Hudson’s face looks relaxed, even as his shoulders are stiff as a board. “Lead the way, Gabby.”
We follow her footsteps all the way to a small clearing.
A trail of solar-powered fairy lights twinkle above us, strung between poles that hold up sheets and materials, creating several tents. A small fire is burning right in the center, and there’s a beta lounging next to it.
She springs to her feet when she sees us coming, her eyes moving suspiciously between me and Hudson.
She doesn’t look surprised to see Gabrielle in the slightest.
“What’re you doin’, girlie?” the beta rasps. Her hand flips a watch in her hand, moving it between her fingers with surprising elegance.
Gabrielle looks back, her eyes colliding with mine as she pauses. I let her see the promise in my own – I want an explanation when we leave.
She swallows, turning back.
“Seek,” she says. “These are… friends of mine. Cade and Hudson.”
The beta looks us up and down. “Got yourself a pack after all, then? They from here? Don’t dress like it.”
My lip curls at the suggestion that we’re anything like the alphas from the dungeon. I’ve seen enough to know that none of them are alphas I’d care to call a friend.
“We’re not from here.”
Gabrielle frowns at me, but the beta cackles. “Didn’t think so. Dungeon alphas don’t dress in designer suits, sunshine.”
Her voice lowers as she leans forward. “Puttin’ a target on your back, coming here with them, girlie. Watch yourself.”
Gabrielle flinches, but she holds up a bag. “We brought some food. What’s the best thing to do with it?”
Seek flicks a curved eyebrow upwards, the small silver ring glinting in the light of the fire.
“Set it down there,” she gestures to a space, and Gabby sets her bags down. “We’ll get it out.”
Hudson and I place our bags down. As soon as my hands are free, I move closer to Gabrielle, my hand landing on her shoulder.
“We should go,” I murmur in her ear.
She glances at Seek again before she nods.
“I’ll… see you soon?” she asks, her voice high-pitched.
Seek’s eyes move across us, and she grins. “Maybe, girlie.”
As we turn to head out, Seek stops us.
“Gabrielle,” she calls, her voice low. “Want me to put you one of these in your tent?”
Gabrielle sucks in a breath as Hudson and I stop dead. Realization steals over me, clenching my jaw so tightly the tendons jump out on my neck.
Hudson swings around to Seek. She eyes us carefully, her body coiled as though she’s bracing herself to run.
Gabrielle is still frozen, her shoulders hunched close to her ears. I take another step closer to her, battling to keep my composure as I lean down and whisper in her ear.
“Yourtent?”
Her mouth drops open, her eyes flicking around as she searches for a response.
Her eyes land on one space as she grapples with her words, and I’m across the clearing before she can do more than blink.
