Chapter 29: Decisions
"She's a what?!" Malcolm yelled. staring bug eyed at Rory.
Rory sighed. "She's a black wolf. You really think the pack would accept her if they knew? She has a hard enough time with the pack she's in now!"
Malcolm ran a hand over his face. "Oh my Goddess...and you still want her as your mate?!"
Rory narrowed his eyes. "She is not a curse, Malcolm. It's all a bunch of bullshit!"
"How do you know?"
"Because I know why she's considered a curse and it's been dealt with!"
Malcolm arched a brow. "It has?"
"Yeah," Rory said with a scoff, turning to face his little brother. "Her scent was a kind of aphrodisiac for unmated males. There was a whole batch of them who chased her at a basketball game, but the only way to fix her scent was for her and I to mark and mate. And now that we're mated, she's fine."
Malcolm blew out a loud breath. "Damn. That's...did her scent affect you?"
Rory laughed. "Oh yeah. Drove me absolutely insane. That's when I found out she was my mate. She'd kept that knowledge from me."
"Why would she keep it from you?"
"For a number of reasons. She had a boyfriend at the time, I'm her teacher, she has a black wolf and she was worried I would reject her."
Malcolm huffed and slumped in his seat. "This is problematic." He sat straight back up. "But if you come back as Alpha, everyone would respect your decision to have her as the Luna regardless of her being a black wolf, I guarantee it!"
Rory raised his brow at Malcolm, giving him a "really, dude?" sort of expression. "You're just saying that so you can get out of being Alpha. You were just asking me how I could still want her!"
"Yeah but after you explained her...scent thing, I'm not opposed to her being a black wolf."
Rory sighed. "So you think that if I just...explain that to people, they'd be okay with it?"
"Yeah."
"Well, be that as it may, I might not even get the chance."
"What do you mean?"
A frown appeared on Rory's face. "There's an Alpha out there who wants Amara as his Luna specifically because she's a black wolf. And he has the grounds to do it based on a contract her father and this Alpha made years ago."
Malcolm's jaw dropped. "Why would he want a black wolf as his Luna?"
"I have no idea. I've been trying to find that out but I've come up with nothing."
A horn honked behind them and they both looked out the back window. There was a line of cars behind them. Malcolm cringed and started driving again. As he sped up he eyed Rory.
"I am being serious, though. I can't handle being an Alpha. It is far too stressful for my disposition," Malcolm explained.
"And what does Skye say about all this?" Rory asked skeptically.
"You let me worry about her."
Rory groaned and ran his hands through his hair. "Alright, alright. Let me think about it and talk it over with Amara, okay? And for Goddess sakes, don't tell anyone about any of this."
"My lips are sealed, Brother."
"Amara, why haven't you told Rory's family about us being your guards?" Tom asked as he drove.
Amara was in the back, looking out the window at her surroundings. "I didn't want to complicate things. It would have led me to tell them that I'm a black wolf and I'm not sure how they'd deal with that piece of information," she explained sadly.
"You do make a valid point," Henry pointed out. "Black wolves are frowned upon, especially in the UK, I've heard."
This did not comfort Amara and made her less inclined to be made Luna of Rory's pack despite having previously shown interest in doing so. She wished she knew more about the history of black wolves but there wasn't exactly a plethora of reading material back home. She was going to have to do some major searching for books. Maybe she could find some online. Amara quickly pulled out her phone and started browsing the internet for any mention of black wolves and their history. She found jack shit about them and sighed, feeling defeated.
Once they'd returned the rental car to the rental car place, Amara, Tom and Henry climbed into the SUV that Douglas was driving. They had followed Amara and her "entourage" so that they could get a ride back to the airfield. She was glad she didn't have to sit next to Skye but it didn't stop either of them from glaring at each other on occasion. The tension in the car was very thick and Douglas and Lorna were trying to find ways to relieve it.
"So, Amara, how did you and Rory meet?" Lorna asked.
"Well, he replaced our old math teacher. She'd gotten fired and-"
"Why was she fired?" Lorna inquired curiously.
"Oh dear..." Amara thought.
"Um...she said some inappropriate stuff to a student. She was very much out of line. Anyway, the day after-"
"What did she say to the student?"
