Not just the Beta (Oriana and Slade) novel Chapter 72

Slade

He was in his suite with Palmer and Yuri, he’d just told them what he’d done, and both of them were now sitting staring at him. “I’d not even thought about it like that.” Yuri muttered.

“But it’s right, Palmer nodded, “if that’s their reasoning for everything they did. Then, yes, they now have to look at all punishments to be dished out from that very perspective.”

Slade just nodded “He’s likely to spend a fair amount of time on the shaming post, and in the cells, and he’ll get lashed as well.”

“Who gets to lash him?” Yuri asked, sounding more than curious.

“I will for the attack on her in the gym. She was pregnant at the time, not that anyone knew, likely not even Ori.”

“She didn’t know!” Palmer stated. “Not then, there is no way she would fight like she did that day if she knew she was. They were really going at it; I’d never seen her take to Hayden like that before.”

“When do you think she actually knew?” he asked of them now, they’d both been here with her.

“I don’t know.” Palmer shook his head. “Likely when she holed up in her room.”

“Or started lashing out,” Yuri commShe would have known in that instant, of finding out she was pregnant. She was getting passed over for being irresponsible.”

“Likely so.” Slade could only nod as he sipped the coffee in his hand.

“It’s an interesting turn of events.” Palmer stated “How do you think they’ll deal with it?”

“Unknown, though I doubt it’ll be public knowledge, likely to get lashed privately in the cells. Away from prying eyes. The shaming post is unavoidable. So again, who knows? I’ve left it up to them to come up with the lie about why he’s getting punished, seeing as everything happened based on a lie to me. I’m not going to lie, that’s their thing,” he muttered.

“So, you’re actually going to take Hayden as your future Beta, train him after his punishment is served.”

“Yes.” Slade nodded “I want that boy right next to me, where I can keep an eye on him, completely unaware of when I’m about to remove him as the future Beta.”

Slade saw relief on both of their faces with those words, “I will be, with your help. Attending Mating Balls as per father’s wishes, to let you two find your Mates. Only that is going to be a front for me to find a new Beta. One I want, one the two of you approve of as well.”

“One that is loyal to us and not the current Beta,” Yuri nodded.

“Exactly. So, boys, we will be model pack members for however long it takes for us to choose a new Beta. We’ll train Hayden,” he sighed “Play nice and start letting him hang out with us, make it look like we are bonding as a unit as father wishes.”

“This is the plan you’ve been working on?” Palmer leaned back in his chair.

“Yes, I’ve been thinking about it for quite a while, I’ve had a whole year away from the pack to think about it, I’ve gotten a few thoughts on who we should approach for this as well.”

“Allied or un-allied, but known to us, I’m guessing?” Yuri asked.

“Allied, but a 3rd or 4th heir, one our age, and not likely to ascend up the line. One that might like it deep down but understands their place and isn’t deceptive in trying to get that to come about. Is just doing what most siblings do, training for the elite status.”

“Have you got a list?”

“Mm.” he nodded “half a dozen candidates, though we’ll need a legitimate reason to go to those packs. Mother controls what Mating Balls we attend, I can’t pressure her into the packs I need to go to. She’ll want to know why. So it’s kind of a slow process, going out there to get what we want.”

“Slow and steady wins the race,” Palmer nodded.

“But first, Hayden’s punishment, for all the years he gave Ori a hard time. Show the current unit, I mean what I said. That I didn’t lie to them.” He told them.

“Yes,” Slade nodded himself “All I ask of you two is to stand your ground, when the day comes. As will my new Beta have to. Till then, you’ll have to fall inline with the training of Hayden as well.”

“What are you expecting, fallout wise?” Yuri a little.

“Threats of de-ranking, all of us. You’ve both got younger siblings, who hang out with Hayden. I think father is already considering it to be honest. Bringing Clay up to the position of heir. Dariah won’t accept Hayden as her Beta, any more than I will. Clay, however, is only 15 and still mouldable in father’s eyes.”

“Having an older unit by a few years is not that big a deal, just means they’ve got experience behind them before Clay takes over.” Palmer sighed.

“So we should be looking for and listening to our family’s about ascension talk.” Yuri sighed to himself.

“No, watch the training ground. They won’t speak out loud about it, that would chance one of us over hearing it. The sudden change of training though, they can’t hide that. It’ll have to be increased for all of them.”

“So we’re sitting back, watching and waiting.” Palmer stated simply.

“Yes, it’ll be done subtly, so they can blindside all three of us, like they did Ori. If that is father’s plan…” he sighed “They are not fit to rule a pack as far as I can see, are still all stronger than us. Challenging them for leadership is out of the question at this time. I also told father I would be going out to look for Ori myself. Which means he now knows I’ll be out of the pack, and that will give him time to set it up. But don’t concern yourselves with that, Lindal will keep an eye on things inside the pack, as will, I hear, Art. I’ve also got my own strategies to play with that man, and an ace up my sleeve.”

“That scroll.” They both stated.

“Yes,” Slade nodded, “I’ll out that one if necessary, and with that he can’t do anything at all. But I’ll only use it if I have to.”

“Keep it unknown for as long

as po Yuri stated, “That’s the best course of action.”

“Exactly. They are going to question you both about me as well, over the coming months. How I am with Hayden if you think I’m being genuine, training him, accepting of him as well. I suggest you state, ‘Begrudgingly so’ at first and tone it down to ‘I think so.’ and eventually ‘yes he is.’ use whatever words you like, just make it plausible to their ears. Nothing over the top, slow and steady is how we win this, to turn the pack leadership back to how it is meant to be.” He told them and got a nod from both of them.