Listen to me 135

Chapter 135

Beatrice

“Benedict, where are you going?”

I do not like this situation where my son is getting closer to Sloane Hartwell. Last night, her scent was so strong it was like they had mated. If I didn’t know she was still under eighteen, I’d have checked him for a mate mark.

“Principal Rodgers asked Sloane and I to be there early tonight so we could prepare before everyone else arrives. I’m picking her up so we can go together.”

“You’re driving all the way to Alpha Roman’s pack? That’s out of the way, Benedict.”

“She’s not in Alpha Roman’s pack, mother. She’s in Alpha Waylon’s.”

Why the hell is Sloane Hartwell in Alpha Waylon’s pack?

“Do you think it’s wise to drive her, Benedict? We have your Alpha ceremony tomorrow. Taking Sloane back to her family’s pack will be out of your way. You’ll get home late, and you have a long day tomorrow,” I say, gritting my teeth. How the hell has that little bitch gotten her claws so deep into my son?

“I’m not coming home tonight, mother. I’ve rented a hotel room. I’ll be back in plenty of time for my Alpha ceremony tomorrow,” he says flippantly, as if I haven’t spent hours planning this event for him.

“A hotel room? What on earth for?” I ask, already dreading the answer.

“Leave our son alone, Beatrice. He’s an adult. If he wants to spend the night in a hotel room having a fucking orgy he doesn’t have to ask your permission,” my mate says, making me furious.

“Thank you, Dad. I’ll see you all there,” he says, kissing the top of Bethany’s head before heading out.

“What do you know about this hotel room?” I ask my daughter.

She shrugs. “First I’ve heard of it.”

“Leave it, Beatrice. He didn’t use pack funds. I would have known. As I said, he’s a grown man. He doesn’t answer to you or anyone. After tomorrow, we’ll all answer to him. You should remember that,” Benedict says.

I ignore him, like I usually do. He sighs and walks away while I continue to stare at the front door where my son walked out.

Why is Sloane in Alpha Waylon’s pack? She’s too young to have found her mate.

When Bethany passes by me, I grab her arm.

“What do you know about Sloane Hartwell spending time in Alpha Waylon’s pack?” I ask her.

She shrugs. “Her best friend is mated to one of the warriors in the pack. Maybe she’s spending time with her

friend,” she says, but I don’t miss the way she glances away from me before meeting my gaze.

My daughter is lying to me, either protecting Benedict or, goddess forbid, Sloane.

56 vouchers

I let her go, then reach out in the mind link to make sure that my mate is busy. I go to my office and close and lock the door.

I sit at my desk and pull out a number I never thought I’d call again.

“Beatrice?”

“Lydia, how are you?” I ask. It’s been years since I’ve spoken to Waylon’s first mate.

“I doubt you care, otherwise you would have called before now. What do you want?” she asks.

Fair enough. She’s right. When she was exiled with her son, I distanced myself from both of them.

“I wanted to know if you knew why Sloane Hartwell is spending time in Waylon’s pack?”

“Why would I know something like that?”

“I don’t know. She’s an Alpha. It seems odd to me that she’d be spending time in that pack so close to her eighteenth birthday. How is Kaelin?”

“My son is just fine. What does this have to do with him?”

“Perhaps nothing. But Waylon doesn’t have an heir, not since he banished you and Kaelin. Now Sloane Hartwell, Roman Hartwell’s niece, the daughter of Sawyer and Althea, is spending time in your old pack.”

“Still holding that grudge because Sawyer chose Althea over you, I see.”

I bite back the snarl and nasty retort. “Perhaps you’re right. Perhaps it’s nothing. Perhaps Waylon isn’t considering giving his pack to an orphaned she–wolf. I’m sure he wouldn’t stoop so low after renouncing his own son. I’m sorry to have bothered you,” I say, ready to hang up.

“Wait!”

I smile, knowing I’ve got her.

“Why do you care?” she asks.

“Waylon’s pack borders ours. I wouldn’t want some half–assed she–wolf leading a pack that borders mine. Any threat to her would become a threat to us. It’s self–preservation. But again, maybe it’s nothing at all.”

