RUDY

 

The journey from Kai’s sleuth to my herd camp was a day long. The Timberlands stretched for miles, so it was never a simple task to get from one point to the next. George had risked everything without even a guarantee that he would find me.

As soon as he told me what had happened, he succumbed to his exhaustion. The bears took care of him and nursed him the best he could. My goodbye to him was swift.

I moved through the forest faster than I’d ever moved. With Vesper right behind me, we headed east through the Timberlands to see what had happened for ourselves.

The hours were long. My body dripped with sweat despite the cold. My feet were sore. Vesper urged me to rest when I needed it but our breaks only left me more restless. He knew I wouldn’t stop until I was back at the camp.

The sun had gone down long ago when I finally arrived. I neared the clearing and felt a lump in my throat. I sensed that something was wrong even though I wasn’t there.

“I’m here for you.”

Vesper put a hand on my shoulder. His voice was so reassuring. Even in the worst circumstances, I felt comfort knowing that he was there by my side.

I put my hand on top of his and gave him a nod before heading into the camp.

It only took a second for me to see it.

The camp had been devastated. The tents were destroyed. The supplies were ransacked. Everything was scattered around the clearing like an explosion had taken place.

But worse than that were the men and women who made their way around the clearing. They limped as they tried to put everything back together. Others laid on their backs. Bruises and cuts all over their bodies, their injuries were obvious.

“No…”

I couldn’t hold back. My eyes started to glaze over as I observed the destruction. I swallowed to keep everything down. Feeling Vesper’s hand on my shoulder helped me to remain strong.

I walked forward through the clearing until I found Knox leaning over one of the injured. He didn’t appear angry or even upset. He was stone-faced as he looked down at the man as one of the elders tended to him.

“Knox…”

I whispered his name and he slowly turned toward me. He looked up at me, that same solemn look stamped on his face.

“What happened?”

He didn’t respond to me. He just kept staring at me before eventually turning his attention back to the injured man on the ground.

“Make sure he rests,” Knox said. “Tend to his wounds the best you can. If he’s fit, have him go with the others to start gathering.”

Knox stood up straight and turned around. He walked over to his tent. It was one of the only ones that remained standing.

“We should go talk to him,” Vesper said.

“Wait here. I’ll go deal with him.”

“Are you sure?”

“He’s already upset. I know he is. Your presence would not make him feel any better. I’m sure of it.”

“Okay…”

Vesper smiled at me. I managed to smile back at him before making my way toward Knox. When I stepped inside of the tent, Knox was sitting on the floor with his back turned to me. I stood there without saying a word. I knew he could already sense my presence.

I waited for what felt like an eternity. My jaw clenched and my muscles tensed, I closed my eyes until he finally spoke.

“They came here,” he said. “Strangers. Men in clothes. Their mouths covered in masks but their eyes… I could see their eyes. I’d never seen such evil in their eyes.

“They didn’t care. The others begged them to leave. We offered them all of the food and water we’d collected but they didn’t care. They were only intent on destruction. Even with their mouths covered, I could see the delight they took in destroying our camp.”

Knox’s voice was beginning to break. It was so strange to hear. I’d known him all of my life. He was the lead Alpha of the herd. Every deer in the camp respected him. He was so strong and proud. Even when others challenged him, he remained defiant.

But now… Now he was someone else. He was broken.

“I told them to stop,” he continued. “I asked them what they wanted. We are not fighters. We never have been and they knew it. That’s when I realized what they wanted. They were predators. Hunters who were only looking for prey.”

Knox stood up and slowly turned around. I could finally see the hurt in his eyes as he stared at me.

“And you are the prey they’re looking for.”

“W-what?” I stuttered. “Me—”

“I told you not to wander far from camp. I told you not to go wandering off. But you never listened. You disobeyed me.”

“Is that what they said? They came looking for me?”

“They spoke of their brethren,” he said. “Two of them were attacked in the city. When they told me what happened, I knew it had to be you.”

“They attacked me! Vesper and I didn’t have a choice but to fight back—”

“It doesn’t matter now. They seek vengeance and retribution. What was just a sport for them has turned into something greater.”

I looked down at the ground and shook my head. I shut my eyes tight, not wanting to believe what happened.

“They took the others,” Knox said.

“What?”

I raised my head up. My eyes widened in shock.

“They took some of the other Omegas,” Knox said. “This herd is too far from them. There are no deer in the areas they hunt. I suppose they want to use those Omegas for their own amusement. Do you know what it’s like for me to let it happen? I tried to fight but I was no match for them.”

“How many hunters?”

“More than 10. All of them were armed. Weapons that would hurt even the strongest beasts roaming the Timberlands.”

“I… I…”

I stuttered trying to find the words to say. Everything had happened so quickly. It was like getting hit in the head. I was in such a daze that it all felt like a dream.

