Jenny had been right about the storm being wicked.

Roxie had curled up in Walker's embrace after the last go round in the shower. Her body was spent, but in a delicious way.

Walker kept her close, knowing that her mind was racing just as much as his was.

What was the big secret coming from the witches? Were he and Roxie mates or just so in tuned with each other that their minds were playing tricks on them?

He couldn't see himself without her now and he thought about rejecting his mate even though the bond would be there with the other woman.

Roxie had been able to get pregnant, which wasn't unheard of, but rarer than anything in their world. There's no way they weren't meant to be.

She'd asked earlier if he'd been able to get a hold of anyone, but except for Brett and Niles, there wasn't anyone available. Suri was a wreck, but Maddy kept her spirits up.

And not one damn suspect taken in for her attack.

"Walker... "

"Yeah?"

"Are you alright?"

"You ask me that a lot for someone who shouldn't care about me."

A moment of silence.

"I'm fine. Go back to sleep."

"Don't push me away."

"I'm not... I .. " Walker sighed, "Stop worrying about me. "

"I heard you earlier.."

"What did you hear?"

"Do you really love me, Walker?"

Walker sighed. He wanted to tell her he did, that she was the only woman he needed for the rest of his life.

"I can still hear you, silly... "

A crash, and then lightning lit up the sky outside their window.

"Dance with me again!"

"But it's going to rain!"

"Live a little, Walker.

"Wanna dance?"

"Huh?"

"I saw your vision, too."

"Stop spying on me,* Walker chuckled, bringing her up with him as he crawled out of bed,"I've never danced with anyone naked before."

Roxie smiled, "Just don't get any spicy ideas. "

"Too late.. "

Walker put on a smooth jazz station on his phone and the two swayed to the music. The rain was heavy, pounding the roof as they held each other close.

"You make sense to me... "

Roxie looked up, "Huh?"

"You make sense when nothing else does."

Roxie rested her head on his chest, moving closer into him.

"I know you think about what you did to me a lot, but it's OK now, Walker. You're not like your father."

Walker sighed, wrapping his arms around her and resting his head on hers.

"It isn't OK. I will spend a lifetime making it up to you."

"Why did you do it? Did it make you feel good?"

"You stood up to me when no one else did," Walker told her, "I admired that. I felt like I needed that closeness with you and I know how fucked up that sounds, but I didn't understand my...wanting you..."

Roxie smiled up at him, "You know I've forgiven you for all of that, right?"

"Why?"

"Why can't I? Look at us now. I can't hold on to those grudges, Walker. We can't live that way and I...I love you..."

An awkward moment of silence and some embarrassment from Roxie, but she didn't care.

"You don't have to say it back—I just need you to know that."

Walker couldn't care about anything else at that moment even if someone had paid him, too. It was all about Roxie now. The words wouldn't come out....His heart was pounding wildly in his chest, beating only for her.

He escorted her to a window in the back of their room, facing towards the north where some mountains stood far off in the distance.

"See those peaks over there?"

"Yeah.."

"Those are the witch's mountains. They'll be coming from there."

"Seems close, but I know they're far away," Roxie said, " I am scared to find out what they know."

"You're scared?" Walker smiled, "You're not the timid, little mouse I once thought you were so I don't think you're that scared."

"What if it's something we don't want to hear?"

"Of course, it is. Evans is dragging us along, dragging this out. He needs backup. The wolves and witches get along better than they do with us."

"I've sold my paintings to some of the witches."

"Have you?" Walker raised an eyebrow, "Oh, I forgot you and your mother are vendors in Gideon."

"We are and I do miss her," Roxie sniffled, "You promise she's OK?"

Walker sighed, pulling her into him, "As far as I know, she's great—sort of. She obviously misses you, but Maddy told Brett to tell me that she's been in high spirits."

"I'd like to see for myself..." Roxie said, closing her eyes, "I am only open to her and she to me when it's an emotional roller coaster. Maybe she is OK—our powers are so strange."

"Daddy, teach me how you do that thing with your mind! Where you can read my mind!"

"I will one day! I don't know what your powers will be, but I know you'll be blessed because your mommy and I are so blessed to have you."

Walker smiled at the thought, then another rolled through.

"Walker, how do you like my painting?"

"I love it, baby girl. Now get over here before the kids wake up so I can make sweet love to you."

Roxie smiled at him again as they both gave a laugh at the visions they were seeing.

"Your children are so demanding," Roxie teased.

"They're going to be a part of you, too, Roxie..."

Roxie—just like Walker—knew they had to be destined for each other, but she was so scared to get her hopes up.

"Me, too..." Walker said, "I've thought about rejecting my mate..."

"You can't do that. You'll be miserable with me.."

"How do think I'd be miserable if I'm not now?"

"I-I don't know...isn't that how it works?"

"Something doesn't feel right..." Walker said, as they watched the lights from the mountaintop and smoke billowing from the fireplaces, "Like, I get that the elders don't choose and the ancients do and they've never mated people against their will, but have they?"

"Well, only a few hundred of us have been mated off in the last half century," Roxie reminded him, "I...I mean it seems.."

"Doesn't seem strange to you that,-"

A strike of lightening on the mountaintop and then a huge crash of thunder sent Roxie into his arms.

"I like it when you do that," Walker rasped, "Giving yourself to me—you being at my mercy."

Roxie sighed, "Don't get a big head about it.

"Oh, I have got a big head for ya..."

Roxie giggled, "Come on...let's go,-"

A howl sounded through the village—another and then another.

Walker peered out the window and watched as the Rager men rushed from their homes and shifted into their wolf forms, including Corey and Evans.

"I'll be right back," Walker told her, dressing quickly.

"Walker...no...why?"

Walker slipped his boots on and then his coat, kissing her as Roxie wrapped herself in a long, flannel robe.

They went to their stoop and looked around. The rain was still cascading, but not as much—just a drizzle, but their was another storm brewing.

Jenny rushed over to Walker and Roxie. She was frantic, but trying to compose herself.

"A pack from Gideon has been annihilated..."

"What?!" Roxie gasped, "What do you mean?"

"They're dead...someone came through here and then Metgar linked with Evans. It's in the valley. I don't know what happened, but they say it's the work of vampires."

Walker's face paled and his eyes glowed golden. He looked at Roxie and then back at Jenny and then at Evans who was was eyeing him.

"I have to go..."

Jenny sobbed, "Walker...don't feel the need to do this for us.."

Walker smiled and then kissed Roxie on the lips before his fangs protruded.

"You helped me save my girl. This is something I have to do."

Walker began to walk away when Roxie grabbed him from behind and whirled him around.

"You come back to me!" She cried into his chest, "Come back to me..."

He couldn't hold it back any longer. If it was his last moment with her, his little mouse needed to know how he felt.

"I love you, Roxie...no matter what happens...I love you.."