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Five: Sloane

Penulis: Ashley Breanne
last update Terakhir Diperbarui: 2023-09-12 11:10:37

"Where have you been?" Ellie asked, not bothering to peel her eyes away from her phone to look at me as I rushed up to stand beside her in the center of the pack land.

I didn't bother responding as I stared down the long stretch of road, trying to catch my breath. There was a thin layer of perspiration on my body, and I gathered the hair from the back of my neck, lifting it and letting the breeze hit the damp skin.

The entire run back to the border, I had felt Greyson hot on my heels. It had been exhilarating and terrifying at the same time. Butterflies had swarmed my stomach, and on several occasions, I almost giggled from the excitement.

I would have, too, if he hadn't sounded so angry as he chased me, growling and snapping at the backs of my legs. No one had ever kept up with me before when I ran. I loved it.

A small part of me wanted to let him catch me, just to see what would happen, but the larger part wanted to prove myself and show him how fast I could run. I wanted to impress him.

"You smell awful," Ellie said, and I turned to glare at her.

I knew rogues usually smelled bad to pack wolves. I had heard it from them before and even smelled it myself while I was in their town. But Greyson didn't smell bad to me.

He smelled incredible and intoxicating.

I had figured that with how delicious his scent was, no one would notice if I had it on me from the little contact we had.

Ellie's nose was wrinkled, and I watched as she forced her stare away from her phone and turned to look at me. Her eyes widened as she glanced at my frizzy hair, over my damp face, down my sweaty dress, and to my dirt-covered heels. Compared to her polished, waxed, and manicured appearance, I must look like a mess. "Are you kidding me?"

"What? I don't look that bad." Greyson sure seemed to like it. I bit back the thought. His opinion shouldn't matter, and I shouldn't care that much about what he thinks of me.

He was as much of a stranger as my future mate was, and I had no business thinking about him. We spent less than two hours together over the past two days, and they meant nothing.

They were some of the most memorable hours of my life, but still.... they couldn't mean anything.

He was probably just having fun with me, laughing about the gullible pack girl he was toying with to his pack of rogues. After what they did to me during my first and only visit there, I imagined they would get a kick out of hearing about how he had me in the palm of his hand.

Once they learned I had shown up today after everything that happened yesterday, they would think I was more of a joke than they did before.

It wouldn't surprise me if he had planned to kill me once he finished his little game with me.

Yet, the way he had looked at me and touched me... I was having a hard time believing that was the case. It felt too real, too different.

My short time with him made me feel things I had never felt before and never expected to in my future arranged mating.

"Those men are coming here today to fight for your hand, some of them against their will, and you show up looking like you were just doing yard work. Show a little decency!" Ellie snapped, and I felt my cheeks burn under her glare.

My parents scolded me thousands of times, but having it come from my little sister and in front of our pack was humiliating. She sounded just like our father. He would be so proud if he had heard her. It would be just another thing she did to earn his love and respect while I continued disappointing him.

"Always getting in trouble, aren't we?" Cori, the Beta's daughter, asked as she joined us, her parents only a few feet behind her.

Cori was a beautiful redhead with stunning green eyes.

She was always friendly and understood the pressure I was under, but we never had a chance to become close. She was a year younger than Ellie, and they were close friends. I didn't have anyone my age around me.

"It seems that way," I muttered bitterly as Beta Thompson, Cori's mother, looked at me with the same disappointed expression my mother had mastered over the years.

I glanced over my shoulder, wondering if I would have time to run home and change, but I tensed when I saw my parents walking up to join us. Their displeasure at the way I looked was evident on their face.

My hair dropped from my fingers, and I quickly used my palm to press down the frizz around my face.

"What are you trying to prove?" My mother hissed as she stood at my side.

My father's face was red with anger, and I glanced down at my feet when he turned his glare on me as I used one foot to wipe dried mud off the ankle of the other.

A few pack members laughed as they watched the scene unfold.

It was nothing new. They were used to me failing to live up to my parents' expectations and getting reprimanded. Public or private, my parents held nothing back.

There was nothing I could do about my sweaty clothes or hair now. It was too late.

The road would be filled with cars any moment now, and if I wasn't standing right here when that happened, my father might lose his mind. The best I could offer our guests was a smile and to play the sweet, charming role I was forced into when they showed up today.

"I raised you better than this. The way you are presenting yourself to your future mate is disgraceful! Did you really think this kind of public humiliation and disrespect would make us call it off, or were you just trying to insult our guests?" My father snapped, not bothering to lower his voice, and I knew it was because he wanted to make an example out of me. He hated to repeat himself, and by scolding me, he was setting the standards in the pack for everyone who heard him.

