White Wolf Rising [Completed]

Part 17: Dean

 Nervous, anxious and a splash of foolish excitement, were all brewing inside of him. 

 Caleb pulled into Simona's place. That pestering inner voice of his had been mostly silent the last few hours, but it began to hum in his ears, knowing Simona was near. Caleb on the other hand was nervous to see her. This was not going to be a happy visit. He needed to protect her, even if that meant he might break her heart and his own in the process.

If what Stan and Freddie said had any truth, he would soon become a Monster like the beast that bit him. The more distance he could put in between him and Simona was for the best. She needed to get far away from him and Honeybee. The thought made his voice growl at him. He couldn't be with Simona and protect her at the same time. Distance is what he needed. 

Then there was the real issue, he may have already infected her. Their night of passion may have sealed her fate. Something could lead to a life lived as a monster or death from infection. 

Caleb got out of the jeep, nervously rubbing his hands together. All he could think about how hard it was going to be to push her away or tell her the horrible truth if was indeed infected with this disease.

"I am not a disease."

"Shut up."

Simona was still seated on the porch, now looking at him with a nervous smile on her lips. Grandma Cade opened the front door greeting Caleb the moment he approached. "Well hello Deputy Talley." She grinned with an intrigued look on her face. "And what can we do for you on this fine afternoon?"

"He's here to see me Grandma, but you already knew that." She said cutting dagger at her nosy Grandmother and Marian who was now looking over her shoulder through the door.

"Hello ma'am. Hello Miss Marian." Caleb smiled politely, nodding like a southern gentleman at both of them of the woman and then once at Simona.

She looked healthy, if this infection was as contagious as they said, wouldn't there be signs of it already? It had only been 12-13 hours since they slept together. Maybe she wasn't showing any symptoms yet. Perhaps she wasn't infected at all. He prayed it was the ladder. 

"Come inside and have a seat Caleb." Marian said he intentions obvious, gossip.

Simona cut in, she wasn't about to let these two women hijack this visit. "Caleb doesn't want to sit here and listen to you two gossip and cackle."

"Cackle?" Marian eyes narrowed. "As if we would waste our time gossiping when we have out own business to attend to."

"That's right." Grandma Cade snorted pretending to be offended.

"Sure." Simona giggled as the two women pivoted on their heels and turned away from the door, going back inside like twins. "Lets go talk out back, where there are less ears around." She said raising her voice so that the two nosy women inside the house could hear her.

She took his hand and guided him to the side of the house to the back yard, it was large and there was no way they could know what they were saying if she sat on the bench swing under the Willow tree.

He followed her in silence, so nervous. Caleb had stopped by his house, showered, shaved, put on fresh clothes, a white button up shirt and jeans. He had prepared everything he wanted to say to her, but now nothing was coming to him.

She faced the edge of the yard where the tall grass in the pasture began and the large green house a few feet away. Grandma Cade was a gardener and love taking care of her land. Simona had grown to have a great appreciation for it over the years. Digging in the soil, planting seeds and watching beautiful flowers bloom and blossom over time.