"I don't know. Anyway, the day after she was fired, I walked into class and there he was. I was automatically smitten," Amara said, chuckling.
A growl came out of Skye and Amara looked at her. "What the hell is she growling for?" she thought.
"Why don't you ask her?" Dakota said.
"I don't think I'll like the answer."
"Tell us about when you two found out you were mates," Lorna stated.
Amara swallowed hard. "Well, I...I actually kept that information from him. You see, I had a boyfriend at the time and, well, Rory is my teacher, so..."
"Really?" Lorna said, looking back at Amara. "How did you manage to keep your scent from him?"
"Um...I had anti-scent spray."
"Why did you have that in the first place?" Douglas asked, looking at Amara in the rearview mirror.
"What is with all the friggin questions?!" Amara thought.
"Um, well, I have...or had a scent condition."
"A scent condition? What scent condition?" Douglas pried.
"My scent was very, um, potent...and would drive unmated males nuts. But now that Rory and I have finished the mating process, I no longer have this problem," Amara explained.
"Oh. Well, I've never heard of such a thing."
"It's a very rare condition."
"Huh. I see."
Skye huffed and crossed her arms. "Carson a thàinig oirnn dràibheadh còmhla rithe? Tha i gam fhàgail tinn," Skye growled. [Why did we have to drive with her? She makes me sick.]
Lorna cleared her throat. "Stad a 'gearan. Dhiùlt thu mo mhac as sine. Is e seo karma," she said bitterly. [Stop complaining. You rejected my eldest son. This is karma.]
"Na toir an tòn sin leam! Is mise Luna!" Skye snapped. [Don't take that tone with me! I am Luna!]
"A-riamh bho fhuair thu a-mach gu robh caraid ùr aig Rory, tha thu air a bhith gad ghiùlan fhèin mar phàiste millte! Cha robh thu gad ghiùlan fhèin mar Luna!" [Ever since you found out that Rory had a new mate, you've been behaving like a spoiled child! You haven't behaved like Luna!]
Amara watched the two argue in Gaelic and softly smirked to herself. She had no idea what they were saying, really, but she wished she had some popcorn.
By the time they arrived at the airfield, Lorna and Skye were almost at each other's throats based on their yelling and body language. Amara could see her mate outside with Malcolm near a large white jet and once the car stopped, she immediately got out of the car, ran to Rory, jumped into his arms and kissed him. He laughed into her mouth and held her up in his arms.
"Mmm, did someone miss me?" he asked.
"Absolutely! Your mom and Luna Skye were bickering for quite some time!" Amara said, laughing.
"About what?"
She shrugged. "Hell if I know, it was all in Gaelic."
Malcolm laughed and scratched his forehead. "You'll have to excuse my mate, Amara. She's been a bit...out of sorts as of late."
Amara eyed Malcolm and sighed, realizing she wasn't really mad at him anymore, especially after Rory had explained things. "Is she jealous or something?"
"Yes, unfortunately. A true mate bond is a hard thing to break away from," Malcolm said sadly.
Amara frowned. "Doesn't that make you feel bad? Doesn't she realize what her jealousy is doing to you?"
"It'll pass. She just needs time."
Amara nodded and slipped herself from Rory's grasp. She looked up at the jet in awe. "This is a pretty big jet."
Malcolm laughed. "Yes, it is. It fits fourteen passengers. Has a kitchen and even a bedroom."
Amara raised a brow and gave her mate a suggestive look. "A bedroom, huh?"
She saw Rory's cheeks redden and she giggled. "Now you stop that," he chuckled.
Skye, Lorna and Douglas finally came over. "Are we ready to board?" Douglas asked.
Amara, Malcolm and Rory nodded and soon they were all on the plane. Amara looked around in shock at how beautiful the interior was. It was decorated with black and white, the floor having black carpeted square patterns. There were a bunch of white and black leather seats and a few white leather couches with little black pillows. There were a few tables with some chairs facing each other and one of the tables had a chess board on it.
As Amara walked through, she saw another room that had a small kitchen with bottles of champagne, a fridge, and a black island in the middle. It was connected to another room with more seats and couches. There was even a fake fireplace. Then Amara spotted the bedroom in the back and she peeked inside. Still going for the black and white decor, the king sized bed had a black velvet blanket with four white pillows leaning against a black wooden bed frame.