"I'm sorry, Dad. I had a few things I had to attend to and didn't get a chance to clean up and change." I shifted uncomfortably, hoping he would let it slide this time, but it was unlikely.

"This is unacceptable, Sloane. You will apologize to all of the packs once they get here." He growled, and I looked back to the empty street. They weren't here yet. Maybe I could go change after all.

I turned to make a run for it, opening my mouth to tell my father that I would be right back when my mother blocked my path.

"We don't have time for you to go running off and causing more problems." My mother said, grabbing my shoulders and turning me around to pull the pin holding the top half of my hair out before pulling it up in an uncomfortably tight bun.

I winced, my cheeks hot from embarrassment as she did this in front of the laughing pack. I felt like a child, not a twenty-year-old woman.

"I expect you on your best behavior from here on out, Sloane." My father snapped as I winced when my mother pulled my hair. I knew it was accidental, but I still tried to turn and glare at her.

"I will be! This was accidental…" I trailed off as my father let out a low growl.

"I don't just mean right now. Once the games are over, you will go with your mate back to his pack, and I expect you to make your pack proud. None of your usual nonsense!" He growled the last few words, and I looked away as he reminded me of my fate.

I knew I would be forced to mate them, but I hadn't given much thought to where we would live. My first thought was that my mate would live here with me, but now that I knew that wasn't the case, I felt empty.

A few people began to mutter with disappointment between each other about me representing their pack instead of Ellie, and from the corner of my eye, I watched her stand up straighter, tucking her phone away.

The pack fell silent as the distant rumbling of vehicles reached us, and I felt my stomach twist. Knowing that one of the men in that convoy was about to become my lifelong mate made me feel sick. I would leave with my mate in four weeks, losing my home, friends, and family.

Movement to the left caught my attention, and I held my breath as a familiar wolf charged toward the road.

The giant black beast raced through the trees, perpendicular to the vehicles, and I gasped at the sight of him. He was moving quickly, and I looked back and forth between Greyson and the convoy about to breach our border.

My father took one step forward, having noticed him too, and my breathing picked up as Greyson collided with the first SUV. The crash was audible from here, and I flinched at the sound of his body making contact with the metal, sending the vehicle onto its side.

Another crashed into it from behind, and I watched in horror as wolves started jumping from the cars further back, ready to fight.

"No," I whispered, my hand flying up to my mouth as I lost sight of Greyson.

Our border patrol raced forward into no man's land, and I held my breath. A tense silence fell over the pack before Greyson stepped out from around the car. His eyes were on me, pulling me in as he limped forward.

I stepped toward him only to be stopped by my father's hand clasping tightly on my bicep.

Ellie let out a loud cry of surprise at the sight of the Rogue Alpha, and Aiden moved to my side, wrapping his arm around me and pulling me away from my father.

No wolf in the world could compete with Greyson's size or strength, and none could have survived that impact. Yet, he did.

Greyson braced himself, looking as if he had taken minimal damage before letting out a deafening roar of anger, his eyes never leaving mine as he did so.

Ashley Breanne

I am absolutely blown away by the number of votes this book has received so far. Thank you so much for reading and voting!

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Allison
Looks like you don’t want me to finish my book guess I’ll delete your app got a better app anyway
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JS290
Look forward to this journey! Nice job author
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firstgabby
Love it love it love it ...
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  • Rogue Desires   Six: Sloane

    There was something so feral…so dominating about the sound of Greyson's anger that I couldn't get it out of my head even long after he had escaped the packs and we had all settled into the castle. The giant throne room was filled with the four packs as we had moved inside after Greyson's attack, each pack having brought at least twenty of their members. I couldn't help myself from scanning them over, trying to figure out which man I would be stuck with for the rest of my life. Yet, subconsciously, I kept comparing each man to Greyson. His tall and broad frame. His black hair and stunning grey eyes. The stubble on his chin that I wanted to feel against every part of my body.None of my potential suitors stood a chance against him, which was horrifying. I didn't want to go into a mating with someone I would always compare to another person. Maybe one day I could bond with my mate enough to have a healthy relationship, but starting one this way was a recipe for disaster.I needed to

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2023-09-15
  • Rogue Desires   Seven: Greyson

