The Rogue Hunter

Chapter Fourteen: Cookies

●●●●●
Kristine
●●●●●

I wake up to something thumping against my ear. Confused, I open my eyes and met with the sight of a T-shirted chest. I frown, the scent of pine needles and peanut butter reaching my nose. I swear, Axel has the strangest smell. Who smells of pine needles and peanut butter? At least he's warm. The rest of the room is freezing. I wonder when he snuck in last night, I hadn't seen him since yesterday morning.
A short haired blonde woman kept bringing me meals. Normally I would reject food being offered from a pack but I felt so uselessly weak that I ate everything she brought be me without complaint. The woman might be under the impression that I'm nice. I did coerce her nicely into getting the needle removed my arm though. That's always a plus. I would have done it myself but yanking it out seemed like a bad idea even to me.
Seeing as I am encased in Axel's arms, I try to think of a way to get me out without repeating yesterdays failure. Nothing. I got nothing. And though it is actually very comfortable, I have to pee. It sort of unnerves me how comfortable Axel has gotten with me and I him. How long ago was it that I was fighting him at every turn? It couldn't have been that long ago. I decide to go with the mature way of getting out of bed.
"Axel, wake up before I pee on you." I tell him, trying to shake him awake with limited movement. My hands seem to have been resting on Axel's chest. I get a grunt of acknowledgement and blow out air.
"Axel, wake up." When again he doesn't respond I decide to try the immature way. I jab him in the stomach with my finger. Now that wakes him up. Startled, he releases me and nearly falls off the bed. I hold back a laugh as I look at him. His eyes are wide, his mouth open in a gasp, and his hair is a mess.
"Why would you do that?!" Axel asks, regaining his balance. I shrug and swing my legs off my side.
"I tried waking you up nicely. But I have to pee and you wouldn't move." I tell him, walking towards the bathroom. I can feel Axel's glare follow me until I close the door.
After finishing urinating, I look at my reflection as I wash my hair. My hair is a mess, tangles are clear to see. For once, I am grateful my hair is not very curly. Having curls would be a nightmare. I grab the hair brush that was next to the sink and brush out the knots before putting my hair in it's usual ponytail, I don't question why there is a random brush in here. Axel's hair is not that long. At least I look better than I did yesterday. The dark bags are gone and color has returned to my face. I feel stronger as well. Maybe a day in bed was actually what I need, but there is not way I'm telling Axel that. He would start thinking he's always right.
When I re-enter the room, I find Axel trying to go back asleep. I fight the urge to fiddle with my fingers and cross my arms. Leaning against the wall, I ask the question that's been going through my head since I woke up.
"How'd the search go?" I inquire. Axel sits up and leans against the headboard. He sighs as he runs his fingers through his hair, something Axel seems to do when frustrated. By the dejected look on his face, I take it he didn't find anything.
"I found nothing that you probably don't already know. The Farwell Pack was one of the gentle packs, few warriors, and peace treaties with surrounding packs. Rogues are the ones everyone assumes did it. Other than that, nothing. It's like everyone swept it under the rug and forgot about them." Axel rages, surprisng me. Why does he care so much? It's not it was his pack. Axel then looks at me with so many emotions that I don't even recognize them.
"How can you do it, Kris? You searched for years, I've only looked one day and I feel like it's hopeless." He asks. I shift my gaze away from his. He isn't asking me how I've been a rogue so long or how I became the Rogue Hunter. Axel's asking how I could continue to search all these years later.
"They are my only family. I was the only one who cared to look. So I did." I tell him. Axel's eyes soften even more, I can tell by the glance I gave.
"Your cousins are lucky to have you." Cousins. Right. That's what I told him. Turning on my heel, I walk into the closet. The woman brought some clothes the other day, thank goodness, my old clothes smelled horrid. I change into black stretchy pants and a purple T-shirt, when I walk back into the bedroom I see Axel stretching. Are all werewolves this sluggish?
