Thor Crushturn.

Every commanding officer in Drakenfell had heard the name, usually in the context of a disciplinary report or a complaint filed by someone who’d made the mistake of standing within earshot.

Halvek’s transfer requests alone could fill a filing cabinet.

Dex had never cared. Thor said inappropriate things, got written up, said more inappropriate things, got written up again, and the cycle continued with the reliability of a season.

That changed today.

Thor was already astride Styx, rolling his neck like he was about to walk into a bar fight, not an aerial drill. He spotted Dex watching from the ridge and snapped off a salute so crisp it bordered on parody.

"Commander on deck!"

That was how Thor always greeted Dex. Nothing new. Styx closed his eyes. Not asleep. Choosing peace.

Thor’s head turned like a weathervane catching wind.

Serena and Elara had finished their laps.

"And the day just got better," he announced to no one and everyone. "Morning, ladies. Frostborne, you look like a knotty omega. Myrtle, you look like a knotty friend."

"Thor," Halvek said, not looking up from his clipboard.

"What? That was a compliment. Two compliments, actually. I should be thanked."

"Ignore him," Dex said to Hale.

"I’m ignoring him."

"Your fists are clenched."

Hale unclenched his fists.

"Frostborne, you’re on water dragons today," Halvek ordered. "Get that one to cooperate."

✦✦✦

The water dragon was circling low over the coastal edge, its scales shifting between deep blue and black depending on how the light caught them. It had the temperament of something that had been born angry and never found a reason to stop.

She ran to the coastline at Alpha speed before Halvek told her to get on Styx, tracking the dragon’s flight pattern. Then she did what she always did.

She jumped.

Dex’s arms dropped from being crossed, he inhaled sharply. Twenty paces over, Fin’s head snapped in that direction, his eyes surged molten gold.

Serena fabricated a gold glider, which she used to reach the dragon, dropping onto it.

From the other side of the field Thor Crushturn called out, "Frostborne, you were supposed to mount me first. There’s a whole goddamn foreplay process. Unless this is part of it with me begging on my knees. In that case, I’m open to it."

He paused. "Heard it. Don’t hate it."

"Crushturn," Halvek barked.

"Captain, is a courtesy mount too much—"

"CRUSHTURN. GET IN FORMATION."

"Yes, Captain. She used her magic too. Just so you’re aware."

"I didn’t see anything," Halvek said, looking the opposite direction of Serena.

Thor looked at Serena, then looked back at Halvek.

"Crushturn!" Colonel Morholt boomed from across the field. "SPOT HER NOW OR I WILL REPLACE YOU."

"Yes, Colonel."

The water dragon corkscrewed into the sea. Serena wasn’t fazed or even slightly alarmed.

Fin and Dex, however, both shifted.

Fin caught his wolf, only because Gav put his arm up in front of him and dropped his voice so only he could hear. "Shadowclaw. She’s done this a few times."

Fin’s head was 50% shifted. He looked down at Gav’s hand, then up at Gav’s face. For a second, it looked like Gav was about to lose a limb. But he blinked, swallowing Xeon down.

"This one really is dragging her under there," Halvek commented to no one, absentmindedly.

When he glanced at Dex, he saw a man shift into a wolf, then shift right back into a man. Faster than biologically possible. He blinked.

The water dragon launched out of the sea in a corkscrew that moved so quickly it’s body was a blur.

It roared loudly.

She held. Barely. Her body flattened against its back, fingers locked around a ridge of scales, boots digging into the grooves between plates.

"To ground." Her eyes flashed gold, and it’s eyes flared to match.

Thor watched the entire thing from Styx’s back. "Captain, she used her magic again. Look now."

The water dragon glided lazily to the ground. Serena slid off its back, soaked, and wrung out her hair. Nothing out of the normal.

Styx followed with Thor on his back. "You’re shivering, Frostborne. I’m legally obligated to tell you that I run at a steady 101 degrees."

Serena didn’t respond.

"I don’t want to be inappropriate, but—"

Serena cut him off. "Stop talking, Thor."

She was not bothering to hide her irritation with him. Uncharacteristic for Serena, but the field understood why.

"That," he announced, unfazed, "was the single most arousing thing I have ever seen, and I’ve watched myself jerk off in a mirror."

