Chapter 269: Chapter 269: Chase Shaw’s Feeding
After soothing Miles Sherman, Zoe Pierce finally sat down beside Chase Shaw.
They sat very close to each other. While Zoe had been soothing the others, he had been heating up their meal.
Now that Zoe Pierce was by his side, her fingers resting on his arm where the sleeve was rolled up, the muscles there bulged with his slightest movement.
Chase Shaw handed the other bowls of food to Miles Sherman and the others, keeping only one for himself.
He turned his head away, waiting as she smoothed out the agitation in his spiritual power. Then, he scooped up a spoonful of food and looked at Zoe Pierce. "Have a bite."
The gesture was far too intimate.
It was even more direct than when he had offered her the sealed nutrient supplement.
Back then, one could argue that Zoe’s hands were full. But right now, her other hand was completely free.
She could have easily taken the bowl and gotten a spoonful for herself.
Zoe Pierce glanced up. Chase Shaw wasn’t forcing her; it would be fine if she refused.
’It’s just one bite of food.’
Zoe Pierce agreed. ’It’s only a spoonful of food.’
’If he wants to feed me, then let him.’
Leaning forward slightly, the soft press of her body rested against Chase Shaw’s arm as she opened her mouth.
It was just a subconscious act, yet there was an innocent sort of allure to Zoe Pierce.
She didn’t think she was being seductive, but to an Alpha, her slightly parted lips as she drew near and her body as soft as tofu were both utterly lethal.
What’s more, Chase Shaw knew the pheromones inside Zoe Pierce’s body were his own.
They had done everything intimate a couple could do.
"What’s wrong?" Her mouth was starting to ache from being held open, but Chase Shaw still hadn’t brought the spoon to her lips. Zoe Pierce’s brows furrowed in confusion as she asked.
Chase Shaw snapped back to reality. Seeing her practically draped over him, he said in a deep voice, "It’s nothing."
He finally fed her the spoonful of food.
Chase Shaw seemed to have found a new game. Even after Zoe Pierce had finished her soothing and both her hands were free, he refused to give up the spoon.
He fed Zoe Pierce a few more bites.
He hadn’t eaten a single bite himself, yet his expression was as blissful as if he were the one being fed.
Aaron Xavier couldn’t watch anymore.
The two were so intimate, completely oblivious to everyone else. Even without a single kiss, the atmosphere around them was painful to watch.
It was an intimacy between lovers that went beyond mere physical pleasure.
It was as if no one else could possibly get between them.
A pang of jealousy soured Aaron Xavier’s heart.
It would be his turn in a little over a month.
He could only turn away. If he didn’t look, the jealousy wouldn’t sting so much.
When Zoe Pierce had eaten her fill, Chase Shaw finished off her leftovers.
They were all sons of privilege, but their time at the military academy had cured them of any lazy, wasteful habits.
In fact, the harsher the environment, the calmer they became.
Finishing Zoe Pierce’s leftovers was nothing to him. Besides, given his and Zoe’s relationship, he wouldn’t have minded even if they weren’t in this situation.
After the meal, a wave of drowsiness washed over Zoe Pierce.
She wrapped herself in a blanket specially made for Omegas, curling her legs up and leaving only her small face exposed.
This was Miles Sherman’s arrangement; she knew he and the others were looking out for her.
Accepting their kindness, she clutched the blanket and leaned against a nearby tree, sinking into a deep sleep.
In a sleepy daze, she felt a force pulling her closer.
The scent coming from the person was deeply familiar, so she shifted toward it without resisting.
When Zoe Pierce opened her eyes, the sky was already growing light. She discovered that she was no longer sleeping against the tree, but against Chase Shaw’s shoulder.
Her hand was even clutching his arm, pulling his own hand under her blanket with hers.
She was leaning on him, and he was leaning against the tree.
Zoe Pierce checked the time. She had slept for four hours. The moonlight had faded, and the sky was turning pale.
Miles Sherman and Aaron Xavier had stayed awake, standing guard over them.
Seeing this, Zoe Pierce stretched her stiff neck and gestured to the two of them.
She was telling them to go to sleep.
Her movements were slight, but being right beside Chase Shaw, it only took a few small shifts to make him open his eyes.
He woke just in time to see them gesturing at each other.
The place wasn’t actually quiet at all. The cries of Xenobeasts and the squawks of startled birds echoed around them. Even in this secluded spot they had specially chosen, the sounds couldn’t be completely blocked out.
But Zoe Pierce was still worried about waking them, so she kept her voice very low.
The spot on his arm was warmer than the rest of his skin exposed to the air.
It was the warmth from Zoe Pierce’s body and her blanket.
Seeing that Zoe Pierce and Chase Shaw were both awake, Miles Sherman and Aaron Xavier extinguished the fire in front of them and immediately curled up to sleep.
Zoe Pierce remembered clearly that she had fallen asleep against the tree.
Her questioning look was easy to read. Chase Shaw lowered his voice. "The tree bark is uncomfortable."
He had known just by leaning against it himself. The bark of the ancient tree was rough and hard.
His arm might be all muscle, but flesh was definitely more comfortable than a tree trunk.
When someone is that exhausted, they wouldn’t notice such a thing after falling sound asleep.
Still, the fact that Chase Shaw had been so considerate made Zoe Pierce’s heart soften.
Just then, Nathan Lockwood woke up as well.
The first thing he saw was Chase Shaw and Zoe Pierce whispering to each other, their heads close together.
Zoe Pierce sensed the movement behind her and immediately turned. Seeing that Nathan Lockwood was awake, she gave him a little wave.
The three of them had breakfast.
Zoe Pierce looked at Nathan Lockwood and asked if one of them should stay put while the other two went to get help or do something else.
It felt like a waste for all three of them to be on guard duty.
But Nathan Lockwood had a completely different idea. "No, Zoe. Don’t forget about that group of people."
"We can’t split up."
They had learned that lesson the hard way last time.
Nathan Lockwood had never forgotten. "Ever since we left the Capital Star, they might have been watching us."
Although they hadn’t sensed anyone suspicious at the moment.
But that didn’t mean they were safe.
His words completely extinguished Zoe Pierce’s idea.
"It’s better to be careful." Even though Chase Shaw felt it was overly cautious, when it came to Zoe Pierce, they would rather err on the side of caution.
They hadn’t gotten a single lead on that group yet, which was why they were being so conservative.
With two of them expressing concern for her safety in a row, even Zoe Pierce was left with nothing to say.
"Okay."
It was because Nathan Lockwood’s ability was Perception that the Beta watching Zoe Pierce didn’t dare get too close, afraid of being discovered.
They observed the situation from a distance, and had even assigned people specifically to tail the military.
They needed to confirm whether the military had sent anyone to keep an eye on Zoe Pierce’s group.
Fortunately, it seemed the military was relying entirely on data and location trackers to determine the group’s position and coordinate a rescue.
They hadn’t dispatched anyone to watch them. Perhaps they were too confident in Zoe Pierce and her companions.
It was a classic case of hiding in plain sight.
The rescue planet was crawling with military personnel. If Zoe Pierce’s group ran into any trouble, the Mechas could mobilize and reach them in less than twenty minutes.