"Hurry up, we have work to do." I order him. Axel yawns and shuffles around the room. Deciding to not let him go through his morning schedule since he moves like a sloth, I push him towards the door. Axel grumbles at me but opens his office across the hallway.
"I'll share what I know and you let me stay in here with you." I tell him. I may not have much info but I have some solid theories. It's strange having someone help me. I don't know how I feel about it, I'm used to doing things by myself. I know how to get things done. Does Axel? He takes a seat behind his desks that is littered with books. I glance at the titles and see The Massacre of the Farwell Pack in the corner, my breath hitches. He won't make the connection of Kris to Kristine... will he? No... Axel still thinks I'm doing this because my 'cousins' were in the pack.
Scanning the other titles, I see many of them would be useful if you knew absolutely nothing about pack treaties and pack life. So, basically, they are useless. Some others are about rogues and how they attack. Well, that is one I could have easily answered. I recognize the blank object on Axel's desk as a laptop. I've seen them on commercials on the TV's at motels. Realizing that Axel is staring at me, I sit down and take a deep breath. I have to be careful with my words, I don't want to let it slip that the Farwell Pack was my home.
"Like you said, the Farwell Pack was a gentle pack. They had no enemies. But I do not think rogues organized the attack. That is to much work for them. They don't form groups as large as the one that it took to kill the pack. They act on impulse, planning is unknown to them. Someone was pulling the strings. Someone who knew how to sway the deranged minds of rogues. Whoever it was had something the rogues wanted. It just doesn't make sense that they went after that pack. It's not lie the posed a threat to anyone. And don't you find it a tad bit strange that no investigation was launched in attempts to get the perpetrator? I do. And if you are going to help me with this, no one can know I'm here. I'm the only living family member from that pack. Someone wanted them dead, I'd like to stay out of their sights until I can find them." I stare into Alex's blue orbs until he nods.
"As far as anyone is concerned you aren't here. Nobody even has a name to trace. And you're right. It's odd that no body looked into the massacre. I plan on making some calls to the packs that were allies with the Farwell Pack today. Feel free to look up or read anything." Axel tells me, grabbing a cordless phone from his desk. For once, I'm glad those shows had commercials. Growing up on the run made me a little behind on the times but at least I can recognize the latest electronics. I'd feel pretty stupid if I had to ask him what the thing in his hand was.
Axel looks at the laptop before pressing buttons on the phone and holding it to his ear. Okay... What am I suppose to do? I'm better at the physical way of getting information, not this.
"Hey, Axel, do you think you could have someone bring me my bag later?" I inquire, he nods before talking to the person on the other end of the phone. I sigh in relief, at least I can get my picture back now. I didn't like leaving it here last time. That photo is the only one I have of my family, I plan on keeping it. It's by luck I even had the picture on that day. I brought it to school to show my best friend, Laina. Who would have thought that a few hours after school, I would have been running for my life, practically being dragged by my sister as my packs screams echoed through my head, as they still do to this day. Only they have Katherine's with them now. I try to push the memories to the back of my mind when, by memory, I start to smell smoke and blood.
"Okay, thanks Alpha Joe. Uh, huh. Yes. Goodbye." Axel tells the man over the phone. There's a knock on the door as Axel hangs up. "Come in." He tells them, a familiar blond man peeks in.
"Ah, so this is where you are hiding the little devil!" Jax announces, I bear my teeth at him and narrow my eyes. If he thinks I'm a devil now, he should be near me when I'm armed.
"Guess what blonde, I'm not on a leash." I snarl at him and make a move to lunge. Jax shrieks like a little girl and ducks behind the door. Axel's deep chuckle draws my attention from the scaredy dog.
"Try not to harass him, Kris." Axel suggests, I glare at him but his playful smile makes me not want to. That unnerves me a bit, I still am not willing to say he is my mate. I'm shouldn't have one. It confuses me.
"I came to tell you Luca is looking for you." Jax says through the door. Obviously too scared to come back in, I allow a small smirk to show. Axel shakes his head and rolls his eyes.
