“Theexile?”
“That’s me,” I muttered. Why did they have to talk about me like I wasn’t standing rightthere?
“I’m surprised he’s still alive,” anotheralphasaid.
“He was with us during the initial revolt against Gunner,” Darrel explained, then somberly added, “the night thatDeltadied.”
The new alphasfrowned.
“So he’s escaped Gunner twice?” one saidincredulously.
“Yes, he has,”Colinsaid.
They looked impressed. I didn’t know whether to feel proud or embarrassed. I ended up just standing there and not saying anything while they hashed out thedetails.
Darrel explained the growing resistance movement, and that they needed as many shifters as possible to join the cause. The alphas agreed almost instantly. As lower-ranking alphas, they lived in crappy conditions, had poor morale, and weren’t allowed to take omega mates oftheirown.
He also explained that they had to distribute news of Virgil’spassing.
“Is he really dead?” one asked withwideeyes.
“No,” Darrel said. “But we need Gunner to thinkheis.”
They nodded. “Weunderstand.”
“If you know anybody else who would want to join, tell us,” Darrel said. “We need all the help wecanget.”
The first alpha said, “Yes, I know quite a few other alphas who are sick of the way we’retreated.”
“Good. We’ll stand-by for an hour. Come find us in the woods when you’re done, but stagger your movement so it’s less suspicious,” Darreltoldthem.
By the time the hour was up, about ten alphas had joined up at the meeting point. I nearly jumped out of my skin. I hated being surrounded by so many random men, but it was all for a good cause, so I shut up and minded my ownbusiness.
“This is great!” Colin said, sounding like a kid on his birthday. “We nearly doubled ournumbers.”
It was true - Virgil was sure to be pleased about this. Which made me strangelyirritated.
Ugh. Why am I thinking about himrightnow!?
“Thank you all for joining us,” Darrel growled in announcement. He had a rough quality to his voice, but that was just the way he sounded - I noticed all the other alphas who had joined possessed a similar rough-around-the-edges quality about them. It wasn’t untrustworthy, but it wasn’t anything close to Virgil’s calm,coolaura.
There I went thinking about Virgilagain.
I shoved him out of my mind and promised myself I wouldn't think about him until we returnedtocamp.
We began the return journey that night to save time. I was getting a bit tired, and Colin noticed. He ambled close tomyside.
“You good?” heasked.
“Yeah. Just haveshortlegs.”
He chuckled. “Yeah,youdo.”
“Thanks,” I mumbledsarcastically.
He laughed again. “I like that about you. Small and sassy, an omega with abackbone.”
“If I didn’t have a backbone, I’d be a pile of jelly,”Isaid.
