Read with BonusRead with Bonus

Chapter Two

Sloan

Sloan slid his jacket into place, adjusting his collar and cuffs as he mentally perused his schedule for the day.

"Morning sex - checked."

He glanced at the satisfied blonde entangled in his bedsheets through the reflection of the mirror.

"Furniture delivery for the Den and my office - on going."

He planned to check on them before leaving for his meetings with surrounding packs and clans within the area.

He had been Pack Alpha for eight months now, ever since his father retired at age sixty. Now, he was responsible for managing the largest and wealthiest multi-species pack in the Seattle area.

Recently, however, a gang of rogues had banded together and have been terrorizing shifters and humans alike. They have been leaving a string of mulled, mutilate and murdered bodies up and down the coastline, crisscrossing different pack and clan territories.

He looked over his appearance once again. His muscles bulged under his crisp white shirt, which stood out against his tanned caramel skin complexion, and his trousers were tailored perfectly over his muscular physique. He glanced at his wavy, black hair pulled into a man bun before brushing his neatly trimmed beard with his hands.

“I am clearly losing my touch if you’re up and dress already.” The blonde purred as she wrapped her hands around his waist and kissed him between the shoulder blades.

“Trust me, Elizabeth... I’m more than capable of getting back into bed with you, but I have pack duties and work to attend to all day.” Sloan responded. However, her gentle caresses that would have aroused him a mere hour ago suddenly seemed to repulse him. Even his wolf spirit unexpectedly growled in disgust at her touch.

“How about I give you something to remember me by until tonight?” She said, walking around him to show off her nude body. He had to mentally school his facial expressions and calm his gag reflex.

“Sorry, but morning sex was more than enough,” Sloan said. He needed to extract himself from her presence; as he was struggling to control his body’s disdain to her sexual advances.

"What is happening? Elizabeth’s been my girl for the past year and a half, and I have never felt like this." He thought, gently removing her hands from his body.

“Sloan!” His brother - Tristan - shouted as he barged into Sloan’s bedroom. “Gallagher’s here. Dad’s overseeing the delivery and installation. Our first clan meeting is on the northern side of the city in thirty minutes...”

Tristan read off from his tablet. He looked up and saw Elizabeth trying to shield her naked body behind Sloan.

“Oh, hey Liz...” He shrugged, picking up her discarded dress and tossing it roughly over to her. Sloan discreetly covered his snort when the dress smacked her in the face.

“Anyway, the Panther clan was attacked last night, three dead, as well as a lone jogging human. The Council of Elders are getting worried; so, they pushed their meeting to 11 am.”

“Shit!” Sloan snapped. “It’s going to be a long-ass day... let me check on Gallagher first, and then we can go. Umm, Elizabeth, I’m not sure about later.” Or ever. He called over his shoulder, grabbing his suit jacket as he exited the room.

“What the hell was that?” Tristan laughed as he ran up to meet with Sloan. At the age of twenty-eight, his brother was only a year younger than Sloan and his complete opposite. Tristan was almost a half foot shorter than Sloan. He kept his sandy brown hair short and styled with excessive hair gel. While Tristan would train with both Sloan and his other Beta, Declan, he was surprisingly strong regardless of him possessing a small body frame.

“I don’t know myself... must be time for a new bed warmer.”

“About fucking time!” Tristan woohooed.

Sloan rolled his eyes at his brother’s reaction as the smell of freshly carved wood filled the foyer. Some pack members were helping with the moving and removal of furniture while their father stood by the opened front door, ordering individuals about.

“Father.”

“Son, I must say your taste has drastically improved.” Theo joked as he pointed to the Library Den. “And Gallagher’s was a wise choice.”

“Mom suggested them... also, thanks for taking over this task,” Sloan stated as they looked at the different pieces being placed together.

The new, already to installed floor-to-ceiling bookcase was being stocked by some females while they rearranged a solid oak desk to sit near the bay windows that overlooked the backyard and provided a cliff drop and sea view.

“We lost three panthers last night,” Sloan stated, turning to his father. The older Sloan got, the more he agreed that he was a carbon copy of his father. Both are identical in height, complexion and mannerism, though his father has been more carefree since retiring.

“Shit... this isn’t how I envisioned your first year as Alpha, son.”

“Me neither,” Sloan said as they walked back to the foyer.

Sloan sensed and ignored Elizabeth as she slowly descended from the second floor. She tried to get his attention but failed. She huffed in frustration and stormed out of the house. “We will see you at the council meeting in a few hours, dad... Tristan, Declan and I are heading over to the Panthers’ territory.”

Sloan can feel the unasked questions his father was dying to ask, but the sound of a motorbike revving filled the air.

“That would be Declan,” Tristan stated the obvious. Sloan rolled his eyes and motioned a pack member over.

“Sally, have someone tend to my rooms... the bed needs to be thoroughly detailed, and the current sheets can be removed and burnt.”

“Yes, Alpha.”

“Wow, burning of sheets? Liz must really be losing her oral skills.” Tristan tested.

Usually, a comment like that will enraged him, but Sloan simply shrugged his shoulder, not caring while their father smiled brightly. Declan walked into the house just as Theo announced.

“It’s beginning.”

Previous Chapter
Next Chapter