Not just the Beta (Oriana and Slade) novel Chapter 111

Slade

As soon as he heard the news from Yuri, that he’d actually physically laid eyes on Oriana himself, he sagged as relief flooded through him. Seven years of her missing, and them hunting, and it was finally over, she was here in Maine. They were going to be able to talk to her; finally explain things to her and bring her home.

Then to hear she’d gotten away from Yuri, he’d snarled out loud, how could Yuri lose her, he dialled that man’s number only to have it be dismissed. He glared right at his phone and was about to hit the redial when a text came through, to explain himself and why he couldn’t answer the phone.

He read the message and sighed heavily this time, she’d attacked Yuri and fled after knocking him unconscious. Fractured his bloody jaw; that worried him. He’d thought after all these years had past, maybe she might just be happy to see them. Well, Palmer and Yuri, seeing as they’d done nothing wrong to her. Seeing either one of them shouldn’t have evoked that kind of reaction from her.

Now, they’d lost her again, he had to move his ass and get there before she packed herself, and his son or daughter up and ran away once more. He had a feeling that was what she was going to do. With that reaction to Yuri, it was logical for him to think she still didn’t want to be found.

He headed back to the hotel and packed up all their gear, waiting for Palmer, who’d told him he was on his way back to the hotel. Vance had sent through he’d meet them there. They travelled in two cars all the time now, so that they could split up when it was necessary.

Yuri and Vance had driven north to the furthest point of their current search grid and were making their way south, where, as he and Palmer had gone down south, were making their way north, so that they would all meet up in the middle, where all those grids met.

There were a lot of lakes and coves to be strolled passed and scented out, though once again that word human’ had been used. Graham stated she smelled human to him, as had Yuri now, but then had also said China was behind the hit. That was very confusing for him. How could she scent of being human, but still have her wolf at the same time?

And why was she naked out in the snow, sleeping alone out in the woods? Where was her child? Things didn’t add up.

Palmer smiled at him as he got in the car “A real sighting and by one of us, that’s good, Slade.”

“She fought and got away though,” he muttered.

“Could have just been shocked at seeing one of us. Reacted without much thought. Maybe she didn’t recognise Yuri, woke up and a male wolf was in front of her; reacting on pure instinct to protect herself was all.”

“It’s possible, I suppose.” Slade nodded, and it was. She’d been gone a long time, Yuri did sport a new hair cut and a well-maintained beard. It had been seven years and wolves did not do so well on their own,’

Alone in the woods,” he mused aloud as he drove.

“You’re wondering where your child is?” Palmer asked.

“I’m curious.” he admitted “Not worried, I doubt Ori would have abandoned the child,” and Graham had said there had been a child. But not with her. That does bother me.” he nodded.

“What are you thinking?” Palmer asked now.

“Nothing currently…likely the child is with someone she trusts.” he stated after only a moment’s thought ” the questions are who and where?”

“Unknown, and we won’t know either if she’s not with them, she’ll have to tell us herself.” Palmer sighed now.

Slade understood that, she’d told no one she was pregnant inside that pack, so they shouldn’t be looking for one. She wasn’t likely to just tell him either. “Might not want to.” he murmured, “She doesn’t know that we know about the child. Might just say nothing and plead ignorance in order to keep that secret to herself still.”

“I know.” Palmer nodded “She’ll also know I’ll be able to sense out her emotions, close herself to it, and pull on that bloodline to keep it from me. Can do that real well, learned at an early age how to hide her emotions from everyone.”

“I know since she was like 12.” Slade nodded, since that day out in the woods, when he’d found her crying and in need of comfort. “I think it might just be best to tell her I know about our child. Solve that issue right away.”

“Hmm, maybe…” Palmer nodded.

“What are you thinking?” Slade asked after his Gamma was still quiet ten minutes later.

“If you tell her you know about the child, ask where it is. She may only think you’re here for your heir. Not here for her…with the way she left, how she felt, it’s likely that will be the conclusion she draws.”

Other times it left him utterly miserable and in a very dark place, where she took one look at him and that bloodlust she’d contained, once again took hold of her, and he lost her to it. Never found his child, and she had to be put down because she couldn’t be contained.

No one really knew how she was going to react to seeing him, someone she’d trusted and felt betrayed her. That news from Graham about her walking with a child, was his only happiness. She had wanted their child, kept it, and not abandoned it like Palmer had stated. Protected the child from her own bloodlust.

She was going to be a very protective mother, likely gave that child all the love she had felt she’d never gotten from her own parents. He knew she would never treat her child like she had been. Make it feel that love was conditional and depended on how you fell into line.

No, her child, their child he knew would be loved and cherished by her, was going to be bright and happy. well-adjusted, because that was what Ori would want for it, make sure they got all the things she had not gotten, and craved herself.

She would be a good mother, find a way to give her child the world. He was curious as to if they had a son or daughter, and who the child looked like, who’s genes would be stronger, her pure-blooded Beta line, or his Alpha genes.

He often wondered if they had a son or daughter and what she had named him or her. Slade had no idea about that thought process, Oriana had never dated, never even mentioned having a family of her own. If she’d dreamed of it, she’d never once mentioned it to him or his unit.

He even knew why, because thoughts like that could be seen to affect her status within the pack, Beta Anders would have seen it as her wanting a family, over the Beta title, and given Hayden the title of heir.

Her wanting a family would be seen as a weakness to be exploited, something used against her to give her brother the position she’d held.

So not once had he heard her talk about having a family, or even getting a Mate, though even as his Beta she would have needed an heir to carry on her bloodline. To hand her title down to, but never did she breathe a word of it. Though he had to think she’d thought about it, just kept it all to herself was all.

He pulled up to the cabin, it was simple enough and right on the lake, Vance was already there, had been closer by road than he and Palmer were, he’d stopped and bought food as well. Though Slade found him inside sleeping as much as Yuri was, they’d all been awake all night out there searching.

She now knew that they were in the area, and he was hoping she had not fled, had opted instead to hole up and try to wait them out. If she scented of human, she would know she had some sort of protection, against being found. So, sitting still and out of sight was all she needed to do until they left.