‘General Sheppard, could you please let go of my leg.’ Harriet sighed in resignation.She admitted defeat.Aside from Dylan’s higher military rank, her strength couldn’t hold a candle to his.If Dylan chose to fight, she had no chance of escape.Dylan’s gaze swept over Harriet’s visage.She dared not voice her irritation.It was the first time he had witnessed Harriet so visibly agitated due to his flirtations with another woman.Who was this woman to Harriet?Dylan’s mind raced as he slowly released his hold on Harriet’s calf.‘I’m still waiting,’ he said, his words measured.Harriet seethed with anger, her breath heavy.Dylan had done this intentionally.He seemed determined to watch her frustration bubble over.Well, if that’s what amused him, so be it.‘Good morning, Major General Sheppard,’ Harriet said through gritted teeth, offering a stiff salute.‘Barely a pass, but I’ll give you that,’ Dylan responded with a hint of amusement in his voice.Harriet rolled her eyes.Callie, wh
Harriet, taken aback by Elias’s furious tone, stared at him in surprise.‘Harriet, tell me,’ Elias continued, his voice filled with impatience. ‘What did Dylan do to Callie?’Harriet had intended to tell him that Dylan had been flirting with Callie, but she hesitated.She didn’t want to provoke Elias’s anger further.While Dylan held a similar rank to Elias, Harriet feared that if she mentioned the word ‘flirting,’ Elias might take it as a challenge and confront Dylan, possibly resulting in violence.Nervously, Harriet stammered, ‘Dylan was just fooling around. You know what he’s like. He wasn’t flirting with Callie. Absolutely not.’Harriet had entered the military straight after high school, so her combat skills were exceptional, but her social skills were lacking.Her current situation was a prime example.She thought her words would have placated Elias, but he clearly interpreted her statement differently.He was so furious that it triggered another fit of violent coughing.Elias’
Dylan’s words were direct, and Harriet seethed with anger.If she had the authority, she might have done away with Dylan a long time ago.Growing up, Elias had been her role model.She aspired to be like him, admiring his talent and the effort he invested.But Dylan was a different story.This man was simply talented.They had undergone the same gruelling training, and she had pushed herself to the brink of exhaustion while Dylan seemed carefree.Nevertheless, whether in written exams or combat, he outperformed her by a long shot.As Dylan confidently strolled into the meeting room, Harriet’s face flushed with anger.This man was so infuriating!***The meeting room soon filled with five high-ranking officers.Lemuel, Harriet, Elias, and Dylan were all present.Carl Conway occupied the front seat.Carl, in his fifties, sported a face adorned with wrinkles, but unlike Hershel, he constantly wore a faint smile.Hershel had always been the stoic one, while Carl seemed perpetually cheerfu
‘Maybe,’ Callie replied absentmindedly. ‘I’m not sure. I’ve only met him once.’Dylan had left an impression on Callie with his striking looks, but her heart belonged to Elias.She couldn’t entertain the thought of other men, even if it felt a bit silly.‘Wendy, you probably shouldn’t mention that man in front of Lemuel,’ Callie suggested.‘Alright.’ Wendy playfully stuck out her tongue and nodded. ‘I promise I won’t. You know, Callie, I used to think Lemuel was a bit clueless, but now I realize it’s not that.’‘He’s actually quite possessive!’ Wendy exclaimed. ‘You’re my only best friend here, and if I spend too much time with you, he’s going to get insanely jealous. Then, I’ll have to spend ages coaxing him...’In the end, Wendy concluded, ‘Callie, when a man truly likes you, their possessiveness can be downright terrifying.’Callie mulled over Wendy’s words.Possessiveness in a man who genuinely cared about her... it sounded like Elias.She bit her lip and let her thoughts wander.
Dylan’s eyes followed Harriet as she departed.It was the first time he had seen her get so worked up over someone other than Elias.Dylan’s mind wandered for a moment, but he quickly refocused on the files before him.***Despite the seriousness of Angelia’s injury, it was primarily superficial skin damage, and she made a swift recovery.Initially, she was advised to take a break in the infirmary or leave her post as a doctor to return to the military academy.However, Angelia was determined to stay, and in the end, her decision was respected.Adorned in a crisp white coat and a medical mask, Angelia examined the familiar tools in her hands.It had been less than a month, yet everything felt somewhat unfamiliar.She used to believe that she might meet her end at the hands of those monsters and never return to this place.Her perspective on the world had shifted.Observing Angelia in front of him, Jamison spoke gently, ‘Angelia, you can be my assistant for now. Eventually, you’ll be b
Callie was uncertain about Elias’s intentions.Suddenly, she felt a warm sensation on her wrist.Elias’s voice was firm. ‘I’m unwell. You can check on me. His injury isn’t serious. Just find a nurse to bandage his wound.’Despite his foul mood and the stern glare he directed at Dylan, Elias’s tone was as commanding as ever, leaving no room for argument.It was the first time Dylan had witnessed Elias so angry.He couldn’t help but be taken aback.Elias was known for his steely resolve, but when had he ever shown such concern for his health?After a brief contemplation, Dylan fixed his gaze on Callie once more.There was more to this woman than he had initially thought.He didn’t rush to speak; instead, he observed Callie, curious about her reaction.As Elias’s grip tightened on Callie’s arm, she stared at him with a blank expression, tears threatening to well up in her eyes.Memories of the painful days she had been through made her heart race.She wondered, what difference would it m
Harriet hadn’t lied.She knew how to properly bandage wounds.However, her concern for Elias and Callie had her a bit heavy-handed and distracted during this task.‘Ow! It hurts!’ Dylan complained.‘I’m being very careful here,’ Harriet retorted.Nonetheless, Dylan was unimpressed and began to pull his T-shirt down. ‘Your skills are worse than Dr Hawthorne’s. If you continue to treat my wound with this attitude of yours, I will not hesitate to ask Dr Hawthorne to come back here.’Dylan was making a veiled threat, which irked Harriet.She had put in a lot of effort to get Elias alone with Callie, and she wasn’t going to let Dylan mess it up.‘Don’t,’ she told him, regaining her composure. ‘Okay, I will be gentler.’Harriet moved in closer to Dylan, lowered her face, and blew gently on the wound before skilfully applying the bandage around his sturdy waist.Throughout the process, Dylan didn’t focus on his own injury; his attention was directed at Harriet in front of him.She wasn’t wea
Elias yearned to pummel Dylan, a desire he tried his utmost to restrain.He never thought he’d lose control so impulsively.His chest tightened, and a cold fury flashed in his eyes.Then, with a sudden, impulsive movement, he shoved the cart, sending the bottle of alcohol and needle crashing to the floor.‘Clang!’ The sound of glass shattering pierced the air.Callie never expected Elias to act so recklessly.Biting her lip, she asked, ‘Elias, what’s gotten into you?’She’d need to go to the pharmacy again, especially for the serum to treat his fever.Callie was about to stand up but noticed blood dripping onto the floor.It oozed from the back of his hand.‘Your hand! You are bleeding!’ Callie grabbed his hand, her face paling and her voice trembling.Elias appeared indifferent to the wound on his hand.Instead, he locked his gaze on Callie.Callie inspected his hand and her heart raced.She carefully examined the cut on the back of his hand, blood still oozing from the wound. ‘Let m