Scent of A Rogue

Chapter 12 - Shadowing

Gideon

The week passed by uneventfully. So far, my new job was just that – a desk job. I was not used to it. Sitting in front of the computer was not my idea of being productive. However, I had to admit I was pretty damn pleased about some praise that I already got in my first few days. Ha! My father thought I was nothing more than his thug, who depended on the cash flowing into the Wolfless packhouse.

Sometimes, though, I was suspicious of my boss’s enthusiasm for my digital marketing skills. It was surprising, really, since most of the practical end of what I had to do was fairly new. After all, I didn’t have to market drugs and didn’t have any experience beyond the theoretical. The pack simply distributed various illegal substances for Hotchkiss. I had blood on my hands, and I would never be able to atone for my sins. Not in this lifetime. Maybe not even in the next.

My current job seemed a lot more boring than the heightened life I used to live. Still, it beat starving in the streets of Oak City. I didn’t want to end up working the illegal route again. If I ended up that way, it did not make sense to have left my pack at all.

Even with a new number, I had not called Stephan. The ordinary life was starting to feel like a fresh start, not that it could erase everything I had done. Everything that I was a part of. Still, a part of me knew that eventually, I had to face my problems.

The only new thing – person – well thing, that was sort of interesting was Doug. I smelled a threat. This man was no wolf, but I still felt a threat emanating from him. I sensed his desire for Riva, and it was driving me mad.

I had made it my mission to check on Riva every night. She didn’t have to know that I passed by her door at about the same time just to see if she was alright. So far, I had not felt any threatening aura from her apartment. So far, the witch was safe.

I was aware that she was proud and capable of protecting herself, but I had not slept well lately. I tossed and turned and wondered if, instead of the Big Bad Wolf threatening to blow her house down, he had a big boogeyman doing it instead.

“You can always sleep at her place. Knowing that she’s safe will let you sleep well.”“You know that’s not a good idea.”“Gideon, you have admirable self-control.”

I chuckled at that. Someone had been trying to convince me to spend more time with Riva. He wasn’t wrong. Riva and I had gone through a similar, traumatic situation. I didn’t want her to think that I was put off by her. She could not help what she felt. As quickly as her heat had come over her, it was gone.

“How does it even work, Cato?”“Beats me. You have been drugging me for years.”“No. Take me seriously now.”“She’s not a wolf, Gideon. But…”“You’re not sure what she is. Aren’t you? I’m not sure, either.”“Well, it’s a damn good Saturday to waste. Go over there so that you can sleep better tonight.”

***

“Excuse me. What?” Riva exclaimed.

We were seated in her living room, which I realized doubled as a dining room. My apartment was no better. These units were tiny unless you wanted to splurge quite a bit. The witch had prepared a nice meal, and I was pleasantly surprised that she could cook. I almost immediately finished eating the steak and the side of corn and green peas. Yep, the mashed potatoes, too.

She had a hearty appetite, too. I could tell from the heap of food on her plate. Yet, she watched me with an amused smile as I wolfed down my lunch. Pun intended.

“You heard me right. Are you looking for a bodyguard?”

“Didn’t you get a job, Gideon? We congratulated each other and thanked our lucky stars at the beginning of the week. Or was that an act? Where have you been hanging out?”

“I got a job,” I assured her. “I don’t need your money. Somehow, I’m managing. Not the amount I’m used to, but I had spent too much on things that did not matter. I spent money destroying myself.”

“So, what’s the bodyguard thing all about? I can take care of myself. The only thing who can hurt me. Badly. Is you,” she reminded me, widening her eyes at me.

‘I – I’m so sorry again. I should have done a better job at controlling myself.”

“No. I understand. I stabbed you on your neck. You reacted by biting on about the same place. My point is that I can handle a human, Gideon.”

“There’s something extra off about Doug. H-he also desires you.”

