Just a Rogue

Dominic

Yeah, it’s started. I reach over and squeeze Amelia’s hand after we set our trays down at our table. The cafeteria workers were definitely staring as we got our food, and now Corinne and Evan look like their eyes are about to bug straight out of their heads.

Amelia thinks to me, “I think Evan might be having a stroke,” and I smirk over at her.

I wait for her to sit down, and I sit next to her. Then I lean back in my chair, grin over at my supposed roommate, and say, “Good morning, Evan!” I tilt back my head a little, so he can get a good look at my mark that he’s been staring at.

He doesn’t say anything, but his mouth is practically hanging down to the table. I reach my hand over and tap him under the chin. “Close that or you’ll catch flies,” I tease him, and Amelia rolls her eyes.

Corinne is watching her with wide and solemn eyes. She doesn’t say anything though.

Amelia looks back and forth between the two of them, and thinks to me, “Good grief, I’m just going to say it.” Out loud, she says, “Yes. We have marked each other. Yes, we are mates.” Then she takes a bite of cereal, apparently thinking that has taken care of that.

As if! It just opens the floodgates.

“You’re mates?” Corinne gasps, as though she hadn’t really believed what she was seeing. “True mates?”

“When did you - why - what - ?” Evan is not being particularly articulate.

Before we get the chance to answer, I hear whispers elsewhere in the room, and look around to realize that lots of other people are staring back into our little corner as well. Hm. We’re quite a spectacle, apparently. “I think you were right about waiting,” I whisper to Amelia through our minds. “Everyone is paying way more attention to this than I expected. It would have gotten in the way of the Alpha and Luna’s ceremony, I’ll bet.”

“As I said,” she silently replies, saucily, and I want to kiss her, but we’re already attracting enough attention.

Looking around at everyone in the room, I see a new person come in, our Dark Woods pack Luna, Darlene. She comes straight over to our table. I knew that Amelia had told her about us a few days ago, but did she just assume that we had finalized things last night and she’s here to talk about it?

Apparently. She glances at our throats, gets a huge smile on her face, and leans down to give Amelia a hug. “Congratulations!” she says, and puts her hand on my shoulder. “To both of you! This is wonderful!”

“Thank you,” Amelia smiles, sounding so sincere. I know that she got to know my Luna really well over the last week, and they have become very friendly with each other. “Um, now that the party is done, what are Dark Woods’ plans?”

“That’s actually why I came over here,” Darlene responds. “There will be a leader’s meeting at ten, and we’d like you, Dom and Evan to attend.” Her eyes move over each of us as she speaks. She politely nods to Corinne as well. I notice the rogue isn’t invited, although I suppose the leaders will probably have more questions for her.

“Of course,” Amelia immediately agrees, “we’ll see you there.” Darlene smiles at both of us very warmly before she goes back out of the cafeteria.

I know Amelia was planning to go to work right after breakfast anyway, with her boss Gamma Michael. I wonder why they want me at the meeting? I suppose to talk about when we’ll be going home, since I’m the mechanic. They’ll want the cars all serviced and gassed up and ready.

There’s a big question that Amelia and I still haven’t resolved. Do we stay here with River Moon pack? Do we go back to my home with Dark Woods pack? We obviously have to stay together. I think I’ll do whatever she prefers. She has an important job here as the Gamma’s assistant, so I feel like that’s probably the direction we’re heading. I could get a job anywhere as a mechanic - even with the humans if River Moon doesn’t have a spot open. I’m prepared to move out here to be with her.

She watches me as I consider these things. We’ve talked about it, and I’m pretty sure she can tell what I’m thinking about.

“So,” Evan breaks into my thoughts, “are you going to explain this?” He waves his hand over, indicating our marks. Corinne gazes back and forth between us.

“Like she said,” I tell them, “we’re mates. We marked each other. That’s how it generally works, right?”

“You’re actual, fated mates?” he asks somewhat disbelievingly.

“Definitely,” Amelia says, and resumes eating her cereal. I know she wants to finish up and get to work.

“But, did you just realize it last night?” Evan seems baffled. “I thought mates recognized each other immediately. Why didn’t you know for so long?”

I shake my head and shrug. “Oh, we knew. The night of the solstice ball, the moment we met each other.”

“Well, what took you so long, then? I thought it worked instantly, like Kanen and Janine. It’s been, like, almost two weeks.” He looks flabbergasted.

Amelia says, “I didn’t want to get in the way of the Alpha and Luna mating ceremony. We didn’t need anyone thinking about us while everyone was preparing for last night. So Dom agreed to wait.”

Evan seems speechless. Corinne says, softly, “Congratulations,” and offers a little smile.

“Thanks, Corinne,” Amelia says. “I went by your room this morning, by the way, to pick you up, but I guess Evan already came to get you?”

“Yes,” Evan answers, not giving Corinne a chance. “Yes, I went down and unlocked her door for her.”

Corinne stands. “If you’re finished with your dishes, I’ll take them.” She starts clearing off the table and loading everything onto a tray. “See you all later,” she says, and quietly moves back towards the kitchen.

“I have to go to work, bye,” Amelia says out loud. Then to me, privately, silently through our mind-link, she adds, “I will miss you. I’ll be thinking of you every second. See you at ten.” She gives me a little smirk, then gets up and walks away. I think she’s giving me an extra little wiggle to look at while she walks, and she thinks, “I wish I was licking you everywhere instead of going to work.”

Sproing!