Chapter 10: Chapter 10

SLOAN

The glint in Elizabeth’s eyes hardened, illustrating that she was out for blood.

…Myra’s.

“Elizabeth, is it?” Elder Reagan spoke up before anyone could react to the bold declaration of an omega challenge.

“You are quite right about the rule requiring a full moon to challenge an omega not applying to cross-species shifters.

“But the rule continues to state that, once challenged, there are three possible outcomes: either a newly mated pair can form, the challenger can face exile, or either party can face death. Fortunately for Myra, you’re too late.”

The evil smile fell from her face, and she glared at the man.

“What the hell do you mean ‘too late’?” she barked.

“Respect your elders, young lady. And to answer your question, part of the claiming has already begun. Once a mated couple kisses for the first time, the claiming has begun. Therefore, your challenge is void.

“Furthermore, you may be late in issuing your challenge, but the consequences of making such a declaration will still pertain. Alpha, what say you? Death or exile?”

“That’s bullshit!” Elizabeth screamed as she lunged at Myra. “You fucking whore! He’s MINE!”

Sloan swiftly pushed Myra behind him, but both Declan and Tristan had Elizabeth pinned to the ground.

“I was going to spare your life, but…,” Sloan growled at her struggling body.

“Sloan…” Myra placed a gentle hand on the middle of his back.

He took a deep breath, then looked at Elizabeth. “I will deal with you another time. Declan…”

Declan nodded and lunged forward, pinning Elizabeth’s arms behind her back and dragging her screaming from the room.

***

The next afternoon, Sloan sat among his family, sipping his Scotch and reflecting on his day.

It had started with him waking up on the couch in the den with a painful morning erection.

After a quick cold shower and two jerk-off sessions, he continued his day by having back-to-back meetings with different pack members, plus a video conference call with other alphas to discuss the growing rogue problem at length.

Then Myra joined him for breakfast, and all his concentration went to hell.

Throughout the day, he found himself staring at her from across the room and continuously inhaling her scent, which was mixed with her vanilla soap.

It was a heady combination.

She’d lit up seeing the library in the den three days ago. After wandering the shelves, she’d situated herself in a quiet corner with a novel to keep him company while he worked.

However, Sloan noticed that Myra would disappear and return fresh from a bath. Her last shower had been a complete game-changer.

~You’re full of surprises, a lifetime’s worth, with adventures at every turn~, he thought, smiling into his Scotch, thinking about her grinding against his~—~

~Jesus, I shouldn’t be thinking about that with my parents and siblings in the same room. I still have to wait two days.~

Myra glanced at him, and he winked at her, making her blush.

She was perched on Megan’s lap. Megan whispered in her ear, and Myra’s mouth dropped open. She turned her shocked face to Megan, who was laughing wildly under her.

Sloan respectfully didn’t listen in. However, his sister’s gagging reaction indicated that she’d heard every word. Now he wished he’d eavesdropped.

Declan entered the room and made eye contact with him. Sloan nodded, and Declan blinked once and nodded in agreement.

It was their non-verbal way of saying that Elizabeth was secured and awaiting his judgment.

Sloan had felt like his whole world had exploded when Elizabeth burst into the room and declared the challenge. He was ready to step in for his female and defend her honor, damn the rules.

No one was taking his mate away from him. No one.

He would have ripped off her clothes right there and claimed her in front of Elizabeth.

He felt his jeans getting tight at the thought.

“Young alpha?”

Sloan looked up at Elder Reagan standing before him.

~Shit, get your head in the game, Jamison~, Sloan scolded himself. He cleared his throat and his mind before addressing the man. “Elder Reagan, are you leaving us so soon?”

“No. Um, could I have a moment in private?”

Sloan nodded and got up. When they moved past Myra, Sloan bent down and kissed her on the crown of her head.

“I’ll be right back,” Sloan whispered to her, and she nodded.

He noticed Megan’s arm tighten around Myra, and a wicked, playful glint appeared in her eyes.

“You may be getting her for all of eternity, but she’s still mine forever,” she teased.

Her statement should have annoyed him and his wolf to the point of ripping her throat out, but his wolf didn’t even stir from its blissful slumber.

“I wouldn’t dream of getting in your way, Trouble.”

She smiled brightly, and then her gaze shifted. He saw her expression drop a little before regaining her composure.

Sloan glanced over his shoulder and saw Declan standing in the corner, staring at her.

“Myra, you have your final fitting for your dress in ten minutes,” his mother called out as Sloan and Elder Reagan exited the room.

Together, they walked in companionable silence to the den. The moment he pushed open the door, all impure thoughts returned as he smelled the faint aroma of their near coupling from earlier.

Suddenly, his heart was racing, and he felt again like he couldn’t wait till Sunday to claim her.

Elder Reagan wasted no time in getting down to business as he followed Sloan inside.

“So, what’s the status on the rogue attacks?”

What should have been a brief meeting to update Elder Reagan on the rogue problem turned into a three-hour meeting, and Sloan ended up video-calling other alphas and elders to participate in the conversation.

He sighed again and turned his chair to look out the window. He gazed longingly at the nearly full moon that was hanging lazily in the sky.

