Not just the Beta (Oriana and Slade) novel Chapter 155

Alpha Austin

He was unimpressed by all that he was seeing and hearing within this pack. From an outsider’s perspective, this place was perfect, its pack businesses were all doing well, and the pack members, from what he could see, were actually happy. But there was something very rotten at the heart of the pack.

He had stared Clay, the third heir to the pack down yesterday. That boy believed he had more rights to this pack than both his older siblings did, even though the pack laws stated it was the firstborn that was the heir. This young man, Austin believed, thought he was going to get the pack.

Though it had been Leah that had pulled them all into a meeting, after they’d instated Dariah as the acting Alpha to the pack, and she’d given them access to everything without question. She saw no issue with them being there, though Clay was clearly unhappy about it.

Leah had sighed heavily as she’d looked at all of them, “There is more going on here than what a young

Slade knew or reported.”

“What do you mean?” Hailey had asked before he could.

“I have access to the pack funding now, was just checking that Roman was paying his wolfen taxes correctly, as we always do. I found something not seen in a long time. Two-thirds of his allied packs are all giving this pack money every month, and it’s not what I would call a small amount either. It also all comes in on the first Monday of every month.

“The amount?” Austin frowned now, there were ways to avoid paying wolfen taxes and, legitimately, at that. It was done by simply accepting funds from other packs for non-business transactions.

Though it usually was reported as a donation to the pack, and though it was worded that way, and seen that way in the pack’s books on both ends, it was rarely ever an actual donation; unless it was a one-off thing.

It was more likely to be extortion of some sort, organised through a mating alliance, where ranked pack members’ daughters were mated off into other packs, depending on the bloodline as to how much they could ask for. A monetary sum was to be paid to the pack every month for however long that ranked member was mated into that pack for. Most were not Goddess-Gifted but Chosen Mates.

That was now itching his brain. They’d wanted to mate Slade off, have him take a chosen Mate or that’s what they’d told him. He’d not leave the pack unless his Mate had no brothers, and they needed an Alpha Male mated into their pack. Now something like that would create a lot of revenue. It could well see millions in the selling off of one’s firstborn son to be the Alpha of another pack…

Oh, he really didn’t like this place. If that was what had been going to happen, then Clay claiming he was the next inline was likely just that, which meant Dariah was also likely to be in line to be mated off and out of the pack for a hefty sum at some point.

He thought about that, Dariah herself; she was in training to become a doctor and only had two years of her degree to go, add that to the price of her being Alpha-blooded as well as how very pretty she was. She could well be worth more than Slade herself. The girl was also hardly ever here.

Maybe she knew or there was something else going on with her. He would have to watch her for a few days, perhaps sit down and talk to her about this; get her thoughts on the matter.

“The price varies from pack to pack, Austin.” Leah told him, “But I’m now curious, as I’m sure you are right at this minute. I can see your brain is ticking. As to how many from this pack are mated off into those packs.”

He nodded, as did many others in this room, because they were all now thinking the same thing. This pack was selling off their she-wolves. The question was how did they do it? Did the she-wolf go willingly or was her hand forced?

“This investigation just took a new turn,” Katelyn muttered. “Cameron and I will look into the mating alliance deals of those packs if we can find them. Leah, you stay on the pack funds and see what else crops up.”

“Alright,” Leah nodded. “But look for already pre-arranged mating alliances as well. While you’re at it, I’m certain there will be some.”

“Yes,” Austin agreed. “Go through all the ranked members, both male and female.”

“Include Slade and Dariah in that.” Hailey muttered. “Clay is of the opinion this is going to be his pack, and that with them trying to get Slade to take a Chosen, it’s possible he is one to be sold off.”

“Check Oriana’s records as well please,” Gretta stated. “Slade was told they wanted him to take a Chosen, but then told him they believed she was his Goddess-Gifted. Maybe this was all done to drive her away, if she was his Goddess-Gifted.

“And they have pre-arranged deals for both those children… And if they were Goddess-Gifted, that would screw everything up. There is no way I see Slade giving her up, and her being pregnant to her Goddess-Gifted. She’d not reject him, no way in hell, not when it’s reported now from Dariah, that Ori trusted him completely until the day they screwed her over.”

Austin shook his head. This pack was rotten to the core, it seemed, but it was likely only a very few knew about it. Probably only the Alpha and Luna and their most trusted. Maybe Clay, at this moment, he would have to watch that boy.

“We will check them first, though likely their files are sealed and locked away in the pack archives, out of sight for many.” Katelyn sighed. “We’ll check those files first.”

They all walked from that war room unhappy about the thoughts of just what was going on in this very pack. Dariah was standing out there waiting on them, and he smiled gently at her. “What’s up?” he asked.

They stood and waited for the now former leadership of this pack. They would never retake it, weren’t worthy of it in the council’s eyes if what they were thinking was the truth of the matter.

He stood and watched as those elders themselves put their own children or kin on the shaming post, snapping them into the shackles as a way of showing their own displeasure. Whatever was going on inside this pack had nothing to do with the elders at all, that much they were all certain of.

There was a lot of anger coming from the pack elders right this very minute, and none of them were even attempting to hide it. He saw the entire pack form up, knew one of them, Alpha-blooded elders or perhaps

Dariah herself, had called them all here via a pack-wide mind-link.

He smiled when their elected leader, Ember Vale, stood there and announced everything that was in that scroll to the entire pack. That it had been Slade who had reported the actual crimes, and was looking to have things set right and punishment dealt out to those involved.

He’d seen that Ember, had stalked her way out here with a cat of five tails in her hand, a tool used to punish traitors; likely that was exactly how she saw them now. After her announcement, she lashed

Anders, the pack Beta, without hesitation; seven full lashes with the full force of her pure beta bloodline behind her. She didn’t even say a single word beforehand to tell him why.

Then she just held it out to be taken away, and it was collected from her as she stood glaring down at that man, who was still gasping in agony. She’d ripped flesh clean off his bones and those wounds were going to scar and deform him and his beast for the rest of his natural life; if he survived, that was.

Those cuffs they were wearing didn’t disconnect them from their wolves, just stopped them from using their wolfen strength was all. His wolf had felt every single hit and though he was going to be able to heal his human, it would take twice as long as normal due to those cuffs.

Finally, she said, “One lash for every year Oriana has been gone from this pack,” she stated, and then just turned and stalked away, muttering “Lash you your own kin at will.”

She’d not taken to any of the leadership out here, other than the one she was related to; curiously, she’d not punished Ana’s mother either, hadn’t even looked at that she-wolf. Likely, he thought, that was still to come, but it would probably wait until Ana was back inside this pack. He knew fury when he saw it, and it was still building in that elder.

No one else lashed their kin. They all just turned and walked away, followed Ember back into the packhouse. That was also a curiosity to him. Even the Alpha’s own kin trailed that woman, one the same age and one older than her. They respected her completely.