Not just the Beta (Oriana and Slade) novel Chapter 4

Slade

He could smell Hayden in the car, he realised as she got out of it. Slade took a deep breath to smell it himself, it was faint, but yes it was there. It hadn’t been the last time she’d driven him in her car. Ori, he knew, had owned it now for two weeks, and that boy had a car of his own, a Jeep Wrangler; it’s what the boy wanted even.

The question was why could they smell that boy inside her car? He frowned and got out. She’d said he’d sabotaged her car; would her own brother actually do that, go that far to get her position as the pack’s future Beta?

Slade did know the rivalry for it was there, between the two of them, but his choice was clear for all to see. Ori was his preferred Beta, and yes, he’d heard, not only his own father, but her father as well, discussing the ascension of the future Beta. That by the time he was home from Alpha College, Hayden would be 18 and a half, old enough to take up the role as his future Beta.

He had to sit and listen to them debate it sometimes, he stayed the hell out of it. They knew his thoughts on the subject. They brought him into the room, just so he could hear them talk about who was the better choice. He also believed that they listened to Hayden go on about how Ori would likely mate off out of the pack, so it was just better to put him in as the pack’s future Beta as soon as he turned 18.

Slade was of the opinion that Ori could make any mate she had, come here to be with her in this pack. She was the future Beta, his second in command, and he didn’t see her giving that position up, for any old wolf that scented her out. If she attracted an Alpha Mate, and she was to be a Luna to a pack, then yes.

But any other wolf, even Alpha ranked, if not the actual Alpha to a pack or the future heir to a pack, then she could have him come here to this pack. Stay on as his Beta. That was what he’d told them and that was, as far as he was concerned, the end of it.

Giving his father and hers, for that matter, food for thought, though he’d gotten an angry, annoyed look from Hayden himself, when he’d heard Slade’s opinion on the matter.

Now this?

He leaned on her car as he waited for her and Lindal to stop talking, and watched her put his stuff in that car. He wasn’t happy about it, he was not going to be at all comfortable in a Mazda 3, no matter how tricked out it was. He was too big and broad shouldered. Going back to get his Audi would be a better option. He could drive there, and she could drive it back, though he wasn’t allowed to. It was her duty to get him there and on time, she had actual rules from her own father, and he knew it.

He got in the small car. She was right, if they didn’t drive out of this pack in the next 5 minutes, her father would want to know why? That man knew how long it took to get out of pack territory.

Hell, that man had even driven himself out to the Alpha College Slade was attending and back, non-stop bar fuelling up. It was how she’d gotten that time limit of 13 hours there and back; the man was testing his daughter’s endurance and ability to stay awake and alert.

Ori fell into line at every test she was given, completed them without complaint, because she wanted her position as the pack Beta, and he knew it. Knew she also wanted to prove she could earn it, not just be given it by birthright. So, did all her father’s annoying and what he thought were unnecessary challenges.

He’d yet to see Hayden be given a single one at all. That boy, if he was older than Ori, wouldn’t have to jump through any hoops, would just rank up as per standard pack laws, from Beta to Beta. Ori got hell because she was a girl, and they all knew it.

They were out of the pack three minutes later and driving away, he watched her shift uncomfortably in her seat several times. Knew she wasn’t generally a fidgety person when driving, was actually relaxed behind the wheel. Had been having lessons here in the pack since she was 15, as they all did. Wolfen laws were different to human ones. And they all needed to be able to drive, and well by the time they were 18, in case it was needed for emergencies.

His mind moved back to his room as he watched her shift again for like the sixth time, how he’d felt, what he’d smelled upon waking up, nothing but Ori. “Sore are we?” he asked casually as he put the seat back a little and tried to make himself more comfortable. There was not enough legroom in here for him to stretch out like in her car, or his.

“No, why?” she answered, but sounded a little on the defensive side to him.

“What happened last night?” He asked, keeping it as casual as possible, even closed his eyes and rested his head back on the head rest as though he was relaxed.

“What do you mean?” she asked him.

“I woke up naked on my living room floor.”

“So? Is that not normal for you?” she murmured.

“No, I like my bed. Not only was I naked, my clothes were strewn about and…well, a little ripped and torn. The only scent I got in there was yours.”

“Yeah, so, I was the one to haul your drunk ass home.”

“My nakedness.” He inquired simply.

“Why ask me any of this?” she questioned right back, and he could hear the frown in her voice.

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