To Be A Wolf

Chapter Seventeen - Wolves Don't Deserve Love

Rick let me ponder over what he told me for the rest of that night. I had thought Snow White was one of the virtuous princesses, so it blew my mind that she could be a tyrant.

Monday morning, while Rick riffles through all the evidence, muttering about nothing adding up or pointing anywhere in particular, I slip into Rose's office.

She smiles brightly as I take a seat in front of her desk. "Orfilia! What do I owe the pleasure?"

I frown. "What do you know about Snow White?"

She draws a quick, sharp breath. "Why would you ask about her?"

"Rick said..." I hang my head. "She was a tyrant the big bad wolf killed."

"Yes," Rose says softly. "That's true."

"Did you know her?"

"I did." Rose sighs as she flops back in her chair. "She was wonderful. Such a dear, sweet friend—"

"So, the wolf killed someone good?" Tears push to the surface.

"No." Rose comes around and slides a chair up beside me. Taking my hand she says, "Snow was good once, but I think the magic in her land had become so deeply corrupted by the queen, when she filled the position, it just corrupted her along with it. Or, it could be possible she had it in her all along, which was why she killed her step mother and stole the powers. I don't know. Looking back, it's hard to know what happened, but in the end, she was bent on complete domination."

My brows furrow. "Did she come after you?"

Rose purses her lips. "She was still a few kingdoms away, but I have no doubt she would have come for us."

I shake my head. "So the big bad wolf did the right thing?"

"That's a loaded question." She runs her fingers through her hair. "Yes, and no. She was out of control, but it caused a collapse that ended everything."

I rub at my forehead. "This is so much. Why did no body tell me any of this?"

Rose rolls her eyes. "Probably because the townsfolk try to pretend it never happened. About a third of them came from one of her kingdoms, so they may have succumbed to her brainwashing. Whatever the case, they like to sweep things under the rug, especially difficult things, so they don't have to deal with them."

I nod slowly. "I can see that. Is that why so many of the former nobles live here?"

Rose smiles gently. "Many here prefer to learn from their mistakes, not forget them."

Soon, with a thank you, I leave. I'm not sure what to make of any of it, so I decide to go on patrol. Driving helps clear my head, and I visit the spots where the murder victims were dumped. Since Rick said my smell is stronger, I want to help him crack the case, so I sniff around. Unfortunately, too much time has passed and a myriad of new smells have overpowered anything that could remain. So, I do a visual check, and still find nothing.

Days pass, and nothing changes. No new leads, no murders, not even bizarre false Rick sightings. It's as if none of it ever happened.

On Saturday, as I lay in bed while Rick still sleeps beside me, Something begins to dawn on me. Slipping from the bed, I grab my phone and check my calendar. I'm late.

Sucking in a sharp breath, I double check. Yep, definitely several days late. I glance at Rick who remains sound asleep. Dressing, I make my way to a pharmacy.

Checking no one is around, I snag several pregnancy tests of the shelf. Would they even work for me? Human hormones are slightly different, but essentially the same. Oh no, heats were for getting pregnant! Rick had repeatedly mated me during my heat, so it could be very possible...