Permission to love - The Rogue Pack

Chapter 21

The return to the pack was a whirlwind. Thankfully, the gathering had ended the day before, and most wolves from surrounding packs had already disappeared. Sadly, no one from the very small Rogue Pack had met their mate this year, other than Sam and Aiden obviously, which meant that only a few wolves remained in the packhouse. Nevertheless, the ones that remained kicked up a fuss upon the group's return.

Béa swarmed Sam with a motherlike tenderness, poking and prodding her as she checked for unhealed cuts and bruises. Luckily nearly everything had healed during the long overnight drive, and Sam had regained her usual aura of power.

Satisfied that Sam was perfectly fine, she swooped in on Obi, giggling like a young teenage girl as he chastely kissed her. At their side, Varshini smiled at them, longing clear in her eyes as she watched the old couple show their affection. The moment was fleeting, and as soon as it was over, Béa settled back into action mode, declaring that everyone desperately needed feeding, and ushering them into the large kitchen.

The wolves from the Rogue Pack were used to this motherly affection, and grinned at each other before begrudgingly traipsing towards the kitchen as Béa flapped her hands behind them. Anne and Bas followed them, ready for a meal and completely unphased by Béa's attentions. But Tay and the boys froze.

Sam turned, noticing Tay's absence at her side, but Béa swooped in before her.

"My dears, you must be absolutely famished, I've got bread and cheese waiting in the kitchen, and I'll start up the grill to make you something a bit more filling. Oooh and after that you can go have a nice warm shower. I haven't had time to change the linen on all the beds yet but I'll get to that when you're showering, and then you can have a nice warm bed for tonight. Tomorrow we can see to getting you all rooms, and if you tell me what kind of things you like for breakfast I'll make sure to have them ready for you..."

Béa's relentless chattering and firm nudges eventually drove the trio into the kitchen, where they stood awkwardly at the door.

It was obvious to Béa that it had been a long time since they had been shown any kindness, so she tried to refrain from being too overwhelming, yet she couldn't help but feel a desperate need to comfort the young pups.

Sam could similarly feel the tension rolling off of Tay, so as soon as she made eye contact, she discreetly motioned to the empty seat next to her, hoping that Tay would get the hint. They did, and they moved forward to take a seat.

"If you guys sit there, you'll be right next to the stove and it's lovely and warm."

Chén and Eduardo grasped at María's suggestion, who had appeared carrying a tray laden with food. Sam smiled at her, thankful that she too had noticed the boys' awkwardness. Even though she'd never met María, she exuded a motherly tenderness that matched Béa's which she knew would perfectly match Liam's dark rawness.

Eventually, they were all warm and cosy, bellies heaving with the copious amounts of food set out by Béa. As usual, she had made far too much, her need to feed always overestimating the abilities of the group she was feeding.

The food and drink has silenced most of the group. Béa and Obi stood chatting in the corner, and María and Liam were curled up whispering to each other. But other than that everyone seemed content to sit in silence.

Sam sat staring in the distance, happy for once for her mind to be completely blank. The past few days had been difficult for her. Nothing she hadn't experienced before, but the torture had revealed something to her, and it had been distracting her during the whole drive back. But now, filled with food and sat basking in the warmth of the stove, it was a distant thought that she was happy to forget about even if only for a moment.

Suddenly a heavy hand on her thigh snapped her out of her reverie, and she felt her breathing quicken immediately as Aiden's calloused hands gently caressed her leg. A cheeky twinkle shone in his eyes, and she realised that the silence had led his thoughts in a particularly dangerous direction. His hand hitched marginally higher. A particularly delicious direction, she mused, leaning in to his touch.

"Sam, darling, is there is something you maybe forgot to mention?" Béa enquiring voice was cheeky. She had obviously spotted Aiden's blatant possessive display. In the corner Liam chuckled to himself, not used to seeing his brother this forward around Sam.

"Erm..." But she didn't get chance to finish her sentence, as beside her Tay rose sharply from the kitchen bench and practically sprinted out of the door. Sam immediately rose to follow them, but Aiden's hand on her wrist stilled her.

"Leave them, they've been in those cells for goodness knows how long, and escaped to find a mate who also has another mate, and a whole new pack with a whole new life. They need time."

He was right, they needed time. So even though every ounce of her being was screaming at her to follow them, and scoop them up in her arms, she recognised that Aiden was right. They would need time. That was something she understood.

Sighing, she settled back in her seat, and turned to tell Béa and María what she had told everyone in the van.

"Erm, I guess I do. I, er..." Even after having already told people, it still felt a little weird to say. Sam felt a slight blush creep up her cheeks and she turned her eyes to Aiden, hoping to ground herself.

"I found my mate. Or should I say mates." She chuckled slightly, disbelief clear in her voice at how lucky she was.

"Tay, the wolf who just left, is also my mate. And they go by they/them pronouns." She emphasised the last sentence, adding a tiny bit of force into the words to ensure that everyone heard her. She would make sure that this was a place that would accept Tay exactly as they were.