"Silly. You're much funnier than Vince." She chuckled as she stretched and got up to grab her mask before wearing it again.
"Because I'm with you. You softened and became clingy when I'm being romantically caring."
"Is this the effect of being mates?" She wondered, and the wolf nodded, before shaking his body.
"Just a part. Mates were really protective, territorial, and possessive of what they owned, especially when kids were involved."
"Did I hear him right?" Skylar, being Rose Slayer again, thought before wondering, "Are you…"
"I'm dying to have babies with you. But Vincencio is being stupid."
"Well, I understand clearly where he's coming from." She said, understanding her husband's point of view. "I am too, but since our truth is out, things from here will change."
"But Vincencio didn't tell you about Shana and me, right?"
"And I'm still upset about that." She admitted as they walked back to the office.
"Then I'll tell you."
"And what about him? Does he know about this talk?" She wondered, gesturing her hands pointing between them.
"Well, he does, but he's being stupid at the back of my head and sulking. He's blaming himself for hurting you despite knowing about your painful relationship with Gregory."
"I see, I'll talk to him when he's ready." She softly said and entered the office, but quickly glared and guarded when she saw Shana sitting and waiting for them.
"Took you long enough." Shana sarcastically said, but Skylar, being Rose Slayer, held her gaze menacingly.
"Don't start with that tone when you speak to me. I don't tolerate disrespectful people or creatures." Rose Slayer grimly warned Shana, who slightly flinched at her tone.
"Says the one who chicken when he morphed." She rolled her eyes, masking her quivering hands.
"Vin, can I play with her like I played with my prey?" With a taunting smile, she asked the wolf beside her.
"Vin? I like that name."
"Vin, focus." She said firmly.
"Oh, right, be my guest, but she's carrying some information that's why she's taking Vincencio's time lately."
"Hmm, it's still not a reason preoccupying my Hubby without my consent." She walked closer to Vincencio's chair and sat like she owned the space.
"You can talk to his wolf without being marked?" Shana asked, surprised.
"Why does it need to be marked when he's been constantly annoying me in my dreams?" With sarcasm, she wondered.
"Hey! I'm not annoying. I'm just missing you."
"Clingy." She rolled her eyes and looked sternly at Shana.
"Well, if Vincencio's wolf has been visiting you in a dream, it makes sense that you can speak to him without him marking you yet. But don't be surprised when he starts acting based on emotions that didn't come from him." Shana answered her question.
"Meaning?" She wondered.
"I'm not sure if that is Vincencio's case, but it could happen to him and feel like yours." She answered thoughtfully, making Rose Slayer sigh.
"Vin, don't tell me you showed up before he felt my rage earlier?" She asked the wolf with firmness.
"Yes, that's why he's sulking."
"Stupid, Hubby." She sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose before turning to Shana again. "So, can you hear him?"
"No, unless he is directly speaking to me." She replied honestly before adding, "He's a Lone Alpha. He doesn't belong to any pack, which is why I can't hear him anymore. But maybe he could still speak with his family."
"I see. I'll know the rest later." She sighed in consideration before turning the air around the office seriously heavy. "So, I heard you had something for him, and I must know them."
"But it's about..." Shana couldn't finish her words when Rose Slayer cut her off.
"Vincencio is stupidly sulking, and you have to tell me exactly what you've got for him. I don't care how classified it is since it involves my husband." She said frankly, intimidating Shana.
Shana was skeptical about sharing the information about their pack's issues with an outsider. But with a warning growl from the wolf, she gave in.
"Say it, maybe I could be some help." Gently, Rose Slayer added with politeness, making Shana sigh.
"I know, I shouldn't be sharing this, but if you can help, then you have the right to know about it." Shana started with a heavy sigh before continuing, "The pack where Vincencio and I came from had encountered an alarming issue. We began to receive disturbing reports of missing pack members lately, and they were increasing. Most of them were here in the city for a job, and a dream vacation, during which some of them found their mates among humans."
"Why do you think they were missing? Is there any confirmation that they do?" Rose Slayer asked coldly, but carefully listened to Shana's report.
"Their usual communication with their family back in the pack suddenly changed without leaving anybody a note. It worried the family, and since it came not only from one family, almost the entire pack had the same issue, which my mate and I were sent here to confirm."
"And you find anything?" She wondered, tapping her hands on the desk.
"It's getting worse, Skylar - I mean, Rose Slayer," Shana replied, but quickly corrected herself when Rose Slayer glared at her for mentioning her real name. Then she continued. "At first, it's good that they were only preoccupied with overtime, but some weren't very lucky. They were abducted for weeks, and for some reason, they were either found badly injured, unconscious, or dead. Here are their pictures of our pack member we managed to find and interviewed."
Shana showed the injured werewolves who were slowly recovering from the nightmare they had faced during the weeks of being abducted. Rose Slayer studied the faces of the werewolves, including the corpse they had found.
"Have you encountered them? And according to Vincencio, he never did." Shana wondered, hoping that she did.
"And you're asking because I'm having a dual life like him, am I right?" she guessed firmly.
"Obviously." She sarcastically said, which didn't sit right with Rose Slayer's ears.
"I'm warning you, Shana, respect me before I only think about what pain you left in my husband before he married me." She coldly warned, making her flinch again.
