Chapter 8 Roman 7
Rory hesitated, but only for a second before she sidled up to the table. She had been chewing it over since Reaper had left the shop a few hours ago, promising he would see her very soon, and not to worry. Which of course was easy for him to say, he was some kick-ass Alpha, whose name was Reaper. Reaper! If that didn’t say something about him, then nothing did. As closing time loomed, and the wolves of the Brentwood pack began to leave, the gnawing feeling in the pit of her stomach started again. Like it did every evening at closing time. Soon she would be alone again, and the night would drag on and on as her heart thudded in her chest with the slightest noise.
“Mr. Mackintosh?” She put just enough deference in her voice, her eyes at her feet. If his family were as prickly as Reaper had warned, it would probably earn her brownie points if she acted submissive to him.
The blonde man looked at her; handsome,she noted straight away. What was it with shifter genetics and producing amazing looking men? Not Roman level handsome, but then no one actually even came close in that respect. But Byron Mackintosh was definitely easy on the eyes, with his clean-cut good looks.
Rory shuffled her foot nervously. What she was about to do was risky, she knew that. She was pretty sure Roman would be furious, but having his wolves here couldn’t be a permanent thing; especially when she still didn’t know whether she and Roman actually had a thing. Having that many rival wolves in their territory was bound to be making the local pack nervous. And when wolves got nervous, they had a habit of biting. The last thing she needed was some blood feud going on because of her. And Roman was just stubborn enough to let it happen.
Well, she could be stubborn as well.
“Yes,” It was the man to his left that spoke, his voice brisk, eyes appraising her. It was strange having a stranger leer at her so openly and she dropped her eyes again, but not before she saw the smirk that lit up his face.
“My name is Rory, I own… ” She didn’t get to finish. The darker man interrupted.
“We know who you are,” it wasn’t friendly, not by a long shot. Rory was beginning to doubt that she had made the right move.
“Good.” She gathered her nerve, finally meeting the icy blue of Byron Mackintosh. He stared her down, used to having eyes averted in his presence. “Mr. Mackintosh, I was hoping I could speak to you privately for a few moments.”
The plan had been forming in her mind for several hours. If Roman was only happy if she was being watched over by the preternatural community, and having his own pack here was causing problems, then this was the only possible route forward. Rory straightened her shoulders. He regarded her for several long moments, then nodded sharply. “Leave.” The authority in his voice couldn’t be mistaken. She felt his power roll over her skin, the bare flesh on her arms erupting in goosebumps. What had Reaper been on about when he said Byron wasn’t a powerful Alpha? He felt plenty powerful to her. The two men he had been sitting with stood without a word, brushing past her.
“Take a seat.” He motioned to the seat opposite him. The perfect gentleman in his grey suit. Something was telling Rory to be careful. Warning her to run, and run fast and far. “What can I help you with?” He steepled his fingertips under his chin, looking intently at her face.
And Rory told him everything, leaving out the part where Roman was adamant she was his mate, and all the while he didn’t move. Just pinned her with his icy blues as she rambled on and on. Tears threatened to spill from her eyes.
“So, this is the reason we seem to be hosting a very large number of Brentwood wolves?” He finally leaned back, away from her. His pursed lips made his face harsh. “One thing I’m curious about Miss Jones, why would the Brentwood pack go to such lengths?” He held up a hand. “Lengths that could cause a war, to protect one human woman, however pretty? What hold do you have over them?” Rory coughed, she had been hoping to skip over this part and just rely on his gentlemanly nature. Seems he didn’t have one. “I am a very old friend of Roman, Jake.” she corrected quickly.
“Argh” That was all he said for several long heartbeats. “And how good a friend are you to him, Miss Jones? Will you asking for my pack's protection just bring along violence quicker? Has he made you some foolish promise, to become his mate maybe?”
Rory could feel her cheeks flush. “I will be honest with you Mr Mackintosh.”
“Byron, please.”
“Byron.” She tried the name out on her tongue. It was a nice name. “No such promises have been made and my relationship with Roman is strictly platonic.” platonic now anyway, she added silently. He hadn’t even wanted to take her to bed the last time she had seen him.
“That’s good,” Byron smiled at her brightly. “The last thing you need with everything going on is some out of town alpha who has a reputation with the ladies, making you promises he can’t keep.”
“Can’t keep?” Rory squeaked.
“His pack would never let him mate a human; they turn a blind eye, like most packs do, if their Alphas fool around outside the community, but a pack his size would never allow him to jeopardize their power. Mark my words, when Roman takes a mate it will be a power play.” He chucked, noting her face. “Don’t get me wrong, he must care a great deal about you, Rory. May I call you Rory?” He smiled when she nodded her consent. “Yes, he must care very much, but I’m glad you have a good head on your shoulders and know it won’t ever be a permanent thing.”
“It isn’t even a thing now, Byron, like I said. We have a very old platonic friendship. Since we were teenagers. I am sure he thinks of me as an annoying little sister.” Rory knew that wasn’t true, not even a little bit, but she needed this man’s help.
“If you believe he wants a platonic relationship with you, Rory, then maybe you aren’t as smart as you look.” He nodded as if he suddenly made up his mind about something. “But I like you, you have some balls approaching me with this, and I like that, so yes I will extend my pack's protection to you. It would be an honour.”
“Thank you!” a million thoughts were going through Rory’s mind that she barely heard a word he said. Roman had been positive she was his mate, he had told her more than enough times, he hadn’t once mentioned to her that his pack would never accept her. Did he expect her to be his bit on the side? His mistress? To play second fiddle to some woman who would be in his bed every night? Have his children? Rory scowled, shaking herself. It didn’t matter. Not anymore. She just wanted to be safe, and to get out of the tv drama her life seemed to have thrown her into. She stood to leave, thanking him again with a wide smile. Rory had always been good at smiling through her pain.
