So we weren't going to talk about it.

Yeah, got it after Edith spends over an hour in the shower. I told her I'm going to check out what's happening outside, and almost go in a sprint because being in the same vicinity as her at the moment wasn't helping any matters.

After circling the hotel for the third time to see if the rogues that were in the springs weren't nearby, I think it's time to retire and maybe go to sleep. Only, I couldn't go to sleep and had to pace and run around to get off the steamy kiss with Edith.

The faint stench surrounding the hotel area though still bothered me. Which meant that the rogues might have been actually inside the hotel...

We needed to get out.

There was no way that I could hide our scents for that long, or if I accidentally fell asleep. Not that Edith would even look at me directly in the eyes. I know not to push her, but she initiated it, not me. I wouldn't have unless I knew her feelings towards me, but a kiss like that...

She felt something. I know she did. She can deny all she wants, but there's something there. And that means something.

"Has Nicholas texted you?" I asked, it was now midnight and I was beginning to pack my things that I laid out which only were some clothes. We needed to leave this hotel packed with rogues.

"No," Edith was too fake reading a book that she must have bought along the way.

I explained my thoughts,"I think we should leave this place. It's infested with rogues. I don't know if it's a normal thing or not, but I don't feel comfortable staying the night here." Not comfortable with my mate right here. I'd love to see Edith fight alongside me, but I don't know what Salvatore would do if his mate got hurt. I couldn't risk shifting and killing everyone.

Well, maybe I could. If Edith was involved somehow.

"I thought it was weird- about the smell," Edith admitted. Her cute pout made me want to see what would happen if I kissed her. Probably a good punch in the face. "It's weird they're here together like this."

It is weird. Rogues don't fit into their own pack and don't like to be with others in their pack, so they go solo. Rogues being together like this- and they'd know each other were rogues- is plain and simply put weird.

Dad had a policy with rogues. Unlike other packs were the Alphas usually put them in a dungeon or killed them. With Dad, he either let them go along their way, or if they wanted to join the pack he allowed them to if they needed a place to stay. He told me once that rogues were a product of their own pack, so it wasn't the individual's fault usually.

But if these were the wolves who were going to place a harmful drug into the packs, then I had a problem with them.

A few moments of silence. Of me thinking about our kiss which will forever be etched into my memory. Like if I don't kiss her soon, I'll forget that delicious taste that was only my mate's. I'll forget the feel of her soft lips and the way her body fit perfectly on mine.

I cleared my throat, not wanting to think about it too much or else I'd need a cold shower again.

"Where should we sleep then?" Edith put her book down which she was on the same page for the past hour.

"Maybe some place further than this?" I suggested, ready to leave this place as soon as possible. I Google'd places that were near here- and my Dad's sister company hotel- Were's Inn (courtesy of Uncle Grayson who had a strange sense of humor) was only thirty minutes away.

At least this would be free.

"I found one but it's a little far off. We can meet Nicholas tomorrow and tell him it wasn't safe, here" I said, hitting directions on Google.

Edith got off the bed, going to get her duffel bag. "We should see if you could get a refund since we didn't even sleep here," Edith suggested.

"We did use their hot springs," I unhelpfully added, but by that time she already left the room.

The woman at the front desk took a look at us and frowned. "No refunds."

"What?" Edith was ready to argue, but I shrugged it off, seeing that there were two rogues walking our way.

Gently placing my hand on her shoulder, I urged her outside. "Thanks for the hot springs! They were really hot!" I called to the woman, turning briefly and one of the rogues- a male- made eye contact with me.

He frowned, like I looked familiar and my heart picked up it's pace.

I'll have no trouble shifting right in front of the human woman if I had to.

"West-" Edith started, but the rogue male came closer, and seemed to pose no threat, so I relaxed by just a hair.

"Hey, you guys looking for the wolf club?" the rogue asked us.

"Uh..." I trailed off, looking at Edith who looked perturbed.

"It's down the street. Got some good stuff coming in." He smiled, winking, like he did us some big favor.

"We are not going," Edith didn't even look at me when I thought it would've been fun to go.

Once going to Were's Inn, I flashed my transparent card to the receptionist whose eyes widened. Edith's head turned towards me as she got some cash out, ready to pay.

"I'm paying," she insisted, but then her protests went mute when the receptionist stood up.

"Oh, right this way Mr. Stryder."

"Mr. Stryder?" Edith asked, incredulous, but there was a sort of amusement there too which made me embarrassed.

"Yeah, my parents kinda own this hotel," I responded as I held up the card, for some reason sheepish and not liking how privileged I was in comparison to Edith. Or how privileged I was to think it meant nothing. Without this card, the hotel would've costed at least $100 a night.

"Two rooms," Edith said. "I'll pay-"

"No," I waved off her cash, "two rooms in the first floor by chance?"

The receptionist shook her head, "I have one in the first floor and one in the fifth." There's always a room reserved for VIP guest in the first floor. Which would be safer for Edith.

"Perfect. I'll take the fifth then," I glanced at Edith, granting her wish of being separate. She didn't say anything as we went our different ways. I cleared my throat, hoping for something. Anything.

Nothing.

"Good night Edith," I said softly.

"Night," I barely hear her whisper. I sighed, trekking the stairs because elevators kind of freaked me out.

Hopefully tomorrow would be better.

The next morning after eating the hot breakfast that was provided, and having Nicholas send his location near the edge of this town, the silence was deafening.

"He should be here," Edith said, checking her phone as we got closer into the woods, near the area Nicholas told us to meet him.

"So are we going to talk about it?" I dared to ask her. Challenging her. We're not not going to talk about it. With all the nerves in me because she can't deny what the mate bond bought: attraction, and something deeper. More. More than she's telling. More than she's letting on.

Edith didn't look at me as she replied, "It was a mistake."

Like a punch in the gut.

My worst feels come crawling to me, like I wasn't good enough. Like I'd never be. How could she say that? I almost snarled, a burst of anger coursing through me since we're going this route. Denial. Even though she's the one who kissed me. Trust me, it makes a huge difference who starts the first kiss. She started it, not the other way around. I'm not letting her get off easy.

"Oh bullshi-" I stopped suddenly, the hairs at the back of my neck raising.

Edith turned to look at me- finally- but she was confused as to why I was frozen.

Something was seriously wrong. So wrong, that I felt it in my bones. And Salvatore was on the brink of breaking out. Alarm rang my voice, mainly for my mate, as I started frantically reaching for her, my magic trying to ward away the thing I felt. "Edith---!"

Something sharp hit my neck and I got knocked out into the darkness.