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I don’t want to tell them that I’m slightly afraid. Then, I remember something. I remember why I came here in the first place.
“What about my proof?” I ask.
“Proof of what?” Rock lifts an eyebrow.
“Proof of bear shifter existence,” I remind him. “I have that now.” I show him my camera.
“Did you take photos?” Cal gasps.
“No,” I shake my head. “Not yet.”
Rock grabs my camera and smashes it against the ground, breaking it. My eyes widen in shock.
“What the hell are you doing!?” I shout at him so loudly that a flutter of birds explodes from a nearby tree.
“You can’t take photos of us,” Rock tells me. I can see anger and sorrow in his eyes. His jaw is tense, his entire body as well.
“I said I didn’t take photos!” I shout back at him. “And you broke my camera!”
I don’t tell him that I have another one, or that my shots get instantly uploaded to the cloud, so there is no fear of losing anything, but I want him to feel bad for what he has done.
“Elena,” Cal interferes, being the unexpected voice of reason here, “I know that’s why you came here, but you have to understand. Exposing us would be putting us in danger. All of us, even you.”
“But… I wouldn’t tell anyone where I took the photos or who they are of.” The moment I say that I realize it’s a lie. I told several people where I was going. If I came back with definitive proof of bear shifter existence, they would know where I got it from. People would flock here from all parts of the world, and it would be just a matter of time before the cave would be discovered, and with it, their village.
I know he is right. But at the same time, I can’t let this opportunity go. This is my ticket to have all my dreams come true, to be on the cover of National Geographic, to be the one who took the first photo of a bear shifter as it shifts, no less.
My heart is beating wildly at the thought of finally proving to my family, to everyone, that I am not a failure, that I have been working hard for this moment to prove myself.
“You can’t do that, Elena,” Rock tells me in a cold voice.
I pick up the broken camera and take a step back from him, from them both. “Then I can’t go back with you.”
I turn around and start walking back in the direction of my camp, remembering the path they led me along.
Chapter Sixteen
Cal
I stare after Elena incredulously. She takes only a few steps away from us, when I try to go after her, but Rock grabs me by the upper arm, preventing me from doing so. Our gazes lock, and he just silently shakes his head. I turn to Elena, but she has already disappeared in the woods. I can only hope that she knows her way back.
“We’re just gonna let her go, all alone?” I gasp, shocked that he would even consider such a thing.
“Of course not.” His reply surprises me.
I frown. “Why didn’t you let me go after her then?”
He lets go of my upper arm before speaking. “She’s in shock now. She isn’t thinking straight. No one who just witnessed something like that would be able to. We need to give her some time, to process everything.”
“But she’s going back to the camp,” I remind him. “She’ll be alone there, and you can see for yourself that the woods aren’t a safe place right now, especially for a woman all alone.”
“I told you she won’t be alone,” he tells me. “I’ll go after her.”
“I’ll come with you then,” I quickly nod, ready to head out immediately.
“No,” he shakes his head. “I need you to go back to the village. The other bear shifter clan is venturing deeper into the woods, and also closer to us. You need to make sure that everyone is on guard. We need a look out, in case they discover our village and there is an attack.”
“But you’re the leader,” I say. “Shouldn’t you go back to the village, and I can go after Elena?”
