Unscentable
Chapter 38

Piper POV

It was 6pm and as if on queue, there was a short sharp rap on the door. She took a deep breath. Brandon did actually want her to go and have dinner with his father. He'd voiced it about hour ago, it had been softly spoken but she knew it was important to him, so she stood up and walked over to answer the door.

Piper had not bothered to get changed, she always dressed nicely, and she was not going to dress up for this man. She was not going because she and Harper wanted to go. No, she was going because of Brandon. Though Izzy had tried to talk her into putting one of her newly purchased dresses on.

Piper had just raised an eyebrow at her, and stated flatly "It's not that kind of dinner."

Izzy however, did not seem totally convinced about that, made her wonder if Edward had asked her to try and convince her to wear something nice.

They had been texting back and forth all afternoon.

Brandon was currently sitting on the lounge with Izzy. He and Izzy had both eaten already, the pair of them apparently starving by 1700. Had ordered room service, they were now just hanging out together watching TV.

She had already told Brandon, that she likely wouldn't be gone all that long, it was just dinner to replace out exactly what Bradley wanted, and once she did she would come home, he had just nodded at her. She didn't exactly know what the boy or his wolf wanted from this meeting. They had not voiced anything so far. Not even so much as any questions they wanted her to ask of the man.

Harrison stood on the other side of the door, no surprise there, he had been the one who'd told her to come to dinner and that he'd be the one to collect her as well. He smiled right at her and nodded in greeting, moved his eyes briefly over her outfit, she'd noted the slight frown as she had closed the door behind her.

"Unhappy Harrison, that I did not dress up for your Alpha." she stated in a board tone, and saw his frown deepen instantly, "He's lucky I have any decent clothes at all, I am a rogue you know. Not many of us with that status get to have nice things. "Hmm. I suppose you have me on that, and you can call my Harry, Piper." he told her as he pressed the elevator button.

"I probably could." she acknowledged.

"Could you lessen the attitude just a little?" he stated calmly.

"Could you go away?" she replied and heard him sigh, but he said nothing further.

Walked her all the way to room 1008 and swiped them into the room, but he did not follow her in. She frowned at him, he said nothing as she walked passed him, saw Cooper heading out of the room himself as well.

"Try and have a nice dinner, Piper." Cooper commented as he walked past her and then closed the door behind him.

That just left her with Edward and Bradley. The nan himself was standing by the table, they'd had lunch at. He had changed from his jeans and button up short sleeve shirt, to a dark charcoal grey suit, and a crisp white dress shirt under the jacket, she did note his hair was nearly combed back, and he'd seemed to have gone and shaved, no an ounce of 50'clock shadow on his face.

Apparently showered and dressed himself up for this dinner, she didn't understand him.

Edward was casually sitting on the couch. She knew he was texting Izzy and had been bugging her all afternoon. She also knew why he was here, the Gamma here to try and control her if she got angry, she thought. Felt Harp bristle a little at the thought of that man touching them.

"Welcome Piper." she heard Bradley say, even heard the smile in his voice, wondered why Cooper and Harrison had left the room altogether, was he trying to appear less of a threat, though she was certain those two had not gone far, likely just outside the door or down the corridor, perhaps to her floor.

Turned her eyes on the man briefly after looking at Edward, and then walked over to the table, saw him turn to Edward and sat herself down as he asked his Gamma to please retire to his room.

Edward simply got up and went, just like he was told. Did as the Alpha bid, just like all wolves did.

I would have gotten your chair for you Piper." she could hear the frown in his voice.

"I know how to sit down." she told him with a shrug.

Heard him sigh, he sat himself across from her "I am glad you came. I wasn't actually sure that you would."

"I'm just here to discuss Brandon and the current situation he and I replace ourselves in." she told him honestly. "Brandon asked me to come.

"I would like, than to discuss more then just Brandon, Piper. You seem.." watched him tilt his head slightly, unlikely his wolfen senses would pick up anything about how she felt. Quite honestly, she'd been surprised that Edward had been able to pick up anything during lunch. "Annoyed, I'm guessing, you're a hard woman to read, unless angry. That comes across loud and clear."

