Page 70 of The Alpha's Fated Bond

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Our meeting is brief, but it does make me realize that while Sophia will definitely be an asset if we go against Karina, she will be in terrible danger. She’s no longer the ace up our sleeve. My friends don’t agree with my plan, and especially not with the idea of keeping Sophia in the dark about it. But at the end of the day, I am the Alpha, and it is my decision.

I look at my gathered pack, worry and tiredness written all over their faces. They watch me in silence, waiting to find out why they were roused from their beds at such an ungodly hour. Taking a deep breath, I begin.

“A traitor in our pack released Karina’s people around midnight. We don’t know who did it, and we don’t know where they are. We’re currently checking all security cameras in the village to see if we can spot any movement at that time.”

Fear and anger are evident on the faces of everyone present.

“There is no doubt that Karina is going to come here with her soldiers and kill everyone she finds. Sophia is currently working on unlinking the rest of the children. There are ten pups left. In the meantime, you all need to gather everything that is important to you. But you have to pack light. Only essentials. You will all be getting new identities.”

One of the pack members speaks up, looking alarmed. “New identities? Where are we going? What’s happening?”

“The whole village is evacuating,” I reply firmly. “I’ve set up locations where you can hide and settle in for the long haul. Everything is prepared for you.”

“But what if we run into Karina’s people on our way there?” somebody else demands.

“That won’t happen. In anticipation of a scenario like this, we built underground tunnels, and you will be using those,” I assure them. “You will leave in groups of twenty, each with five soldiers attached to them. Women and children will be evacuated first. The group lists have already been prepared. We will be keeping families together; that is our goal.” I pause, but no one else speaks. “At the end of each tunnel, you will find a safe house, with instructions and transportation waiting for you. From the safe houses, you will be transported to different locations. You will all be given scent blockers to conceal your presence in the human cities. Keep in mind, this is a temporary solution.”

“What about you?” Hilda steps out of the crowd, her face white. “Why does it sound like you’re not coming with us?”

My tone is gentle as I look at her. “We can’t all go, Hilda. Some of us need to stay in the village to collapse the entrances to the tunnels after the groups have departed. We will try to join you another way. Our priority at the moment is to prevent the elimination of our pack.”

“I’ll stay here with you, then!”

She’s crying, and I wish I could comfort her, but this is no time to be soft. We are racing against the clock.

“No. You will be going with the others.”

“But, Alex…!”

“End of discussion.” I begin walking out of the mess hall, where we’d gathered everyone. Hilda runs after me.

“You can’t do this! I’m not going to leave you here!”

“Hilda, you’ll just be in the way!” I growl. “I can’t fight and keep an eye on you at the same time.”

“You can’t do this to me!” she cries out, grabbing my arm. “I don’t want to go! I won’t leave without you! Sophia is staying, isn’t she? Then, I can, too!”

I turn to look at her, my eyes hard. “You and Sophia do not belong in the same category. And no, Sophia is also going.”

Maybe my words are unnecessarily harsh, but I need Hilda gone.

I try to walk away, but she blocks my path. “So, she’s abandoning you? I knew she would do that! I knew you shouldn’t have—”

“Hilda!” I feel frustrated at her inability to grasp the severity of the situation. “This is not the time! Sophia is leaving becauseI told her to leave. And she’s not pestering me about it like you are! We have bigger problems to worry about. Your name is on the list. You are going. And if you make a big deal about this, I will tie you up and have you carried out of here. Do you understand me?”

Hilda’s face loses color, and there are tears in her eyes. “Why are you yelling at me? You never talk to me in that tone.”

I don’t have time for this.

“You need to understand, Hilda. Karina’s people are coming to kill us. You have to go. Period. This is not up for discussion, and this is not something you can convince me to change my mind about. Your safety is important to me. I am going to make sure you are in that tunnel, out of harm’s way, before I collapse it from the outside.”

Sobbing, she runs off, and I look at Jared. “Make sure somebody keeps an eye on her. I wouldn’t put it past her to try to sneak out.”

Jared nods, pulls out his phone, and sends a text.

I frown. “Communications are back up?”

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