Listen to me 116

In this chapter, Sloane reflects on her identity and the need to create a personal space in her grandparents’ home, which she hopes will soon feel like her own pack. As she contemplates the decor and furnishings that represent her style, she overhears two Betas, Gabriel and Jack, making derogatory comments about her friend Scarlet’s choice of mate. This fuels her determination to prove herself and her strength as an Alpha, especially in the face of sexism within the pack.

The next day, Sloane leads a warrior training session, demonstrating her capabilities and challenging the male warriors who scoffed at her leadership. She pushes them hard, showcasing her skills and determination, and is joined by Scarlet, who proves her own strength by taking down Gabriel in a sparring match. This fosters a sense of camaraderie and respect among the pack members, particularly the female warriors, as they witness Sloane’s assertiveness and ability to command respect.

As the day progresses, Sloane meets with her grandfather, Alpha Waylon, to discuss her plans for the pack. Their meeting is interrupted by news that Alpha Benedict, her potential romantic interest, has arrived at their borders. Sloane is surprised by his visit, unsure of the nature of their relationship, and Scarlet presses her for details about her budding romance. Despite the distractions of her personal life, Sloane remains focused on her responsibilities and the upcoming challenges as she steps into her role as Alpha.

The chapter concludes with a mix of excitement and tension as Sloane prepares to face Benedict, who arrives looking handsome and confident. Their chemistry is palpable, and Sloane is momentarily swept away by his presence, highlighting the complexities of her new romantic feelings alongside her duties as a leader. The narrative captures Sloane’s journey of self-discovery, her commitment to her pack, and the budding romance that adds another layer of emotion to her evolving story.

Sloane

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After shocking my grandparents, I went to my room. I’ve had a room here since I started visiting, but I’ve never made it my own. Now, as I look around, I realize that if this is going to be my pack, I need to make this room, or the one that I eventually take over from Grandpa Waylon, more like home. It needs to be my place of refuge.

I sit in the window seat in my room and begin to make a list of all the things I would like to have in my new room. When I sat with Uncle Roman and Luna Samara all those years ago, I only knew I wanted something different. Now, I want something that personifies me as a person, as an Alpha, and as a woman.

I’m not a girlie girl, like Scarlet or Aria, or even my cousin Jessica. They all have frilly things, like lots of pillows or stuffed animals on their bed, or counters covered with makeup, everything that makes you think of girls.

Not me. I don’t even like pink. Purple is okay, but I like muted colors with splashes of bright, bold colors. I’m sure I could ask for a bedroom suite for my birthday, graduation, or Alpha ceremony, but I feel the need to create my bedroom all on my own.

With that in mind, I look up different styles of bedroom furniture, sheets and comforter sets, and lamps that fit my style.

It’s late when I hear someone underneath my window. Since I never turned my light on, I close my phone, listening to the people outside talking.

“What a waste of a Beta.” That would be Gabriel. “I mean, she didn’t have to accept a mere warrior. She knows I’m not mated.”

It takes everything in me not to snort and alert them to my presence above them. As if Scarlet would ever let Gabriel touch her.

“Now she’s no better than a fucking warrior, not even worth my time,” he says.

“Even I wouldn’t touch her now.” That’s Jack. As if either of them had any chance with her to begin with. As if either of them could defeat Daniel, much less Scarlet in a one–on–one battle.

I glance out the window to make sure it’s just the two of them. They both have sisters and I’m wondering if they feel the same way as their brothers, or if they can’t stand their brothers‘ attitudes either.

I only see the two men.

Eventually, they move on and I head to bed, knowing that tomorrow is going to be a long day. Plus, now I need to start my day by kicking some Beta and Gamma ass.

When I get up and ready for warrior training in the morning, I’m surprised to see Scarlet and Daniel. They both look tired, but I’m not sure I’ve ever seen my friend look this happy.

“Look, look, look,” she says, bouncing over to me and leaning her neck aside so I can see her mate mark.

Gabriel snorts as he walks by, but I take a minute to really look at the mark.

“Very nice,” I say.

“What’s his problem?” she growls softly.

“Oh, Gabriel? I overheard him saying that it was such a waste of a Beta for you to accept your warrior mate when you could

have had him.”

I hear Daniel growling and realize that I’ll now have to be more careful about what I say to Scarlet since Daniel will have

access to that information through their bond and mind link.

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“Oh, don’t worry, Daniel. Jack was there too. He even said he wouldn’t touch Scarlet now that she was a lowly warrior,” I say, watching him practically swell with anger in front of me.

“I get Gabriel,” Scarlet growls.

“Fine. But Jack is mine,” Daniel growls.

Daniel turns to look at Scarlet and she turns to look at him as they talk in their mind link. She blushes and smiles a soft smile that I’ve rarely seen on her face.

