The Pack-Retribution Read Online Free PDF Page B

not recommending you or any of your team for promotion. None of you are worthy. Get out.” Dax hit the table.
    Shamira sat there, dumfounded at the hate and venom that spewed out of Dax. She knew he was close to Cal. Friends with him since before they came to Mars. Her heart sank. How many other officers felt the same way, or would after they’ve heard about Cal’s death? He blamed her for Cal’s death, blamed her and her team—her friends. Heck, if she were honest with herself, she felt the same way. With a gulp, she choked on her guilt. She fixed an unaffected look of stern rebuttal on her face, then stood up and walked out the door.

Chapter 7
    Shamira stormed into the training gym, then to the locker room in the back. The dim lighting on the wall did nothing to calm her. Breathing hard, tears welled up in her eyes and she let out a scream. A year ago, her life was never this complicated. Sure, she’d been the butt of jokes at school. Had no friends and set out to save a few missing kids by taking out her frustrations on the lowlifes who sold drugs and kids into slavery. But that was in the past. Now, her life had changed. She’d been taught to suppress the urge, the hunger within her for a fight—to take revenge. Friends, she had friends now. A boyfriend who loved her even when she was blind, and she loved being with him, even though she wouldn’t admit it out loud.
    Now with Cal gone, she had to get her head straight. Had to bring these killers in and she was afraid that having friends—having Valens, softened her. She kicked the wall with a right foot and punched it with a left hook. Dents, then cracks in the metal and wood planks appeared with each punch.
    Hedi waltzed in the room, her uniform discarded. “Tsk, tsk. Girl, you are going to get in trouble, big trouble if you keep punching that wall. Gross misuse of your technosuit’s power.” She’d changed into a black miniskirt that complemented her red nails, pink lips and hair. Her long red hair was tucked behind her ear as her saucy smile fell.
    Shamira slouched on a nearby bench and let out a deep breath. Part of her wished she could be like Hedi and smile or giggle when stressed. “Why? Who…oh, Cal. I should have…” she bit her lip, trying to force back her jumbled words and loss of focus.
    Hedi put a finger to her mouth. “We didn’t know what to expect. Gosh, none of us even knew he planned on taking us there…to that…hell. The truth is, when I saw the Mons standing there, still in one piece after we blew it up. I wanted to vomit. That place—Monev, still makes me sick. Sometimes, I can’t even believe that we made it out. Free, because of you.”
    “Yeah, well what good am I if I can’t even do my job and keep my team safe? My mentor safe? Freak, I should’ve ridden my motorcycle…not sat in the car to be with Valens.”
    “C’mon, none of us could have guessed we’d be ambushed. Stop blaming yourself.”
    Shamira pulled it together. Funny, Hedi, was the only one to ever catch her losing it. Leave it to Hedi to put her back on the right track, and to stop beating up on herself. “It’s just that being promoted is so important to me. But I’m done. Over that. Whether they put us on the team or not, I’ll get to the bottom of this. I didn’t let anything stop me before I became a cadet, and I’m not starting now.”
    Hedi gave her a mischievous smile. “I like the way you’re talking.”
    Dion came up behind them and hugged Hedi from behind. “Man, you’re hot. Your house or mine.” Dion kissed Hedi on the curve of her neck.
    Anthony followed with a scowl on his usually smiling face as he scratched his wrist. “Dax is a prick. I swear if he tells me one more time why he doesn’t think I should be a cadet I’m gonna punch him in the face. Not to mention, I think the bastard knows every sin I ever attempted and heaped on about twenty more just to piss me off.” He shrugged, “But I held it together and didn’t give