    I couldn't get the image of that murderer's hand around her wrist out of my head. He didn't deserve to breathe the same air as her, let alone touch her. Charles McKenna.He was the most respected pack Alpha there was, but he was a pathetic excuse for a friend and ally. One day, I would take him down. I would make sure he suffered through every second of pain my family had experienced before I would let him draw his last breath. Charles was a traitor, and my family had been slaughtered because of him.For years, I had dreamed of getting my revenge, but I had never been able to pull the trigger. Something had always felt wrong about it, but now, after seeing his hand on Sloane, I was ready to end him. I was blinded by rage, half-tempted to storm into his pack and rip his throat out even though I would be outnumbered and possibly killed. His death would make it worth it. It had hurt too much to sit, and I was too amped up to stand still. The grass beneath my feet had been flattened as

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2023-09-16
  • Rogue Desires   Eight: Sloane

    I was on edge, so wound up that once I had gotten home and was ready for bed, I had been able to get myself off within seconds. I hated that I had to do it myself now that I knew Greyson was more than willing to help me take the edge off.Greyson had agreed to one month, but with his injuries, we obviously couldn't do anything for at least a day or two. He insisted otherwise, but I didn't want my first time to be like that. He would be in pain the entire time, and I would be scared to hurt him further. It was just better that we waited.Plus, I wasn't ready to jump right in. I had only ever kissed a man once, and it had been humiliating. I also wanted to get to know him a little bit.Greyson would have to be patient with me, or this wouldn't work."Excuse me," Declan whispered as he leaned over my plate of food, letting his chest rub against my arm as he grabbed the pitcher of orange juice that he could have just asked me for. He had been flirting all morning and was too touchy for my

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2023-09-20
  • Rogue Desires   Nine: Sloane

    I sat back on my throne, ignoring my mother's glare as my father celebrated with the other Alphas. There was no reason to celebrate since Ethan had won, but my father was enjoying himself.Yet, as I watched him throw his head back and laugh with his hand on Ethan's shoulder, I wondered what black magic Ethan had used to win my father's affection. Had my father not seen the same fights I had or how cruel Ethan was? Had he not heard how he spoke to me at breakfast this morning?After the first round ended, the two champions, Ethan and Declan, faced off in a long and impressive fight, with Ethan coming out victorious and Declan looking almost relieved.Everything about the first contest had been horrific, and I dreaded the next four weeks. The only thing that made it bearable was the excitement of sneaking around with Greyson.I knew nothing about him and wasn't sure I wanted to get to know him.If feelings got involved, it would be harder to leave in a month.The five packs had been cele

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2023-09-23
  • Rogue Desires   Ten: Sloane

    The water felt warm as I stepped into it, unable to look at Greyson as he followed behind me. I could generally fake confidence like it was second nature, but he managed to break down that wall and left me a nervous mess.As the water reached my chest, I pushed off the rocks and moved to tread in the center of the pond. I could feel his grey eyes watching my every movement like a predator hunting its prey."Tell me something about yourself, Firefly," Greyson whispered, and I took a deep breath before turning to face him, the water splashing my chin as I did so."What do you want to know?"He tilted his head to the side as if he could hear my hesitance and unease at getting to know each other. I didn't mind sharing with him, but I was worried that the more we got to know each other, the harder it would be to part ways when The Mating Games were over."This isn't going to work if you can't relax around me, Sloane." Greyson pushed off the rocks, his warm hand barely grazing my sides."I c

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2023-09-26
  • Rogue Desires   Eleven: Sloane

    Rocks dug into my knees as I dropped to the ground, but I pressed my lips together to silence the whimper of protest at the action. Still, I couldn't let anyone hear me. What I was doing was wrong and impulsive.It was the kind of decision that would make my mother's head spin around on her shoulders in rage like a possessed doll.Still, I couldn't help but picture my future mate's reaction to seeing me in this position.How many times would I have to do this in my life? Would it be daily or weekly?I dropped my hands to the ground, looking over my shoulder to ensure my feet stayed hidden as I dropped down to lay on my stomach. The large shed housing landscaping materials and tools hid me easily, as did the wall only two feet away from my shoulder on my other side.My nose twitched as the mud began to dry and itch, and I squeezed my eyes shut to fight off the sneeze that would give away my location. There was no way I was showing my face today. I would rather fight a wild bear than dea

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2023-09-27
  • Rogue Desires   Twelve: Greyson

