Not just the Beta (Oriana and Slade) novel Chapter 81

Slade

He trained Hayden with his Alpha Unit, after the boy had healed up after his lashing, he’d only gotten one actual scar from his punishment. It was from his own father’s lashing as well, where that barb had gotten stuck in his lower rib cage and had to be yanked out. He had this pockmark of a scar on his back about the size of one of the barbs.

He was also never seen by Slade coming or going from that Beta Suite. He either got up early or caught up with them on the way to the training ground. And he turned in before Slade did or after he did, but that was due to that, after dinner every night, he headed off to the tech department to try and help locate Oriana. Not that they were having any luck on that. It was still at a standstill.

Slade frowned right at him. “Ori was an excellent Beta, there should be nothing bad about her, out there to hear,”

“I didn’t say the bad was about her.” His eyes moved to Hayden, “Ascension problems.” He nodded.

Slade’s eyes moved to Hayden now himself. The boy wasn’t even allowed to mention his sister’s

name within earshot of Slade. But that boy was frowning now as he sat at the table. His ascension also wasn’t to be spoken of. Even Slade had agreed not to bring it up anymore. To let it go. Though that was to placate his father and the current Alpha unit.

“I’m…” Hayden bit out.

“Stop.” Slade stated in a warning tone “If you can’t ignore it, turn in for the night.” He stated, and there was a hard edge to not only his voice but in his eyes.

Because despite everything, Hayden having gotten the position and Ori was gone, and the position was seen to be securely his. He still arced up over how he got it. Still believed he was entitled to be Slade’s Beta, and did not like other packs bringing Oriana up as his Beta.

Though the boy had gotten it all, he was still jealous. Jealous of no one, because she was nowhere to be found, with no intention of ever coming back, as far as he was concerned. Yet Hayden couldn’t let it go, it had been over a year and still he saw anger flash in that boy’s eyes over her name being connected with the word Beta.

Slade only ever saw it outside of their pack, never saw it inside it, and Slade understood this was because at home, he would punish him for it. But out here inside of another’s pack, he wouldn’t. Slade was the heir to the pack and displayed himself in a calm and collected manner at all times. Words of warning were all Hayden got while attending other packs. The boy knew this.

Slade was required to write up reports if he punished anyone, and document the reason why. He was also looking to keep that boy right next to him until such a time as he could blindside him, like Ori had been.

He watched now as Hayden got up and stalked away from the table, and Vance leaned back in that chair and raised an eyebrow. “You two don’t see eye to eye.”

“Not on everything.” Slade agreed.

“How’s your little sister Dariah?” Vance asked him now with a smile “Still a cutie? I’ve not seen her in a while.”

“I suppose she is, grown up quite a bit.” Slade nodded “Keep your hands off.”

Vance snorted “Might be a bit late for that warning.” And Slade frowned right at him only to have her. And some not so nice things.”

Slade frowned right at him. “Ori was an excellent Beta, there should be nothing bad about her, out there to hear,”

“I didn’t say the bad was about her.” His eyes moved to Hayden, “Ascension problems.” He nodded.

Slade’s eyes moved to Hayden now himself. The boy wasn’t even allowed to mention his sister’s name within earshot of Slade. But that boy was frowning now as he sat at the table. His ascension also wasn’t to be spoken of. Even Slade had agreed not to bring it up anymore. To let it go. Though that was to placate his father and the current Alpha unit.

“I’m…” Hayden bit out.

“Stop.” Slade stated in a warning tone “If you can’t ignore it, turn in for the night.” He stated, and there was a hard edge to not only his voice but in his eyes.

Because despite everything, Hayden having gotten the position and Ori was gone, and the position was seen to be securely his. He still arced up over how he got it. Still believed he was entitled to be Slade’s Beta, and did not like other packs bringing Oriana up as his Beta.

Though the boy had gotten it all, he was still jealous. Jealous of no one, because she was nowhere to be found, with no intention of ever coming back, as far as he was concerned. Yet Hayden couldn’t let it go, it had been over a year and still he saw anger flash in that boy’s eyes over her name being connected with the word Beta.

Slade only ever saw it outside of their pack, never saw it inside it, and Slade understood this was because at home, he would punish him for it. But out here inside of another’s pack, he wouldn’t.

Slade was the heir to the pack and displayed himself in a calm and collected manner at all times.

Words of warning were all Hayden got while attending other packs. The boy knew this.

Slade was required to write up reports if he punished anyone, and document the reason why. He was also looking to keep that boy right next to him until such a time as he could blindside him, like Ori had been.

He watched now as Hayden got up and stalked away from the table, and Vance leaned back in that chair and raised an eyebrow. “You two don’t see eye to eye.”

“Not on everything.” Slade agreed.

“How’s your little sister Dariah?” Vance asked him now with a smile “Still a cutie? I’ve not seen her in a while.”

“I suppose she is, grown up quite a bit.” Slade nodded “Keep your hands off.”

“Man whore!” Got shot at him, from behind him, and when Slade moved to see who it was, he realised it was Freddy, Vance’s older brother.

Vance nodded, “Life is cushy for those of us happy to be like, oh let’s say; the backup’s backup. As long as I train and rank up, my old man leaves me alone.”

“It’s good to see that there are heirs out there, happy to be a second or third. Don’t covet their kin’s title.” Slade nodded.

“Yeah, I don’t see an issue with my place quite like it, and here ascension laws are simple. The firstborn, regardless of sex, is the heir. Only wolf-less can’t be instated as a unit’s heir, but, that being said, a wolf-less can by the future Alpha or the Alpha.”

“Odd.” Palmer commented.

“It’s been known to happen, two generations back, our Alpha was female, and wolf-less, protected by her unit and mated to an Alpha, produced heirs.” He shrugged “No wolf-less for the unit, so that they can protect the Alpha if they are wolf-less is all. Pack Law.”

“Are you up for some training in the morning?” Slade asked. “We’ve got some time to kill before the mating ball at seven. If you like, you could put the Beta through some Beta training. He’s not had that in over a year.”

“Sure.” Vance nodded and downed the last of his beer. “You want me to bring my little sister, she just turned 18, loves a good Beta to Beta fight, crazy-ass she-wolf.” He laughed a little and shook his head.

“Sure, 6am do you?”

“Yep. I don’t go out and get drunk, two beers is all.” Vance grinned right at him “I might get drunk and Mark and Mate someone stupidly when all hopped up.” he snorted, and then he was just gone from the table at full wolfen speed and his brother Freddy was racing after him yelling his name.

All three of them shook their heads, and he looked at the heir to the pack, who was laughing now with the rest of his unit at the table across from them. Slade watched him nearly fall off that chair and had to grip the table to stop himself.

“What happened?” Yuri asked. “We gotta know now.”

“Freddy Marked and Mated his Mate in a drunken stupor. She bit him, during drunken riled up sex, a playful bite but hard enough to draw blood, and he didn’t take kindly to it, snarled at her ‘a bite for a bite bitch.’ And well, his drunken bite claimed her. It’s a pack funny. And Vance always annoys Freddy about it.”

“Freddy?” Slade asked, thankful he’d not done that with Ori.

“Is actually her Goddess Gifted. Though that night, she didn’t mark him back, she ranted to my dad wanting a rejection to be issued. Dad made them wait for the full moon. It was only a week away, no point issuing a rejection if they were actually Mates. Though it was a fun week for all of us, not so much Freddy. All is good with them now.”

“Glad to hear it.” He shook his head.