"You can come in, Jax! I'm fifty percent sure she won't kill you." Axel informs him, I bite back a chuckle. I'm fifty percent sure she won't kill you. I hear Jax grumble about something like 'yeah... you say that now' but comes back in anyway.
"Luca wanted to talk to you but I told him I'd tell you."
"Where is he?" Axel inquires.
"In the kitchen with..."
"BUBA!" Someone yells pushing Jax out of the way.
"Well, she obviously isn't with Luca anymore." Jax comments as the brunette little girl in a green dress crawls into Axel's lap. I just kinda stare in confusion at everything. A minute ago Axel was making calls to my packs allies and now there is a man cowering in the doorway and a little girl is on Axel's lap.
"Bubi and me made cookies!" She exclaims, I thought she just called him Bubi, there's another one? She has her hands resting on Axel's face and he smiles at her. "Buba who she?" The girl asks, turning her attention to me. I shift under her gaze, her brown eyes staring me down. I've fought rogues for ten years and yet it's hard to hold her gaze. It's too... innocent.
"That's Kris, Kris this is Joanna, my sister." Axel introduces us. I give her an awkward wave and she ducks her head into Axel's neck. She cups her hand around his ear and leans into it.
"She's really pretty." Joanna loudly whispers to him. Axel grins and chuckles, looking at me. I stare at the little girl in shock. I feel my face heat up a bit. I'm no used to compliments.
"She is, isn't she? Why don't you ask Kris if she wants to eat cookies with us?" Axel asks Joanna. She solemnly nods before crawling off Axel and slowly walking towards me. When she stands in front of me, I lean back and glare at Axel only for little hands to pulls my face closer to her. Joanna looks me in the eye and smiles, showing that she is missing a front tooth.
"You want cookies? We have cookies." Joanna tells me. I see no way of saying no. I'm hungry and she's offering food.
"Uh.... sure...." I answer, she jumps up and down, releasing my face.
"Yay! Cookies!" Jax shouts, Joanna looks at him with glare.
"No. You eat all the cookies last time." She scolds, pointing at him. Axel laughs loudly at Jax's shocked and hurt face. He holds a hand to his heart and opens his mouth.
"Rude." He comments before leaving the room. Joanna turns back to me and grabs my hands, pulling me up from my seat.
"Let's go! Bubi is guarding the cookies for us! Come on, Bubba!" Joanna orders, pulling at my arms. I glare at Axel when he starts laughing at me. Why can't she pull on him? He's her brother. I'm a stranger. She drags me to the kitchen where the smell of peanut butter cookies greet me. I haven't had cookies years.... My mouth waters for them. Joanna releases my hands and runs to a brown haired boy who is leaning aganst a counter, cell phone in hand. Joanna pulls at his shirt.
"Bubi! I got Buba! And guess what! He has a friend! She's the pretty one." She tells him, getting his attention off his phone. He looks down at her before looking in the doorway to see me with Axel lurking behind me. "Her name Kris."
"Kris, that's my little brother Luca." Axel informs me, Luca gives me an awkward wave. I give Axel a questionable look.
"How many siblings do you have?" I ask him quietly, as to not draw the attention of Joanna and Luca who are trying to get the cookies off the sheet.
"Just those two." Axel replies. There seems to be a very large age gap between each sibling. Axel has to at least be twenty, Luca must be in his early teens, and I doubt Joanna is over seven years old. I guess can't be to judgemental, Katy and I were six years apart.
"Here!" Joanna shouts, holding up a napkin with a cookie on it. I take it from her, feeling the warmth of it through the napkin.
"Thanks...." I tell her, she gives me a big smile before running back over to Luca. I turn back to Axel. "We should probably get back to work." And that's how an entire day was wasted, nothing of use was found. All the calls to the other alphas were dead ends. And here I thought Axel might be helpful, but so far I have only been reminded of what I lost.

Word Counr: 2,586
Date Published: 11/17/16
Remember to vote and comment!