CHAPTER 49: 49-IAN’S PLAN

Clementine:

"What do you mean?" Yorick asked.

"It’s a pretty simple meaning, isn’t it? You’re a crusader, come on, figure it out." Ian got up and crouched down, reaching under his bed to pull out his trunk. He opened it and took out his bag.

"What are you doing, dude?" Troy got up instantly to block the door, because we all knew what Ian’s next move was going to be.

Honestly, I didn’t protest. I wanted him gone. If he wanted to leave, he could leave. I definitely wouldn’t have left him behind in the North, where he could die, but here, if he wanted to go, he could. He wasn’t doing anything to help us anyway.

"I am done playing the game of Crusaders. We are not their warriors. We were never trained for it. Why won’t they send their own warriors to the North to fight?" Ian pointed at his chest, likely reminding Troy, who had earlier said we weren’t just teenagers that we still were.

"Yeah, but dude, there’s nothing we can do. Literally nothing. They would put a bullet in our head," Troy said, stretching his arms out to block him.

That was when Yorick stood up too, his mouth full of biscuit he was chewing quickly so he could say something. I stayed seated, even leaned back a little to get a good view of them.

"Well, then the bullet is what it takes for me to be free of this hell of a place," Ian hissed, his eyes burning with defiance. He looked ready to rebel.

I guess I was right when I said Ian never fully accepted the role. While I had already given up and decided to do whatever it took to survive, he had made his choice: he would rather die than be part of their games.

"Do you think we wanted to be crusaders?" Yorick finally swallowed the last of his biscuit and spoke up.

"Then why are you accepting it so easily, as if your life means nothing?" Ian shot back, likely pointing out that they weren’t taken from cages like he and I were, we were dragged here in our sleep.

"That’s because we know that to survive, we have to adapt. And honestly, I’m an Alpha. Alphas go out to war every day." Yorick had a solid reason for staying part of the Crusaders.

But then Troy added something.

"Why do you think I hate Clementine so much?" He turned to me and, with a hand gesture, said, "Please, don’t be offended. It’s just a fact." Then he looked back at Ian.

"That’s because my only chance to stay behind was taken away when she started a rumor about me. I don’t want to be part of this game either. I don’t want to go fight monsters in the North while everyone else gets to be the Alpha in their packs, where the crown comes with perks too."

I guess this is where Troy’s mindset clashed with Yorick’s. Troy wanted to be an Alpha, but he also wanted the respect and privilege that came with it, not just to be thrown into war.

"Then let’s go. Let’s leave and show them that we are the owners of our own lives, not them," I watched Ian step back and extend his hand, as if asking us to join the plan he had in mind. I began to straighten my back because I wanted to leave too. That’s when Haiden walked out of the bathroom, standing in the doorway, staring at Ian. Before anyone else could react, Haiden stepped forward and placed his hand on Ian’s.

"That girl should not have been on the train. She didn’t deserve to go out and fight while pregnant. So I agree with Ian. We can all smile and pretend everything is normal, but let’s not forget they are using us, and we have no control over our lives. I’m done too," Haiden said, causing Troy and Yorick’s bodies to tense. I could always tell because their shoulders would puff up and rise.

"Are you two with us?" Ian asked the two alphas. Yorick looked at Troy before steadily raising his hand and placing it on the back of Haiden’s. A smile crept across Ian’s lips, not just a creepy smile, but one of genuine happiness that they were finally on the same team.

"I think they’re right. As long as we all protest, they’ll be forced to listen," said Yorick to Troy, trying to persuade him. Troy lifted his hand and placed it instantly, as if he had been waiting for this moment. Now, they all turn to look at me.

Under the watchful eyes of my squadmates, I felt judged for not instantly getting up and joining them. "Weren’t you the one who was thrown in the cell?" Troy reminded me, pointing at me. I steadily got up and walked toward their hands, but I didn’t place mine right away.

"You guys need to think this through, because once we go through with it, we’ll pretty much be seen as the villains of this academy, even if we do manage to survive afterward." I was hushed when Ian began speaking.

"Are you with us or not, Miss Clementine? And no, I will not think about anything but getting out of here. There is no way I’m sitting here again," he hissed, making me close my eyes and place my hand on top of Troy’s. That’s when the three of them started to smile, while Haiden still looked deeply upset. I guessed he was really shaken that Sadie had been left behind.

"Now let’s go. We should speak to Miss Rue," Yorick suggested, and they all started gathering their bags. I didn’t know. I had this strange feeling about the whole thing. It seemed like a good idea, and it would be ideal if we were actually allowed to leave. But then again, I didn’t think others hadn’t tried this before, and I wondered what became of them once they protested.

However, since everyone else was ready to leave, I had to go too. I got up and began walking behind them with my bag, my one lonely bag that barely had anything left in it. With our bags on our shoulders, we marched toward the main hall. Every few seconds, I had this strong urge to turn around and go back to my room.