Not just the Beta (Oriana and Slade) novel Chapter 164

Slade

He sat on the chair in his hotel room. He’d pulled both Vance and Palmer to him, Yuri was still out hunting Londyn, something he wasn’t overly happy about, but he couldn’t really do anything about at the same time.

Zara had pretty much confirmed Londyn knew Yuri was her Mate. He didn’t really like it, he didn’t know the girl. If Palmer hadn’t already suspected it, he’d say it was coercion and haul Yuri away from that girl. Was going to trust in his Gamma’s ability to read things correctly and Zara’s words.

He also didn’t think that Ana would approve of one of her sisters doing that, because it would bring him right to her if she wasn’t ready to deal with him. Londyn being Alpha-blooded, Zara was right, if she was Yuri’s Mate, getting between her and Yuri would start a fight in all likelihood.

They all understood that, so leaving it alone was all they could do, but now Vance also knew about Londyn, having scented Yuri out, that night he’d seen Ana on the full moon. “No one is to say anything to Yuri, not even elude to it.” He stated to both of them. Palmer already knew this, it was more for Vance to know what he expected from him. Because he and Yuri did like to torment each other a lot, and he didn’t want Vance to say anything by accident.

“I’m not certain that I like the idea of Ocean being in charge.” He sighed as he looked at them.

“That is not up to us, Slade.” Vance stated. “I dare say Londyn, even though she is Alpha-blooded, doesn’t want to be in charge.”

“I don’t think that’s it,” Palmer commented. “Zara stated she didn’t grow up in a pack. She didn’t even know what she was until the day she got her wolf. So at what? 16. She had no knowledge of our Kind at all,” he sighed.

“Likely bloody terrified her that day and her first shift.” Slade muttered and shook his head. “Inexplicable and filled with pain,”

“How do you suppose that came about? No Alpha would just give up their offspring,” Vance murmured.

“Likely he didn’t even know about her.” Slade stated. “Got about with anything that was willing, got some human girl pregnant unwittingly and moved on in his life before she found out, never saw her again.” He sighed. “Likely happens a lot.”

“Hey, I use protection with everyone. I’m actually very responsible despite my getting about with women of all kinds.”

“That wasn’t a dig at you, Vance, just thinking out loud,” he stated. “If that’s how you think about yourself, perhaps you should rein it in a bit.” He sighed at the annoyed look he got. “Don’t take offence each to their own, and I was once just like that myself.”

Vance nodded, “My days like that are over anyway. I’m not interested in any girl other than Zara.”

“We’ve noticed,” Palmer chuckled, “you’ve not had sex once since laying eyes on that young lady.”

Slade knew what Palmer was doing, trying to lighten the mood, and it worked because Vance leaned back in his chair and smiled, “She is a lovely young lady, isn’t she. Sweet and gentle, always polite and smiling, is happy all the time.”

“They all are,” Palmer nodded. “On that note, it’s likely so is Ana and Ocean on any normal given day. We’ve just interrupted the harmony of the group, so to speak.”

“Ocean still doesn’t want anything to do with me.” Slade sighed. “Our kin bond is intact but…”

“Just leave her,” Palmer interrupted him, “smile at her and be friendly. She’s only met you once before, and she’s worried, scared is all, that you’ll try and take her away from her mother. It’s likely they’ve discussed that. Not knowing why you are here, and an Alpha connecting a kin bond to his unknown child of rogue status, they have brought Ocean up with the rules of our world.”

Slade sighed heavily, “So she thinks I have all the power and she and her mother have none. Therefore, I can claim and take my child to be initiated into my own pack regardless of what she or her mother wants.”

“Yes, but Ocean is more than curious, Slade, about you and you should answer her questions. Those that she posed tonight were all related to her own fears, of how she would be treated by your family if you were mated.

“Those are real fears. She’s not wrong to have them. Most Lunas don’t like a threat to their own heirs when an illegitimate heir comes along. It’s just a natural fear of being harmed by another.”

“Mm, it’s not that surprising,” Vance agreed, “With how Ocean was likely raised. They are raising her as wolves. She had the knowledge of wolfen children, inside of a pack. She also thought you were mated. It’s likely Ana told her that’s why she left, to protect her.”

“Mm, I agree with that because I don’t get animosity from Ocean where you are concerned, Slade. Ana has not said anything to her about you that is bad at all. Stating she left due to you having a Goddess-Gifted Mate, is a valid reason for her to leave as well.” Palmer nodded.

“That is also completely on me,” he muttered, “but I’ve cleared that up, hopefully.”

“It was a good enough explanation for a young child and allowed Ana to hear it at the same time.” Palmer nodded. “She was confused about you not being mated as much as Ocean was. So, one thing cleared up and on the first dinner. It’s a good sign things are moving in the right direction.”

His phone rang, and he checked the caller ID; Darilah. She’d called with updates every day since getting back to the pack, though he did hope she’d gone off and spent time with Art, like he’d told her too.

“Hi Dariah. How are you doing?” he answered the phone. “We’re all here bar Yuri, and I’ve got you on loudspeaker.” He informed her that way, if there was something personal, she didn’t want to share with everyone she knew not to state it.

“Alright, some things happened today and Alpha Austin has a question for you. Asked me to call and ask you on his behalf.”

“Go ahead.”

“Did you Alpha Order Hayden not to talk?” she asked.

“No, and I hear he was very vocal for those first few months, yelled and screamed about being let out. Why?” he asked.

“I had to take Austin and Gretta out there to see him today. He didn’t say anything, just looked at each of us, turned away even, when Austin spoke to him.”

“Likely she’s too young in their eyes.” He nodded.

“She’s 21, the same age as Clay. He likes her, they met at Alpha College, as far as I’m aware. He asked father some weird questions about pack funds and other packs donating money to him. I didn’t understand that.” She murmured.

He looked at Palmer, who shrugged and shook his head. “Neither do we,” he admitted.

“It is starting to get real weird around here Slade. I don’t think that scroll is the only thing they’re investigating anymore. I think something else has been dug up in this investigation, and now it’s much bigger than what even you reported.”

Slade sighed, “Only Roman knows what he got up to. It’s likely I wasn’t the only one he tried to coerce.”

“I don’t think so either, not from all I’m seeing and hearing… how’d dinner go?” she asked, the reason he thought she’d actually called him tonight.

“Better than expected, but still not there yet. It will take time, I think. I’d like a heads-up on if the council are going to call us back. We need to be here for the full moon.”

“Oh, so who scented who out?” she asked right away.

“No one in my unit scented anyone, but Palmer can’t charm Ana’s oldest sister, Maddie. Vance is… fiercely attracted to her other sister, Zara, and well.” he sighed. “Yuri is currently out in the woods playing with Londyn, Ana’s youngest sister.”

“So connections are being made around you and her then.” She murmured thoughtfully. “That’s probably a good thing, just let it play out as Selena sees fit.”

“I intend to. Did you go and spend time with Art?” he changed the subject, seeing as she was not going to bring it up.

“No, I just think I should leave it alone. I’m trying to let him go. I know he has a Mate out there somewhere, and I want that for him, to be happy.”

He held in the sigh that was trying to escape him. He did understand her, also knew that Dariah had become like him, celibate. She wouldn’t touch another unless they were Goddess-Gifted to each other.

His sister was singularly devoted to her studies, as much as he was his hunt for Oriana. They were kind of the same, he thought, in so very many ways. Just for different reasons.