Stealing Sloane (Lone Wolf Generations #5)

Epilogue

One month later …

“ How are you feeling?” Jacob asked as they awaited the arrival of the elevator in the lobby of Lone Wolf Investigations and Security’s building.

“Nauseous,” Sloane replied.

Concern marred his face. “Should I get you some soda crackers?”

“It’s not because of the baby.” At least, she didn’t think it was, because according to baby books she’d been reading, morning sickness shouldn’t start for another two weeks or so. “I’m just nervous about … everything.”

He kissed the top of her head. “Everything’s going to be okay.”

“How can you be sure?”

The soft ding announcing the arrival of the elevator car interrupted whatever he was going to say. He gestured for her to go ahead. “I just know, okay?”

As the car carried them to the upper floors of the building, Sloane drummed her fingers on her arm. When they reached their destination and they stepped out, Jacob said, “We could have done this at home you know. You didn’t have to come here. Or watch any of this.”

“Yeah, but … I would have gone crazy, waiting for word.” They walked past the reception area and straight to the conference. There were already several people there waiting for them, including Jacob’s parents, Cliff, and of course, Stella. To her surprise, Devon and Charlie were there as well. As soon as she saw her twin, Stella rushed over and gave her a hug.

“How are you?”

“Good.” She wasn’t feeling good at all, and her stomach was all in knots, but the reply was automatic.

“You don’t have to lie to me,” Stella said. “I couldn’t sleep a wink.”

Sloane gave a little laugh. “Me neither.”

“Sloane,” Devon greeted, then pulled her into a hug. “Nice to see you.”

“Same. I thought you were in New Mexico, though.”

“I had to be here.” Blue eyes so like her own looked back at her. “For them .”

The knots in her stomach grew even tighter. Indeed, that’s why she had to see this through herself. For their parents.

“It’s almost time,” Lizzie, who had been behind the laptop set up next to the projector, said. “Everyone, take your seats.”

Sloane occupied the chair in front of the camera and Stella and Devon sat on either side of her. The projector whirred to life, and the screen at the far end of the conference room lit up.

“We are commencing this meeting of the Lycan High Council, on this day …” droned the voice of the council’s secretary. The rest of the members sat around the table, their faces somber.

Sloane swallowed, fearing that wasn’t a good sign. Stella placed a hand over hers and squeezed it, and Jacob, who stood directly opposite her, gave her a reassuring nod.

“Now,” Mr. Ngozi began once all the formalities were done. “Let’s get down to today’s business. After a thorough investigation into the activities of Ronan Forte, Alpha of Boston, we have found him guilty of various crimes, including murder against fellow Lycans, Erin Henderson, George Halliburton ….” He listed off a dozen or so more names. “…. and Owen and Rebecca O’Neill.”

A prickle ran over the back of her neck over the last two names on the list.

Owen and Rebecca O’Neill .

Their parents.

“Oh my God,” Stella cried, covering her mouth. “Sloane …”

Sloane felt a lightheadedness come over her, and had she not been sitting, she surely would have fainted.

After Jacob’s family had rescued them from Ronan, they immediately reported the incident to the Lycan High Council. Thankfully, with the initial evidence in the diary, the council had enough reason to send the Alpha and Garret to a temporary holding facility in Arizona.

Of course, with the chaos surrounding the attack, the council could not simply take Sloane and Jacob’s side without getting Ronan’s version of events. Once Ronan had recovered, he played the victim, telling them he was the one attacked and for no good reason. However, the information in his diaries, plus evidence Lizzie gathered from the Boston Police Department’s files, tied Ronan to various crimes, including the murders of Sloane, Stella, and Devon’s parents, plus a few more over the years since he took over as Alpha. Also, now that Ronan was in custody, almost everyone in the Boston clan spoke out against him and testified about how he turned the clan into his personal criminal empire.

Still, because Sloane and Jacob had trespassed into Boston first, they had been punished with home detention in New York until their sentencing. They had to wear tracking anklets, and their movements were limited to Jacob’s apartment and Lone Wolf’s offices.

“Does that mean you’re free to go?” Devon asked.

“I’m not sure.” Jackson had said they still might face some punishment because they did break the rules. But whatever, it was, she would gladly face it, considering Ronan was now going to be put away for life.

Mr. Ngozi continued. “Now, as for the matter of Jacob Martin of New York and the Lone Wolf Sloane. Although they willingly broke Lycan law by entering another territory, considering the circumstances and the great risk they undertook to bring to light Ronan Forte’s crimes and the overwhelming support of the Boston clan, we consider their one-month detention as time served and order they be released at once.”

“Yes!” Jacob shook his left foot. “I can’t wait to get this thing off me.”