Dex closed his eyes. Fin identically closed his eyes.

"She just mounted a hostile water dragon. Commanded it like it was her bitch. Rode it hard..." Thor counted the points on his fingers as if compiling evidence for a legal case. "FUCK."

"I would let that woman do things to me that haven’t been invented yet. Willingly. Enthusiastically. Repeatedly. She could use my balls as a stress toy and I’d thank her after."

"CRUSHTURN," Halvek barked.

"Honesty is a virtue, Captain. You told me that in my last disciplinary hearing. If I’m being honest, then that’s not training. That’s a mating ritual and I want in. "

✦✦✦

Halvek moved them into another round. Serena went back to the water dragon.

Which meant Thor had more time to commentate.

"Look at that form. Tight thighs, perfect posture, dripping wet and still in total control. Fuck me, that’s not a soldier, that’s a walking wet dream."

He turned to his spotter, Bardoff, who had been silent for the entire session and intended to stay that way.

"Bardoff, are you seeing this? The way she mounts and commands? I’d crawl across broken glass just to be her personal saddle."

He did not respond.

"Bardoff agrees with me," Thor announced. "Silent nod means ’I’d tap that until she calls me daddy.’ We’re on the same page, brother."

They were not.

Serena dropped from the water dragon’s back to Styx’s wing as the two flew parallel, transitioning between dragons mid-air with the kind of fluid confidence that made it look choreographed.

"Frostborne. You just mounted my dragon without asking. That’s the most aggressive pussy energy I’ve seen since I was smacked by a redhead and her brunette friend. My safe word is ’harder.’"

"Thor, I need you to stop talking for the rest of the drill," Serena said, already jumping back to the water dragon.

From the ridge, Dex pinched the bridge of his nose. The gesture was identical to Halvek’s. They’d developed the same coping mechanism independently, separated by rank, united by Thor.

Hale, beside him, had gone very still. The kind of still that large, dangerous men go before they stop being still in a way that ends careers.

"He referenced my mate moaning."

"He did."

"And we’re just standing here."

"Training isn’t over."

Hale exhaled through his nose. "When training is over, I’m putting him through the obstacle course. Twice. No shifting. No breaks. With his armor on."

"Add a third lap and you have my approval."

Below them, Thor was attempting to explain to Halvek why his commentary constituted "morale support" and should be categorized as a leadership contribution in his next performance review.

Halvek stared at him for a very long time, then walked away without speaking.

Thor called after him. "Captain, I want to formally petition for a commendation. For spotting. I’ve been an excellent spotter today."

"You haven’t spotted a single thing," Halvek said without turning around.

"I’ve been spotting Frostborne. That counts. I’d argue it’s more important. She’s a national treasure and I’m protecting the view."

Styx opened one eye, looked at Thor, and closed it again.

"Also, for the record, if Frostborne ever needs a riding partner, I volunteer as tribute. Dragons during the day, my face between her thighs at night. I’ll even let her use the riding crop on me. Hell, if she plays her cards right, I’ll call her ’mommy’ while she does it."

Fin turned to Gav. His voice was so low it barely qualified as sound. "Who is he."

Gav, who recognized the question for what it was, which was not a question but a request for targeting information, chose his words carefully.

"Thor Crushturn. Rider. Harmless."

"Harmless."

"He says this to everyone."

"He’s saying it about my mate."

"He doesn’t know she’s your mate."

Fin looked at Gav with an expression that clearly communicated he did not find that distinction relevant.

"He will."

Dex turned to Hale.

"Obstacle course," Dex said. "Four laps. Full armor. Dawn tomorrow."

"Five," Hale countered.

"Done."

Fin, who had not been consulted, appeared beside Dex on the ridge. Neither man acknowledged the arrival. Fin looked up at Thor, then at Dex.

"Obstacle course tomorrow," Dex said without looking at him.

"How many laps."

"Five. Full armor. Dawn."

Fin considered this. "Make it six. I’ll be supervising."

Dex looked at him. The look between them held no hostility. It held something worse. Agreement.

"Six," Dex confirmed.

Below, Thor gave a thumbs-up to no one in particular, completely unaware that his next twelve hours had just been decided by two men who had reached the absolute limit of what a wolf could endure.