I could swear her nose flared when I said that. She looked down and became busy with her food. I watched her lips as she chewed on her lunch and felt my whole body respond. It wasn’t a good idea, at all, being here. Yet I could not help but feel compelled as if I was stuck there and could never return to the rest of my life.

“Worse, of course, is that he’s a dangerous person. I know you can feel it.”

“I’m not afraid of him.”

“I know you aren’t, and I’m worried about that. I haven’t slept well -” I stopped myself. I had said too much already.

Riva’s face softened. After taking a swallow of her food and discreetly licking her lips, she looked me straight in the eyes.

“You haven’t been sleeping well?”

“No. I know that it sounds creepy, but that’s what’s been going on. I can’t help but think of Doug coming by your door and attempting to get in.”

“Mm. Well, I obviously can’t hire you as a bodyguard. That’s ludicrous. But you can stop by again for dinner if you want to. I enjoy cooking. Without my training sessions, I am left with a lot of time to do it. I’d probably get fat by the end of the month. Then, Doug can stay away.”

Riva grinned, letting me in on the joke. I didn’t see any problem with her gaining a lot of weight. I was sure she would still be gorgeous.

“Because she’s your mate.”“She’s a witch, Cato. Nothing more than a human now.”“A witch is a witch is a witch. This one has come from a long line of witches from the Medieval ages.”“Just like my family’s from a long line of wolves. Good ones. Until your grandfather came along. He passed on his hate and corruption to your dad.”

“Hey, are you alright? You seemed like you have gone off somewhere,” Riva said. Her brows were furrowed, and she was waving a hand in front of my face.

Should I come clean? Should I tell her that a wolf was talking inside my head? Would she call the nearest mental health facility to pick me up?

“You’re such a drama queen, Gideon. Of course, not. Explain yourself. It’s not as if she isn’t a supernatural being herself.”

Of course, Cato was right. I could tell Riva, even though Cato felt so much like my conscience – the man I could have become without my father’s control – he was part of a werewolf’s life. Our supposed reality. The ones that we had rejected along the way.

“Riva, I have something to tell you,” I began.

I noted her pinkish cheeks and open mouth. Her hands still held her fork and spoon, inches from her plate.

“Yes?”

“I have a voice in my head.”

“Voice in your head?” she repeated.

“We have our wolves, supposedly. Then, because of all the drugs and suppressants that we had to take under my dad’s and Hotchkiss’s rule, our wolves had been sent further back into our minds. Put on time out. Well, a time out that lasted for years.”

“You’re telling me you got one after you left the facility?”

“Yes. So, please don’t report me if ever you see me zoning out.”

She laughed at that. It wasn’t a little giggle but a full-blown laugh. I didn’t know how to take it. Riva might have the same coloring as Suzanne, but she was so different.

“No. I’m sorry. I guess we could work together, after all, Gideon. You have a voice in your head. Your wolf is back. I smell and see things. I’ve heard of a few wolf facts, but I didn’t think Wolfless Pack members could ever get yours back.”

“Well, there I am. I wish she could hear me.”

“Was that him just now?” Riva asked, looking fascinated.

“Yes. That was him.”

“What’s his name?”

“Cato! My name’s Cato!”

“Cato. He wishes he could speak to you.”

“Well, I’m here, Cato. I was laughing not because I don’t believe your human Gideon, but because no matter what a wolf does, he’s always a wolf. No matter what a witch does, she’s always a witch.”

“What do you mean by that?” I asked. I could sense that there was a hovering tension all over Riva. It wasn’t quite like fear but a simmering tension. It was intense, and it seemed like Doug was the least of her worries.

“I – I’ve been smelling magic work at the bank. I feel like someone’s been shadowing me. You want to shadow me, Gideon, even become my bodyguard of sorts. Well, let me tell you, someone or something has already started following me. Not only that, I am worried something must have happened to Stan.”

“I thought the two of you broke up,” I said, knowing that what I said somehow didn’t connect, but it was where my mind was at. Somehow, I wanted to know for sure if she had cut all ties with this guy.

