Chapter Twelve
They switched seats and returned to the den, Seth guiding a sheepish Dara back to the clinic, fending off worried questions from everyone.
“First order of business is for you to get some sleep.”
Dara opened his mouth for what Seth knew would be a protest. He silenced him with a finger pressed to his lips.
“Sleep first. I’ll fill the guys in on my plan and we’ll go over the details in the morning. Besides, we need a day or two to put things in place.”
He walked the omega back into the room where Joe was keeping an eye on the baby. The beta quickly excused himself.
“You know, I hear babies are awesome to cuddle, especially if they’re your own.”
It wasn’t lost on Seth that Dara spared the infant barely a glance.
“No takers, huh?” Dara sat down on the side of the bed, studying his fingernails.
“Do you mind if I sneak a cuddle in?” The baby was making soft sounds that Seth suspected would turn to full-on cries any moment. Dara shrugged, still not looking up.
Seth crossed to the crib, reaching in and lifting the little bundle, blankets and all, into his arms. He held him to his chest, noting how his head turned toward Seth, his little mouth opening.
“I think someone’s hungry.”
“I don’t have any milk yet.”
“What do you—oh.” Seth felt his face heat but pushed down his embarrassment. “Well, why don’t I see if Joe is nearby. He might have some suggestions.”
They could give him a bottle, right? Hunter and Cade frequently bottle-fed their little monsters and it didn’t do them any harm.
“Why don’t you take him while I—”
Dara turned away, curling his legs up under him on the bed.
“That’s okay. The little man and I will go on our first adventure. It’s never too early to teach about foraging for food.”
He found Joe in the next room. “Kiddo here is hungry and Dara is… I don’t know what to call it. Numb? He won’t even look at him.”
Joe took the baby from him. “He’ll come around. I’ll get this little one fed, you stay with Dara.”
Dara was lying on the bed when Seth went back in, curled up on his side, his back to the rest of the room. He wasn’t asleep, but he was doing a good imitation of it. With a sigh, Seth grabbed a chair and sat down. He didn’t quite trust Dara not to run. They’d need to keep an eye on him until morning.
Joe came back in later with the baby, fed and ready to sleep. He was happy to stay while Seth went to fill the others in on what had happened.
There was silence around the table when Seth finished explaining his plan.
“That’s… crazy,” Cade said eventually.
“I know.”
“He didn’t mean it as a compliment, Seth,” Hunter added. “It’s reckless and there are so many ways it could go wrong.”
“Sure,” Seth agreed. “I’m open to better suggestions. Or any suggestions for that matter.”
“Even if Zane takes the bait, there’s nothing to say he’ll agree to us walking into the arena.”
“That’s the beauty of it. We’re not going to suggest it. We’ll let him choose the meeting place.”
“And if he doesn’t choose the arena?”
“Do you seriously think he’ll pass up the chance to invite us into the lion’s den? No offense, doc.”
“None taken,” Jensen said easily.
“Why would he invite us into his stronghold?”
“Well, let’s see,” Seth said, ticking off the reasons using his fingers. “To kill us. Or add us to his collection. Or just because he’s legit crazy.”
“You’re not coming off much better in this conversation,” Hunter muttered.
“Look, if you don’t think this is a good plan either suggest another one or bow out. We’d need an army to get into the arena any other way. And an army to get back out. With Dara, Zane will let us walk right in. And if we play our cards right, there’s a ready-made, pissed off army already there and primed to fight. They just need a little encouragement. Which is where we come in.”
Hunter turned toward the door and a moment later, it swung open, Dara standing there.
“Is this a private conversation or can anyone join?”
Seth got to his feet. “Hey, you’re up. No, come on in. I’ve just been explaining my master plan. No one is too impressed. Here, sit down.”
He gave Dara his seat, ushering the omega into it and going to grab himself another chair. There were a few looks aimed his way, but he brushed them off.
“What is this master plan?” Dara asked, hiding a yawn behind his hand.
“It’s simple. We contact Zane and tell him we have you and that we’ll give you back to him in exchange for Lucas.”
Dara nodded so readily at the idea that Seth’s heart hurt.
“And Max,” the omega said.
“No, we can’t ask for Max, because then he’ll know we’re not on the up and up.”
The omega blinked tiredly. “I don’t understand.”
“We’re going to tell Zane that we know you’re his mate and offer to exchange you for Lucas. It’s a ruse to get us inside the arena. While we’re in there, we’ll incite a rebellion among the captured shifters, rescue Lucas and Max, and haul ass out of there.”
“You’re not giving me back to Zane?” Dara asked, his forehead scrunched in confusion.
The other exchanged worried glances.