Piper's eyes rolled before she knew it, why wouldn't she be annoyed at being forced to do as he wanted her to? He'd been doing nothing but trying to make her do as he wanted since the minute he had walked back into her life. "Say what you have to say." she commented.

"Would you like a glass of wine? Before dinner gets here."

"No! I don't drink wine, but if you want one, go ahead." she was not going to let alcohol dull her senses, and who knew if he'd brought wolfen strength alcohol with him, it was possible. "Perhaps something else for you then?"

"No." she shook her head slightly. "What I would really like, is to just get down to business." and she would, she knew how to handle a wealthy arrogant man, did it all the time, in fact. The only difference between him and them was what he actually was, a wolf. And what he had once been to her and the scent he was somehow still putting off, she did not understand how she could still smell him.

Likely just one more thing, the moon goddess wanted to throw at her, punish her with it, for whatever she had done to deserve such a thing, still had no idea about that. It wasn't enough, it seemed, to not have her own Mate, not scent her back, or to have to have put up with years of pain.

No, she also had to keep this man's scent nice and strong for her as well.

The woman was probably up there in her realm, fully amused with herself, laughing her a*ss off, at this new torture she'd thought up for her, just had to bring this man right back into her life, to make her suffer all over again.

"This is not a business dinner Piper, I assure you. This is personal only." There was knock on the door "Excuse me, that will be dinner." He stood and went to get it. Brought the tray right to the table himself, placed a meal in front of her "It's crispy sesame beef, with rice and steamed vegetables." He told her as he placed it on the table.

It did actually look nice and smelled delicious as well.

"I also got you a Mocha cheese cake for dessert, I hope that is okay."

"It's fine." she answered him, she did like both chocolate and coffee, never actually had a mocha flavoured cheesecake before, was curious about how it would taste, she didn't mind drinking a mocha coffee herself.

Saw him sit, actually did know it was rude to eat before he sat, likely should wait until he actually ate his first bite, she was certain that there was Some sort of proper protocol to be followed here, and she didn't know what would tick him off. Might very well be completely disrespectful if she just ate without waiting on him to eat first.

She could feel his eyes on her as she sat and waited on him to start his meal, her eyes were actually on her meal, it was well presented, raised an eyebrow at him after about 30 seconds of feeling it.

"What's wrong Piper, do you not like the food?" he asked her.

"It looks fine, smells nice even." She admitted.

"Then what is wrong?" he asked, a frown on his face.

"You have to eat first I believe. That would be correct protocol of an Alpha to a rogue." She shrugged, that a rogue had no status and was eat last if at all. If she was inside, a pack would likely be in a cell or on the floor somewhere.

"I'm be expecting you to worry about such protocol's, please eat, we are equals at this table light now." She frowned right at him, but then picked up her fork to eat her meal. She had also been hungry when Brandon and Izzy had had dinner delivered, both of them had gotten massive burgers and fries, and Izzy had refused to allow her spoil her appetite and pick chips off either of their plates,

"How is Brandon doing, did I scare him? I didn't mean to."

"No, he doesn't seem to be scare. He is confused." she answered him honestly.

"Good, I don't want him to be afraid of me or Benson. Or the unit in fact"

"Mm," she was certain that he didn't want that at all. "What sort of custody agreement do you want from me?" Piper asked, getting right down to the point of this dinner.

There was silence for a long time, and when she finally looked up from her meal, to him. He was frowning at her once more, his hands were poised over his meal, seemed her direct question had halted him. Wondered if he wasn't used to people questioning him. "I don't want shared custody Piper. Wolves don't generally do that. If that is what you are asking? Is it?"

"It is." she clarified, knew he would not particularly want an agreement, knew he would want Brandon all to himself. Inside his pack. "I have a life, businesses to run and your Gamma is about to take away my full-time business manager, I believe. Izzy actually runs the entire company most of the time. I was about to promote her to a full partner with this move. She is invaluable to me, to my businesses. So I am already losing something to you. I am not about to go give up everything to you. So I guess, shared custody, though not traditional, is the option here."

"Not it's not Piper, I want you and Brandon both to live with me, be part of the pack once more."

"Not going to happen. Harper and I have no interest in living inside a Pack, period."

"Can I hear that from Harper herself?"

