I Would Rather Be a Rogue [BL] Chapter 13: Stupid Fox!

There was so ga on Felix's porch. A deer, a boar, and three rabbits.

That in itself was problematic enough. And, to make it worse, it was already partially eaten by the ti Felix found it!

"Ah! You stupid fox!" Felix yelled in distress, grabbing the fox by the neck and lifting it up. Together with the rabbit it was feasting on. "What on earth have you done?! I should have returned it untouched! Now, how am I supposed to explain it to Kade?"

The fox tilted its head, confused.

Right, it was a fox. How could it know about the courting rituals of werewolves? Of course it didn't know. It just thought that they received free food...

But even then.

"I told you not to touch my food," Felix said once he cald down, his voice ice cold. "Or else you'll be eaten. So now, should I send you in place of that rabbit you treated yourself to?"

The fox lowered its head, whimpering softly, as it peeked timidly at Felix, its blue eyes practically dripping with sadness.

"Don't look at like that! We had a deal!"

A deal the fox never officially agreed to, but since it was staying with Felix and kept its paws away from his food - until now, that is - Felix took it as silent acceptance.

The fox's head dropped down, a picture of pitifulness, its whimpers growing even softer and more heartbreaking.

"FIIIINE," Felix eventually said with a heavy sigh, putting the fox down. He could understand its reaction, he also found himself salivating as he looked at the at... Kade really picked so premium prey. "I will tell him so wild animals ate it. But, if he gives any trouble for that... Then sorry, buddy, but you brought it upon yourself. You will have to suffer the consequences for touching sothing you shouldn't have."

The fox whimpered once more, and ducked underneath the porch, out of sight.

Felix paid it no mind. He just gathered the ga into the old wheelbarrow he found behind the house. It was rusty and had seen better days, but it still worked. With just so tarp inside, so as not to contaminate the at with rust, it made an... acceptable transport option.

Definitely better than trying to drag the ga on his back. It was already bad enough that he had to make two trips - across the whole town! - as the deer and the boar wouldn't both fit in the wheelbarrow.

"If you're truly feeling guilty, then stay here and guard the rest," he told the fox before leaving. "Make sure no wild animal steals anything."

And then, he pushed the wheelbarrow, heading toward the hotel.

It was still the early afternoon, and people were walking here and there, going ho from work, leaving for their evening shifts, shopping, or simply strolling around. The center of the town was pretty busy, at least for Silverfall standards. Garlands, colorful lights, and other Christmas decorations were hung all around, making the town appear less bleak and dreary than usual.

Not like Felix cared to spare them even a glance. He kept his hooded hair down, pulling his handmade abomination of a scarf higher up his face. Pushing the wheelbarrow, he was attracting so much attention, that he wanted to just ditch it and dart, consequences be damned...

He should have waited till the nightfall, but he was in such a rush to get it over with, that he didn't even think about that.

His fingers tightened around the handles, and he quickened his pace. No point turning back now!

It took him well over half an hour, perhaps closer to an hour even, to get to the hotel. Silverfall was small, so the distance between the two ends wasn't so big, when taking the shortest route cutting through the center of the town, but Felix was pushing the wheelbarrow with a heavy boar! Halfway through, he was starting to get tired. And by the ti he finally reached the hotel, he was gasping, his head spinning.

Was it because of the pregnancy, that he had grown so weak? A few months prior, he'd have no trouble dragging the boar for a far longer distance!

He leaned on the wheelbarrow, unsteady, trying to catch his breath.

...Now what? He couldn't go inside to look for Kade, or soone might snatch the boar while he was away! It was already bad enough that one of the rabbits was partially eaten, and if the boar now were to go missing as well... Not to ntion, Felix's effort would all go to waste!

Luckily, he could sense that Kade was around, so once he noticed Felix's presence, he would likely show up himself.

At least there was one good thing about that mate bond!

And sure enough, just like Felix expected, a few minutes later, Kade appeared. Coming from the town - he was probably busy with his search for the rmaid. He grinned widely when he saw Felix... But then he swiftly changed his expression to one of deep hurt as his gaze fell on the wheelbarrow.

"Did you not like the boar I hunted?" His voice was breaking, as if he was on the verge of tears.

The future leader of the pack? As if! He must have missed his calling. He totally should have been an actor instead!

A theatrical one, perhaps, because his acting was way too exaggerated for movies.

"I told you I don't want you to hunt for ," Felix answered coldly. "I will bring the rest in an hour or two."

"Eh? But I don't have any use for it," Kade shrugged his shoulders. "If you don't want it, then throw it away... Although you're breaking my heart..."

Throw it away?

Felix's whole face twitched, his fingers tightening.

Such delicious at?

But, he persisted, "Then you throw it away. So there's no confusion that I did NOT accept your 'gift'."

"That's such a waste though..." Kade sighed, shaking his head.

'Oh? So you know it's a waste?' Felix almost exploded.

This man, really...

"Hmm." Kade moved closer, rubbing his chin as he contemplated sothing.

"Then, how about it," he eventually said, "You cook it for , and the rest is yours as the paynt for your service. Sounds good?"

"Yhh..."

It was... a tempting offer. If that was a 'paynt', then it wouldn't count as 'courting'. And courting was the reason why Felix was so insistent on returning it all in the first place. It still felt a bit iffy...

But the free food!

Felix couldn't help but droll, eyeing the boar, as he imagined it roasted, or cooked into a stew...

"It's a deal then!" Kade clapped his hands, taking Felix's silence for an agreent. "Let's go! We'll take my car to your place!"

"Not my place!" Felix imdiately protested. "If you want it done, then convince the hotel to give us access to their kitchen!"

"Why? I already know where you live anyway."

"Still, no!" Felix was adamant. Yes, Kade knew his address, but so what! He had to set so clear boundaries. If he let the man into his house, then he'd never free himself from this pest!

"Fine, fine." Sighing, Kade grabbed the boar, lifting it with one arm, and headed for the hotel's entrance. "Co on then, I'm starving. And I have sothing important to tell you."

"...Ugh," a groan escaped Felix's throat. Whatever it was that 'important' thing Kade had to say, he suspected it wasn't anything he'd want to hear.