“No, of course not,” Cade said, reaching for Dara’s hand across the table. “Do you think there’s a chance in hell Max would agree to leave without you?”
“Never,” the omega said softly.
“Exactly. Never,” Seth echoed. “No way in hell. Not going to happen. Everyone who goes in comes back out.”
Dara nodded slowly.
“So, to summarize in case anyone missed it, we’re going to pretend that we captured Dara and stole him from Zane. We’ll contact Zane and offer to return Dara to him in exchange for Lucas. Then once we get in there, we turn the tables on Red Fang.”
“Why wouldn’t they notice us trying to start this riot you’re planning? I mean, there’s only going to be what, three of you? They’ll have eyes on you the whole time.”
“I could ask to see Max,” Dara suggested. “And tell him the plan.”
“I was thinking I’d fight him,” Seth said quietly. At first, the others didn’t hear his words or if they did, didn’t take in his meaning. Hunter got it though, turning in his seat to stare at Seth.
“You’ll what?”
“Once we’re in there, we’ll need a distraction. Zane’s got an ego, right? We’ve seen it at every Gathering. We saw it when you fought him. I’m going to challenge him for Dara. There’s no way he’d turn down an offer to best me in a fight, so he’ll agree, call all his buddies up to watch him kill Moonrise Cove’s next alpha, and while they’re distracted, you and Dara can start the revolution.”
“I should be the one to fight,” Hunter said.
“He knows what you are. He won’t fight you. He’s an egomaniac, he’s not stupid.”
“Pity we can’t say the same about you,” the bear grumbled.
“Again, if anyone has a better suggestion, I’m all ears. I want Lucas safe and I’m happy to put my life on the line for that. Dara wants Max free and is willing to risk it. We can do it with two if we have to so if you guys aren’t on board…”
“I’m on board,” Hunter said. “I just think there must be a better way.”
“Then name it.”
Hunter stood, shaking his head. “I need some air.”
“I’ll come with you,” Cade said, following him out. “Let’s pick this up again in the morning. We’re all tired.”
Seth walked Dara back to his room. Joe was there reading a magazine and keeping watch on the baby.
“Why don’t you get some rest?” Joe said to him. “I’ll be staying up to monitor this little one, anyway.”
He glanced at Dara, but the omega simply climbed into bed, rolled onto his side and closed his eyes.
“You know, that’s a good idea. Keep a close eye on the new guy though,” he quipped, indicating the baby but meaning Dara. “I think he’s up to something.”
Joe’s gaze went to Dara before looking back at Seth. The beta nodded. “I’ll keep an eye out.”
Seth crashed in Ollie’s place, knowing Hunter and Cade’s litter nest would not be a place of rest. He slept like the dead until just before sunrise, quickly showering and changing before heading back to the clinic. Joe was making himself a cup of tea in the kitchen.
“Want one?” he asked.
“No, thanks,” Seth replied. “How was the rest of the night?”
“Quiet. I was up twice with the baby.”
“Dara didn’t wake?”
“I think he was awake, but he didn’t move. Sometimes, when babies are a shock like that, it takes people a while to come around.”
“It’s not like he didn’t know he was pregnant. Unless he thought he’d eaten an apple seed and it was an apple growing inside him. Someone told me that when I was a kid and I believed them for like, a year.”
“No, you’re right. He knew there was a baby. But there’s a difference between knowing and knowing.”
“I’m not hearing the difference,” Seth said. “To me, they sound like the same word.”
“Alright. There’s knowing, in the technical sense. Like I know this tea is going cold. And then there’s knowing in the emotional sense.”
“Like how mad you’ll be that I kept you talking until your tea cooled down?”
“Sort of like that, yeah.” Joe took a sip from his cup before putting it down with a grimace. “Dara seems to like you. Cade and Ollie were talking about the two of you in that way they do when…”
“When what?”
“When there’s something to talk about.”
“If your next sentence includes the word connection, I’d rethink it.”
“You don’t feel it?”
“That’s just it. I feel it. And not just it, I feel my wolf. But Dara’s gone through hell at the hands of a wolf who wants him for that feeling and what it might mean. How am I any different if I try to take advantage now?”
“Well, for a start, you’re not an egotistical, psychopathic monster.”
“Thanks, that’s good to know. But not being one of those is not exactly a point in my favor except where Zane is in contention.”
“As cliché as it sounds, Dara needs you right now. He’s listening to you,” Joe said.
“Funny that listening looks a lot like ignoring.”
“He’s still here, isn’t he?”
“I hope so,” he replied. “I’m not up for chasing him across the country if he’s gotten hold of another car. He’s a bit of a speed fiend behind the wheel.”
Joe shook his head, exasperated, but Seth could see he was trying not to smile.