The Opposition

I'm not vulnerable

The forest was unnervingly quiet as they moved. Each step was a painful reminder of the toll the last fight had taken on Alexa's body. She gritted her teeth, her injured leg heavy beneath the cast that encased it, but she forced herself to keep moving. Sweat dripped down her brow, but she kept her face set in a determined scowl. She could feel Aiden's eyes on her, watching every stumble, every strained breath.

"Keep your eyes ahead, Aiden," she snapped, her voice low but sharp. She didn't want his pity, nor his judgment. The weight of leadership pressed heavily on her shoulders, and she wasn't about to let him see any cracks.

"Maybe if you weren't so stubborn, I wouldn't have to keep an eye on you," Aiden retorted, his voice laced with irritation. "This isn't a game, Alexa. You're not proving anything by pushing yourself like this."

She shot him a glare over her shoulder. "And what would you know about it? I don't need you playing babysitter. I'm handling my part just fine."

Aiden's jaw tightened, his eyes narrowing. "Your 'handling' nearly got you killed back there. And now, you're slowing us down."

"Then go faster. No one's forcing you to keep pace with me," she spat back, the anger bubbling to the surface. She knew she was pushing herself too hard, but the last thing she wanted was him pointing it out like he was any better.

"Both of you, enough," Maeve's voice cut through the tension like a knife. She was ahead, but she glanced back, her eyes flashing with frustration. "We don't have time for this. Focus on getting everyone to safety."

Aiden muttered something under his breath, but he fell silent. Alexa tried to ignore the throbbing pain in her leg and kept moving, biting back every wince and grunt. They had miles to go before they reached the new safe house, and they couldn't afford any more delays.

They trudged on for what felt like hours, the air thick with tension. Theo and Adam moved quietly ahead, leading the group through the dense underbrush. Taylor and Lorenzo flanked the sides, weapons ready and eyes scanning the trees for any signs of pursuit. Maeve stayed close to Alexa, but even she seemed strained by the heated atmosphere.

Alexa could feel her energy waning. Every step felt heavier, every breath more labored. Her leg was on fire beneath the cast, but she wouldn't stop. She couldn't. Not with Aiden watching her every move like he was waiting for her to fail.

Suddenly, a sharp crack echoed through the forest—a branch breaking. Everyone froze, instincts kicking in. Alexa's hand went to her gun, her movements slightly awkward due to her limited mobility. She felt a jolt of pain shoot up her leg, causing her to stumble. Aiden was immediately at her side, grabbing her arm to steady her.

"Let go," she hissed, yanking her arm away. She didn't need his help, especially not now.

"Stop being an idiot," Aiden growled back, his grip tightening. "You'll give us away."

"Your yelling is giving us away," she shot back, trying to pull away from him again, but he wouldn't let go.

"Both of you, shut up," Taylor whispered fiercely from their left, her eyes wide as she pointed ahead. "Look."

Through the trees, they saw a faint light flickering in the distance. Alexa's heart skipped a beat. It could be nothing... or it could be a trap.

"We need to go around," Theo said, his voice barely above a whisper. "We don't know what's out there."

"Agreed," Maeve added, her eyes locked on the light. "Lorenzo, take the left flank. Aiden, Alexa, take the right. Stay low and quiet."

Aiden nodded, his expression still tense, but he released Alexa's arm. She didn't waste any time, moving ahead as best she could with the cast, her steps careful but determined, with Aiden right behind her. She hated how close he was, hated the way he seemed to loom over her like she was some fragile thing about to break.

They moved cautiously, each step careful and slow. The forest seemed to close in around them, the silence almost suffocating. Alexa's heart pounded in her chest, but she forced herself to focus. She wasn't going to let Aiden—or anyone else—see her falter.

As they rounded a cluster of trees, Aiden grabbed her arm again, pulling her down behind a thick bush. She was about to snap at him, but he put a hand over her mouth, his eyes locking onto something in the distance.

Alexa followed his gaze and felt her blood run cold. Three soldiers, dressed in dark combat gear, were positioned by the light. They were scanning the forest with their weapons raised.

"Shit," Alexa whispered against Aiden's hand, and he removed it quickly.

"We need to get back to the others," Aiden murmured, his breath warm against her ear. "Warn them."

"Yeah, no kidding," Alexa muttered, shifting her weight slightly. Her leg throbbed, but she ignored it. "On three, we go. I'll cover the rear."

"Your leg—"

"Just do as I say, Aiden," she interrupted, not in the mood for his concerns. "Three... two... one."

They moved quickly, trying to stay as low as possible. Alexa kept her gun raised, her eyes darting around for any movement. Her heart hammered in her chest, each step sending jolts of pain up her leg, but she pushed through it.

When they were a safe distance away, Aiden finally spoke again, his voice low and tight with anger. "You keep trying to prove something, Lexa, and it's going to get someone killed."

She rounded on him, her face flushed with fury. "I'm doing what needs to be done. You're the one who keeps second-guessing me. Maybe if you spent less time trying to play hero and more time trusting your team, we'd actually get somewhere."

Aiden's eyes flared with anger. "Trust? You're the one who doesn't trust anyone. Not me, not Maeve, not even yourself. And that's going to cost us all."

"Just do your job, Aiden," she spat, turning away from him. "And stay out of my way."

He shook his head, but he didn't argue further. The rest of the group reappeared from the trees, their faces etched with concern.

"What's going on?" Adam asked, looking between Alexa and Aiden.

"Soldiers ahead," Aiden answered curtly. "We need to move fast and quiet."

Alexa nodded, addressing the group with a commanding voice. "Theo, take point. Taylor, keep the left flank. We stick together, and we don't stop until we're clear. Move out."

As they moved, Alexa felt the weight of Aiden's glare on her back. She knew the tension between them wasn't going to disappear anytime soon. But for now, they had a mission to complete—and she wasn't about to let him, or her own injuries, get in the way.