Page 17 of Indigo

Beau shrugs. “There’s a small gap in the fence beside that old corridor connecting the pool to the kitchen. I saw it during my inspection. I didn’t think much of that because it’s a small fucking gap…” He shakes his head and turns to me. “But she’s small as fuck.”

She is. Fuck. Of course Indigo would know a way out without relying on the main exits. We guard them, making sure no one gets in and out without our notice, but Indigo knows how to avoid people.

“What angle?” I ask, picking up the remote. We have three cameras in the parking lot. Now that I know the rough time, if he can give me an angle, I won’t need to flick through this for hours.

“The one in the far end, facing the right side of reception.”

Before the words are even out of his mouth, I find the right feed and time, my eyes scanning every movement. I suck in a breath when I see her coming through a bush, answering my questions of why I had no idea the fence had a gap.

Even through the grainy video, I feel her fears in my soul. She runs across the parking lot, trash bag in hand, and my heart breaks again. For a moment she’s off frame, but I don’t botherlooking for another angle. I know she’s just hopping into the vehicle. It takes just a minute, and the truck comes into view. She looks extra small behind the wheel as she slowly moves to the highway and goes left.

My mouth is dry. I don’t say anything for a long time after the truck is gone. Not surprisingly, it’s Beau who breaks the silence.

“Take my truck,” he offers, knowing I don’t have a vehicle.

“I don’t want to leave you stranded.”

We never thought we were going to be this isolated. Beau, just like me, thought we were coming here on our own, but we assumed the Alliance was going to give us constant support. Boy, we were mistaken. There’s just one truck for each pack. My Omega took mine, and I don’t want to leave them all without it. I’m going to have to figure out a way.

“Call Emilio.” he opens his wallet and hands me a card. “He’ll help.”

“Thanks, man.” I nod and take my phone out, already pressing the buttons to call whoever Emilio is. “Is he a Beta?” I ask as the phone rings in my ears.

“Yes, be cool.” Beau winks.

After one last look at the office, I leave Beau to it, praying he understands it’s all in our hands. Not that I’ll stop funding it. God knows the Omegas depend on my family’s money to survive right now, and now Beau will learn that when he realizes food money comes from my pocket, not the Alliance. I didn’t bother explaining that to him. There’s enough there to last them the week, and hopefully, I’ll be back by the time they need me.

Indigo might be afraid, but I know she’ll understand when I say we have to come back. They are her friends. She's worried as much as I am. With those thoughts, I get farther into the building when Emilio finally answers the phone.

A couple of hours later, we are packed and finally leaving the motel. The weight of the responsibility we are leaving behindis not lost on me or my pack brothers. I can see it on Hank’s grimace as we close the door and leave Beau and his pack alone. I see it in Cassidy’s frown. God knows this job is the only thing he takes seriously.

We move in silence as we make our track to Emilio’s. Turns out Beau’s contact isn't a truck dealership, as I initially thought. I don’t honestly care. Anything that can help me bring Indigo back.

None of us say a word as we are greeted by the older man at the gates, his weathered leather hat tipping in greeting. I introduce myself, and he rushes us over to the barn. I told him on the phone this is an emergency.

“That’s a horse.”

Cassidy’s tone shows me what he thinks of our transportation option. I grew up around horses in Tennessee, and the same goes for both assholes here, so I didn’t think it was going to be a problem.

Hank doesn’t give a shit, much like me, and shrugs, hopping on one of the horses Emilio saddled for us.

“Let’s go, Cassidy.”

I follow his lead, not before turning to the older man. “Thank you for lending us the horses.”

“Any friends of Beau are friends of mine,” Emilio says with an easy smile. “Just make sure to stop for water.”

“Don’t worry.” I nod. “We’ll take care of them.”

Emilio doesn’t need more reassurances, it seems, and he steps out of our way and waits for us to start the journey. It’s not ideal, of course it’s not, but every alternative would take too long. Or waiting for the next pack to arrive, or trying to track down a dealership to buy or rent a car. No. Any second waiting is torture. We need to go.

Cassidy grumbles under his breath but follows us away from the ranch and toward the highway. There’s no game plan here. All we know is the way she went and that peach perfume.

eleven

Indigo

“Can you believe it?”