“How are we supposed to call the rescuers?” Dawn asks. “Dude, what the fuck?”

Brandon’s expression doesn’t waver. “We’re not going to call the rescuers,” he says.

Dawn blinks. Feels like she’s in an alternate dimension where nothing in life has to make sense. “Why not?”

Evan sniggers. “Because they’re not freaking rescuers, dumbass. They’re prison guards, just like Amber and Christian.”

“Amber isn’t a prison guard,” Dawn says.

Brandon rolls his eyes. “Weren’t you kidnapped?” he asks her. “Do you actually want to be here?”

“Fucking nerd,” Evan mutters.

“This is our chance to get away,” Brandon tells her. Tells all of them. “Why the fuck would we call in more counselors?”

Dawn stares at them. Still trying to process. “So, what? You’re just going to leave Christian up there? And Warden?”

And Amber, she thinks, but she already knows that Brandon and Evan don’t give a shit about Amber.

Brandon and Evan swap glances.

“Christian, maybe,” Evan says.

“Not Warden,” Brandon says.

He gestures with his chin back toward the Raven’s Claw.

As one, the rest of the Pack turns.

And watches as Warden picks his way out of the gully. And comes walking across the boulder field toward them.

Chapter 50

WARDEN DOESN’T SAY ANYTHING until he reaches the middle of the campsite. Until he’s sure the whole Pack is looking at him: Brandon and Evan standing by the remains of Christian’s tent. Dawn by the wreckage of the emergency beacon. Alex wiping blood from his mouth. Lucas and Kyla and Brielle just kind of watching him, agape.

Then he surveys the group, meets their eyes. Kind of chuckles.

“Well, hey,” he says, grinning. “I guess we’d better have a team meeting.”

They adjourn, uneasily, to the remains of last night’s fire. They stand in a circle, and they all watch Warden.

“Brandon’s right,” Warden tells them. “There’s no rescue. There’s only going back to the way things were before. If we want to be really rescued, we have to do it ourselves.”

Dawn looks around at the other group members. Alex looks angry and confused. Lucas about the same. Brielle’s expression is inscrutable, but she never takes her eyes off Warden. Kyla, though, looks like she’s starting to hear Warden. She’s inched a little bit closer to where he and Brandon and Evan stand.

“But what about Christian?” Dawn asks. “What about Amber?”

“Christian’s still up at the summit,” Warden says. “In a couple of days, when we don’t show up at headquarters, someone will send a rescue team looking for us.” He looks at Dawn. “We don’t even know if Amber’s still alive by now,” he says. “We can’t waste this opportunity we’ve been given.”

“So, what?” Lucas asks. “What are you suggesting we do?”