Woodrow’s demeanour changed entirely from how he appeared this morning. He looked tired, older. Immediately I becameconcerned.
“Somebody explain what’s going on now,” Icommanded.
All three of them stared at meseriously.
Woodrow was the one to finally speak. “The mission’s been compromised. Gunner knows about ourambush.”
Cold dread crawled up my skin. My stomach turnedtolead.
“Now that he knows about us, he’s holed up in his defenses,” Shane muttered. “He’s heavily guarded. No chance of a surprise attack. Gone, justlikethat.”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Weeks of planning had vanished into thin air. We lost our edge, and there was no way to getitback.
“Was it Colin?” I asked. The fear that had been building in my chest for weeks peaked at the sound ofthisnews.
“We don’t know,” Shane muttered. “We didn't see him,anyway.”
I shut my eyes and pinched the bridge ofmynose.
I should have known this would happen, I thought bitterly tomyself.
“Who else knows?” I askedquietly.
“Everyone. We told them the news,”Woodrowsaid.
I stood there with my eyes closed, wishing time would just stop so I could have a moment to think. Either that or hoping the ground beneath me would open up and swallow mewhole.
I waved a hand to dismiss the alphas, but it wasn’t needed. They were already walking off, milling aboutsullenly.
In the time it took me to gather forces from Indigo Mountain, our plans had crumbled into dust. Would things have changed if I hadn’t left? I knew logically that no - they wouldn’t have - but guilt gnawed at me nonetheless. As a leader, everything was my fault. I should have thought ahead. I should have known this would happen, but I was too hopeful, too naive to think of any otheroutcome.
“Virgil?”
My mate’s voice pulled me from my dark thoughts. Hector ran up to me, his eyes glazed with sympathy andconcern.
“Where have you been?” he asked, biting his lip and grasping his arm. “I was so worried about you. Especially since….Thenews…”
“It’s my fault,” I said immediately. “I shouldn’t have left. Maybe - maybe if I was here, that wouldn’t havehappened- “
Hector cut me off. He threw himself into my arms and buried his face in my chest. “Stop that. I don’t know where the hell you went or why, but unless you personally went to Gunner to tell him what was going on, this isnotyourfault.”
“No, I didn’t do that,” I mumbled. “I went to IndigoMountain.”
Hector looked upcuriously. “What?”
“I felt weak. I didn’t know if we had enough people on our side, so I asked fortheirhelp.”
“You’renotweak, so stop fucking saying that,” Hector growled. “What didtheysay?”
I shook my head. “Most of them were coming, but it doesn’t matter now. Not since we lost the luxury of anambush.”
Hector frowned. “So you’re justgivingup?”
“I don’t know what to do. Our entire plan was banking onthatfact.”
His face twisted into anger. “I can’t believe you. Why are you actinglikethis?”
Stepping back, he gestured wildly at me. I was shocked by the displeasure in his voice. He was legitimatelyangry.
