Page 44 of Dissent (The Dissenter Saga #1)

I was suddenly all too aware of the fact that I was sprawled on the floor, most definitely looking like an idiot.

“Mara?” Even in the dark, I could register the confusion on Matias’s face. I cringed.

“Great,” the words cut through, weighed down by spite. Wes stood stiffly, holding his stunner out, ready to fire. He relaxed his grip as he recognized there was no threat…yet. “What the hell are you doing here?” he snapped as he holstered his weapon.

“Nice to see you too,” I grumbled under my breath. I tried to shift my weight so I could get back on my feet, but a sharp twinge shot through my lower back. I tried not to show it, but I couldn’t help but wince.

Awareness flashed through Matias as he marched toward me and kneeled down at my side. “What hurts?”

“Nothing, I’m fine.” I tried to wave him off and shifted again when another twinge flashed through me. It wasn’t bad—better than the first one—but still caused me to hiss.

“What hurts, Mara?” He scrutinized me, and I realized that having him this close sent my stomach tossing in somersaults.

“Forget about what hurts. What are you fucking doing here?” Wes snapped. He was pissed. No doubt about it.

“I-I,” I stuttered, desperately trying to figure out how to respond. My gaze shifted from Matias, to Wes, and to Chelsea, who was staying true to her word and fading into the background as best as she could. She wasn’t going to offer anything, that was for sure.

“Out with it already,” Wes practically growled low in his throat. It tripped me out every time—how could he look so much like Chase but act nothing like him?

Matias looked over his shoulder, shooting him a glare before he turned back, eyes locking with mine.

“Mara, why are you here?” His tone was soft and gentle, and there was safety in his eyes—a sense of calm and reassurance—like everything was going to be okay.

It was those eyes that got me to talk, telling the truth.

Because if there was anyone who I felt like I could trust, who I thought might actually get me, it was him.

“I need to see it, Matias. I need to see the facility for myself. I need to know the truth.” He searched my eyes, weighing my words in his head.

“No way,” Wes spat out. “There’s no way she’s coming with us.”

Matias seemed to ignore him. “Can you stand?”

I nodded and tried again to move. This time, I was able to shift my weight and get my legs underneath me.

It still hurt, but whatever I did to my back must not have been that bad.

As I went to stand, however, I could feel that what I did to my ankle was going to be a little more of a problem. But I was determined.

I needed this.

I stood on both feet, Matias holding his hands out as though ready to catch me if I fell. But I didn’t need his help. I was up, despite the tightness in my back. I didn’t put any weight on my right ankle though. No need to push my luck.

“No fucking way,” Wes started up again. “She stays.”

“I’m coming,” I shot back. He clearly did not like it when people defied him because he took several threatening steps forward, but stopped shy as Matias stiffened, standing up straighter, and taking a small sidestep toward me.

His swift movement placed him diagonally in front of me—a symbolic gesture.

Wes glared at Matias, anger flashing through his face as he gritted his teeth. “I said no .”

Matias stayed calm, but his voice was strained, telling me he had no plan of backing down. “And what do you think we should do then, huh?” It was a challenge.

“She goes back and stays in the fucking truck.”

For the first time this evening, Chelsea surprised me by speaking up, “And risk that she gets caught in the truck by Telvian soldiers?” She crossed her arms, cocking out a hip. “I don’t know if that’s the best idea either. That’s all I need—a pissed off Commander in Chief when we get back.”

“And having her come with us is going to lessen that chance?” Wes shot back as he whirled on Chelsea. “She’s safer in the truck.”

“I can take care of myself,” I said hotly. I hated this. I may not have been as well trained as the rest of them, but I didn’t need people taking care of me all the time. “I’m fine on my own.”

“Says the girl who fell flat on her ass while walking in the woods,” Wes fired off.

“I’ll watch her.” Matias slipped in before anything else could be said.

“No.”

Matias drew himself up even taller, taking a step forward toward Wes. “I said I’ll watch her. Chelsea’s right. She’s safer with us than in the truck. And we’re too far to go back now. So, let’s get this done, and I’ll watch her. You and Chelsea take up the front, and I’ll follow in back with Mara.”

If I thought Wes was pissed before then I was wrong, because he was absolutely livid now. He stormed right up to Matias, getting into his face. There was so much being said in the silent discussion of their stare down, the tension climbing. And if you asked me, way too much testosterone.

Just as I felt like the whole thing was going to explode, Wes finally spoke through gritted teeth, “Whatever happens to her is on you , Alvarez.”

And then it was over. Wes turned around and walked back from the direction they came.

Chelsea looked at me and then at Matias before she silently followed Wes into the brush.

My breath rushed out of me. I hadn’t realized I had been holding it this whole time.

But now that I’d let it go, it felt so good to take fresh air into my lungs.

Hyperaware of Matias’s silence, his back still facing me, I said, “Thank you.”

His body shifted as he turned to look at me.

The lines of his face had softened, and there was something in his eyes that I just couldn’t read.

Finally, he replied, “You’re welcome,” before turning around and starting his hike after the rest of the team.

When he realized I wasn’t following him, he looked back at me over his shoulder and ticked his head in a let’s-go motion.

But when I took a step, I forgot all about my hurt foot.

I sucked in my breath as sharp fingers of pain went up my leg.

And just like that, Matias was back by my side, arms out and ready to catch me. “What’s wrong? What hurts?”

I was so angry with myself. Because here I was, so close to discovering a truth that I desperately needed to have for my own sanity, only now to be held back by a stupid leg injury. “It’s just my ankle. I think I rolled it when I fell.”

“Sit down and let me look at it.” The second my bottom was on the ground again, he was quickly pulling off my boot and carefully touching different places, asking me if it hurt.

When he was done with his examination, he gently put my boot back on.

“Maybe a mild sprain? I can take a better look at it once we get back. But for now…” He rummaged through a bag attached to his waist, pulling out a small black kit.

Taking out a bottle, he shook out two little red pills. “Take these.”

“Pain reliever?”

“Better. More like a pain eliminator. You’ll be able to move with no pain for a few hours. At least until we make it back.” He handed me the pills, which I popped into my mouth and chased down with water from a bottle he handed me.

“Thanks.”

“Don’t mention it. Now, we better catch up.

But make sure you stay low, stay quiet, and never lose track of me.

You got it? Stick with me, and I’ll make sure you get out safely.

” My heart squeezed slightly, and something else shifted inside me.

Because I didn’t have to doubt his words at all.

I knew with all my heart that Matias would keep me safe.

That as long as I was with him, nothing bad was ever going to happen to me.

And when he started walking into the dark, I followed him without fear.

But I guess that’s the biggest problem…I should have feared. Because how can you not when you’re walking into the belly of the beast?