Walker drove for quite some time before realizing how tired he was.

His adrenaline rush had completely diminished and he kept checking on Roxie to make sure she was still doing well. Her breath was even and she kept fairly still save for some movements of her head or a lull in her moans.

Walker had no clue what he was doing. He couldn't put the rogues in harm's way so he decided to bypass Niles and his territory because Roxie had the ability to hide the scent of not only herself, but anyone and that would make anyone from his coven think he'd gone straight to his friends.

He drove a little more before hitting a motel miles outside of Gideon.

Parking the Jeep at the far end of the lot, Walker made sure not to make a scene at the front desk. He hoped his bind on Myrtle would last long enough for Roxie to rouse and fade their scents.

Getting Roxie inside of the room and underneath the covers wasn't hard, but knowing how angry she'd be with him when he woke up took a toll on his heart. He hoped she would understand.

Brett kept him up to date on Myrtle and would stay in touch.

Walker curled up next to Roxie, draping an arm over her and falling asleep.

"You can't keep me locked up forever."

"I can try."

"WALKER?!"

He sat up with a start as Roxie tossed the covers off and jumped out of bed, looking around in a panicked state.

"Sweetheart, calm down...calm down.." Walker was on her quickly, holding her close to him and trying to soothe her, "We're safe—I need you to hide us—please...now...trust me.."

Her expression was one of pure confusion, but she hid them—she even hid the Jeep.

"Good girl, good girl.." Walker stroked her hair and kissed her forehead, "We're safe—I am keeping you safe now, I promise...I promise.."

"Tell me what's happening, Walker.." Roxie pushed her face into his chest, "I'm scared."

"I know, baby. I had to take us away. I took us away from the danger for a while, OK? I took us away from Myrtle."

"Away from Myrtle?"

Walker told her everything—and even about the rogues with Connie's confession.

"But, my mom?"

"She'll be fine," Walker said, "I promised to bring you back and I will."

"What if I want to go home?"

"Then we'll get in the Jeep and drive home, but right now you know someone is trying to kill you and with what happened with Victor, the others, my father—I won't take the chance any longer, I can't."

Roxie sat down on the bed and sobbed, but she regained her composure faster than even Walker expected.

"I trust you, Walker."

Walker smiled, "Never thought I'd ever hear you say that, mouse."

"Same here," Roxie sighed, "What now?"

"Well, I've got stuff in the Jeep for us and I have no clue on where we're going, but we'll know when we get there."

"The elders?"

"Wanna chance it?"

"Hmmm," Roxie thought about it, "We could send someone?"

"You don't trust the elders, either?"

"I don't know who to trust except for you."

"We'll make it work..." Walker told her, "I have to keep you safe, baby."

"You think we're mates, don't you?"

"Do you want me to be honest with you?"

"Always."

"Yes, I do..."

"Since when?"

"Fuck, not even a week, mouse," Walker sat next to her, "I don't know what it's like to love a woman like this, but if this is the mate bond, then I have it."

"You—love me?"

"What else can I say?" Walker sighed, "I can't deny my feelings for you, Roxie. I don't know how you feel about me,-"

He was cut off by her lips on his, a long, passionate kiss, their hands finding each other's bodies as they got lost in each other.

Pulling away, Roxie smiled, "I think I love you, too."

"I know I told you not to get involved and people can have crushes, but we're bonding like crazy, mouse," Walker told her, "I've only been told of a few couples who've been able to do this since the dawn of us."

"Are we special?"

"I know you are.."

"But,-"

"I know—you want to hate me and I want to hate you—gods I do...I can't. I want to protect you—love you—make sweet love to you—have our sons and daughter and,-"

"The baby we make on our tenth anniversary.."

"You've had that vision, too?"

"But sometimes they don't come true," Roxie said, "My parents said they had visions that I was a boy."

"You most certainly are not a boy..." Walker growled, his grin turning into a lustful one.

"We'll make up for it later," Roxie teased, "I don't know what to do.."

"We'll survive," Walker told her, "We'll make it. They'll be watching your mom, but I think I know how to get letters to her."

"Brett?"

"Yep," Walker said, "He's a Stargazer, but he's so neutral that they'll just think he's going to council her."

"I've always liked Brett. He's been kind to me," Roxie said.

Walker knelt in front of her and took Roxie's hands into his

"I haven't been kind to you, baby, and I want to seek your forgiveness. I don't deserve it—but you never, ever deserved how I treated you. I could have been so much better, I could have..."

"I know you watched me that day I was studying in biology, but why?"

Walker breathed in deeply. That day was way before the last week.

"I don't know—you've always been beautiful, maybe I was admiring you. I was a little jealous of Jesse."

"Walker Wells was jealous?" Roxie smiled.

"Don't rub it in," he rolled his eyes, "I want the elders to know what's happening between us, but I am sending Brett and Niles instead."

"Are you sure you can trust them to not hold Brett and Niles?"

"Why would they? Do you think the elders have an agenda?"

Roxie nodded, "Walker, everyone has an agenda."

Walker pulled her to the floor with him, laying her down and hovering over her body like a warm blanket.

"If we're not mates, I will find out who's trying to hurt you—I will get you make to the ball on time so your mate can claim and protect you for the rest of your life, but for now—for these next few months—I don't give a damn what anyone says or thinks about us..."

"You're mine until I have to let you go."