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My thoughts come to a halt as she pulls away, gazing up at me with fervent, questioning eyes. “Tell me—what’s the plan? Are you going to Goldenrod? You’ll bring them all here?”
I stroke her cheek. “I’m going to talk to Marcus Catmint first. If I can get him on board, I think it’ll be easier to get everyone else to leave.”
She tilts her head curiously. “He’s the head of the council, right? What’s he like?”
“Uh, fine,” I hedge, the back of my neck tingling at the lie.
“Do you think he’ll actually believe it?” She shakes her head slowly, her eyes wide. “It’s an outrageous story, isn’t it?”
My heart drops, and I lower my eyelids. “I don’t know if I would have believed it a year ago,” I admit.
A voice in the back of my head—one that sounds suspiciously like Rill—tells me I’m being an idiot. Marcus will never believe me. There’s no way someone so invested in the Order will believe anything but good about the men and this special delivery. But a louder voice tells me that I have to try. What other choice do I have?
“What are you going to say?” she presses anxiously. “How are you going to convince him?”
I touch the mark on her neck, grazing it with the tips of my fingers as I will myself to stay calm. If I’m upset, she’ll feel it.
“I’ll figure something out—Marcus is a rational alpha.” My heart pangs at the lie, but her wide blue eyes are guileless and trusting. “I’m going to tell him that we need to get the younger omegas out.” I lift a shoulder. “Maybe starting small will help.”
I trail off as something changes. Her hands drop from my chest, her face falling as she steps away from me.
“Just the omegas?” she asks, her voice soaked with dread.
I know immediately what she’s thinking. My heart stalls as I nod once.
“What about the betas?” she whispers.
“What about them?”
Her expression collapses, and her hands cover her mouth. “Oh no, Noah. You can’t…”
I run my hand through my hair, my eyes downcast. It feels impossible to look at her. “We can’t worry about the betas right now. If they manage to get out with the omegas, great. But I’m not going to…” I trail off, my eyes catching on her expression, so pained and accusing.
“Why not?” she whispers.
“Because at the end of the day…” I hesitate, trying to think of a way to say this delicately.
“What, Noah?” she demands.
“There’s not as much value placed on a beta’s life,” I admit, immediately wincing. “It will be hard enough to convince Marcus that the omegas should leave. I’ll go back for the betas later.”
“There won’t be a later, Noah,” she replies, backing away. “You heard Jason.”
The silence after she says that … it’s so thick. It’s like the entire world has fallen quiet. All that exists is Hetty’s anger, her disappointment.
“Not everyone in Goldenrod has the same liberal attitudes about betas that the Sages do,” I attempt to explain. “That’s even true of the rest of the world. Betas don’t even exist outside Goldenrod anymore. In fact, Rill thinks betas are—”
“What?” she presses, her voice thick with passion. “Does he think they’re pointless? Disposable servants?”
I cringe at the reminder of my words from that terrible night. “Hetty, you have to look at this rationally. There’s too much to do in a short amount of time.”
Her eyes water and she looks up at me, determined. “Well, then, I guess I’m going to Goldenrod, too.”
My blood runs cold. “No, you’re not.”
“Someone needs to get the betas out,” she says fiercely. “If you won’t do it, then I will.” She releases a deep, resigned breath. “It’s probably better that it’s me, anyway—they’ll trust me more than any alpha.”
“No. Absolutely not,” I grit out, leaving no room for argument. “You’re staying here where it’s safe.”