Then she heard an amused giggle, passing her mind before it was followed by the wolf's charming voice of Vincencio.
"That's my mate."
"How did I - err! Never mind." She thought before responding through her mind. "Shut up, Vin. I have to help Vincencio, and I know you care about your pack. They're your family, right?"
"Yes, and wow, you can speak to me through our minds."
"Obviously, but let's talk about that later, please." She responded coldly and focused on the issue.
"Noted."
Rose Slayer turned her attention to Shana after checking the photos and some information she got regarding the issue.
"I don't know these survivors, but those corpses, they were involved with some mafia and gangs in the city that I targeted once." She answered Shana's question before adding a potential doubt that could have crossed Shana's mind. "And no, I didn't kill them. I only kill my targets and those people who hurt my husband, so don't get on my wrong side, Shana."
"Noted. But can you tell me about their involvement with those men you had mentioned?" Shana wanted to learn more about the issue, but Rose Slayer sternly looked at her.
"Shana, don't go there. Most of the mafias in the city were like you, and you don't want to get entangled with them like we already do." She stopped her quickly, making her frown.
"Why?" she wondered.
"You might end up facing me or Night Hound during hunting time." She answered coldly.
"If you say so, I won't, but tell me if you encountered these men." Shana showed a draft sketch of people whom they identified. "They were identified by our survivors."
"This man, and these two women, don't touch them. But these four men were included in my blacklist that I'm hunting. As for this man, I haven't seen him, but based on the vibe that I'm sensing from this sketch, I'm warning you, don't get too close unless you're willing to die." Rose Slayer quickly addressed, knowing the people in the sketches apart from the last one. But oddly familiar to him. "Who's that man?"
"And you're saying this because?" Shana carefully asked.
"I'm giving you a warning from a killer. Don't play on a playground you're not comfortable with fighting in the first place." She grinned sinisterly, making Shana flinch.
"Damn, this city is more tainted than us." She sighed in defeat.
"Well, everyone is here, so expect chaos and darkness dwelling in one place." She responded before making some notes for Night Hound to read later and added, "Rest, for a while."
"That's thoughtful." Shana teased, but Rose Slayer was still not good with her.
"Don't make me change my mind and kill you instantly." She spat coldly, making her jolt.
"Fine. I'll roam around a bit." She said and excused herself before teasing them. "Enjoy your alone time."
Rose Slayer rolled her eyes before glancing at the wolf that had been behaving throughout their conversation. She was about to speak to the wolf when she noticed something.
"Are they talking?" She thought and checked if she was right; she relaxed. With her quick ability to concentrate, she heard them.
Rose Slayer began eavesdropping on the wolf's mind, where she saw Vincencio's figure sulk at the corner. She wanted to smack his head when she heard the wolf's speaking voice before appearing before him.
"Vincencio, our wife is incredible, and I'm not going to let her go. How about you?"
"I won't."
"Then show you won't let her go despite the trials you might face. Remember, life is not always bright; there are storms that also need to be faced together."
"Since when did you become optimistic about things like this?"
"She happened."
Hearing that, Rose Slayer felt her cheeks warming up.
"I'll be honest, she's freaked out, horrified by how your human body turned into a werewolf. But still choose to stay. She remembered and accepted me as her mate. Also, she's worried about you."
"But I hurt her."
"Whoa, he hit him with his tail." She mumbled as she saw how the wolf slapped Vincencio's face with its tail.
"Both of you were scared of being rejected and left behind, but look where you are now; none of you dared to let go. You knew that there's no perfect relationship even in marriage and still choose to love each other. Talk to her, Vincencio, whatever is bothering you. She's a good listener despite her temperamental when she's jealous."
"I just hope this is the last time I hurt her."
"You won't be able to tell. Loving someone is painful and beautiful at the same time; you just need to be honest about what you feel toward her."
"When did you become a romantic wolf?"
"Skylar happened, and I won't take another. Vince, she's waiting for you. Go to her, so we can have pups soon."
Rose Slayer quickly stopped listening as her face was fully flushed, and quickly drank some water to ease the heat she was feeling.
"This silly wolf will be the death of me." She muttered with a sigh while calming herself from what she heard.
But Rose Slayer quickly made a roundhouse kick as soon as she felt a presence behind her. Luckily, before her kick landed on anything, she stopped, frowning.
"Seriously, Hubby," Skylar whined, forgetting that she was in her Rose Slayer attire. But she softened when she saw the wolf's ears down like a beaten puppy. "Are you alright? Did I hit you hard?"
The wolf shook its head before stepping backwards and lying down, submissive, and she quickly went to its side, making it stop. She made sure the wolf looked at her.
"Don't," She firmly said.
"But Wifey, I hurt you, and I'm sorry for everything I've painfully caused in you. I'm sincerely sorry. Please, forgive your hubby."
"Hubby? Are you done with your sulking?" with a taunting smirk, Rose Slayer asked teasingly.
"I'm not sulking…"
"I don't believe you. Your wolf, Vin, already clarified it, unless you're faking it." She said, deepening her smirk, making the wolf look away before snuggling over the crook of her neck.
"Fine, I am sulking, so forgive me?"
"Already do after realizing your reason for keeping this from me." She chuckled sweetly.