“One moment Rory.” He gripped at her wrist. “I am going to the opening of Honey on Friday, have you heard of it?”
Had she heard of it? Of course, she had. The whole town had been eagerly awaiting its opening. No one she knew had tickets to the grand opening though.
She nodded slightly.
“I would love it if you could come along as a guest of my pack.” He must have seen the indecision on her face as his smile faltered. “Your friends are more than welcome as well; I can pick you all up from here at say, eight-thirty on Friday?”
“Are you sure my friends will…”
“Yes, of course, you will all be my personal guests.”
“Then thank you, Byron, that is a lovely offer.” She stood to leave. It wasn’t a date she told herself firmly. Her friends had been invited as well. So, it definitely wasn’t a date, and Byron didn’t seem interested in her romantically at all.
She didn’t notice the leather-clad man who swept out the door, phone clutched to his ear. “Bye, have a great day.” She said too late, as the door slammed shut.
It definitely wasn’t a date.
Roman growled, low and threatening in his throat and the nearest pack member immediately lowered their gaze. How dare they call a pack meeting, and demand he fall in line? Who exactly was Alpha here? And they had the audacity to claim the meeting was for his benefit. They wanted to discuss his love life. His. Like they had some kind of say over his life in any way.
“Who my son takes as a mate has absolutely nothing to do with any of you!” His mothers' voice was sharp, and he gave her a grateful smile. She always had his back. “We aren’t in the dark ages anymore, who are you to say the woman the fates have chosen for him isn’t right for this pack?”
“She’s human!” An elderly man said gruffly, he held up a hand. “Let me finish, I have nothing against humans, and everyone knows the boy loves her,” the word boy rankled Roman even more. He hadn’t been a “boy” for a long time. He threw eyes around the large room. Most of the pack were here tonight. Those who could make it with such short notice. Mainly men, though there were some women with children close to the back.
“We aren’t asking him to give her up.”
“What are you asking him then, because it sounds like you are?” Samuel quipped from the back. Roman could see his blonde hair but not his face. As one of Roman’s enforcers, Samuel had his trust explicitly.
“You can keep her, just take an official mate from another pack, or this one. Son, you have so many options.” The older man laid a hand on Romans arm. “Options that would make this pack stronger, not weaker. You are Alpha now, you have to think of the pack.”
Roman roared, throwing the man's hand off him. “Think of the pack? When have I ever thought about anything else? When have I ever put my own wants or wishes before that of this pack? If you don’t like the way I run things, then feel free to challenge me for Alpha.” He motioned wildly, because what they were saying was that he could keep Rory, but only as a dirty little secret on the side. Stealing time with her like some thief. “That goes for any of you, if you don’t like my decisions then challenge me.”
“No one will challenge you son.” His mum drew him back into his seat, her eyes scowling into the crowd.
“The pack could back Jude as Alpha.”
Roman’s face blazed. He couldn’t see who had said it. Luckily for them. He was a fair man, but disobedience wouldn’t be tolerated. Not from anyone. Roman was a modern wolf, but he wasn’t above punishing those who pushed him too far.
“You can leave me out of this,” Jude said from his corner. “I don’t want to be Alpha, and I will always back my brother in his decisions”
Roman nodded. “Let us get this straight, who I choose as a mate will be my decision and not any of yours; if you don’t like who I choose when the time comes, then you are free to petition another pack and leave, but do not come at me with any of this bull crap again”
His phone started vibrating in his pocket as he straightened his legs out in front of him. Trying to relieve some of the tension in his body. He ignored it.
“Some of us are worried about our borders, with you sending so many of the young wolves over to watch over Miss Jones.”
Roman turned to the room again. A frown knitting his brows together. Were they ever going to stop? His phone rang again, this time he put it to his ear, a finger lifted in warning to the room. Silence fell as he stalked out the door. “Requiem”
“We have a problem.”
Roman sighed. A problem? So, what was new? His life seemed to be one big problem after another recently. “Go on,” he prompted when the bigger man hesitated. Requiem never hesitated.
“Your girl.”
Panic set in, Roman stopped pacing. “Is she ok? What’s happened? If it's her godforsaken ex again I will rip his throat out!” He had sent that cretin a personal message in the form of two of his most loyal enforcers. If he was still causing trouble after getting a visit from two angry werewolves, then the man was more stupid than he looked.
“Rory is fine, it’s just…” Requiem was one of his oldest friends. The dragon had taken him under his wing, literally, when Roman was just a kid looking lost and bewildered in basic training. They were closer than brothers. “Spit it out Requiem”
“I overheard your girl talking to the Macintosh boy today, she asked for his pack’s protection.”
Roman's eyes widened, as he leaned heavily on the wall. The brick cutting into his forearm. Well shit. Did she doubt him that much that she would go to a rival pack? “He asked her to go to the opening of Honey with him.”
Blood rushed into Romans ears. For a second, he felt dizzy. “He did what?” Roman had made it perfectly clear that Rory was out of bounds to any shifter. She might not be claimed but she was his. Roman threw his fist into the wall, making cement dust tumble from the ceiling. “She said yes, brother.” Requiem's voice was quiet.
Shit, shit, shit.
Roman threw back his head and howled. Answering howls erupted in the room behind him. Whines of pain filled his ears as he forced every single one of them to shift. They had no control over it, as his powers pushed from him. He howled again, dropping to all fours as the change overtook him.