Page 76 of Red

I trail Nikki and Stark into the forum. I’ve never been in it before. It’s grand, like most rooms in the house, an amphitheater of sorts, with three tiers of permanent wooden benches and a big map similar to the one in Stark’s office at the bottom, blanketing the wall. Down the stairs and off to the one side, I stare at the map pictures on my phone, comparing the map the humans have with ours. They vary in a few different ways. I start grabbing pins and moving the lines to be more accurate. Stark stands off to the side, and Nikki takes a seat at the front.

“No one touches the map except for Stark,” Nikki declares across the space.

I hold the pin in my hand over its new location, but Stark answers before I can.

“Aloka is welcome to change whatever she’d like.”

My stomach twirls with butterflies at his response to his mate, but I shove them back down. We’ve spent way too much time together lately.

The cohort shuffles in, talking to each other, and when I’ve made all the changes I need to make, I spin to face them and take a breath. I’ve been rehearsing this all week.

“Now, a few of you have heard the rumors. Aloka did infiltrate the human camp. I will let her share what she’s learned.” Stark steps away.

The room hushes, and a lot of eyes are on me. I cough to clear my throat and scan the room. When I notice Otis and Graden sitting at the top, my pulse races, fire licking the healed gashes. I can’t look away from them, while they just sit there.

“Alo?” Stark blocks the view of them all.

I lean back to look up at him. “Sorry. Do they, um, need to be here?”

He follows my gaze over to Otis and Graden. “No. If you don’t want them to be, they can leave.”

I wring my hands. “I don’t . . . They just, um—”

“You have a good reason. Give me a moment.” He turns and walks up the stairs. Each head turns to follow, a few whispers are exchanged. Then the Elders stand and exit. Tension eases from my limbs.

“Hi, so, yes, Stark is right. I did go into the human camp, or as they call it the Uprising to learn about them. I figured being me”—I point at myself—“versus one of you”—I rise onto my toes and stretch my hand up indicating their height—“I fit in a bit better.”

A few people laugh, and I relax even more.

“So, I’ve drawn out the new borders here.” I explain the map changes, then go on to tell them about the night vision scopes, and how far they can see with them. Next, I describe the size of the camp and their current plan from what I learned at the time.

“That’s pretty much it. If you have any questions about the Uprising, feel free to ask.” My eyes scan all their faces deep in thought. I could go for a sip of water after talking for a half hour.

Jocko jumps up. “Did you shoot a gun?”

“Relevant questions,” Stark says, glaring.

“It’s okay. I did. I got close,”—my cheeks heat a bit at the conflicting rollercoaster I went through—“with their second-in-command, Tripp, and was taught to shoot a variety of guns in a range-like setting. They all walk around heavily armed, twenty-four seven.”

“Think we have a chance of beating them?” Hudry asks.

I smile at the young werewolf. “Of course.”

“Why are they hunting us?” Kiya asks.

“They call us—or you, I guess—the beasts that hide in plain sight within their cities just to kill humans without a thought. They blame everything on werewolves—including all missing persons and a variety of incidences which I’m not sure have actually happened—in order to influence the people. It’s using a lot of fear to control others for their inaccurate cause.”

Stark moves back beside me, a little stiffer than before. “Now, let’s all thank Aloka for not only risking her life for the entire pack”—he lets out a low growl, so low I nearly miss it—“and for suffering the consequences of her actions.”

Jocko claps, then Lirea and Kiya. A few in the back stand as they join in until they all start clapping and cheering. A wave of happiness fills my chest. This isn’t what I expected either—it’s better.

Stark asks a few to stay with him to go over the next plan of action.

“You can stay,” he says.

“It’s okay. You can talk it to them, then we’ll all meet again tomorrow once everyone thinks on it.” I need a break.

“You did great.”