"You could, if she wanted to come forward. She does not." and her wolf did not have any interest at all. Right this minute, Harper was actually at the very back of her mind, curled up in a ball, trying to look or listen, or smell the man who still smelled like her Mate to her. A man that would never acknowledge her as such, she was actually in pain right this minute, from just being in this room with him.

Would only surface if there was a threat to them, or they tried to touch her. She did not want to be anywhere near her old Mate, didn't want to be around any wolf at all, let alone the one that would never look at her the way she had had always wanted him too. This man was the very reason for their pain, for all those years, this man was the very reason she no longer wanted to be a wolf herself.

"Is Harper alright?" he asked quietly.

Piper raised an eyebrow at him now. "What concern is my wolf to you?" she really just wanted to yell at him, 'you never cared before.' but she did not. It was really hard being in this room with him, all her walls were up, but still, after hearing what his Beta and Delta had said, she too was confused. But it was just her. Harper would not be a part of this.

"Benson is very worried about Harper. He's hardly seen her, and when he has.." he sighed "she is all aggression all the time.. is she alright Piper."

"No, she does not like being around wolves, and you're currently forcing her to be," she stated flatly.

"I don't mean to be Piper, we, Benson and I..." he sighed again, and she watched as he put his knife and fork down and looked right at her. "We believe you are our Mate."

That got her attention, "Really? Do you scent me?" she asked, barely kept the bitterness out of her voice, she knew they could not, knew the answer even before he said it.

"No." he shook his head "But there are tell-tale signs, and with you being a Whitlock, it's difficult, apparently all Whitlock's are unscentable. Alpha Timothy states there is a Whitlock way, to see if ! am you're Mate."

"Well, good for him. He's an a*ss-hole, done nothing but threaten me and my son." she snapped right at him. "threatened to sick the wolfen council on me in fact. To have me sent to wolfen prison, to separate me from my son. So I wouldn't go putting any stock into what that Alpha says." She got up from the table and walked away, didn't want to talk anymore.

Saw him block her exit, used his wolf's speed to do so. Also saw Edward step right out of his room, it was likely her agitation at what Alpha Timothy wanted, had brought him out of his room, and she knew she was not going to be able to out muscle Bradley who was blocking her exit.

Stared right at him, her jaw tight, then just turned and walked to the other side of the room very annoyed. He was not willing to let her leave. She now realised he was not going to until he was ready, likely till he got what he wanted. His own way. Regardless of what he'd said, she knew that no wolf would claim another without scenting them.

Harper knew this, his words tonight, had not brought her wolf forward, only made her tuck her head further into herself.

Didn't, it seemed, want to know what he thought, thought's did not count. Nothing but him actually scenting her out would and even Piper had no idea what Harper would do if he did actually replace away to scent them out. If Harper would come forward, acknowledge him, their bond, if that was still in tact, that was.

"Piper, please sit down...Alpha Timothy, went about this all the wrong way. He's actually your cousin, a Whitlock himself."

Her eyes moved to him "and how would you know that?"

"His pack, is affiliated with mine. There is actually a very old agreement, which I knew nothing about until after you and I had our first encounter in Portland. Some very old rules around you and your mother in fact."

"My mother is long dead." she commented.

"I'm aware, when you were 101 believe. It's also when you vanished from the pack."

"Vanished?" she shot right at him "I didn't vanish, you all abandoned me. To fend for myself, even took my home away from me." she snarled at him "I don't want to talk about it." she yelled, and she did not, didn't need to recall how much hurt, or how alone she had felt for all those years.

"Piper please calm down, we need to talk about this, to sort it all out. I only know very little. I do however, know, you need to come home. Talk to the Whitlock Elders, let them explain things to you. They want to talk to you."

"Oh, do they, they abandoned me as much as your pack did. Why the hell would I care to see them?"

"Please calm down." she watched him walk towards her, his hands were up slightly, out stretched as though he was going to touch her.

Felt Harper's attention be drawn by the thought he was going to touch her, looked like he was going to, lifted her head and turned to look out of Piper's eyes to see just what the situation was. Her ears were suddenly flat back on her head, she too did not like the way he was approaching them.

"Piper, everything is going to be okay.!" he told her softly, as he walked towards he.

