Chapter 329 Really Happening  

~ SASHA ~

When they'd pulled into the parking lot, Sasha recognized the bathroom building Nick had stopped at on their way out, and her heart just about broke open with hope and thrill.

They really were going to the gateway.

She couldn't shake the feeling that she couldn't trust any of this. But the first step was done.

Now she stood outside the bus, on that gravel parking lot where Nick's car had been parked when they came out, about to take the twenty minute walk up to the gateway cave.

At her order before they opened the bus doors, the little alphas were gathering their small groups first on the vehicle, then down on the ground outside, making sure everyone had their bag, and a partner.

Sasha, unable to move without shaking, forced herself to stand to the side and watch. Let the alphas organize their groups.

Nick had come to stand next to her. Sasha wanted to tell him to go fuck himself, but she knew she couldn't risk any conflicts or warning signs for the Team at this stage. So she stood quietly when he approached and together they watched the alphas form all their groups in a long, wavering line.

"You didn't think I'd convince them," Nick said smugly. "And yet, here we are."

Sasha shook her head at his arrogance. "You said I persuaded them," she pointed out through clenched teeth, not because of her anger, but because she was so tense, they would chatter if she opened them.

"You did. But they needed some… massaging to get there in the end. So let's call it a team effort."

Sasha rolled her eyes, but said nothing. She'd been introduced to the woman who stood at Nick's other side—a nurse practitioner. Patty. The woman reminded Sasha of a bug on a rock, with glasses that made her eyes look bigger than they were, and her shoulder-length hair twisted into a messy bun on her head.

She was in the black suit too, but watching all the females with her eyes wide, like she couldn't quite believe what she was seeing.

Then one of the Alphas approached to tell Sasha they were ready to move. Nick flinched when the female stepped close to him. Ignoring him, Sasha thanked her and sent her back to the line.

"Please follow your group hierarchy. As long as you stay together, following, we will all make it safely," she called. "Patty, here, is going to lead you to the Gateway. You'll likely smell it before we get there, but please don't break ranks. We need to ensure everyone gets through safely. It's a short walk—use the time to practice focusing on your destination. And encourage each other. This is real. You're going home. Your mates and clans are going to be ecstatic to see you!"

There was a murmur of excitement among the females as Patty turned away from Nick and started up the trail between the low, metal railings that lined the little parking lot.

Sasha, true to her word, waited until they had all passed. She would make certain they didn't lose on—and that the Chimera got to go through the gateway before the humans.

To her surprise, Nick stayed, hanging back with her.

Well, fuck.

She should have known though. Out here, where they were free, he eyed the Chimera like rattlesnakes under a rock—as long as you kept your distance you'd be fine.

"If you're so terrified of them, why are you coming?" she asked him quietly as they began to follow the end of the long line of females striding into the forest.

"Because I'm not letting all of this happen without watching out for Zev," Nick said simply.

They walked on a few more steps, but Sasha shook her head.

"I don't buy it, Nick. Zev's been harmed so many times in this program. If you really cared you would have been protecting him from that—not from this. The first good thing to have happened in three years, as far as I can tell."

"I'm not protecting him from this," Nick hissed, throwing a hand forward towards the females. "I'm protecting him from my colleagues."

Sasha gaped. "I don't understand you at all—one minute you're all cold calculation, the next you want me to believe you're driven by these noble goals for Zev's wellbeing. You are full of bullshit, Nick."

"So, being cold means I don't feel anything, is that it?"

"I'm pretty sure that's exactly what it means."

"Really? What do you do, Sasha, when you find yourself in a situation where you have zero choice. You know the next step you take is going to hurt, but it has to be done. What happens to you in that moment? Do you cry? Do you scream? Do you fight when you know for certain that you'll lose? Or do you get really quiet and move forward, eyes peeled for a new way through."

Sasha pressed her lips together. "I'm sorry, Nick, but there's nothing you can say that's going to make me feel compassion for you. You're a fucking psychopath."

"Bullshit! I've watched over that boy for twenty-four years. If it weren't for me he wouldn't even be here—and you likely wouldn't be either. You can hate me all you want, Sasha, but that's just the pure truth, and even Zev would tell you that." He snorted. "I hate this. I hate everything about what's happened to the Chimera in the last couple years. But it was necessary. And if I'd fought it, they would have removed me—so I wouldn't have been able to help.

"Sometimes our choices in life suck, Sasha, but don't vilify me for being pragmatic to keep myself close to Zev because I care about him."

"I don't believe you hate this—you were just congratulating yourself."

"I don't hate this," he said, gesturing towards the females ahead of them. "I hate what happened before, what's had to happen to move through the process of elimination so we could get to this point."

"You don't hate this. You find it fascinating," she muttered.

Nick huffed. "It's true that secrets have always appealed to me. I like knowing things other people don't know. And there's real power around me—so the secrets are powerful too. Running in these circles is thrilling. I don't deny it. But it also means I don't get to choose my own trajectory. I accepted that because it gives me a chance to make sure Zev gets through this."

Sasha narrowed her eyes at him. "You seriously want me to believe you care about him? I think you just have a fucked up sense of ownership, and this is all just a pissing match between you and Nathan to see who can manipulate things better and faster."

Nick made an angry noise and whirled on her, catching her arm.