She nods, and I’m guessing he asked her if she was recovered enough from last night to battle with Gabriel. I knew I liked Daniel.

“Alpha Waylon, do you mind if I run warrior training today?” I ask, walking to the front of the pack.

“Alpha Sloane, we’d be happy to have you lead our pack in training,” he says. We’ve planned this, but it’s fortuitous that it’s happening today.

I hear several warriors scoffing at a female leading their training, but I notice that several she–wolves stand a bit taller. Good. It’s about time this pack had some girl–power.

The scoffing stops almost immediately when I take them through a warmup that’s harder than most of their workouts. I keep track of which warriors are rising to the occasion, and which look like they’re going to balk.

“Are you trying to kill us, Alpha?” Gabriel complains when I finish the warm up.

“Are you saying you can’t keep up, Beta? Maybe I should put you with someone who is waste of her Beta title then. Scarlet!”

“Yes, Alpha?” she says in her sing–song voice, letting me know she’s ready to make Gabriel eat his words. I watch Gabriel’s eyes go wide as he realizes that I overheard him.

“Beta Gabriel needs a lesson in what it means to work hard and fight hard,” I say.

“I’d be delighted to show him, Alpha,” she says and I turn to Jack.

“I know you’re unwilling to even bother with my friend because she’s a lowly warrior now, which isn’t true, by the way. You’re both too sexist to realize that both them have increased strength now because of their mate bond. But no worries. I’m about to make sure you see the error of your ways. Daniel!”

“Yes, Alpha,” he says, grinning and stepping forward.

“Please show Jack the error of his ways.”

“With pleasure,” he growls.

I pick three of the loudest grumblers to fight myself, then pair up the rest of the groups, mostly to see how the ones who want to do better will do with someone else who wants to do better.

I take my three down fast, making sure they know that if they sparred as often as they complained, they’d be much better warriors, then I start going around to see how the others are doing.

Several stop when I come by, not sure of my purpose. Obviously, Grandpa Waylon, Gabriel, and Jack don’t provide feedback, which is what I’ve seen the last two weekends I’ve been here. Up until today, the warriors were basically on their own with minor instruction.

I help them with form, giving them offensive and defensive techniques to help them improve their sparring.

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Once Scarlet swipes Gabriel’s leg, dislocating his knee and sending him to the pack hospital, she joins me, giving her own insights into fighting techniques.

When we’re done, I can tell that the true warriors appreciate today’s sparring session. As we walk inside, there’s a lot more happy chatter than usual. I watch Jack limp inside, not needing the hospital, but not doing very well after Daniel finished with him.

“You are vicious, my little mate,” he growls, coming up behind Scarlet and wrapping his arms around her.

“He deserved it. I can’t believe you let Jack walk away, baby,” she says to him.

He gives us both a look. “He tapped out every time I took him down. I’d have had to use excessive force, and that’s not who I

am.”

“No, it’s not,” she purrs at him, taking his face in her hands and kissing him.

“I’ll see you inside,” I say, turning to walk away, Scarlet reaches out and grabs my arm.

“No, wait. Sorry. The mate bond is… fucking powerful. But we need to talk, Sloane. The bond makes certain things impossible to keep hidden,” she says, whispering the last part.

“I realized that earlier,” I say.

“I’m not saying a word. But I’m thrilled,” he says, grinning at me.

“Really?”

“Hell fucking yeah! My girl is awesome! She deserves everything in this life. And from the little I know of you, you seem pretty amazing too,” he says.

“She is,” Scarlet says, grinning at me. “Let’s eat, then I need to call my parents. When you leave on Sunday, we’ll drop you off and then I want to go to my parents‘ pack and introduce them to Daniel and get my things. We’re planning to be back here on Thursday, since that’s my last day of finals,” she says.

I smile at my friend. “Got it all planned out?”

“You know me,” she says.

“Yes I do. I need to meet with Alpha Waylon this morning. I’ll find you after that and we can talk.”

“Did you tell them?” she whispers.

“Yes. Last night. They’re surprised about your part, but grateful for mine.”

“Umm, about how long do you think you’ll need with Alpha Waylon?” she asks.

“I don’t know, why?” I ask.

She looks at Daniel, biting her lip. “Well…”

“How about we meet after lunch,” I say.

“PERFECT!” she says quickly enough that I know exactly what they’ll be doing the rest of the morning.

I’d probably be jealous if I didn’t have so much work to do. As it is, I don’t have time to think about mate bonds or relationships. Except Benedict and his kisses keep entering my mind at inopportune times.

As I meet with Grandpa Waylon, Ipush that out of my mind. I begin to create an electronic system for his financials, knowing I won’t have time to do this once I’m Alpha here, even with Scarlet as my Beta. By lunch time, my brain is fried

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with numbers and I’m glad to shift gears and talk to Scarlet and Daniel privately about my plans.

