Not just the Beta (Oriana and Slade) novel Chapter 178

Slade

He’d been surprised when Sloan had introduced herself. They’d seen her on many occasions over the years. She travelled as much as they did, was, he knew, a tracker and retrieval expert for the Wolfen Council.

She was dressed nicely in navy blue, a long linen dress and was wearing a council pin. This trip was official business for her, though hearing Ocean yell ‘Aunty Sloan.’ had shocked him quite a bit, and he’d seen the way she’d run right over there to hug the woman. The way Sloan had smiled down at Ocean and returned the hug.

They all knew each other. She was Alpha Austin’s Mate and a Kitsune, though she always just smelled human to him on their travels. They’d known she wasn’t, simply because she travelled on Wolf Airlines, and that was not for human travel otherworldly only.

He’d stopped and shaken her hand as Ocean and the girls all headed up the stairs onto the plane. “Nice to see you again.” He nodded.

“I see you found what you were looking for all those years.” Sloan smiled at him. “A pity I didn’t know who you were looking for, I could have sped this reunion up by almost 2 years.”

He’d sighed, “You’re their Alpha.”

“No, but it’s my land they live on.” she nodded. “Grants them a good bit of protection.”

He nodded “We didn’t know what to make of it, witch is what we thought.”

She chuckled “Never set foot on fox territory then I see.”

“No,” he shook his head.

“They are all good girls, and little Ocean is full of cheekiness. I like them a lot.” Sloan smiled at him. Please remember, they are under my direct care, I may not be their Alpha, so to speak, but they are considered part of Willow Moon.” She waved a hand at the plane’s logo. “That’s my sister’s pack, we’re twins, just so you know.”

He understood that meant duel reigning of Willow Moon. He followed her up onto the plane a moment later, and even he blinked at the inside of the plane. “Now this is the way to travel.” Yuri murmured as he too looked at the luxuriousness of it.

“My sister’s private plane. We’re 500 years old and have more money than we know what to do with. She never travels publicly and always takes her own plane.”

He understood the seating arrangement Austin had detailed out, wasn’t just to have a Kitsune right there to deter anything untoward happening, but likely also to let him bond with Ocean, and try to reconnect with Ana herself.

He didn’t object, wanted to sit with his daughter and with Ana it might see her actually open up a little and talk to him. Perhaps they could start to repair their broken friendship.

He watched Ocean run about all over the place. She was a little ball of excitement to be on the plane, climbing on everything and talking with Londyn and Zara all excitedly down the other end. This was his daughter in her natural state, happy and bubbly, he realised. Not the distant and surly child he’d seen and met previously, things had changed, and for the better, she was comfortable here right this minute with him and his unit.

Though whether that was because Sloan was right there and gave her a sense of security or if she actually did understand he wasn’t going to take her away from her mother and aunts, he was yet to know. He was hoping it was the latter.

Ana was sitting quietly, still reserved around him, but sat across from him as directed by Sloan. He was happy to get the USB from her, and knew what was going to be on it. Thanked both her and Maddie for doing this for him. It wasn’t something he’d expected to ever get.

He got to watch Ocean as a little baby, with both Ana and China on the surface, hear China purr for Ocean and see it settle her down and to sleep. His heart ached because he’d not gotten to do that himself, and he felt from his wolf, that Hail too would have liked to have done that. Settle their pup off to sleep just like China had.

But he also knew now from Austin’s words it was probably better that Oriana had run away, fled from the pack’s leadership, and knew that if she had stayed her life inside, that pack would have been worse.

Ocean was sitting next to him after a little while, and he smiled down at her, really wanted to hug the girl and pick her up but thought he might be pushing it. But he loved watching her become animated after just two videos had played, as she pointed and laughed at herself in the video or Ana or Maddie as they smiled and laughed in that footage themselves.

A very happy family they’d been, then she was just trying to hide herself from him, covering the screen and then, to his surprise his own eyes, put her hands right on him and covered his eye, was actively interacting with him of her own accord. And his heart was filled with joy.

He could feel Hail inside his mind swishing his tail back and forth, also happy to have his pup play with them like this. He’d been watching her from behind Slade’s eyes, then she was just gone, running away yelling ‘noo. Not wanting him to see something. It was adorable, and now he just had to know what it was she was hiding from him.

He was up on pure instinct to go after her, wanted to play with her, and it wasn’t just him but Zara and Londyn, all feigning trying to catch her and letting her get away from them, she was squealing and laughing playing with her aunts and himself, dodging out of the way and clutching that tablet to her chest’ you no see it.’ she was telling him.

She got passed him and Maddie had her snagged her around the waist and picked up a squiring and wriggling Ocean “You’re mine now, munchkin.” Maddie laughed and tickled her until she let go of the tablet and gave up.

It was a good bit of fun and Maddie set those videos up to run on the TV instead of the tablet, and he sat down on the lounge as did his unit to watch them and found Ocean pouting up at him “I don’t fit.” She pouted at him.

He held out his hands to her in the hope she’d come and sit on his lap. She did understand who he was and felt their kin bond, but she just stood there and stared at him, to soon, he thought, and Vance slipped off the lounge and sank down on the floor “take my seat kiddo.” He told her, and she did, climbed right up

on the lounge and sat next to him. Vance chuckled, “You own me one kiddo.”

Ocean giggled and poked her tongue out at him. “I outrank you, so no I don’t.”

He looked at Austin. “Thank you for the assist. Talking to Ana,” He stated.

“Just doing my job and looking out for the girls.” He stepped aside. “If you’ll excuse me, I’ve not seen my lovely Mate in a week.”

“Found your missing Beta, I see.” Gretta smiled at him, “and got yourself a pretty daughter to.”

He nodded as he turned and looked at Ana and Ocean. “I’ll introduce you.”

“I’ve already spoken to Ana,” she told him, shocking him a little. “Go put your things in the car we’ll be leaving in a few short minutes.”

“Gretta?”

“The seers arrived last night, things are really moving along now,” she stated.

They were all split up into three cars for the drive to the pack. Austin and Sloan with Ana and Ocean. Maddie, Londyn, Palmer and Yuri, and then Gretta, himself, Vance and Zara. Four to a car. He looked at Ana and Ocean in that other vehicle. “Gretta, Ana might need a Gamma today.”

“Sloan is an Alpha/Luna Kitsune, has a Luna’s calm. It’s a bit different to Wolfen Luna’s more like a Gamma’s ability. Don’t concern yourself.” She told him. “She’s in that car for a reason.”

He sighed, just knew what it was. “In case she freaks out and tries to bolt,” he muttered.

“Yes, nothing will get away from Austin. He also knows her and Ocean. They trust him from my understanding. I also believe he wants to be there when Ocean hits pack territory for the first time. Young rogues don’t always do so well when suddenly surrounded by a pack of unknown wolves. Can be hard to handle.”

“What do you mean by that?” Zara asked.

“Rogues that have never been inside a pack tend to be overwhelmed, and can suddenly be aggressive, especially those of alpha-blood, can feel threatened by the sudden influx of wolves.”

“Um, you might have a bigger problem than Ocean then. Londyn is Alpha-blooded and has never been inside a pack before,” Zara murmured.

“Adults generally handle it differently. Don’t concern yourself with that, she’s also in a car with a Gamma, he’ll kick in to Gamma mode if he feels it’s necessary.”