The Mark of Betrayal (Samara and Roman) novel Chapter 2

Sloane

I somehow made it through another day of school. I can’t wait for graduation. One more month, then I’m free.

Of course, that also means that Slade will be on his own in high school, but I have to hope that Uncle Roman will work with him enough over the summer that he’ll be able to defend himself once I’m gone.

As soon as I get in the backseat of the car and see Uncle Roman’s disapproving glance in the rearview mirror, I know that Principal Rollins called him.

“You want to tell me what happened today, Sloane?”

I don’t look at Slade who is in the front seat. I don’t want Uncle Roman to know that I keep getting in trouble because he’s being bullied at school. I can’t help what happens next year, but for now, I’m more than capable of keeping it between me and Slade.

“Some Beta got mouthy with me, and I taught him a lesson,” I say, not at all sad that Beta Louis had to have his nose reset before going home. I wonder if he told his father that it was Sloane Hartwell who broke it, or if he made up some lame excuse about tripping and falling.

Uncle Roman sighs an exhausted sigh. “Sloane …”

“Don’t worry, Uncle Roman. I didn’t kill anyone, and in a month, you won’t have to worry every time your phone rings on a school day,” I say, not wanting to hear it for the hundredth or maybe the millionth time.

He twists, putting his arm on the back of Slade’s seat and turning all the way around to look at me.

“You know I love you, right? You know Aunt Samara loves you?” he asks me.

I do know. I know they’ve never treated me any differently than they’ve treated their own pups. They offered to give me their name, which I accepted. They told me that I could call them mom and dad, but I’ve never been able to do that.

“I know,” I say softly, looking out the window.

“If you ever need to talk …” he begins.

“I’m good.”

I glance at Slade, who gives me the look like he wants to tell them the truth, but I subtly shake my head before looking back outside.

“You’re a strong wolf, Sloane, but you can’t take on the world.”

Yeah? Well, maybe the world should stop trying to take me on. Maybe then I wouldn’t have to put on such a tough exterior all the time.

On the ride back to the pack, I vaguely listen to Uncle Roman talking to Slade. Instead, I wonder why Benedict Winslow is suddenly showing an interest in me. Why the hell was he asking what I was doing this weekend? It’s not like him to try and embarrass me. Up until now, that hasn’t been his style and he almost seemed … hurt that I didn’t jump when he wanted to talk to me.

For some reason, he always seems to be around when Slade is being bullied and I’m punching some asshole’s lights out because of it.

And I catch him watching me. A lot.

I snort. Maybe I should just spar with him and help him get it out of his system.

“What’s funny, Sloane?” Uncle Roman asks. He doesn’t miss much, I’ll give him that.

“What do you know about the Winslow family?” I ask.

“The Winslows?” I’m thankful that he’s driving. If he wasn’t, I’m sure his gaze would be intent on me. “They are very well established in the werewolf community, they are a powerful family, although not as powerful as we are.”

I know a lot of our pack’s power comes from Aunt Samara. She has a white wolf like my mother did, all the way up until she murdered her mate, my father, because she didn’t think he was ever going to have a pack. Apparently, the most important thing to my mother was being a Luna. She even betrayed her wolf, causing her to lose the blessing of the Moon Goddess and making her a regular wolf, just like every other she-wolf. Just like me.

Aisling whimpers in my mind again.

‘It’s not you, Ais. I told you that. You deserve so much better. You deserve to have the stature that comes from being a white wolf. I just wish I could have given that to you,’ I tell her.

I don’t blame my wolf at all. I put the blame right where it belongs, on my mother. She did this. She ruined our legacy. My mother and Aunt Samara were the last of the white wolves, she-wolves descended from a pure line of Alphas. White wolves were well thought of and much desired as mates. Since my father was an Alpha, unfortunately born from a mistress rather than a mate, I technically should carry the white wolf gene. But because my mother betrayed the mate bond, killing my father, the Moon Goddess punished her. And apparently the sins of the mother are passed to the daughters.

I’m thankful that my sister Aria was too young when our mother died to understand the legacy that she should have been born with. She’s been raised to believe that she, like me, will have a wolf that is a regular wolf. However, I was only a year younger than she is now when our mother died. I knew about my mother’s legacy and expected to have a white wolf. But apparently, that line will only pass through Aunt Samara’s daughters from now on.

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