“What?”
“Sincewhen?”
“Who's thefather?”
At the sound of that question, everyone instantly turnedtome.
But I couldn't speak. My jaw had dropped. Any words I knew dried up and withered away in my throat. Even my heart slowed, as if it would stop from shock at anymoment.
Was this reallyhappening?
It couldn’tbetrue.
I shut my eyes, opened them again, and found Hector standing there the same as he was before. The words were still said. Pretending they weren’t real didn’t make them go away. They hung in the air like heavysmoke.
“I’mpregnant.”
Then I realized what Hector wasdoing.
He’s playing a game, I thought bitterly.He’s playing all of us forfools.
I frowned and stepped forward. “You’relying.”
Hector’s browsraised. “What?”
“This cannot be the truth,” I growled. “You told me yourself the pills prevent pregnancy. We were onlyintimateonce.”
His eyes narrowed as an expression of annoyance took over his face. “I’m telling thetruth.”
Everything was too much. I was crushed under the weight of responsibility, fear and anxiety. My patience wore thin andsnapped.
“No, you’re not!” I shouted. “Stop the lies. I know you are only doing this to lure Gunner out. I suggest you stop trying to play the hero, Hector. It’s not the time for this. This is toodangerous.”
Hector wore an expression of shock and utter disbelief. “Not the time for this?” he saidslowly.
I shook my head. “No. I know you mean well, and you’re only trying to help, but this is not the way to do it. Even if youwerepregnant, I wouldn’t let you go down there by yourself either way, so do not bother lyingaboutit.”
He paused. The whole camp was so quiet that the only sounds in the air were the crackling fire and whirr ofinsects.
“I see,” he said finally, quietly. The anger left his body. “I’m going to speak with George, then. Come tell me when you have arealplan.”
Without another word, he disappeared intoGeorge’stent.
I let out the breath I’d been holding, but felt little relief. That situation was almost a disaster. But we were still no closer to a true solution. Everyone who gathered for our outbursts went back to milling around, doing nothing. Hector’s attempt to rally their efforts hadfailed.
But maybe it was my fault it failed,Ithought.
He had a plan. It wasn’t a good one - it was stupid, and dangerous, and just the kind of thing he would suggest - but it was a plan nonetheless. Without it, we had nothing butdespair.
We still have the Indigo Mountain wolves,I remembered. But what good was their help if we were going against a figurative stone wall of shifters ready to defend Gunner to thedeath?
I paced around mindlessly, lost in my thoughts. Though the sun still hung in the sky, evening was approaching fast. Flint, Jericho, and the others would be arriving soon. What was I supposed to tell them? That everything wascancelled?
I felt like a fool. As I came down from my high of anger, I realized that Hector did have a point. His plan might have been better than nothing. And he didn’tneedto go by himself - he could have had hidden escorts to make sure things went smoothly. The only thing I didn't like about his plan was his self-sacrificialattitude.
Maybe with some adjustments, we could makeitwork…
Suddenly, I was wracked with guilt for the way I’d spoken to Hector. I was afraid of his rashness, and took it out on him - in front of everybody, no less. I needed toapologize.
