Not just the Beta (Oriana and Slade) novel Chapter 163

Ana

Did it really surprise her to see Zara come home by herself? ‘No’ was the answer. Londyn had gotten all dressed up for dinner, in one of her favourite dresses, had done her hair and make-up.”

She was out to try and attract her own Mate to her, to see if he was interested in her without the Mate Bond she supposed, and although she didn’t think Londyn would have attached herself to Yuri at all, if she’d not scented him out. She wasn’t going to tell Londyn that, it might upset her to know it was only the mate bond that drew her to him.

Londyn’s type was more rough around the edges, had a bit more of a leather-clad biker look, and they certainly didn’t dress like Yuri did. All neat and proper, Londyn liked her man covered in tattoos and piercings. Yuri, on the other hand, was very clean-cut. He always had been, he was very different to the boyfriends Londyn normally dated.

Though she didn’t think Londyn had even thought about that at all. “You did remind Londyn,” Ana asked

Zara as she came through the front door alone.

“Of course I did.” Zara nodded. “I don’t think she cares right this very minute. She managed to get Yuri to

chase her off into the woods.”

Both she and Maddie sighed now. “That is not likely to be a good idea,” Maddie murmured.

“I spoke to Palmer, he suspected Londyn knew Yuri was her Mate, and I confirmed it. He’s now aware of the situation, but none of them have told Yuri as far as I can tell. They are waiting for the full moon. But Slade mind-linked to Yuri about something, maybe a warning.” Zara shrugged. “I did tell them she was Alpha-blooded, not much more I can do about it. He is her Mate, and I was not going to try and get between her and what is actually hers. No one should. Could well set off both Londyn and Apple into an Alpha fury over it.”

Ana knew she was right, getting between an Alpha and their Mate was a deadly game, especially if they were unclaimed. Everyone just had to leave it alone and prey Londyn stayed in control.

“What’s that?” Zara asked, looking at the file on the coffee table.

“Slade handed it over, wants me to read it.” Ana shrugged.

“Are you going to?” Zara asked. “Because he was honest with you all night, I didn’t detect a single lie. He was very nervous though, and happy to have you sit down with him. Is concerned you won’t listen to him, and he really does want that,” Zara stated.

“I’m not particularly interested in reading about that place, Zara.” She stared at the file herself, didn’t know what was in it and didn’t know if she wanted to know what was in it. It could well be filled with lies, for all she knew, in an effort to sway her into taking Ocean back there to that place.

“Don’t think like that, because that will not help you and I didn’t feel anything like that, he just wants to explain and…” she watched Zara think about it for a moment, “show you more was going on than any of them knew at the time.”

“Not…”

“Ana, what harm can it do to read it?” Maddie murmured from her chair over in the lab. She’d gotten an sss at the restaurant and had wanted to come home to deal with it. Though had yet to relay what it was.

“None, I suppose.” She sighed. “But it’s late, and I’m not going to do it now. It might well keep me awake all night. I don’t need that I’m not sleeping well as is. Who emailed you?” she changed the subject.

“Austin,” Maddie stated, “You’re not going to like it, but… he just informed me that there is a full council investigation going on inside your original home-pack. All 12 members of the council are there to investigate.”

“Why?” she asked curiously. That was not something one would see often.

“It’s likely to do with that very file Slade gave you,” Zara commented, and Ana frowned at her. He had said

Austin was there.

“Austin states it’s a full investigation of the leadership of the pack, regarding coercion and all the things that led up to you leaving are not what it seems.” Maddie sighed. “Austin is forewarning me, that you’ll be required to go there to the pack regarding the matter.”

“I’m not interested in going there.” Ana’s frown deepened.

“It’ll be a Wolfen Council mandate. If you refuse, Sloan will be sent to retrieve you and Ocean. He is suggesting to me that I inform you. So you can get used to the idea of going there. It states you’ll have no choice if you don’t go willingly, if Slade can’t bring you in.”

“If Slade can’t?” she questioned.

“Mm, Slade is the one that requested the investigation,” Maddie stated. “Come and read the sss yourself.”

She showered and got into bed, lay there and watched Ocean sleep, wondering how she herself was a victim? She did not understand that at all, no one had tried to convince her she had a Goddess-Gifted Mate, and she didn’t think anyone could either.

Only scenting out her Mate would convince her of that, and see her mated off. There was no way she’d let some random wolf bite her, it’s not who she was. No one had even asked her out on a date inside that pack. She sighed, it didn’t make any sense to her at all.

She got up later that night as she heard Londyn come in, walked down the hall to look at her, to see if she’d managed to keep control of herself.

“I didn’t mark him,” Londyn stated, though she smelled a lot like him.

“You slept with him?” Ana asked.

“Not perse no, played with him. He wouldn’t when I asked him too, he was worried about upsetting you, and Slade blaming him for it.”

Ana nodded, “Alright, but I don’t mean to get between you and Yuri, Londyn. I’m also glad that you got to spend time with him, just the two of you. That you contain you’re and Apple’s need to claim your mate. That must be very hard on you both.”

“It wasn’t really that hard,” she shrugged “I guess playing with him helped, and it was fun.” Londyn smiled at her.

She could only imagine that it was “Go and get some sleep, you’ll likely sleep well tonight.” Ana encouraged her.

“You’re still not sleeping?” Londyn asked her.

“I have more problems, is all.” Ana stated, and watched Londyn walk off down the hall. She was happy for her sister. It was likely she and Yuri would be just fine. If he was getting down and dirty with Londyn now, when he scented her out on the full moon, he would just bury his fangs into her, claiming her for himself, which she knew would make Londyn very happy. She smiled a little at the thought of Londyn, all loved up and happy.

She also noted that Londyn looked much better, just a few hours with her Mate and she was not so drained looking. That was also good. Ana made herself a cup of tea and sat on the couch and stared at that file. She wasn’t likely to get any sleep until she understood what Austin had mentioned in that sss.

Likely, she thought now, to be in conjunction with this file that Slade had complied and wanted her to read.

Whatever was in it wasn’t going to be a lie, not if all 12 of the Wolfen Council members were there to deal with it. She sighed heavily and reached out for the file to open it. Slade had told her it wasn’t what it seemed, Austin had just stated that as well. He went so far as to formally request Maddie’s help in getting her to go back to that pack, because he likely understood she was not going to want to.