactive imagination to kick in.

Am I? Am I yours? she thought.

I knew that you were from the moment I first saw you.

Janine was frozen in place, communicating with whatever that voice was—a figment of her own imagination perhaps—when Eric's eyes began to glow in the dark. In this light, it should not have been possible to make out their color, but they had very clearly turned warm amber.

"How are you doing this?" she stammered.

"Wait, you can actually hear me?" he asked, looking about as shocked as she felt.

Janine opened her mouth to say something, then closed it again and frowned.

I don't understand. I have my orders. I have a job to do. Why are you in my head?

A smile broke through Eric's formerly serious expression. Because I am meant to be in your head. For whatever reason, we are meant to be in each other's lives.

Janine shook her head. That does not make any sense. And anyway, I never knew shifters could read minds.

We can't. Only when we find our true mate can we hear their thoughts, and they can hear ours.

That was too much. Janine freed her wrist from Eric's grasp and started to walk away, still shaking her head. She could not accept this.

"Thanks for saving me," she mumbled as she fought the pain resulting from her fall and marched back toward camp. "I need some time to think."