My nails were bitten to stumps. Like actual stumps, blood had gathered around the edges and it stung. I was nervous.

The bleeding stopped after a day, it wasn't my period though my period was due and I was convinced Axel didn't go at me that hard. I've had harder and never bled before.

From then on I only wore white panties and I became obsessed with checking for blood every time I used the toilet.

Days past by, days of running track and climbing assault courses. Days performing drills and getting shouted at by Axel.

But then the nights would roll in, and I'd lay under the stars with Nate while he smoked his contraband cigarettes, or I gossiped with the girls down at the bar, or I'd cuddle up on the sofa with Axel and eat take out and fuck. And fuck. And fuck some more.

I never bled again.

I wrote it off as a mishap of the cervix. Spotting is normal after sex, right? I didn't have a phone, it's not like I could Google it but let's face it, that would only tell me I was dying anyway.

Although I didn't bleed again, it didn't stop me from going to the bathroom and wiping extra hard or checking my underwear for red. Eventually, I started waiting for blood, praying for the blood. My period was late and I was scared.

"Nate, have you ever made a girl bleed after sex?"

He blew smoke up towards the constellations and turned to face me. "I don't know, is that something I should know?" He asked.

"I don't know, maybe." Probably not, I didn't tell Axel he made me bleed. Do girls tell guys stuff like that?

"Are you fucking someone?" He asked, a face full of curiosity and amusement. His eyes sparkled under the lucid moon.

"No." I answered quickly and a chuckle reverberated through his chest. He took another drag of his cigarette. "But, if I were and my period was late... what would they do about that here?" He sat up quick and looked at me with wide eyes.

"Shit Harp, who?" I shook my head.

"Not important."

"Do you know for certain you're—"

"No." He stumped his half-smoked cigarette out on the muddy ground. His expression so serious it made me feel even worse. Nausea was bubbling up inside my chest from all the stress and worry. Fuck, I hope it was from all the stress and worry.

"You gotta find out." He fished the car rod out of his pocket and handed it to me. "The store thirty minutes away will sell tests." I sighed in dismay but agreed because I basically had no other choice.

I wanted Axels car, I just needed him with me on this journey. His car smelt of cleanliness and order, just like him. It was comforting. He liked structure and control, if I were pregnant I was about to come crashing into him like a fucking whirlwind and I don't even know what will happen.

Mc'Holls was a small establishment that stayed open twenty four, seven. The lady behind the counter looked older than my grandfathers ballsack but she had a hunting rifle located next to her, showing she didn't take any messing.

She quirked a wrinkled smile at me and I grabbed a pregnancy test from the shelf and as a bittersweet late after thought some condoms.

"You from that army recruitment camp?" She asked, looking down at my attire. Her words got stuck in her gums, pronunciation got a little lost.

"Yep." I replied, tapping anxiously on the counter as she rang up my two items on her vintage register.

"Must be nice surrounded by all of those men." She shot a frisky stare at my items and I pursed my lips.

"Yep." I replied again, showing her I was in no mood for chit chat.

"I've seen them walking around town with their muscles. I'd lick their nipples." She handed me the bag of things and shot me a gummy smile. I smiled awkwardly at her. "have a nice night."

I tossed the bag on the passenger seat of Axels car and headed straight back to camp.

As I pulled in to the parking lot things seemed different. The floodlights were always lit up but there were more lights tonight, walking around lights, people.

"Shit!" I switched off his headlights and stopped the rumbling of the engine, cowering down lower in the seat so they didn't spot me. When a flashlight penetrated through the glass I made a sudden sharp movement to bow my head completely, setting off his car alarm. "Shit! Shit! Shit! Fuck!"

Security officers surrounded the car and I had no choice but to give myself up. Gingerly, I stepped out of the car and one of the guys cuffed me, reaching the commander on his walkie talkie.

"Bring her in." He demanded.

The commanders office was located within the staff quarters. I hadn't been to it before but it wasn't a shed or a cabin. It was an actual, brick office. The security dude who held onto my arm tightly looked really pleased with himself and I could practically see the shit hanging off his nose from being so far up the commanders ass.

"Williams, Sir." The security guy announced as he pushed me down into the leather chair opposite the commander.

The commander, Axels senior grimaced at me from across a dark-oak desk. He clasped his hands together and rested them upon the table.

"Harper Williams, held a connivence store up at gun point. Scared a lot of people that day." He worded in a strict, stern tone. "My security officers tell me you're now dabbling in grand theft auto."

"What a game." I commented with a scoff.

He sucked in air, inflating his chest and then pressed a button on a little machine strapped to his desk.

"Red Dog, this is your commander. Could you come into my office, please?" I swallowed thickly, red dog was Axels handle.

"Sir, yes Sir. On my way." Axels voice replied.

The commander said nothing while we waited. Not a single thing. His cold, hard eyes looked deeply at me. Mine looked at him. Matching his glare in a way that let him know I wasn't intimidated.

He was a lot like Axel, hard penetrating stare, tight expression. His eyes were similar to Axels, both this amber shade of brown but in the commander they were cold and in Axels they were heated enough to light a fire within me.

The the door knocked and in that moment I was successfully intimidated. Axel walked in, fixing his clothes straight before looking up and seeing me.

His brow furrowed and disappointment flashed through his expression for a millisecond before he shook off any expression at all and kept his face impassive. He stood to attention.

"At ease Lieutenant." Axel stopped holding a salute and stood uniformed, hands by his side, eyes out front. "Williams took it upon herself to hot wire your car this evening and take it off campus. What do you think qualifies as enough consequence for those actions?"

Axel looked from me, to his dad and back to me again, only with his eyes. His complexion had paled and he remained silent. I lowered my head, feeling ashamed I got caught. Ashamed I was putting him through this. Humiliated I needed to go buy a pregnancy test to begin with.

He cleared his throat. "I don't think there is any suitable punishment, Sir."

"So we're in agreement, her third and final disciplinary?" His dad spoke, eager to cart me off because I was one less recruit to worry about failing the fitness test.

"Sir, yes sir." Axel spoke with conviction, like he had no doubts on this. Can't say I blamed him, he did warn me.

"And you'll press charges for the theft?" Axel looked at me again, his eyes sharpening and his jaw clenching. He was angry, real fucking angry.

"Sir, yes sir." I narrowed my eyes at him, extra charges, was that really necessary?

"Very well, I'll have an officer collect her tonight." The commander started dialling a number on the telephone.

"Tonight, sir? It's late would it not be better tomorrow?" The commander opened his mouth to speak but another knock at the door halted him. He hung up the phone and ushered whoever was knocking to come in.

"Forgive the intrusion commander, sir but these were found in his car. We have a strong feeling they belong to her."

The security guy tipped the contents of my white plastic bag out onto the table. The little box with huge pink writing that read 'PREGNANCY TEST' sat on full display.

Axels eyes widened to the size of golf balls and his head shot in my direction, breaking all protocol.

I couldn't look at him, so I focused on the green splodges that made the camouflage pattern on my slacks, willing myself to blend into my surroundings enough to disappear entirely.