~There’s something different about this full moon~, he thought.

“Come in!” he called when he heard someone outside his door.

“Bro, it’s two in the morning. Go get some rest,” Tristan commented as he entered.

“I still have Elizabeth to deal with.”

“She’s locked away and guarded down in the dungeon. She isn’t going anywhere. She’s tomorrow’s problem.”

“You’re right.”

“I know I am.”

Sloan clicked on his keyboard, and his planner for the next day popped up. He looked at all the different activities that would be filling it: several meetings outside of the compound and a fitting for his ceremony suit.

He picked up his cell phone and checked his alarm for the next morning. With one swift movement of his finger, the computer screen minimized and locked.

“You should get some rest too, bro.”

Tristan nodded. Together, they exited the den.

When Sloan reached his bedroom door, he waved goodnight to his brother. He quietly opened the door and tried to sneak into the room.

However, he found most of the bedroom lights switched on and Myra sitting up in bed, reading. She wore a teal silk button-down nightshirt.

“I thought I had to send out a search party for you,” she teased.

“You were waiting up for me?”

“Technically, no. I assumed you were avoiding me again, and it’s really hard trying to fall asleep with your scent invading my every pore.”

“I believe you requested I sleep in our bed tonight, and I intend to deliver on my promise,” he stated as he placed his cell phone on his side of the bed and started to unbutton his shirt.

“So, can we…?” She ran a finger down his bare chest.

He felt a shiver run through him and fought for control with his wolf. “If we start, I don’t think we’ll be able to control ourselves,” he chuckled.

She rolled her eyes. “If what happened with Elizabeth wasn’t enough proof that we should claim each other now…”

Sloan closed the distance between them and laid a finger on his vixen’s lips.

“Don’t talk like that,” he said softly. “We should wait. Just think about that first night after the ceremony.”

She pouted, and her expression made his wolf flare inside him.

Suddenly, he was on the point of ripping her clothes off right then and taking her.

“Fiiiiine,” she groaned, dragging him back to reality. “What did Elder Reagan want?”

“It was supposed to be a brief update about the rogue attacks. It ended up being a full-blown meeting with other alphas and elders.”

“My attack has caused so much trouble?”

“Angel, you’re the only person who’s ever survived an encounter with rogues. There have been twenty-three known attacks in the past six months.

“However, the rate and frequency of their attacks have increased over the past three weeks,” he explained to her.

“What?”

“I don’t want to worry you with this, but the rogues haven’t been very discreet about who they attack and kill. Shifters and humans alike have been victims.”

He walked over and kissed her on the forehead and continued getting ready for bed. “You’re safe here, angel. No one’s going to hurt you.”

“Okay, if you don’t want to discuss that, how about we talk about…um…Elizabeth, was it?”

“We’re definitely not going to discuss her in our bedroom or in bed. But don’t worry. I haven’t forgotten she’s a topic of interest.”

Myra sighed and folded her arms as Sloan disappeared into their bathroom. He quickly brushed his teeth and rejoined her, wearing black boxer briefs.

He noticed she sat up in interest and her eyes brightened with arousal.

~“Who’s the tease now?”~ He smirked, switched off the lights, and climbed into bed. Myra rolled over and nestled her warm, silk-covered body against his side.

Her small hand rested on his bare chest, and Sloan immediately felt comforted and protected. As he sighed, he felt Myra’s fingers trace circles on his pecs before slowly running down his abs.

“Myra…”

“Hmm?”

Her fingers continued under the sheets and grazed his lower abs. She rose onto her elbow and gave him a gentle peck on his chest over his heart.

Her movements caused the sheets to move, and Sloan smelled her sweet, citrusy scent, signaling her arousal.

Her eyes glowed in the darkness, confirming his suspicions. He took over last time. This time he was going to let her have control. Just this once.

“Sloan, I want you to promise me something.”

“Anything, angel.”

She boldly grabbed his member through his boxers and stroked him.

“Whatever happens, never lie to me. And I want you to continue to be this gentle giant.”

“Nothing’s going to happen to you, so take that thought out of your mind. And it’ll be impossible to ever lie to you.”

She leaned down and kissed him on the lips. Her small hand wrapped around his cock sent shockwaves throughout his body.

She released his cock, threw one leg over his, and quickly straddled him. She planted her hands on either side of his head, leaned down, and kissed him again, deeper this time, all tongue and lips.

Sloan grabbed her hips with his hands and pulled her off him. She shrieked as he tossed her back onto the bed and rolled on top of her.

“I see what you’re doing, my little vixen,” he growled.

She winked at him.

“We’ll be waiting until we’re mated, even if I have to tie you down myself.”

“Not if I have anything to say about it,” she whispered back.

~Oh no, it’ll be damn near impossible to hold out until Sunday.~

He felt her hand reaching back toward his underwear, and then she grabbed hold of his member again.

He tried to stop her, but it was like she’d cast some sort of spell over him.

~Goddess, help me,~ he thought as she slid down his body.

“What a mighty big tool you’ve got there, Mr. Wolf,” she said out of the darkness at his waist. “I can’t wait to taste it.”