    I was grateful that there weren't many people in town when I walked through. My worry and anger had me on the brink of declaring war with Sloane's pack, and standing in my way would not be wise. I knew Sloane probably just needed some sleep after I kept her up last night, but when it reached three in the morning, and she hadn't shown up, I was ready to storm her pack and demand to see her to confirm her safety myself. My mind kept going to the worst-case scenario, that her father had smelled me on her and was either trying to get her to give away my location or he was keeping her locked up. Fucking Charles McKenna. I knew in my gut that he had something to do with it. I loathed that she had any connection to him. If it wasn't him, then maybe it was me. Had I pushed her too far? Did I make her uncomfortable? I had let her lead and take what she wanted, but maybe I let things go too far. It was driving me crazy not to have any way to communicate with her after last night. Never be

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2023-09-29
  • Rogue Desires   Thirteen: Sloane

    The entire pack was staring. Every person we passed turned to watch with a smile, but I couldn't fake one back. My arm was looped through Ethan's as he walked me through the pack land to the private picnic my parents had the staff arrange for us to make up for yesterday.As soon as Ethan had seen me, his jaw clenched, and his eyes lit with anger. His hands were in fists at his sides, and his nostrils were flaring. His man-bun was slicked back, and his cheeks looked sunken in from how tightly he had pulled it.He had at least dressed the part with a dark pair of jeans and a button-up white shirt. I wanted to laugh when I saw it was short-sleeved and that he had left the top few buttons open, but I was too anxious about having to be alone with him to react.Our parents smiled as I dipped my head to him in respect, publicly congratulated him on his win, and apologized for the delay in our time together. I heard a few people snicker when I explained that I hadn't been feeling well, and Eth

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2023-10-01

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  • Rogue Desires   The End

    Thank you so much for joining me on this journey! I have loved writing Sloane and Greyson's story and seeing all your comments, votes, and reviews. I read every comment and appreciate all of you for the feedback and engagement. As most of you know, I normally love to write other character's stories to continue the series like I did in The Alpha's Girl Series and The Beast and The Blessed Series. Sadly, this book did not perform as well as I had hoped, and I must move on with new characters and a new world, so this will be a stand-alone novel.I love and appreciate you all so much! Thank you! I'll see you soon with my next book release over the next month!

  • Rogue Desires   Epilogue: Sloane

    Four months later: I couldn't help but giggle as Freya, and I slumped back onto the couch. The giddy excitement caused me to sound pretty unstable, but I couldn't calm down if I wanted to. I was too excited for Greyson to get home. He had been out all day, running patrol and helping the pack fix Earl's house. The poor, grumpy old man had broken his good leg trying to cliff dive with the pack after having a few drinks and could no longer justify refusing the changes that needed to be made in his home to make it more accessible. Due to his age, his healing was slower than most wolves, but he was determined to refuse help…not that anyone listened to him. The pack had rallied together and gathered all of the necessary tools to make his two-story home more usable. He reluctantly gave in under the condition that we rip it all back out once his leg healed in a few weeks. Jessi was busy with the diner, so she hadn't had the time she would have needed to help Earl around his house, even th

  • Rogue Desires   Sixty-Four: Sloane

    I hugged Aiden one last time, not ready to let go as I stood under the midday sun by the pond with Greyson. My little brother had insisted on walking me back, but this was the farthest he wanted to go. I wouldn't admit it to him, but I was secretly happy he had come with me. I wasn't ready to say goodbye, even if it was only temporarily.I hadn't been exiled, but I was moving away, about to start a new life and my own family.Aiden, Ellie, and I would still be close, but not as close as before. There was no way for us to continue as we once were. Our relationship, as it was now, spending every day together would be brought down to texts, phone calls, and the occasional visit.Although, I was hoping to have Aiden come stay with Greyson and me whenever he wanted.I had the feeling Ellie wouldn't be staying at my parent's place long. She was eighteen and old enough to receive a mark if Declan chose to gift her with one.I anticipated that would be soon so Ellie could avoid going through t

  • Rogue Desires   Sixty-Three: Greyson

    I never imagined I would be sitting in Charles McKenna's office. It was even more unbelievable than Sloane and I being fated mates, destined for one another by the Goddess. I had always known we were meant to be together, regardless of the Goddess choosing her for me. She would have been mine with or without divine intervention. “Son,” Charles said, and my lip curled up in disgust. “Don't call me that,” I snapped, feeling my anger instantly fade as Sloane laced her fingers with mine. Taking a deep breath, I tried again. “I am here out of respect for your daughter, nothing more.” “I understand that,” Charles said, staring at my hand in his daughters. “However, now that you are mated, we will want to discuss a treaty.” I felt my beast bristle at the idea of being connected to this man and his pack by more than just Sloane. He didn’t have anything to offer me that I couldn’t find elsewhere, but as we were a new pack, we needed support and fast. I was resistant to having an alliance