Her eyes flicked to Edward, she could feel his aura being rolled right at her, he was also closer than he'd been before, she now realised.

"I warned you once Gamma." she shot right at him, feeling Harper walk forward inside her mind, her tail was low and her hackles were up, she did not want to be touched by either of them.

"Piper, honey, just calm down, I'm right here... look at me." his southern drawl rolled right out of him, as he reached out a hand toward her.

Felt Harper bristle inside her mind and a low growl was emitted from her, for all to hear, she was letting them know herself she was unhappy with the situation, that she herself did not want to be touched by him.

Watched as Edward stilled in his movement, she knew as well as he did, that without touching her, and with her rogue status, he was very unlikely to have any real effect on her or Harper, he would actually need to lay his hands right on her to get that gift of his to work, if it would at all.

"Piper listen to me, you know you want to, please calm down, just focus on me." Edward was still trying to work on her, his drawl was thicker now, pushing more of his Gamma charm at her, Harper snarled right at him.

Then he moved, using his wolf speed to try and get a hand on her, so damned quick, but it seemed Harper was actually expecting it, she shot forward and snapped their foot right into his abdomen, with everything she had. A massive snarl ripped out of her at the same time, all her rogue aggression unleashed upon him. Roque's were fierce primal instincts, she was no different to any that would attack a pack not really. Just way more well presented.

Saw him actually stumble backwards. Clearly had not been expecting her to attack him, or maybe he thought he would simply be faster than she was, but they knew nothing of her wolf's power or speed, nothing at all, didn't even know what she actually looked like. There had been no-one around to take Harper's photo for the packs database.. They had brief description just what she had written herself.

"Don't touch me." Harper roared at him, fully on the surface, didn't realise he wasn't the only one on the move, had been so focused on Edward and his Gamma Charm coming at them, him trying to put his actual hands on her to make it work, that they had taken their eyes off of Bradley altogether.

They had turned completely to face Edward, to deflect anything he was sending their way, and they found Bradley suddenly right behind them, he had one of his arms around her waist, and she was lifted completely off the ground and pulled away from Edward who was already getting up, felt his other hand slide right up her neck, to hold he against him.

Gasped out loud at the sudden sensations his bare hand brought to her skin, "No." she cried out, as she realised their bond was still in full swing.

Felt Harper flee in an instant, whining in pain, at the touch of her own Mate. As Bradley held her in place up against him, his hand was on her neck and jaw, though it was not tight or forceful, she realised he was trying to use his own touch on her to calm her down. "Shh.. I have you Piper." his voice was soft and right in her ear, his l!ps brushing the outer skin of her ear.

She could feel her own heart racing inside of her chest "Stop it." she gasped as she felt his arm tighten around her, felt that hand slide down her neck slowly, could feel all the electric tingles of their Mate Bond, at his touch, everywhere his hand moved, reached up to pry his hands off of her, felt it tighten "let me go."

"I'm not going to let go." he told her, his voice was suddenly deeper. "Goddess Piper." there was suddenly a real roughness to his voice "You feel so damned hot," his mouth touched her neck, and panic shot right through her. She couldn't go through this again. "Bradley." she heard Edward suddenly yell, heard the warning in his voice, and Bradley suddenly let go of her and backed away.

Piper staggered away from him, her eyes moved to him, he was looking at his hand, the one that had been on her neck, then his eyes moved right to her "I'm sorry Piper, I.. touching you, I can't...our bond is still in tact Piper. We are Mate's. I know it." "No," she shook her head, it couldn't be, it wasn't possible "I rejected you."

"I never accepted it." Bradley told her, looked right at her. "I will never accept it."

Her eyes widened at his statement, she could feel Edwards' aura pushing over her, he'd not stopped using it, looked to see where the man was, and he was right there, his fingers a light feather touch on her the side of her hand, skin on skin contact. "Shh, focus on me Piper, just me...nothing else..." his southern drawl so very deep, she knew he was using all he had, everything in him, every damned ounce of that Goddess Given Gamma Charm on her, shook her head, even as a rogue, it seemed he could draw her into him, didn't want this, felt his fingers slid across the back of her hand, "Listen to me Piper..calm down honey..you know you want to" was just standing there staring up into his eyes, drawn to him, trying desperately on the inside to fight him, fight that bloody charm, but seem at the same time to be enthralled by him and couldn't even look away, let alone step away. He was to strong. Felt his arm slid around her, then just pull her gently into his chest. "Shh... got you. Everything is going to be okay."