I’m pleasantly surprised that Daniel seems to have as many good ideas as Scarlet and I’m glad to know that he actually is that hard worker that I thought he was.

It’s nearly dinner time when there’s a knock at the door of the office where we’ve been meeting.

“Come in,” I call out, covering our documents so others don’t find out what’s going on before we announce it.

“Excuse me, Alpha. Alpha Waylon wanted me to let you know that Alpha Benedict just crossed our borders.”

“Thank you,” I say, frowning. He was serious about coming tonight.

“Excuse me, what? Why is BWFive on his way over here? Did I miss something?” Scarlet asks me.

“BWFive?” Daniel asks.

“Benedict Winslow, V,” Scarlet answers not looking away from me.

“Umm, I didn’t think he’d come,” I say, shoving all our paperwork together.

“I’ll get this,” Daniel says quickly, pulling the papers away from me.

“Thanks, Daniel,” I say, still frowning as I walk out of the office, Scarlet hot on my heels.

“Are you going on another date?” she whisper yells at me as we walk.

“No, we’re studying, I guess.”

“Is that what you’re calling it these days. You didn’t mention your date last night, Sloane. I’m guessing it went well?”

“You were busy Scarlet,” I say, walking outside and turning in the direction of his pack lands. I lift my nose in the air and sniff, catching his scent.

“I’m not busy now,” she growls. “And you could have mentioned it at any time this afternoon.”

“Ummm, he might have decided we’re boyfriend and girlfriend.”

She smacks my arm hard enough to get my attention. “I thought we said no more secrets!”

“I wasn’t trying to keep it a secret. We’ve both been busy. Don’t tell me you haven’t been completely overwhelmed with your brand new mate bond,” I say as Benedict comes jogging out of the woods, looking ridiculous handsome like always.

“Okay, fine. But why is he here?”

“I told you, we’re studying. But I really didn’t think he’d come.”

“Well, you really thought wrong,” she says as he jogs up to us.

He smiles at me, then glances at Scarlet,

“Hey, Scarlet. Congratulations.”

“Thank you, Alpha,” she says.

Whatever else she was about to say stops as Benedict pulls me into his arms and kisses me in the way he does that makes me forget everything else in the world but him, his scent, and his taste.

15:07 Wed, Dec 10 BMB.

In this chapter, Sloane embarks on a journey of self-discovery and empowerment, transitioning from feeling like an outsider to embracing her identity as an Alpha. As she contemplates making her room a true reflection of who she is, she also confronts the prejudices of others, particularly from the likes of Gabriel and Jack. Their dismissive attitudes towards her role and capabilities ignite a fire within her, pushing Sloane to assert herself and demonstrate her strength during warrior training. The camaraderie she shares with Scarlet and Daniel reinforces her sense of belonging, and as she leads the training session, she not only proves her worth but also inspires those around her, especially the she-wolves who have long been underestimated.

By the end of the chapter, Sloane stands confidently in her role, ready to face the challenges that come with being an Alpha. The arrival of Benedict marks a pivotal moment, symbolizing both personal and communal growth. Their burgeoning relationship adds another layer to Sloane’s emotional arc, intertwining her journey of self-acceptance with the excitement of new love. As she navigates the complexities of her responsibilities and relationships, Sloane is no longer just a girl seeking a place to belong; she is becoming a leader who is ready to fight for her pack and herself. The chapter closes with a sense of anticipation, hinting at the challenges ahead while celebrating the strength Sloane has found within herself and the support of her friends.

In the upcoming chapter, readers can expect the tension to escalate as Sloane navigates the complexities of her new role as Alpha while grappling with her budding relationship with Benedict. With Alpha Benedict’s unexpected arrival, the dynamics within the pack are bound to shift, sparking both excitement and anxiety. Sloane’s determination to assert herself as a leader will be tested as she faces the skepticism of the warriors and the lingering doubts from those who underestimate her. The stakes are higher than ever, and her ability to balance her responsibilities with her personal life will be put to the ultimate test.

Moreover, the chapter promises to delve deeper into Sloane’s evolving friendship with Scarlet and Daniel, as they strategize on how to confront the challenges posed by the pack’s traditionalists. With Gabriel and Jack still lurking in the background, their dismissive attitudes toward female warriors will undoubtedly provoke further confrontations. As Sloane prepares to assert her authority, readers will be left on the edge of their seats, eager to see how she harnesses her strength and courage to redefine what it means to be an Alpha in a world that has yet to fully accept her. Expect intense training sessions, unexpected alliances, and perhaps a few surprises that will leave Sloane questioning not only her leadership but also her heart.

Sara Lili

Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.