21. You can't leave your pack to babysit me
"You wanna do what?" I stare at him, too stunned to speak properly.
"I want to let you go, but to ensure that you are safe, and to get a grip on Miller, I'm going to accompany you." He tells me again, his voice patient like he's explaining something simple to a child.
I still can't comprehend those words. They don't make sense.
"You wanna—" I try to ask the question again, but he interrupts.
"Yes, Communicator. I want to accompany you."
"Accompany me."
"Yes."
"Yes?"
"Yes. Are you going to repeat everything back to me now?"
I try to shake my head, but while shaking it, I notice I still don't get it. "But you have your pack..."
"Yes, and our greatest chance now is finding Miller through you."
"This sounds like the most stupidest plan. He will never come to me personally."
"He will eventually, if all his other attempts fail."
"That is..." I struggle to find words. "I mean, that is..."
"That is what we're doing, yes." He nods like this is all perfectly reasonable.
"But I am..." I try again. "I mean, you are..."
"Yes, I am what?" He looks at me with raised eyebrows, and I can swear there's amusement in his voice.
"A wolf."
"Yes, I am. Smart observation." He nods his head seriously, and now I'm sure he's making fun of me.
"Stop it," I say. "I just mean, you are the leader of your pack. Don't you have..." I wave my hand around vaguely, "jobs to do?"
"Ah yes, but my first priority is finally getting a grip on Miller, and you seem like our best option now that Senna Miller is out. Also, he will have you killed minutes after you leave. And I'm not saying you can't leave, but I am saying I will accompany you."
I think this might be the longest sentence he's ever said, and he's still not making sense.
"But..." I start, then stop. "You can't just... leave your pack to babysit me."
"I'm not babysitting you. I'm using you as bait."
His bluntness shouldn't surprise me anymore, but it still does. "Oh. Well. When you put it like that, it sounds so appealing."
"I thought you'd appreciate the honesty."
"Right. Honesty. That's definitely been your strong suit so far."
He has the grace to look slightly uncomfortable. "This is different. Because now I'm telling you the plan instead of keeping you in the dark about it."
"And what exactly is this plan? We just wander around waiting for your enemy to try to kill me?"
"More or less. This time, you get to decide were we wander around"
I stare at him. "You're insane."
"Probably." He shrugs like this is not concerning information. "But it's the best chance we have."
"The best chance you have. What about the best chance I have? Which would be getting as far away from all of this as possible."
"You can try that if you want. But Miller will find you eventually, and when he does, you'll be alone."
The casual way he says it makes my stomach clench. Because he's right, and we both know it.
"So my choices are: stay here as your prisoner, or leave and become your bait."
"Those are your choices, yes."
"Great options. Really." I slump back in my chair. "You're really going to leave your pack to follow me around?"
"For as long as it takes."
"That could be months. Years, even."
"I don't think it will."