“What’s the matter?”
“There are fewer people, like, a lot less,” I murmur. “Theo has finally left.”
My skin prickles, and I look again. It’s strange, but the people left behind are old and young. Why would he leave the children?
I rub my chin and glance at Bear, wondering exactly what his plan is. It’s ridiculous to think that he’s not informed of this, and yet, he’s so distracted, is it possible he missed it?
The unease sits heavy in my body, and it’s clear that it’s affecting Jarek, Mordecai, and Cadel. They are low-key growling and staying in almost a circle around me. I snatch off my suppressant patch, and they do the same.
If something’s going to happen, I need all my senses.
They are all staying close to me, glancing back frequently.
Bear shouts something, drawing a whole heap of eyes to him. “I don’t know. He drugged us and left. Everyone went with him.”
I glance at Jarek.
Without a word to anyone, I start walking around the camp, counting who is left. There are twenty-five children, thirty people who are injured or disabled, and forty who are over the age of sixty. But there are a whole lot of middle-aged women who look like they are the mothers of the children.
They sit quietly with their heads down, fear in their eyes and movements.
“Every fighter they have is gone,” Jarek says under his breath.
“If we leave, we’re leaving everyone defenseless.”
I nod absently, looking at the rock walls. I jolt, remembering the cave. “Come with me.”
They follow me up to where Bear brought me to talk, and I show them the cave. It’s deep and dark, but it could hold almost everyone.
“If we can move that rock and half cover the entrance, we could hide it completely.”
“Or we seal them in.”
I hesitate, thinking of all the what ifs. What if we never came back? What if we couldn’t move it once we put it there?
“Okay, we seal them in,” I say grudgingly. “People will come back; they will know to check,” I tell myself. “Someone will come for them.”
“When?” Jarek murmurs. “We have to time it right.”
“We need to get everything in there, supplies, water, food, blankets,” I mutter. “Fire. We can’t leave that many people alone in the cave without supplies. It could be weeks.”
I turn and find Bear behind me. His expression is grim and filled with despair. It’s like the fight has gone out of him.
“How did it get to this?” he whispers. “We were so full of hope and so determined to beat them. How is it that now we are desperately hiding our people and hoping for the best?”
“Bear, I’m sorry,” Cadel says gently. “You have been a brilliant leader, strong, firm, and you have sacrificed. No one could ask more of you. The alpha gods would be proud.”
I look at him sideways, all sorts of proud ofhim.
Bear swallows hard and nods. “I hope they are. I have tried my best to honour the old ways.”
“You have done an amazing job,” Cadel reaffirms.
“Do it. Let’s do it. Tonight. From what Mia said, they know our location, so they will come when we least suspect it.” He frowns. “There are two entrances to the valley: the one you came through, and the one Theo left through. I’ve sent Kendric to find Theo and warn him.”
Bear stops talking, looking at us. “If you want to get out of this, you should leave now. This isn’t your fight.”
“It is our fight,” I say firmly. “I’m an omega; that makes it my fight. We’re not leaving.”
