Chapter 23: Needs To Win Her Over

-Rhys-

“So, how bad?” I asked as I walked into Rogan’s office.

He was the one who had texted me, needing me immediately.

“There has been another attack while we were out,” he said.

“Fuck!” I said.

I walked over to where Rogan was sitting and sat down, thinking it all over. Rogan was watching me closely, and I couldn’t really understand why.

“What?” I asked.

“It’s just …”

“What?”

I didn’t like where this was going. Rogan was not afraid to ask me anything. We were close friends, and we could talk about pretty much anything, but he seemed nervous now, and there was only one reason I could come up with.

“Rogan?”

“You don’t think Nova …”

“No,” I interrupted.

“You didn’t let me finish,” he said.

“I had my eyes on her the entire time. She could not have gotten a message out there,” I said.

“Maybe she doesn’t have to. Maybe she got all that she needs.”

I shook my head again.

“Rhys, I am just telling you to consider …”

“She is not a rogue,” I said.

Rogan sighed.

“I told you this.”

He nodded.

“But how can we know that is true?” he asked.

I looked at my friend for a long time. I didn’t want to think he might have a point, but … maybe he did. I couldn’t just take Nova’s word for it, but then again, it would make so much sense why we were paired if she had never hurt anyone before. If she had hurt other people, why would we become mates?

“I believe her,” I said. “I have to.”

“Why?” he asked.

“You know why. For the same reasons, you couldn’t kill Serena or reject her,” I said.

He slowly nodded, knowing I was right.

“I know how it must look, but I need more time to win her over,” I said.

“What if she can’t be won over?” he asked me.

“Serena could, Nova has to be able to as well,” I said.

“Just … be careful around her.”

“Like you were with Serena?”

Rogan smiled a little.

“I was careful!”

“She ran from you multiple times,” I told him.

He chuckled a little and smiled.

“Yeah, she did.”

He didn’t sound very much about it. It was part of their story now, and since he was so happy with Serena now, it didn’t matter what had happened in the past. He was just glad they were together now. I wanted the same with Nova. I just needed more time to get her to become more comfortable around us.

“Just …”

“Be careful,” I said. “You said so.”

“I am just looking out for my friend.”

I nodded.

“I understand,” I said. “But Nova is my mate. I am not just going to accuse her of betraying us.”

Rogan nodded.

“I get that.”

“So, what do we do about this attack? Anyone dead?”

“Actually, most got away, a few were injured but nothing else.”

“That’s strange,” I said.

Rogan nodded.

“Doesn’t sound like them.”

I shook my head slowly.

“They don’t spare anyone,” I said. “So, what made them not want to go after blood tonight?”

Rogan shrugged.

“I am not sure, but we need to get to their leaders,” he said. “We need to make a plan.”

“Another trap?”

“That was what I was thinking, but it won’t be that easy. They were fooled once, but they are not going to be fooled again.”

“Maybe that was why they were playing it carefully last night.”

Rogan nodded.

“Perhaps,” he said. “Do you think you could get your mate to talk?”

“Now?”

He nodded again.

“No! She won’t tell me anything. She barely trusts me,” I said. “I need more time, as I have already said.”

“Then what are you doing here?” he said with a smile.

“You were the one interrupting us!” I said and pointed at him.

He held up his hands.

“Oh, my bad.”

We both laughed a little.

“You need to win her over fast, and not just for yourself. She knows something and we need her help,” he said.

“We can’t be sure she can tell us very much.”

“I am aware, but we don’t have a lot of options,” he said.

“No … I know …”

“Rhys, it is important we get her to talk,” he said.

“I am working on it.”

“Then go!”

I chuckled a little and stood up, but I could see how worried my friend was. It was clear the roles had been reversed and he was now the one who wasn’t sure if I was doing the right thing.

“I can handle this,” I said.

“I know you can,” he said.

“Then don’t look at me like that.”

“Like what?”

“If you can handle a hunter, I can handle a rogue,” I said.

“I didn’t say you couldn’t.”

“You make it seem that way,” I said.

“I am just worried about my friend. Rogues are …”

“Evil?”

“Cunning,” he said. “They are very cunning.”

I nodded, already knowing this, but I had a different feeling when it came to Nova. She didn’t seem cunning to me. She seemed … sweet and caring. I just couldn’t believe she was like the rest. She was just too good. I quickly left the office again and went to find my mate, but when I came back to our room, and yes, it was *ours* now, she wasn’t there. I went to find Serena, who was with a small group of other hunters, but she hadn’t seen Nova either. I was starting to get worried.