Not just the Beta (Oriana and Slade) novel Chapter 141

Ana

She shook her head after being mind-linked by Maddie, about the conversation she’d had with Slade, himself. He’d been very direct and requested a meeting with her formally. He had even shown her pictures of herself as Ana and as Oriana to prove he was not wrong in his assumption of who she was.

According to Maddie, that torn-up photo he’d had, he’d taken from Peirce’s place. She recognised it as the one they’d taken by the town’s Christmas tree a few weeks back.

Though she was now playing her own game. Had sent Slade back to wherever he was based with her gaming app, and had instructed him that he and his unit all needed to play all five games on the Ocean to Forest trail, to get a meeting.

“Why?” Ana asked simply.

“To annoy them is all. If they do it, it will show they want the meeting, and if they’re smart they’ll check for a wolfen logo as well. Will see the Wolfen Council and the Winter Moon pack symbols as well. Both are there. Sloan insisted once their new pack symbol was created.”

She nodded she knew that, “Are you aiming to scare them?”

“No, I’m aiming to pull them all into line. The new Winter Moon pack symbol no longer represents a winter moon. But Austin’s wolf and Sloan’s Kitsune in the forest. They designed it to make her tails represent the moon and complete the symbol. Those four wolves, if they see it, will likely tread carefully from the moment they do.”

“Thank you, I guess.”

“I also set it up, so Slade is pitted against Ocean. Seeing as she’s going to have to get to know him, let’s start this off gently.”

Ana sighed now but said nothing. She did understand why Maddie was doing this. Seeing it was now very likely, half of them were going to be mated into that unit and pack. She was trying to see if Ana would be willing to go with them all, back to that place, if she and Zara were also mated into that pack.

“How’d Ocean take the news?” Maddie asked her.

“Happy for Londyn, didn’t really say anything at all about knowing her father was here, and then banged into her room angry, when she found out he has rights and I have none, because of my rogue status. Stated point blankly, ‘I’m not going to live with a stranger in a strange place.’ Londyn smiled and stated, ‘there’s that Alpha temper’.”

“Ah, so it will be fun to watch Slade deal with his daughter then,” Maddie snorted.

“Why?”

“Because Ana, she’s our heir, Londyn, maybe who we’re all aligned to, but she doesn’t really want to be in charge, remember. So that actually means Ocean is. We all agreed to that years ago.”

Ana blinked at that, “Oh, I’d completely forgotten about it, seeing as we all just see each other as equals.”

“Easy enough to do with how we live. But Ocean as the heir, and Londyn not wanting to be in charge, that

means we’re Ocean’s unit here to protect her, until she comes of age, remember.” Maddie reminded her, “I dare say I’ve given you and Ocean a few days of peace and quiet, before the storm arrives.”

“It doesn’t really matter anymore, Maddie.” She sighed a little. “Ocean is in the know, and she’ll either accept him or not. There is not much I can do about it. I never bad-mouthed him in front of her. Londyn is

likely the biggest concern right now, and could be on edge when she gets to the café.”

“Why?”

“Possible pains of betrayal. Yuri doesn’t know about Londyn so…” she sighed, knowing Maddie would understand that. “I also told her if she accepted him, she’ll have to move to that pack, and quickly, due to going into heat.”

“Ah, not even I’d thought about that.” Maddie huffed.

“I’ll lose all of you, in the space of a few days if you all mate off, because you’ll all go into heat within a week or so of letting them claim you.”

There was quiet at the other end of the mind-link for several minutes. “It’s alright Maddie.” Ana murmured, even though she didn’t really feel that way. She was trying to be supportive of them so that they could accept their Goddess-Gifted Mates, if they also got them from that pack.

She would never ask them to reject their Mate’s, just to stay here with her as a rogue. Her life was going to change dramatically, and she knew it. She was trying to be open and accepting of what was coming, even if she didn’t like it.

She didn’t like the thought of being alone once more, but deep down inside, she knew it was coming. Because Zara was going to follow Londyn regardless of having a Mate or not. She was so closely bonded to Londyn that they were unlikely to ever be separated. Kind of like twins even before the four of them became sisters by blood.

As for her and Ocean, that was still an unknown to her. It could well come down to a fight between herself and Slade. Or China verses Hail over their daughter. She’d been able to bring him down occasionally but not often, and neither she nor China knew if they would be able to do that anymore.

They’d not laid eyes on him to see how much bigger and stronger he was now, than he had been before. Her build was much the same, but his could be a lot different.

“That’s good, I suppose.” Ana nodded and stood up. “If you change your mind, we can go out.”

Ocean nodded her head simply, but stayed focused on her game. It was going to be a long day with her sullen child. Though she understood her mood to a certain degree. She couldn’t understand it fully. because she was not Ocean.

Her daughter had to be confused about her own father, and why he wasn’t around. All she’d ever been told was that Ana had left the pack and not told him about being pregnant. She’d never said a bad word about him, to try and see her daughter hate him, it wasn’t who she was. And doing that would likely just mean she was just like those that had birthed her, pushing their own agenda without a care as to how it would make the child feel.

Ocean had only ever asked her once why she’d not told him about her. Ana’s answer had been simple and 50% true. He had found his Mate, and she didn’t want to ruin that. It had been the original reason she’d not told him. But not the actual reason, in the end; that she didn’t think Slade or anyone else inside that pack hierarchy deserved to know about her daughter.

She’d kept that part to herself, though Maddie had stated he wasn’t marked or mated, and she’d not picked up anyone else’s venom in him. So, he could explain that to Ocean himself because she didn’t know the answer to it.

It was likely that Ocean had a million questions for the man, that was her father, and knew nothing of her existence in this world. She could well be angry at him, deep down inside, for not knowing about her.

Though if she was, she hid it well. She was a happy, bright and bubbly little girl normally, unlike what Ana was seeing right now. This was a rare thing. Part of her Alpha genes on display, she supposed, just like Londyn had stated.

Slade could well find himself, face to face with an angry child, that wanted nothing to do with him, especially if he told her he wanted to take her home, and not her mother. She’d already voiced that out loud.

Ana could only wait and see what would happen. It was lunchtime when Ocean finally came out of that room and stated she was hungry. Asked if they could go to the café to eat. Ana just nodded at her.

She did not tell her little girl that those four men ate at the café every day, it could put her off wanting to go there. It was Ana that had the issue, and she had to leave this house at some point.

It was a quiet drive, and she parked where she always did, and they walked to the café. She came to a stand still at the sight of Yuri walking past the end of the laneway carrying take-out bags.

Ana took a breath in, and felt Ocean’s hand in hers, likely she to picked up on that man being a wolf. She, as an alpha-blooded child had always known when there was one or more around. She walked calmly onwards after just a moment, knew that he wouldn’t scent her or Ocean, not with their necklaces on.

She watched as Ocean turned and looked down the street to where he was heading, watched him for half a minute before they walked round the corner and to the café themselves.

All three of her sisters looked surprised to see her, had likely been focused on Yuri and so her arrival had been missed by them. She’d not told them she was coming into town. “Ocean wanted to have lunch here.” she stated at their questioning looks.