4. CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER 4
The moment it had been decided they would send what basically amounted to two teams, Westland volunteered himself and Leandro. He did not know if spending time with Leandro searching for supplies would draw them closer together or not, but he was damn sure going to try.
“I can’t believe you said I should come,” Leandro finally said after driving for four very bumpy hours at a snail’s pace.
It had taken them two days to plan their route and load up as many weapons and ammunition as they thought they would need. Then, they gathered tents, sleeping bags—as it was still cold at night—and food and water stashed with each person in case anyone got separated.
After that, horses from Lowen and Ford’s farm were brought to town, and with a lot of maneuvering on Weston’s part, he got him and Leandro in a truck together. In all that time, Leandro hadn’t said one word about basically being coerced into going on the trip.
“I admit Coleson has us all beat with being organized and knowing exactly what the town needs for supplies other than the medical. Although, I suspect he knows that too, thanks to Maxon keeping him informed.” If the Alphas of the world knew an Omega ran Sanctuary, they would never believe it.
“True,” Leandro agreed. “And I get that because Coleson’s pregnant he shouldn’t be on this trip, but that doesn’t explain why you volunteered me.”
Even though they had only covered about fifty miles, the horses needed a break, so they all came to a stop. Turning in his seat, Weston pushed back a lock of hair that had fallen over Leandro’s forehead and said, “Coleson might be the most organized of the town, but don’t think I haven’t seen how observant you are. You notice everything and everyone.”
It was something Weston had been in awe of as he’d watched over Leandro. “You’re often bringing people water and sandwiches because you see them wearing down. You also are the one to have suggested shoring up the school because the kids needed a place to learn, as well as fixing the playground to give them a chance to burn off energy.”
Leandro rolled his eyes. “That’s just because they were constantly getting in my way and I figured it was the best solution to that problem.”
Weston couldn’t help but chuckle at Leandro’s self-deprecating words. It was something else he’d noticed. Leandro never took credit for anything he’d done. “No, my sweet, ferocious kitten, we both know that isn’t true. You’ve done so much to help the others in Sanctuary, and I’m not about to let you think no one has noticed you doing it.”
Pink flared over Leandro’s cheeks and his light blue eyes sparkled as if pleased with the praise. That was something Weston was more than happy to give him every single day for the rest of their lives if Leandro would allow him to.
“Now, why don’t we get out, eat lunch, and stretch our legs for a bit before we head out again?” Weston suggested.
Together, they opened their doors. Weston had hoped Leandro would sit near him while they ate, but he clearly had needed some space as he sat next to Maxon, who had been riding in another of the trucks.
Their heads were close together as they whispered to one another, effectively shutting anyone else out of joining in with their conversation. Weston’s heart ached a little at the move, but he also knew it was going to take time to woo Leandro, and he was more than willing to put in the work and wait until the prickly man was ready for more.
Three full days of pushing as hard as they’d dared, which had been little as the route had indeed become more treacherous, they’d reached the first town they planned to scavenge. Based on the amount of buildings that were falling down, Weston doubted they’d find much.
The group was still together, so they managed to get through what used to be Mitchell, South Dakota, in twenty minutes, with nothing to show for it. Before they left Sanctuary, it had been decided that they would all travel together through South Dakota before splitting off. One group would head west and north, while the other would start off heading south and west, but they would all keep in the northern states.
The reason had been because Lowen hadn’t been that far north. They hoped it would mean not all the towns had been picked over. Whether or not it was true they did not know, but considering their other options, it was their greatest chance of success.
“Since we’ve stopped, and it’s only an hour before lunch, we should probably eat now before getting started.” Technically, Oxley was right, but Weston wasn’t comfortable eating completely out in the open as they were in the middle of what used to be a town square.
“Shouldn’t we find a place a little more…sheltered?” Leandro suggested as kindly as possible. Once more, having noticed a key point. They were too out in the open to remain safe if Alphas were somewhere close by to hear them.
It was one thing to take a chance searching for supplies, but it wasn’t worth risking their safety to eat. “I agree with Leandro. It isn’t worth it. The horses have rested and I say we eat a granola bar while heading to the next town. When we get to a location that has more coverage, we’ll stop.”
Only a few grumbled about being hungry, but most of their group quickly got on their horses or in the trucks and were ready to head out in a few minutes.
What he hadn’t expected was for Leandro to put a hand on his arm after they’d finished their granola bars and say, “Thanks for supporting me back there. It means a lot to me.”
Flipping his hand over, Weston caught Leandro’s and entwined their fingers before pulling their hands up to kiss the back of Leandro’s hand. “It wasn’t just for you. I mean, I have your back, but you were right about it not being safe. That’s why I defended what you said.”
His heart soared when he rested their hands back down on the console, but Leandro didn’t pull away. Weston was not about to break their moment by saying anything. He never really knew what to say to Leandro that might piss him off. So, instead, he kept quiet and just drove while holding Leandro’s hand, enjoying their time together.
Well, that and silently hoping this was the start of a new phase of their relationship. He knew it was too soon to think this would change things, but he also couldn’t help himself. He’d been waiting months for Leandro to even slightly thaw toward him.
All too soon, they came to a small campground that provided enough protection to hear anyone coming toward them. It would also help them hide behind trees and bushes in case anyone shot at them. For each Omega, there was an Alpha. They would stick together, hoping that if other Alphas confronted them, it would be easier to fend them off and less likely for an Omega to be taken.
Not that he was saying an Omega couldn’t defend himself, but with an Alpha around, other Alphas might hold back, giving the pair time to get away.
He pulled in first, and the others followed behind him. They parked in varying directions in case they needed a quick getaway. It gave them better odds of escaping if they came under attack. Since they were most likely the only ones with vehicles, it would take a lot to surround them enough to block them completely in.