Garret stood outside her apartment alone.

Trying hard.

Trying so hard that it gave him a headache that he didn't succeed.

It was impossible, that's all that came to mind. An apartment that he couldn't hear through, something else was up and he needed to know what.

It crossed his mind to go up there himself and figure it out but he refused. He needed to remain patient, as much as his body wanted to act upon everything- he didn't.

He looked up to the window that didn't give any sound, feeling as if he was being watched but didn't see anyone. Shaking his head in confusion, he vowed to try again tomorrow and see where it would lead him.

Are you really just going to let her go? Questioned his wolf, Thadus. We need answers.

, he says, trying to calm his wolf as much as he could. Not knowing or having any information about this girl drove him slightly crazy, and if it drove Garret crazy, it only drove Thadus even more.

Alpha, said one of his pack members in the mind-link. We assume we don't say anything to your dad?

, he says admittedly.

I mean no disrespect, Alpha. Says another member. But why didn't we capture her? Isn't she the rogue?

He didn't know how to explain to his pack members, his brothers, that she was, in fact, the rogue. There was just something else he couldn't understand, and couldn't begin to understand it until he could get the right questions in order.

he lies. It was easy to lie because none of his members believed that she was the rogue either. The fact that she didn't bare a scent but instead a perfumed one took over the stench that would've come from being a rogue. But even with the perfumed scent, he somehow couldn't smell the fact that she was a rogue. Not even a slight trace. Another thing to add to his list of questions.

Yes Alpha, they all say.

Now silent to leave him to his thoughts, he thought back to Rhoda in the diner. It was clear now that she had lied and now he needed answers as to why.

Taking one more glance at the apartment, seeing a shift in the curtains, he left.

Walking the two blocks over to the diner, he walks inside to see it slightly picking up before the dinner rush. He walks to the booth, waiting for Rhoda to show up. Call it her natural instinct, but whenever he decided to show up, she would make her presence seen. He didn't know how she was able to do it but she always showed up when he needed her.

Under two minutes, she sat across from him with a piping hot cup of black coffee. He was able to smell the fact that she didn't add any sugar or cream and that was exactly how he liked it. Pushing the cup to him, she waits patiently for whatever was troubling him.

Seeing him walk inside the diner with a faraway look on his face was reason enough to come out on the floor to talk to him.

After taking his first sip, he set the cup down, looking directly into Rhoda's eyes. Every time he looked at her, he felt a sense of his mother in her. How, in so many ways, he wished that she would end up being the mother that was taken away from him. He wasn't selfish, no, he knew that she was married to Cyrus and that her loyalty remained with him. In so many ways though, he wished that the marriage never existed and that she would marry his father instead.

"You lied to me," he finally said, breaking the silence.

She sighs. "I didn't lie... I lied to your father, not you."

"Why?" he asked.

"Because I knew it was only a matter of time before you found her... Your father doesn't know right?" Garret shakes his head no. "Good. That would've made things a lot harder."

"What aren't you telling me, Rhoda?"

"I'm not sure," she says, sounding truly defeated. "I cannot begin to explain the confusion that is going through my mind but you need to be patient."

"For what?" he asks even more confused. "Patient for what?"

She shakes her head, not sure of how to answer because she can't process it herself. "Finish your coffee."

"Rhoda-"

"I don't know Garret, but the time for the answers to your questions will come. I know that."

And with that, she left, and if he had a headache before, he was mistaken now.

Beep. Beep. Beep. Be-

I heard the beeping of my alarm clock across the hall in the bedroom as I sat on the floor in the chamber room. With a wave of my hand, the beeping stopped and I focused back on my meditating.

I sat on the floor, in the middle of my pentagram, candles littered the chamber, the only source of lighting.

Closing my eyes, I breathed in and out through my nose, to gain relaxation. When I felt that my body and mind were at peace, I began to chant.

Megáli Theá tis iméras kai tis nýchtas Prostatéfste me óli sas ti dýnami

I recited this line over and over as I opened my right hand and envisioned a softly lit blue sphere. It formed in my hand, soft and slow, and when it got to the size I needed it, I motioned for it softly out of my hands. It flew off and circled around my body, encasing me in this undeniable warmth as I felt the temporary protection spell cover me.

I continued.

Se aftó to méros kai se aftín tin óra

Apó tous kidemónes ton mystikón tis nýchtas

Párte ta kleidiá stin kardiá mou

Kai kleíste tis pórtes tou myaloú mou

I closed my opened hand as the blue sphere continued to circle around me and I leaned my head back softly. Careful not strain my neck and break concentration, I recited these lines to close off my mind from any outside forces. To protect my thoughts to my own, an unbreakable barrier unless I said otherwise.

A soft pressure made its way to my head, not hard enough to cause a headache or migraine but just enough to let me know that I was shielded and protected.

And lastly, I said:

anapnoí tis zoísKai to fos tou myaloú mouDimiourgeí mia goiteíaProstasía kai ánesiKathós o aéras pou anapnéo katharízetaiPerivállo ton eaftó mou me mia sfaíra chrysoú Aftí i chrysí omíchliDiarkós katharízetaiKai na choristeí apó opoiadípote arnitikótita Boreí o chóros mou na prostateftheí

I opened both of my hands and raised them about an inch from my knees, reciting this as I envisioned a golden aura encampenising itself around me. The aura seeped through my skin, slightly pricking me as I began to feel it work. A light shone from my skin, not blinding but not subtle either.

The lit blue sphere that was still circling my body, I had it stop in front of me and as I began to end my chant and meditiation, the blue sphere as well as the golden aura sunk into my body. It didn't take me off guard the way it had when I first performed these spells, but it slightly knocked my body backwards.

Easily catching myself, I let out a breath and opened my eyes.

I felt that my irises were the electric blue that came from my wolf, the only thing I came from my wolf nowadays. When training with Maximus, I couldn't transform. It was frustrating and slightly deterring, but I've gotten used to the fact that I might not hear nor transform into her again. It sucked that literally something that made up a third of me couldn't be brought out, but the other two-thirds did so I guess I couldn't be that upset.

Blinking multiple times before my usual brown eyes came back, I began to get ready for my shift. Doing my normal morning routine and getting dressed, I was on my way to work on high alert.