Delaying Destiny

3. A Rose by Any Other Name

Orianna Rose(?) Reid

"Rose. My name is Rose." The words fell out of her mouth with a tumble. The golden wolf within her mind growled lowly,What do you think you're doing?

Orianna felt her skin prick with unease, I have no idea. It just came out. I don't want him to know who I really am.

A rose by any other name is still a f*****g liar, Orianna! She spat back.

The male, Mason, seemed oblivious to her inner turmoil, offering a wide, sparkling smile that made her melt, "Rose. It's nice to meet you." 

He opened the door for her, gesturing for her to leave his small apartment as he locked the door behind them. They walked in silence through the hallways, so close she could almost feel the heat from his hand. Orianna so desperately wanted to clasp it with her own, to bring her slim body closer to his tall frame and lean into him. Her mind wandered to a daydream of them walking down the street of some city, window shopping for furniture for their new home. She was so enticed by her thoughts as she followed him through his pack lands, only snapping to when they were confronted by a large building.

The pack house was primarily one story,  a modern-looking building with glass panes for walls and dark gray accents. Orianna could see through that a massive courtyard stood in the middle of the house, a pleasant looking fountain and tons of greenery in the center of it. It was a stark difference from the four-leveled, woodsy cabin that Astral Twilight used as a pack house.

Orianna's skin goosebumped as Mason opened the door, holding it for her as she nervously scooted in. She could see through the window-walls that many wolves were milling about in the courtyard, but Mason led her deeper within, passing the walls as they gave way from the window panes to regular, solid drywall. It seemed the packhouse was in the shape of a long rectangle, half of it windowed and the other half covered for the private rooms. 

Mason knocked on a door, a low voice telling him to come in. She lingered by the door before Mason put his warm hand on the small of her back, urging her forward. 

Alpha Ramon was a large man with deep, dark skin and muscles that rippled like water. He was an intimidating figure, standing just a few inches over Mason. He had been standing by the window, his phone to his ear before muttering a goodbye. Turning to the two, his dark eyes bored into her with obvious scrutiny and judgement, "What have we here, Mason?"

Mason bowed his head respectfully, Orianna following suit, before responding, "Alpha, I found this she-wolf in the southwestern forests. She was disoriented but it appears she is not a rogue."

"If not a rogue, then what?" Ramon sat in his desk chair, folding his hands in front of him as he continued to openly stare.

"A runaway, sir." Mason responded, glancing between the two. Orianna could almost feel the worry in his gaze as she stood quietly.

"From where? Why?" Before Mason could answer, Roman asked her pointedly, "What's your name?"

Orianna squared her shoulders, raising her head as she faked the courage she needed to retell her lie, "Rose Donahue of Astral Twilight, Alpha Roman. I apologize for intruding into your land. I'm afraid I stumbled here by mistake."

"And where exactly did you intend on going, Rose Donahue of Astral Twilight?" Ramon asked, his voice dripping with skepticism.

She inhaled sharply, "I was running away, sir. I didn't have a destination."

In those next moments, Rose retold her lie - her sob story of being dumped, pseudo-widowed, and dumped again. The Alpha looked unconvinced, narrowed orbs boring into her face looking for a crack or indication of a lie. By the end of it, he remained stoic, silence stretching and filling the room.

He finally leaned back in his chair, "That's a story indeed, Miss Donahue. I don't know how true it is, though. A scandal like that tends to travel to the packs. Like the story of your Alpha Jasper and Luna Luciana a few years ago."

Orianna's heart thudded in her throat at the mention of her ex. Just how many similarities between her fake story and the real one were found? 

Probably should've come up with better fake names than their damn wolves, Orianna. i***t!  Rose spat at her. Indeed, she had changed the names on the fly. Ryzen for Jasper, Leah for Saravie, Kal for Ivan, and a completely made-up Queenie for Luciana since she didn't know her wolf's name. But it was the only names she knew she'd remember if she had to repeat herself constantly. And it was very personal information to know someone else's wolf's name.

"But your determination to leave is clear." Ramon continued, "And I suppose you pose no threat to the pack if your only goal was to run away from your past."

His dark eyes went darker, an inky black as he mindlinked with someone. Moments later, a woman walked into the office from a door just behind his desk. She was beautiful, with flawless coco skin and a voluminous curly afro that only accentuated her slim neck and shoulders.

"Dear, what do you think?" Ramon asked as the woman delicately perched on the arm of his desk chair, his arm snaking around her waist.

The woman scanned Orianna from head to toe, her stare was bold and purposeful before shrugging in response, "I'm not opposed to it. I'm sure there's room somewhere. Plus, even if she tried to start something, I know I could take her." That last bit was meant as a joke, a tilt in her voice but a glint of seriousness in her eye that made Orianna wonder.

"Thank you, Luna Rhea." Mason dipped his head again, Orianna following suit as she murmured her own thanks. It appeared she would be allowed to stay.

"You'll work as an Omega in the house until you find a way to earn your keep in the pack." Alpha Ramon stated, his tone submissive. 

"Wait, what?" Orianna almost immediately bit back her reaction, silenced by a sharp glare from all three. It was a reasonable offer, generous even. But Orianna had once been the mate of a Beta, ordering the Omegas around for four years of her life. Even before that, her own father was a respected Fighter in her original pack before The Claiming. She had never lived a life below that station.

Orianna nodded quickly, biting the inside of her cheek as she hastily apologized and departed. She could feel the burn of the royalty's gazes on her back as the office door closed behind them. 

Just as soon as they left the pack house, Mason erupted in laughter. His deep laugh made Orianna groan inwardly, feeling that deep reverberation deep in her belly. But on the outside, her face twisted in annoyance, a sharp word on her tongue, "What??"

Mason grinned, crossing her arms over his chest and shaking his head, "Haven't been here for more than a day and you're already talking back to the Alphas. I'm sure you're going to make them regret taking you in, even if it is just to do their laundry and wash their dishes."

Orianna narrowed her eyes, glaring at that handsome bastard as she pouted, "Shut up."

They continued to walk down the streets. Whistling Winds territory was far more commercialized than Astral Twilight. Astral Twilight's lands were mountainous and heavily wooded, with most families living in cabins or old apartment homes. But Whistling Winds had established suburban neighborhoods, car whooshing by headed towards the near city. There was enough untouched forest around to make patrolling wolves less surprising but not nearly as much as she was used to.

"Thank you..." Orianna muttered as they neared his apartment home.

"For what?" Mason looked at her with a sidelong glance.

"For asking the Alpha to let me stay." 

"I didn't do that." Mason tilted his head to the side, slightly confused.

Orianna rolled her eyes a bit, "You're the head scout of this pack. You could've easily made the decision to chase me off and report it back to your Alpha. But you didn't."

She almost swore she could see him blush, his gaze dropped to the floor as they stopped in front of his apartment doors, "Ah, yeah, I guess you're right."

She felt a tingle through her spine as he finally looked up, their eyes connecting as he murmured, "Guess it just didn't feel right to let you get away."

They stood in a bit of trance-like silence, staring into each other's eyes. Orianna felt something like a magnetic pull towards the stranger male, leaning forward a bit. Her eyes drifted down to his mouth, memorizing the shape of his lips, wondering how they'd fit against her own.

But the apartment door opened, jerking them away from each other in embarrassment as a teenager rushed down the steps and down the street. 

Mason chuckled a bit awkwardly, his arm raising to scratch the back of his neck while the other rested on his hip, "Why don't we get something to eat, huh? I can tell you about the pack."

"That...would be nice." Orianna let a small smile.

"After all, you'll be serving us starting tomorrow right?" 

"Shut up!"