"No it's not." she whispered back "It never and a sob escaped her. She knew it wouldn't be, regardless of his words, of the comfort he was trying to bring to her, it would never be alright. She was cursed to live a life of pain and suffering. But she'd never had anyone to comfort her before, and it felt nice to have that, right this minute. Knew it wouldn't last, nothing ever did.

But just allowed herself to stand there, to feel his comfort wash over her, couldn't even recall the last time anyone held her like this. Didn't exactly know for how long she stood there and let her tears fall, "Finaly," he murmured softly, "I can replace you." "I... I don't understand."

"I know, there is a lot going on. Let me walk you back to your room. We can talk tomorrow. All of us. You, Bradley and I we will all sit down."

Piper didn't know what to think. She had rejected Bradley, she'd had no pains of betrayal since that day, how was that possible it had been 8 years. "I don't understand," she murmured.

"What, don't you understand exactly?" Edward asked. His hands were still on her arms, the man seemed to know better than to just let go, there was still a slight drawl to his voice.

She frowned up at him, and then her eyes moved to Bradley, he was standing on the other side of the room right now, watching them, watching her she realised, his attention was not on his Gamma, but directly on her. Though as far as she recalled, he hadn't said a single word since Edwards' hands had found her. "Him." She stated.

"You don't understand Bradley?" he questioned her as though he didn't understand her now.

Piper shook her head. "No pains in all the time I left. I know it worked because of that." she looked at Edward.

"Oh...Brad, would you like to explain that one to Piper."

Her eyes moved back to him as well, though she felt her own hand actually reach out and grip onto Edwards' arm, didn't know if she wanted to hear what Bradley had to say, if she was honest with herself.

"When I found out, what happened, Piper. I never touched another. Not one...incase, it hurt you, I might not have known who you were, or why you rejected me, but I had no idea if the rejection was complete or not. I knew deep down, I would not accept it. Couldn't not without knowing who you were, or why? So I have not touched another she-wolf in all that time, worried it would hurt you, I didn't want that for you."

Piper was just staring at him, didn't know if she believed that, but his touch had been what it was before she left, and she'd put up with a lot of pain, knew because their bone was active when he was with another before, being several states away wouldn't have stopped the pains of betrayal, it never had when he was outside the pack before.

"It's a lot to take in Piper.. I'm sorry, I touched you like that, I didn't mean to loose control like that just now." saw him look right at his hand "you feel.. hot, burning hot to me and it.. sets of my need to... Mate you. I might not be able to scent you, but I can't control myself when I touch you, that is the bond I'm guessing, how I feel it on my end."

"She doesn't feel hot to me." Edward commented. "Just very confused."

"Good." she heard Bradley state "I'd likely rip your head off, if you touched her like that." Blinked at his comment.

Heard Edward snort, fully amused "So possessive already." Then his hand touched her face, so she'd look at him, and she did "Come on, I'll walk you back, I think you've had about as much as you can handle."

Piper nodded he was right, allowed him to walk her out of the room, he chuckled softly as they walked down the hallway "and you think I'm possessive, Brad is not going anywhere, he's been looking for his unknown mate for 8 years."

"How can you replace something, you don't even know about."

"Indeed. All he knew, was how damned hot you felt to him."

"So he just went around touching everyone then?" Piper asked, even more confused.

"Pretty much, shook every she-wolf's hand that he met, or allowed the back of his hand to brush against them, looking for that hot feeling. Never found it though. Because you ran along way away."

They arrived at her hotel door, she sighed "I probably look like a mess."

Saw his eyes move over her face. "Not that bad.

"Brandon will get upset. If he thinks I'm upset." she worried.

"Tell him we yell at each other, you and me, you kicked me good and proper, it's the truth."

"Might work, but then Izzy might get upset that I hurt you?" Saw him chuckle "zzy will be fine, probably think it's funny." That was likely true to a point.