GAMMA LANCASTER

PART 5 - TRUST IS TO BE EARNED

KATE

"What's Jenson doing Mama?" Tilly whispers as we sit, still in our coats, at the kitchen table listening to the rogue swearing loudly and blustering around his bedroom.

"I'm not sure sweetie." I say quietly as I bounce Wyatt on my knee whilst looking towards the master bedroom nervously wishing I knew where the Rogue had stashed my shotgun. I'd certainly feel safer having that back.

Was this a mistake?

Maybe we should have left.

I'm still conflicted if I've made the right choice to stay but desperation is a bitch and when I was sitting in a truck weighing up my options; that being stuck here hidden away with a stranger for winter or facing driving out clueless into a blizzard when injured and being hunted relentlessly. Staying put seemed the lesser of two evils.

But It's a gamble for sure.

The last rogue that said he'd help me ended up stabbing me in the back - literally - twice just less than four days ago. Luckily, they're both not too deep, one being more like a nasty scratch compared to the one that needed stitching up. That's the one that really hurt and made me bleed out. It's the reason my truck came off the road, I got dizzy behind the wheel and lost control when usually I'm an excellent driver on any ice road. But like I said, desperation is a bitch and the rogue's ultimately shallow promise to get me fake passports to get out of the country was too much of a temptation to turn down. It's just a shame he ended up wanting more than I was willing to give him... me for the night.

As if I'd give myself willingly to another fucking wolf again.

I wince again as Wyatt moves around on my lap fidgeting to be let down. What I wouldn't do for some painkillers to counter the throbbing pain in my back. Finally giving in, I slowly lean down and let Wyatt crawl on the floor that he's been desperate to do since we got back inside and give myself a breather. My eyes instinctively look to the flooring near the sink area where I've hidden several bottle bourbons under the loose floorboard wondering if I should take a sip to take the edge off. It's tempting, but the rogue is clearly an alcoholic from the number of empty bottles I threw out so that option seems more than a little unwise.

I need to keep my wits about me until I can figure Jenson out. So far, he's been a pretty hospitable host considering what I've put him through and in all honesty seems a good guy. But I've wrong before, really fucking wrong, so I won't be letting my guard down even for a second around him.

If he turns on me, I'll do what I did to the last rogue that attacked me.

I'll kill him.

Just as I'm letting my dark thoughts spiral the bedroom door swings open and my mouth drops open when Jenson appears with absolutely no clothes on as I jump to my feet hissing with pain then clamp my hands over my daughters' eyes as she squeals with surprise. I quickly tug her backwards into the kitchen as Jenson just stands there with his arms crossed over and an eyebrow raised as I hastily grab a knife from the kitchen drawer and hold it up in the air making it clear not to come any closer.

"What the fuck you gonna do with that? Butter me with it?" Jenson smirks as I look down to see if I couldn't have picked up a blunter knife if I tried.

"What the hell are you doing? Stay back!" I seethe.

"Listen lady..." Jenson begins.

"It's Kate, my name's Kate. Stop calling me lady!" I yell as I shake the knife at him once more. "And put some goddamn clothes back on!" I shout at him as Matilda starts giggling in my hold.