𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐨𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 | 𝘙𝘪𝘤𝘬 𝘎𝘳𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴

Trust Issues

- Cass's POV -

"Hi." Aaron breathes nervously, his blue eyes darting around the barn, taking everyone in, his hands raised in surrender.

As if sensing the presence of a stranger, Judith cries out in Rick's arms, looking over at her brother beside her. Rick nods at Carl, who takes his sister to allow Rick to take a step toward the new man alone, making my chest tighten slightly with worry.

"It's nice to meet you," Aaron tells Rick friendily with a smile, holding out his hand and starting to walk over to Rick as if to shake his hand. At the immediate shuffling and metal clicks of my family members aiming our weapons at him, Aaron stops in his tracks, slowly putting his hands back up in surrender with a gulp.

I turn to look at Rick's profile to the left of me as he coldly assesses the stranger, squinting his eyes once, strong distrust evident in his expression. Nerves flutter across my belly looking at his hardened look, knowing that if Rick's concerned, we all should be too.

"You said he had a weapon?" Rick asks Maggie, who nods, walking over to pass the small handgun to Rick. Rick shifts, tucking the gun in the back of his waistband, still watching Aaron suspiciously.

"There something you need?" Rick asks the man with a twinge of irritation, tilting his head to the side, in that characteristic intimidating way of his.

"He has a camp nearby," Sasha explains, sparing a glance at Aaron beside her before her brown eyes dart back at our leader. "He wants us to audition for membership." She informs Rick, her eyebrows raised and lips pursed.

...Audition?

"I wish there was another word." Aaron adds hurriedly, looking around the room, his eyes meeting mine for a second. "Audition makes it sound like we're some kind of a dance troupe." He breathes awkwardly, seeming to think about it before he adds something else.

"That's only on Friday nights." He jokes, but no one laughs, making him clear his throat and avert his gaze. I furrow my brows, squinting at the peculiar man in front of me. He acts like it's... before again. Like we're chatting at a supermarket or dinner party.

Doesn't he realize what's going on outside?

Sensing our displeasure at his joking, just as we did with Gabriel's, he shakes his head at himself, pressing his lips in a line as if to shut himself up. A slight sensation of pity flickers through me, taking me by surprise.

To be fair, we're an intimidating group. Especially with Rick glaring him down.

"Um, and i-it's not a camp. It's a community. And I think you all would make valuable additions." Aaron tells us earnestly, and I swear I see respect in his gaze as he looks around the room at us.

"But, it's not my call," Aaron adds with a slight sense of disappointment as he takes a breath. "My job is to convince you all to follow me back home," Aaron informs us, his words immediately triggering my flight or flight, adrenaline sparking underneath my skin as I take a sharp intake of air.

I sense the same trepidation happening to Rick beside me as he shifts on his feet, shaking his head as he stares Aaron down with a new sense of suspicion, his hand resting on the revolver on his hip.

So, Aaron is their unassuming and 'sincere' frontman who lures innocent people into their trap. Got it.

"I know. If I were you I wouldn't go either." Aaron says understandingly, making my eyebrows raise.

Seeing this, Aaron's eyes widen with panic. "-Not until I knew exactly what I was getting into." He tells us quickly, before licking his lips nervously. "Sasha, can you hand Rick my pack?" Aaron asks, turning to the woman beside him.