It’s quiet for several heartbeats, but I wait her out.

“I’ll talk to Kaelin about it, see what he says.”

“Of course, I’ve delivered the information, do with it as you will. Take care, Lydia.”

“Right,” she says before hanging up.

Lydia POV

I can’t stand that pompous bitch, Beatrice. She never answered my calls after Waylon banished me and Kaelin. She never even gave me a chance to explain what really happened. And now, she’s calling me.

I’m sure there’s a reason she’s telling me about Sloane Hartwell spending time in Waylon’s pack beyond being ‘concerned‘ about having a she–wolf taking over as Alpha of his pack. Surely, Waylon hasn’t fallen so far that he’d name a female his heir, even if she IS a Hartwell.

I shake my head. Bitter Beatrice. She never did get over Sawyer cutting her for Althea. She even got pregnant with Benedict’s child in the hopes that she could convince Sawyer that it was his. When that didn’t work, she had no choice but to accept Benedict as her mate. And yet she still stands on her fucking pedestal and looks down her sharp, pointy nose at everyone.

And as much as I despise her, I can’t look past the possibility that Waylon has finally decided on a successor. He may not be looking at Sloane Hartwell as his successor, but perhaps she’s dating someone in his pack who IS being looked at as his successor.

“KAELIN!” I call out.

“WHAT?”

“Do you still have friends in your father’s pack?”

“The asshole’s pack you mean? I don’t claim that old douchebag as my father.”

“Do you still have friends in the pack?” I ask, forcing myself to remain patient as I walk into his room.

It took time, but we ended up in another pack. I had to sleep with the Alpha, Beta, and Gamma to get us here, but I did what I had to do so that we’d have the security of a pack. The Alpha and Gamma found their mates, but I still have to come every time the Beta calls me. I do what I have to do to survive.

“Yeah, Gabriel and Jack are still true to me.”

“Have they said anything about Alpha Sloane Hartwell spending time in the pack?” I ask.

“Yeah, she’s there like every weekend. Her friend, a Beta, found her mate. Daniel. A fucking warrior. She accepted him, like an idiot.”

I force myself to keep hold of my temper. Why the fuck wouldn’t he have said anything about this before.

“You didn’t think it was important information to know that Sloane Hartwell is spending every weekend in Waylon’s pack?” I say, barely able to stop myself from growling. I need Kaelin to take over his father’s pack so we can both get out of this hellhole.

“A she–wolf? She’s a fucking bitch from what Gabriel says. I don’t even know why that asshole is letting her lead warrior training when she’s there. Gabriel said she and her fucking friend blew out his knee. Bitches.

I blink at my son. How could I have raised a child who is so oblivious.

“I think we need eyes on Waylon’s pack.”

“I have eyes INSIDE Waylon’s pack, mother.”

“I’m concerned about this woman.”

“Why? Has Waylon become so senile that he’s going to name a she–wolf as his successor?”

“What if he does?”

“No one would follow her, mother. It’s never been done before. Why would anyone in the pack agree to follow a she-wolf?”

“She’s Althea Brenner’s daughter, Kaelin. The Brenners are the last line that created white wolves. They are a pure Alpha line, as pure as the Winslows and just as powerful, maybe more so.”

He sits up, finally listening to me.

“What are you saying, mother?”

“I’m saying that Waylon may, indeed, name her his successor, and if that happens, many people in the pack WILL follow her. We need to take her out before that can happen.”

I watch as my son gets that smile on his face. It’s the same smile he got when he decided to steal from his father after Waylon refused to make Kaelin Alpha of the pack.

“I don’t have to take her out, mother,” he says.

“Kaelin!”

He holds up a finger. “I don’t have to take her out. If she’s as strong as you say she is, then wouldn’t it be better if I marked her and took her as a mate?”

“She’d never agree to that,” I say.

My son leans in, getting in my face. “I wouldn’t give her a choice.”

Lucia Morh

Lucia Morh is a passionate storyteller who brings emotions to life through her words. When she’s not writing, she finds peace nurturing her garden.