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“Every single person on this farm would back you up without question, Lexie, if you asked them to,” Damon said softly. “I don’t think you understand just how much people respect you around here.”
I couldn’t speak. I could only nod at Damon as Pala held me tighter and Dio squeezed my leg. Pride and adoration flowed into me through our bond and it sent my omega instincts haywire. She was preening like a toddler with a toy tiara.
I turned to Sam, and he jumped in before I could say a word. “Yes, we’re in too. That goes without saying. If my team can help, we’re at your disposal. Are the women you and Pala helped safe right now, or do we need to get them out this morning?”
“They are for now. They’re all in the safe house and can last a few days. Max set it up with many of the same sustainable features we have here at the farm, so it’s powered by an off-grid system. I’ve told them how to trigger the emergency alert inside if anything changes.”
When I’d first talked about setting up a safe house in town, Max had thrown himself into the project and built it into a fortress. Half the things he’d installed I hadn’t even imagined were possible.
“What about the two alphas that discovered you? Did they identify you as an omega?” Damon asked.
“They did, but they won’t be a problem anymore,” Pala answered for me, speaking with confidence. “I left them so it looked like they took each other out over an argument about stolen food. I also saturated the area with my scent so it would cover Lexie’s.”
“Clever,” Hunter said. “You made yourself a target, though.”
“Better me than her,” Pala replied as he rested his chin on my shoulder. “The only time I’m going back now is when we tear the Palace down.”
The guys all gave him brief nods filled with respect. Nobody batted an eyelash that Pala had just admitted to killing two men.
“Sam, has anything changed at the Palace since the last update from your men on surveillance outside?” Damon asked, moving us right along.
“No, but they’ll let me know if anything does change.”
“Cary, Ava, how long do you think the omegas at the Palace can hold out?” Damon asked as he swiveled to face them.
“They were scared, but some of the military alphas were protecting them, including Pala,” Cary said, as he gestured in Pala’s direction. “A few of the other alphas here now, the ones who stayed, were helping too, so I don’t know if that has changed the balance at the Palace. Before we left, they were rationing food to the omegas. So as long as we don’t completely cut off the food supply to the Palace before we take it down, they should be surviving.”
I loved how this group was all talking about when we take the Palace down and rescue the omegas, not if, without ever really having a discussion or vote about it. Just surviving wasn’t good enough, though. We needed to get them out.
“Do we all agree to continue with today’s plan to head to Sam and Maia’s gramps’ farm and contact the Network? So we can try to get more allies?” Damon asked and got a chorus of agreement.
“If you’re looking for allies, I can help with that, too,” Ava piped up, and all eyes swiveled to look at her. She didn’t even flinch, which impressed me. These guys could be seriously scary without even meaning to be.
“Talk to us,” Damon said, trying to keep his natural growl to a minimum so as not to spook her.
“When Maia fled the Palace, I sent her toward my uncle’s farm. He lives in the next town over. My uncle has worked with a group of people who attempt to rescue and hide omegas from the Palace. I’ve never heard the Network mentioned, so I’m not sure if he’s working with the same or a different group to Maia’s gramps.”
“Why didn’t he hide or rescue you?” I ask.
“That’s a long story for another day,” Ava replied calmly, not hiding her story, but clearly not willing to tell it now. “I’m pretty sure he will help us if he can.”
“We’re going to be stretched pretty thin today,” Damon said. “We’ll need three groups, one traveling to contact the Network, one staking out the town and gathering intel, and the last manning security here. I don’t want you heading to your uncle’s farm alone. Can it wait a few days until we’ve contacted the Network, rescued Lexie’s friends and cleared the town? We can then send a team with you.”
Ava looked unhappy, but nodded. “Yes. I’ve been gone for years. A few more days won’t change anything.”
I got the feeling she was talking about a lot more than just reuniting with her uncle.
“By the way, if there’s a group going to my gramps’ farm, I’m going to be in it,” Maia piped up. When all of her remaining guys went to protest at once, she held up her hand. “Nuh uh, the only decision you get to make about this is who is coming with me.”
I desperately wanted to be in that group, too. I wanted a chance to see where Maia and Sam had grown up so I could understand them both better. Plus, I wanted to be there for the inevitable fallout when they both walked back into the house they grew up in. Maia shot me a quick, burning glance. She was urging me to say something, wanting me there as well, but Sam beat me to it.
“I’d like Lexie and Dio to be part of that group,” Sam interjected, as if he’d read our minds.
I was stunned. He didn’t make eye contact with me, but I could see his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down as he swallowed repeatedly. He seemed tense suddenly, as if this was important to him, but he was waiting for me to object.
“I’m okay with that,” I said and noticed him visibly relaxing.
Damon growled but agreed after a glare from Maia.