“One-track mind,” cackled Cato.“Not true.”

“Well, yes. But the person who sent me this message thinks I should know what happened to him.”

She shoved a small phone towards me. Burner phone, I could tell. I quickly read the message.

“Who knows your number?”

“Stan. Willa, my witch best friend. And… Mr. Peters, the guy I sold my car, too.”

I felt the hesitation before she said the last name. I could tell that Mr. Peters was more than just that. I could feel her rigid energy as if she was trying not to reveal too much. She was afraid that she would mind-link me by accident.

“You’re not telling me everything, Riva. I might be able to help if I know everything.”

I reached for her hand across the table, aiming to comfort her. I felt her hand tremble. Instead of being cold from fear, her hand was hot. After two beats, she pulled her hand away as if burned, when she was the one running hot.

“Are you really the werewolf in this pairing?” Cato wondered.“Oh, shut up.”

“I’m not ready to tell you everything, Gideon. You’re right. There’s something that I’d rather keep to myself for now. It’s personal.”

I wondered what could be more personal than telling me about her ex’s possible predicament. She needed my help with those two issues: the witch shadowing and the burner phone stalker. She didn’t need my help with her third problem, whatever it was.

“I’m sorry. I overstepped.”

I scooped and swallowed the last bite from my plate and thanked my host. She spent some time quietly finishing her own meal. I couldn’t help but notice that while she was being friendly and nice, her eyes were sad.

Of course, she was sad. She had been thrown out of the Coven that she had considered her home and refuge for most of her life. Still, I could feel that something else was afoot. There was more to her past than being an orphan cared for by the Coven and secured by her mother’s inheritance.

“So, what do you plan to do? Will you be back here by dinner? I could cook again.”

“Rest yourself awhile, Riva. I’m thankful for the homemade cooking. I will bring us dinner.”

“Oh, I thought you would offer cooking for us,” she teased.

“Yeah, I could, but I cannot promise that it will be edible.”

“I understand. You had a lot of wolves at your beck and call.”

“Something like that.”

“I had to live mostly on my own. Even when Stan lived with me for two years, I felt like I was the one taking care of him.”

I felt a hollow ache in my chest. Two years? It must have been serious. What was I even thinking? Cato might say she was my mate, and she went on what seemed like a heat, but this woman right in front of me didn’t care about me beyond our shared experience. We were both rogues in our own ways. We didn't need anybody else but ourselves.

“Well, I will take care of you tonight.”

“That sounds just about right,” Cato growled.

I looked at Riva’s raised eyebrow.

“I will bring the food, I mean. Don’t worry. It will be some good fare, not fast food. But I need a little favor.”

“Oh, there we go. Let’s go, wolf. Let me have it.”

I took a long deep breath. I knew it wasn’t going to sound right – at all.

“May I sleep here tonight?”

Riva looked at me with narrowed eyes. She folded her arms across her chest.

“I guess we need to talk about what happened between the two of us.”

“It’s not about that, Riva.”

“Still.”

“At some point, you may have to be honest with me. I will need to know if you have some wolf in your blood. Ancestors. I’m sorry about that night. I didn’t want to take advantage of your heat.”

“My heat?” she echoed, but I knew she understood.

“It wasn’t because I didn’t want to. It just wasn’t right. It was like taking advantage of a drunk person. It would be,” I sighed. “It would be rape.”

She nodded. She even dropped her arms down to the table. She was open again. Softer.

“So, why do you want to stay the night?”

“I need to sleep, Riva. In my apartment, I couldn’t sleep thinking of Doug or anyone else trying to break into your home."

“Right, Gideon. Sleep. Right.”“I need it, Cato.”

“Sure, why not? But let’s go a little fancy with the dinner. Make sure you get me some rack of lamb.”

She grinned. For a moment there, I thought her canines had elongated.