"Wow," she mumbled. "This is all so...wow..."
Rory chuckled and wrapped an arm around her. "This is my parent's best jet."
"Is that why they brought this? Do they have smaller ones?"
Rory sighed. "I assume they brought this one in case they talked me into coming back home," he said, resting his chin on her shoulder as he held her from behind.
"And have they?" she asked curiously.
"...Not quite."
She turned and looked at him with a scrunched up face. "What do you mean, "not quite"?"
He looked behind him at his family and then back at her, grasping her hand. "Let's go to the bedroom and talk."
Amara nodded and he led her into the bedroom, shutting the door behind them. They both sat down on the bed and Rory turned to face her, holding her hands in his.
"Malcolm is very stressed out about being Alpha. Apparently things have gotten kind of bad in my absence and the pack members have shown very little respect for him and Skye as leaders," Rory explained. "They all want me to return as Alpha."
Amara frowned. "Is it really that bad?"
"According to Malcolm, yes."
She sighed and looked down at her hands. "Well, it's understandable, I suppose. But if you went back, does this mean I'd become Luna?"
"Yes."
Amara quirked her lips to one side on apprehension. "And what about me being a black wolf? I heard they're especially hated in the UK."
"We'll cross that bridge if it comes to that. I mean...I'm not even sure I want to go back. I loved being Alpha but your happiness is far more important, mo caraid."
"My happiness?" she said. "What makes you think I wouldn't be happy in Scotland?"
"I'd be taking you away from your family and your home," Rory said with a frown. "That's the last thing that I want."
Her fingers intertwined with his. "Rory, if being Alpha would make you happy, then do it. If me being your Luna makes you happy, then I'll do it. Besides, don't you miss your family and home?"
A big smiled was plastered on his face. "You'd do that for me?"
She pressed her palm to his cheek and gazed into his eyes. "I would do anything for you, Rory Shaw."
His smile got brighter and he leaned over to her, kissing her heatedly. Amara kissed back with just as much vigor and passion. Wrapping her up in his arms, he lowered her onto the bed and nestled between her thighs as he peppered kisses all over her jawline and neck.
"You beautiful, wonderful woman," he growled lovingly.
Amara giggled into his hair and kissed his forehead. "Such things you say..."
"So...we're really doing this?" he asked huskily, looking down into her emerald eyes.
"Yes, if it's what you truly want," she replied with a smile.
He ripped off his coat and tossed it to the side, nibbling on the flesh of her throat. Amara leaned her head back to allow him easier access. When he kissed her mark, she shuddered in pleasure. She leaned up to remove her own jacket, flipping an arm to get it out of the sleeve. Rory laughed.
"Here, let me help you," he said with a chortle.
He helped her out of the coat and flung it aside before returning his mouth to hers. Amara ran her hands through his hair and gripped tightly, making Rory grunt and bite her lower lip. Her tongue darted out to lick his lips and he pushed his own out to dance with hers. Moans filled the room as they started undressing each other.
Amara was thoroughly enjoying this and she couldn't imagine her life without this man. She needed him so much. Each day she was falling harder for him.
He nipped at her earlobe and she moaned, now being very distracted from her thoughts. As he was about to pull her pants down, there was a knock on the door and Rory let out a low growl.
"What is it?" he barked out.
"We're about to take off, guys," Malcolm's muffled voice said with a tint of amusement. "You two can copulate later."
Amara burst out laughing and held her stomach. Rory snarled and reached for his black button down shirt while she grabbed her red turtleneck. They both put them back on, grabbed their coats and walked out of the bedroom to take their seats. Amara lifted a window flap and watched as the plane began to move around. Eventually they were up in the air and she watched everything on the ground get smaller.
"So, should we tell them?" Amara asked Rory in the mind link.
"If you're comfortable with that," Rory replied.
"I am."
Rory looked at her with a smile. Once they were high enough in the air, the two got out of their chairs and held hands as they walked down the aisle to Rory's family. He cleared his throat.
"Um, Mum? Dad? Malcolm? Skye?" Rory said nervously.
Douglas, Lorna, Malcolm and Skye all looked at the couple. "What is it, son?" Douglas inquired.
"We have an announcement to make."
