Page 31 of Specter Bred

Another shot cracked.

Ping.

"Maeve—"

"But when you're a woman?" she continued. "Good doesn't get you respect. Good doesn't stop people from questioning whether you belong."

She finally glanced at me.

"You should know that better than anyone, Hayes."

For a moment, neither of us spoke. Because she was right. I'd spent the first few weeks proving I deserved to be there, while she'd spent her entire career doing it.

"So no," she said. "Good isn't enough."

The next shot rang out.

Ping.

"I need to be better. So are you going to help or not?"

I studied her for a moment before nodding.

"Alright," I said, pushing off the wall. "First thing? I can practically see you thinking."

Maeve rolled her eyes.

"That's called using my brain."

"No, that's called trying to control every part of the shot."

She frowned as I stepped beside her.

"You're worried about your breathing, your grip, your trigger pull, the wind, the target. Hell, you're probably already critiquing the shot before the bullet leaves the barrel."

"And that's called preparation."

"Sometimes," I smiled. "Sometimes it's just getting in your own way."

She looked unconvinced.

"Show me."

Now, that was a dangerous sentence. I moved behind her, intending to focus entirely on the rifle and absolutely nothing else. That plan lasted about half a second.

Betas didn't have the heightened senses that alphas did. We couldn't pick out individual scents in a crowded room or track someone through the woods by smell alone. At least, not normally. But standing this close to Maeve, I understood why alphas were always talking about scent.

The faint traces of her shower still lingered on her skin. Clean soap, fresh air, and something warm beneath it that was uniquely hers. It wasn't overpowering, like some mystical omega nonsense.

It was just Maeve.

I had never understood how someone could become attached to a scent before. Now, with her standing inches away, I suspected I could identify her scent anywhere.

Trying to find my composure, I reached around her and adjusted her supporting hand on the rifle.

"Move this forward a little."

She complied.