  • Rogue Desires   Sixty-Two: Sloane

    I was on cloud nine. I could feel everything through our bond. Grey's happiness, excitement, fear, and anger.Most importantly, I could feel his love for me. There was so much of it. More than I ever thought possible.My hand moved up to my neck, and a rush of pleasure went through me at the contact. From the way Grey stiffened behind me and his grip tightened on my hips, he felt it, too. The connection we had was incredible. I could feel him so clearly that I suspected if I tried hard enough, I could hear his thoughts."Soulmates," I repeated the word. Regardless of what my father said now, he wouldn't be able to force me into mating with Ben. I was already claimed, and even if Grey were to die today, my soul would always belong to him."He is a rogue!" Ethan yelled, and I leaned further back into Grey's chest. Even with everyone around me, the thought of him being close to me sent alarm bells blaring through my mind.He was unstable and evil."Ethan Dunn," Charles yelled, turning to

  • Rogue Desires   Sixty-One: Greyson

    Aiden eyed the tree line I was hiding in from his place next to his father. The sun had risen over the trees only an hour ago, but Charles seemed to be in a hurry to get rid of his daughter. We had barely made it back in time for the ceremony, and I expected Charles to have something to say to his son about that, but he kept his gaze on the castle doors where my woman was about to emerge. I had to keep reminding myself that she had chosen me. She wanted to be with me, and nothing would prevent me from stopping this ceremony and claiming her for myself. Since her father was outside, I assumed he was either being true to his cruel nature or Sloane was feeling better and would be down shortly. I needed it to be the latter so I could see for myself that she was okay. Ben stood in a suit at the end of the aisle. I shook with anger, knowing that he had won and was there to mate with my woman. He should be proud and excited, yet he looked broken. His eyes were downcast, and his hands wer

  • Rogue Desires   Sixty: Sloane

    Benjamin Reid, Nightshade: 51 PointsTatum Blair, Shadow Paw: 46 PointsDeclan McCoy, Iron Hide: 34 PointsEthan Dunn, Night Walker: 29 Points***My eyes hurt as I forced them open, feeling Ellie's hand shaking me awake for what must have been the tenth time. The room was spinning, and my muscles felt frozen. She tried to get me to speak, move, or make a noise each time she woke me.Yet, each time, I would lay there trapped inside my own body, terrified and angry.Ethan hadn't been here long. The silver restraints he used had only been on me for a few minutes as he dragged me to the bed before injecting me with something. Still, they had done significant damage in the little time I had them on me.I could feel the effects of the silver chains in my bones still, but that also could have been whatever Ethan had injected me with."Sloane, you need to wake up. Mom will be here any minute to get you ready for the ceremony. I've called that pack doctor back, too." Ellie looked so worried as

  • Rogue Desires   Fifty-Nine: Greyson

    My fingers tapped on the counter as I glared down at the human. She shook, and the stench of stress, fear, and onions oozed from her every pore. I wanted to get as far away from her as possible.Her oily skin, frizzy hair, and smell attested to her poor diet. It had always amazed me how many chemicals humans put in their foods to replace fresh ingredients. It was no wonder they were always sick or dying."This is your specialty, is it not?" I growled, and she shrank back as she heard the displeasure in my tone."I just handle the sales. Like I said earlier, our tech team should be back from lunch shortly," She gestured over her shoulder with her thumb to the back room.My claws extended, and my nails clicked loudly against the hard surface as I took several deep breaths. She had been saying that for two hours, practically begging me to come back another time. I had the feeling this would be her last day of work at this establishment, and if I did come back, someone else would be forced

  • Rogue Desires   Fifty-Eight: Sloane

    It was difficult trying to figure out how to pack just enough that it wouldn't weigh me down when I made my escape while also bringing enough that I wouldn't break the bank having to buy clothes or personal items.The bag on my bed was only half full when I heard the knock on my door. My back tensed, and I quickly grabbed it and rushed to the closet, pulling the door closed behind me.A light layer of sweat was on my forehead, and my heart raced with excitement to escape and see Greyson again. I wanted to throw myself into his arms and tell him I loved him a million times or until I lost my voice.I never should have gone back with Ethan and Ben during the challenge.Grey and I should have run, even if it meant the other packs would hunt us down. At least then, we would be together, and there wouldn't be this uncertainty between us with him not answering my calls.I recognized how careless that thought was as soon as I had it. A war over a few missed calls…Still, my running away would

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