Permission to love - The Rogue Pack

Chapter 2

Sam stared into the purple eyes of the caged wolf. Despite the grime surrounding them, their eyes were bright, filled with understanding and wisdom. Yet she could see the desperation, the lack of hope etched into the lines on their face, into the depths of their irises. 

"Mate," she repeated under her breath, low enough that only she could hear. She needed to reaffirm it to herself, needed to convince herself that this was real. And it felt real. She could sense an innate desire to protect the wolf before her, a need to shield them from the atrocities of the world, from the nightmares that she knew would haunt them. She knew that she would be there for them night and day, always by their side, unable to bear the thought that they would ever suffer again. Along with the rising love she felt in her chest, Sam could also feel a growing sense of anger that tightening around her heart. She had experienced first-hand the impact of the DIR, she had lived through the nightmares, slowly escaping the shackles that had been placed on her mind, so she knew exactly what this wolf had endured. 

The thought that her mate had been forced to go through the same atrocities, been forced to live through the same experience made her want to gag. Her eyes flickered back to the entrance, seeking solace with the man standing there, then turned back to the caged wolf. Her claws elongated as her rage rose within her, eyes glowing red. Those motherfuckers would pay for what they'd done. 

I'll rip every one of them to shreds for touching them, for even laying a finger on them. 

The purple eyes widened as they took in Sam's new appearance. They seemed fixated on her face and filled with fear as they acknowledged her status. At the reaction Sam checked herself. She had no desire to scare her mate as soon as they'd met, and they obviously had some instinctive fear of wolves and power figures, so the sight of an enraged Alpha female obviously wasn't the best first impression.

Sam turned her eyes back to the entrance, using the man's presence to calm them back to their natural brown. Turning, she gave a slight smile to the huddled figure, hoping to convey the message that she was a friend. She didn't even know if the wolf had felt the same pull, wasn't sure if they'd also recognised her as a mate. Based on their intense fixation she assumed they had, but the nagging doubt remained in her mind.

Suddenly the wolf's eyes shifted to the front door. Sam felt a pang of loss as she saw the eyes leave her, quickly followed by a gut-wrenching sense of fear. She couldn't believe how quickly she had come to be reliant on her mate's gaze, how much it soothed her already. It was one of the things she was scared of, that she would become reliant on her mate, unable to assume the position of power that she had always yearned for. Relying on someone, placing another person above the needs of the pack brought weakness to her as an Alpha. A weakness she wasn't sure she was prepared for. Fleetingly the idea of rejecting her mate passed through her head, but she brushed it aside. She wasn't in the right headspace to consider that right now. Once she had got all the prisoners out of the compound she would allow herself time for reflection but until then she would force herself to remain focused.

These thoughts passed through Sam's mind rapidly, in the same amount of time as it took for her eyes to follow the gaze of the wolf's, finally reaching their target. Aiden. Their eyes locked. 

"MATE!!!" her mind screamed at her. 

"Mate," she whispered, this time loud enough for Aiden to hear. A slight smile tugged at his lips, giving his face a cheeky, self-confident expression that matched the happiness radiating from his eyes. Sam's emotions, however, weren't quite so clear. Her mind was reeling from the revelation.

I have TWO mates??? What the hell? But it's unheard of, no wolf has ever two mates. Sure people write endless stories about twin mates, but it's never actually happened. Although maybe it's something do with my bisexuality? One female and one male mate? But I don't even know if the purple-eyed wolf is a female. Their scent isn't clearly one or the other.

Sam inhaled again, appreciating the combination of Aiden's vanilla and cinnamon scent with the deep smell of orange and maple emanating from the caged wolf. It smelt like a kitchen after someone had been baking, the fresh aromas mixing into a homely smell that enveloped Sam, creating a sense of belonging. Her mates' scents complemented each other, just as she assumed that their personalities and mannerisms would complement each other, appealing to all aspects of her character.

Wait, are they also mates?  The thought swam through her mind, and she observed the two of them, noting that although they did glance at each other they seemed mainly focused on her. Although she couldn't be sure. Something else to wonder about later, she sighed.

"Sam," Aiden's melodious voice right by her ear snapped her out of her reverie. She hadn't even noticed him approaching, but suddenly he was right beside her. Her body roared with the urge to tackle him to the ground right there and then. She had dreamt about having sex with him for years, and now she finally could. She knew for sure that he wanted her, and the thought sent a fire burning through her veins. She could see him similarly struggling as his fists clenched by his sides, veins bulging. The tingles travelling through her body reached between her legs and she squeezed her thighs together. Alongside the desire to jump his bones, an urge to just be close to him permeated her, and she forced herself to focus on this, contenting herself with his proximity. 

She glanced up into his emerald eyes, seeing a similar resolve underlying his dilated pupils. 

"Later..." he whispered, just loud enough for her to hear, before enveloping her in a big hug. 

His face was shining as they parted. Sam... My mate is Sam... His brain couldn't form any more words, all he could feel was happiness. And maybe a little of confusion as to why she kept glancing over at one of the wolves. Sure they smelled amazing, and he had glanced in their direction once or twice, but it was nothing like the pull he felt for Sam. Nothing like the joy radiating through his body. He had finally found his mate.