Running with Rogues

CHAPTER 65 - THE FALLOUT

This would clearly be better off as a private conversation, and Hannah kept eyeing us like she wanted us to bugger off, but she didn't dare ask it. Her little escape attempt had lost her the right to privacy for a week at least. I leant back in my chair and did my best to pretend I wasn't there, for all the good it did.

Nia had disappeared to talk to the important people about things other than this. She had not returned yet. Beside me, Liam was so zoned out that I was pretty sure he didn't count as being mentally present anyway.

Hayden chewed on his lip. He'd completely missed the point of everything she'd just said, somehow. "I mean ... he can join the pack. He's your mate. I know it's not ideal, and he'd be a bit of a security risk, but we'd find a way to make it work. I'd rather that than lose you..."

"But it wouldn't work, Hayden," she said patiently. "That's the problem. I've worked my entire life for that Beta position. I'm not giving it up to go and live in the woods with some random boy who's been foul to me, so don't worry on that account. But it's not like he could come and live with us. He wouldn't do that in a million years. And I know the pack would tear him to shreds even if he did."

"Why don't you explain all that to him?" I asked her incredulously. I felt sorry for her - really, I did. It was an untenable situation. But it wasn't exactly a picnic for Rhodri either, and he was the one who would have to live with the decision Hannah had already made.

Hannah sighed to herself, a hand creeping up to rub at her jaw, but before she could answer me, Rhodri came limping back out of the trees. He'd been quick. And he'd heard that last part, if the look on his face was any indication. Stony and hurt.

"You're right," he said. "I don't want to join your pack. But you never even gave me the option, did you? Never asked. And who says we have to live together, anyway? I can trespass, and you're welcome in our camps if I say you are."

"You're kidding, right?" Hannah asked incredulously. "Do you have any idea how my pack would react to that kind of arrangement? If they ever found out, I'd lose my job, and Hayden would probably lose his for allowing it."

Rhodri made a face at her. "Why's it any of their business who you sleep with?"

"Because you're not just a rogue. You're a Llewellyn, you dumb piece of shit," she snapped. "And that means I should know better. I shouldn't even be talking to you right now."

"Well, would you look at that? I think we found the problem with us being mates. Maybe you should try to stop falling back on this dumb us-verses-you shit and sort out that prejudice of yours instead of just basking in your nice, comfortable hatred of everyone who doesn't lick an Alpha's boots."

Hannah's face tightened almost imperceptibly. The way she was staring at him was so far beyond anger that I was glad she was still in handcuffs. And Rhodri just sat there, smirking at her in the most provocative way he could dream up.

They'd kill each other if we let them. I wasn't sure why the Goddess thought this was a good idea.

A hand fell on my shoulder, and I craned my neck to see Nia. She managed a small, tired smile. "Sorry, puppy. We gotta split now. I'm supposed to drive you back while it's nice and dark."

I didn't want to go back. I was beginning to get an idea of what it had been like for my family while we'd been sitting in Silver Lake. They were being hunted like rats. Every few days, the flockies would get too close for comfort and they'd have to move all over again. And now that we'd lost two camps, there were an awful lot of people without a change of clothes or a tent or a sleeping bag who were having to huddle up in wolf form every night to keep warm.