“And then what?” David growled. “Gunner is evil but he isn’t stupid. Once he realizes the place is swarming with alphas, he’ll probably kill yourightaway.”
An ideastruckme.
“What if therearen’talphas surrounding the rendezvous point?” Isuggested.
Everyone turned to me inconfusion.
“What do you mean? Won’t the alphas have to be there to fight Gunner?” Charlieasked.
“Yes, we’ll be there. But we won’tsmelllike alphas,” I said. “As a doctor, I have access to pheromone-changing pills. We’ll all give off the same scents asomegas.”
Flint and Jericho exchanged curious glances. The alphas all seemed interested in the plan, evenDavid.
“That could work,” David mumbled. He nodded firmly at me. “Let’s do it. It’s the best chance we have to take this piece ofshitout.”
“Yeah!” Jericho agreed. “He’s gonna pay for what he did to ourmates!”
“What will happen to Scarlet Ridge after Gunner’s gone?” Charlie musedoutloud.
“I guess it’ll erupt into chaos… or just dissolve,” Masonmuttered.
“We can’t worry about that right now,” Wesley said. “First we have to make sure this plan goes smoothly. We can deal with everything elseafterthat.”
“You’re right,” Mason agreed. “And, um, about yesterday… I’m sorry about how suspicious I was of you,Wesley.”
But Wesley just smiled. “It’s okay. You had every right to be. And it’s only because you cornered me about it that I had a heart-to-heart with Ken.” He turned to look up at me with bright eyes. I squeezed his handinmine.
Mason grinned. “Oh, well, then I don’t regretanything.”
“Okay. We need to figure out a time and place for this meeting,” Wesley said. “Does anyone know a place that would be a good rendezvous for anambush?”
“There’s an abandoned cottage on the far edge of the territory. I can show you where it is,” Flint offered. “I doubt Gunner would be thrilled about walking right into town, so this is a good way to add genuineness tothelie.”
“That’s good,” Wesley said. “Now the only thingiswhen.”
But as Wesley devised a plan, I felt a growing sense ofunease.
“Wesley,” I murmured. “I just thought ofsomething.”
“Whatisit?”
I was suddenly aware of everybody else in the room, but this was no time to be worried about that. We were all adults, many of them with families of their own. And I was about to say this as a doctor first, and a matesecond.
“I’m concerned about you being the one to do this,” Iconfessed.
Wesley furrowed his brow. “But it has to be me, Ken. It can’t be anyone else.I’mGunner’sspy.”
“I know, but… there’s something we need to thinkabout.”
“What?”
I inhaled deeply. “There is a real possibility you might bepregnant.”
Everyone wentsilent.
Confusion crossed Wesley’s face. “But… we only had sexonetime.”
I shook my head. “One time is all it can take. And besides, can’t you feel it? Your heat has alreadystopped.”
