Page 35 of Omega's Bears

Jack’s big hands land on my shoulders, surprisingly gentle. “Of course, we aren’t, Ryan. No one’s considering that.”

“God, Cami,” Luka says, shaking his head. “You thought we’d send you away with those monsters waiting out there to....” He closes his eyes, apparently unable to speak the words. “You’re one of us. We’ve imprinted on you. We’ll protect you with our last breath, all of us.”

“You can’t risk yourselves for me.” My whole body is shaking, suddenly, and Jack grabs a skin and wraps it tightly around my shoulders. “I lost my family to these wolves. I can’t lose you like that. I can’t go through that again.”

“It’s decided,” Jack says firmly. “We fight.”

Ryan’s watching me carefully. “Someone needs to stay with her,” he says. “She’ll run.”

“She won’t run.” Jack looks at me. “She knows better. Right, Cami? We can’t protect you if you take off.”

“I don’t want you to protect me,” I say. “That’s what I’m trying to say. I don’t want any of you hurt because of me.”

“You see what I mean?” Ryan says. “She’ll run. She doesn’t want us to fight for her. We already know this. Remember when we met those wild wolves and she ran off to lead them away from us? She thinks she knows best. She needs a guard.”

“That’s you, then,” Jack says.

Ryan frowns. “I’m the best fighter.”

“You’re the one with a slashed torso,” Luka counters. “That wound will open up again if you strain yourself, and then you’ll be no good to anybody. Guarding Cami is the best thing you can do.”

“Wait a minute.” Everything seems to be coming together too quickly. I’m feeling panicky. I’m running out of chances to talk them out of this. “You’re talking about just the two of you going out there to fight them?” I look from Luka to Jack. “You can’t do that, Jack. It will be the same as it was when it was just you and Ryan, and look at him now. Five against two. You won’t be able to manage them.”

“It’ll be different this time,” Jack promises. “We’ll be prepared. We’ll have a plan of attack.”

“No, you can’t—”

“I’m with her,” Ryan says. He sounds furious. “We need to think this through. The two of you against those wolves? It’s not a good plan, Jack. We can come up with something better. You can’t hope to beat them by yourselves.”

Suddenly, horrifyingly, I find myself wishing the Hell’s Bears did have a gun.

“We’ll figure it out,” Jack says. His voice is soothing. “We’ll figure out our plan of attack. We’ll split them up somehow and pick them off. We’re all good hunters, and now we know exactly where they are and what they want, so we have the advantage. It’s going to be fine.”

I wish I could believe him, but I can’t quell the terror washing over me in waves. Luka pulls me into his arms and rubs my back as I continue to shiver, and my mind shrinks away from the confident voices above me, shielding myself as they continue to formulate their plans. If they’re killed trying to protect me after everything I’ve done, I don’t think I can live with it.

I close my eyes and try to relax, but all I can see is Berto’s lifeless body.

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