Not just the Beta (Oriana and Slade) novel Chapter 211

Ana

The next week and a half had seen Londyn go into heat and stay inside Yuri’s suite for the duration. Ocean had had many questions and she and her sisters sat and answered them, explained things properly because Ocean had not liked knowing her aunt was here but couldn’t see her when she wanted to. Missed Londyn, and the more the days had moved on the more anxious Ocean had gotten. Londyn’s heat had lasted six days.

They’d seen Londyn emerge from her heat and the girl was practically glowing. She had always enjoyed sex, and had just gotten to have it every few hours for six days solid, with all the goddess given tingly goodness of a mate bond, Londyn had sank down on their couch in their suite, when it was over and smiled, mind-linked to them about it being six fun filled days of hard core sex, and she’d loved every second of it.

She had been more than happy about it and stated she couldn’t wait until it happened again, though in the next breath she had pouted “Yuri said once every six to twelve months,” which had made everyone in the room laugh.

Ana found that after her sisters meeting her former social group, Zara had settled quite a bit, and though she was still always open to feeling what others felt, she had relaxed a bit, and settled within the pack. She reported that the pack members were happy and that now that they were all back to work there were less of them around during the day. That also made her more comfortable.

Maddie was actually okay because it was the only leadership of a pack that bothered her, and they were Slade and his unit, and she wasn’t afraid of them, so she felt comfortable. And Slade naming the pack after her and his reasoning’s, Maddie had actually really loved it. She had been more than shocked about it, but also very proud at the same time, she did like to think of herself as the head of the family, because she was the oldest at 27.

She’d brought it up several times and smiled a little bit more each time, and they’d not lived inside that suite day in day out, spent a fair bit of time hanging out with Lindal and some of her former social group, when they weren’t at work.

They sat around in the café in the lobby, though there were many calls for Maddie; back to her café and Zara had dealt with any issues with the Gallery while Londyn had been in heat. Slade had sat her down and told her the comment from Bronnie, that she had actually named her after Orlando, that Bronnie and Ember had done it in secret. She’d not lied about that.

He had handed her a copy of part of Bronnie’s scroll, not the entire thing, because he knew she didn’t want to read about it, but he gave her what he thought was important for her to read. He still didn’t condone what Bronnie had done, but thought it might be nice for her to know some of the things she’d tried to do; where Orlando and Ember were concerned.

She thought this was likely why Ember had never actually punished her, like she had Anders, and Slade had agreed. Like Ana, who kind of understood, Ember had too. She, too, had no knowledge of all that had gone on, and been coerced just like the Gamma and Delta families.

She’d learned that Anders had known before that, before Ori was born, but while Bronnie had been pregnant with her, his anger over what had happened, had helped him come around; after only at few minutes of thought. Because he’d found a way to get rid of her through it, he had stated that if they put that child Bronnie was having on that list he’d agree. But it can’t go on paper. A verbal agreement only.

Bronnie had not had any knowledge of Ana being on that list until she was almost 16 and the Luna had told her it was time to take her and Slade down to get them moonstone jewellery. Bronnie hadn’t liked it and tried to refuse, saying the deal struck was to protect her children. Which she had been told ‘Yes, your children with Anders, not anyone else’. She’d been unable to avoid it because she’d been involved for so very long, though she had thought both Ana and Hayden were exempt from their dealings.

Seems the woman did have a heart after all, but not enough to take her children and leave to protect them. She was already too far down the rabbit hole, and leaving would only see her and her children hunted down by that dark witch coven and killed. It was part of the threat used to control them. She’d just sighed after reading it all.

She didn’t think Hayden would get the same punishment as the others. From what she’d learned, he was just an entitled shit who had known she wasn’t Anders and, therefore, he believed he was actually the rightful heir to the Beta line. She had looked at Slade and he shook his head. “I don’t know what you’ll do with this. I just thought you’d want to know she wasn’t all bad. Did love you and didn’t want your actual father to die. You’re his namesake.”

She’d nodded “Thank you. I guess it’s nice to know.” She’d kind of shrugged, but it was too little too late and she knew it. She had no kin bond and didn’t feel anything towards that woman at all.

She’d seen the council leave three days after The Kings Eyes had removed those traitors, though Austin, Sloan and Gretta had all stayed inside the pack. She’d seen Gretta looking out at the woods at one point and asked what was wrong?

“Nothing,” she’d smiled. “I see a guest is here, is all,

Ana had looked herself and hadn’t seen anything. “Who?” she’d asked in return.

“They’ll reveal themselves at the right time.” Was al she’d stated and then headed off into the woods herself after telling her to stay here. “I guess the separation has finally happened.” Was all she’d stated before walking away.

Cryptic words if ever there were any, though it hadn’t been the only odd thing she’d seen either.

Maddie herself had laughed at one point while they’d all just been sitting around out the back the packhouse watching the children play with Ocean and Sloan and Austins’ triplets who had been brought out here by their Aunt Juliana.

“I don’t know.” She’d frowned at him. “Never really thought about anything like that.”

“Will you think about it and get back to me?” he’d asked.

“I could take a wander.” She nodded “But are you looking to clear land? Or just put it on already cleared land?”

“I don’t know, Garrett said it doesn’t really matter, they’ll come in and clear land if it needs it, part of the build.”

“Then put it wherever you want.” she told him.

“I don’t really know where I want it.” Slade sighed “That is the problem.”

“Well, you’ve got time to think about it, haven’t you? she’d asked right back.

“Mm,” he nodded, “At least a year.”

“Then don’t rush the decision, just wait, you’ll likely find the right spot, or you could put it to your pack members and let them all come up with where they want it to go, and then the packhouse goes where the majority of your pack think it should go, give everyone a say. She’d smiled at him.

“That’s a good idea,” he’d smiled at her. “Involve everyone in the planning of the future growth of the pack.”