“I’ll never see them again,” he said. “My own brethren, taken captive by hunters. It’s like something out of a dark fairytale. The kind of fables you tell children just to scare them. And now they’re true.”

“George—”

“George ran. I saw him do it while they were distracted. If he has any sense, he’ll leave for good. Find some place in the woods to make himself safe. But he’s a young Omega. I doubt he’ll be able to make it on his own.”

“George is safe. He’s with the sleuth right now. The bears are watching over him. There’s no better place for him. I’m sure of it.”

“With the bears…”

Knox gave me a half-smirk as he walked toward me.

“…Just like you. Abandoning your brethren so you can go running off with some bears.”

“I didn’t leave you to go running off with some bears! I went to find out who those hunters are. I’m trying to keep the herd safe.”

“The herd was safe. It was safe for generations. And now those that come after will never know what it’s like to truly live in peace. You, Rudy… You robbed the young ones of that peace.”

I didn’t want to believe it. I looked down and shook my head, refusing to succumb so easily.

“How can you say that?” I said. “You’re the lead Alpha of the herd. It’s your responsibility to protect everybody—”

“To protect everybody from the harsh conditions of the Timberlands. To provide them shelter. To put food in their stomachs. To give them a place to mate and find happiness. It’s not my responsibility to fight. It never has been.”

“No… Even when some of the others have been captured, you refuse to do anything about it.”

“And you will, Omega?”

“I will do something. If you say this is my fault for attracting the attention of the hunters then I will deal with it.”

Knox walked closer to me. He stepped right in front of me. He looked down and stared at me intently. I stood my ground, digging my heels into the floor. He was the leader of my herd but I wouldn’t back down from him.

“No,” he said. “I won’t allow it.”

“What?”

“You’ve caused enough mischief leaving the herd. Stay here with your brothers and sisters. Help them put the herd back together.”

“But the others—”

“Are lost. We must get on with your lives.”

“How can you say something like that?”

I glared at Knox as if I would find the answers I was looking for in his eyes. But he stared at me defiantly, trying to be the proud Alpha he always was.

“They’re out there,” I said. “I know where they are. They need my help—”

“The herd needs your help. You’ve been away for so long you’ve forgotten your duties.”

“No,” I said as I shook my head. “I won’t stay with the herd. I will go and do what you refuse to do.”

“You will turn your back on your own brethren?”

“I’m not the one turning my back on them. You are the one who refuses to go out there and save them.”

Knox gave me an intense stare.

“If you leave, don’t come back,” he said. “You’ve turned your back on this herd too many times. I won’t have you do it again.”

I swallowed to avoid saying anything I would regret. Before I could do anything more, I turned around and left the tent.

As soon as I got outside, Vesper was standing there waiting for me.

“What did he say?”

I was too upset over my conversation with Knox that I had trouble speaking.

“What is it?” Vesper asked.

“The hunters came. Revenge for what happened in the city. They took some of the others.”

“Others?”

“They took some Omegas. Hunters looking for sport, I suppose.”

“We know where they are. They must be holding them in the mountains to the north.”

I sighed when I thought about what I had to do.

“Knox said if I left to go looking for them that I wouldn’t be allowed to come back.”

“What?”

“He’s right. I’ve been away from the herd for so many days that I’ve forgotten what it’s like to live here.”

I closed my eyes and gathered myself.

“Rudy…”

Vesper’s voice was more soothing than anything. It wasn’t an easy decision to make but one I knew I had to.

“I’m leaving,” I said. “I’ll leave the herd and save the others. Even if Knox wants no part of me, I have to go out there and save them.”

“Maybe you should listen to him.”

I opened my eyes and stared at Vesper in disbelief.

“What?”

I thought that I’d misheard him. But the frown on his face told me that I hadn’t.

“You’ve gotten into nothing but trouble ever since you found me,” he said. “Maybe it’s best that you stay with your people now.”

“Vesper, what are you saying—”

“I’m saying look around. The people who are still here need your help.”

I couldn’t deny that the camp was devastated. It hurt to see my brethren in such a terrible state. The clearing that had been my home for all my life looked nothing like I was used to seeing it.

Vesper put both of his hands on my shoulders and stared at me.

“I’ll go to the mountains,” he said. “Stay here.”

“But—”

“I’ll be with Megan and the others. I’ll find your brothers and sisters and bring them back here. The best place for you right now is right here.”

He leaned forward and kissed me softly on the forehead.

“I will see you again, Rudy. I promise.”

He turned around and walked through the clearing. I stood there and watched as he disappeared back into the forest.

I wanted to go after him. I wanted to tell him to take me with him. But I was too tired to try and stop him. And there was a part of me that knew that this was for the best. I had to listen to Knox. I had to be here for the herd.

Everything had happened so quickly. My herd was in trouble. George was on the other side of the Timberlands. And now Vesper had left me.