“Ronan Forte is therefore stripped of his position as Alpha, and sentencing for Ronan Forte will be confirmed one month for now. His Beta, Garret McCall, will also stand trial for his part in the various crimes against Lycans.…”

As everyone celebrated, a myriad of emotions ran through Sloane, and once again, the dizziness threatened to overwhelm her. She searched the room until she found Jacob’s familiar face, his jade green eyes already trained on her. Just that one look from him calmed her fears and the storm within her.

It was strange how her life had changed so much in one month. Normally, having to stay in one place for so long would have driven her crazy. Yet, despite the uncertainty around them, the time she had spent alone with Jacob in his apartment had been nice, though, a few times they did drive each other up the wall.

She was more certain now more than ever that she loved him and wanted to be with him. She’d also gotten used to the idea that she was pregnant with his pup, a fact they confirmed right away with several pregnancy tests after that first time. Out of curiosity, she also cut a finger with a paring knife, marveling at how quickly her skin healed up.

Her wolf let out a satisfied, if not smug, yip. Perhaps she should have listened to her wolf in the first place, as it had obviously been trying to tell her that Jacob was someone special to them.

“I’m glad that’s over,” Jacob said. “I just want to go home.”

“Home?” Lizzie cried. “Aren’t you sick of your bachelor pad by now?”

“Excuse me, it’s no longer a bachelor pad.” He smiled over at Sloane. “Besides, now we can start searching for a bigger place, with all the babies I’m gonna put inside her for the next couple of years.”

“Eww, gross, I don’t want to know what you put inside her.” Lizzie gagged. “But, anyway, you can’t go home yet. We’re having a party to celebrate.”

“Party?” Sloane asked. “Where?”

“Here, of course.” The doors to the conference opened and several people poured inside carrying balloons, bottles of champagne and trays of food.

“Lily?” Sloane cried as the older Lycan came over to embrace them. “Why, who else?—”

“Everyone,” Lily exclaimed, gesturing around her. “Everyone’s here.”

Lily wasn’t exaggerating, everyone was there. Aside from the ones who had come to rescue them from Ronan, there were a few more people from his family that arrived that she’d previously met, including Jacob’s adopted human brother Anthony and his wife Hannah and their daughters Blaise and Marie, some of Jacob’s friends from the clan, like Marc Delacroix and Bastian Creed, and a few more she hadn’t been introduced to yet.

“C’mon guys, make way for the food, I’m hungry,” Lizzie called. “Did you make sure you have enough food for all the pregnant ladies here, Grams?”

“I got you covered,” Lily said with a laugh. “Don’t you worry.”

Despite it being a weekday, the offices of Lone Wolf seemingly shut down for their impromptu party. Sloane couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate, and from across the room, she caught her sister’s eye. They held each other’s gazes for a moment, and though no words passed between them, there was a sense of understanding there. If there was such a thing as twin telepathy, she sent Stella one message: It’s finally over .

And that’s exactly how she felt. After two years of carrying the burden of what happened to their parents, they finally got the justice they deserved.

“Hey,” Devon greeted and handed her a glass of champagne. “Everything good?”

“Yeah.” A single thought still permeated her mind: Holy fucking fuck, Devon Fucking Hale is my brother! She wasn’t sure she’d ever get over it. “And you? Are you good?”

“Yeah, I’m all good. Everything is wonderful.”

She followed his gaze, which flickered over to Charley, who was chatting with—“Holy fucking fuck, is that Renée Rose?” The Renée Rose, pop superstar, stood about ten feet away from her, casually eating from a plate of fried chicken and biscuits.

Devon barked out a laugh. “Yeah. It’s a long story, but basically, she’s Arch’s True Mate, so I guess we’re related to her now.”

“No shit.” She took a sip of her champagne, then promptly spit it out. “What the fuck?” The bubbly liquid tasted vile, and it made her want to retch. She spun around so she wouldn’t spew her lunch all over Devon, but unfortunately, her arm hit something—or rather, someone, and sent the champagne glass crashing to the floor.

“Hey!” a familiar voice said. “Sloane, congratulations on, well, everything.”

“Olivia?” Sloane hadn’t seen her since she disappeared that night at Blood Moon. “You’re here.”

“Of course I am.” Olivia pulled her into a hug that filled her nose with the scent of expensive perfume. As usual, she looked utterly stunning, and if it were possible, even more so now, with her long platinum hair pulled back and her perfect skin glowing. “I’m so glad to hear everything worked out and?—”

Crunch.

“Oops.” Her expensive red-bottomed shoes stepped right on the broken champagne glass. “I should get?—”

“ Let me—” They knelt at the same time to reach for the remains of the flute, their fingers touching the slivers of broken glass.

“Ah, shit.” Blood spurted from her fingers as the sharp edge cut into her skin.

“Ouch,” Olivia exclaimed as a large shard sliced into her palm.

“Good thing I’m invincible,” Sloane chuckled as she held up her fingers, then grabbed Olivia’s bloody palm. “Let’s get you some—” She sucked in a breath. “What the hell? Is that—” She wasn’t sure if she was seeing things or?—

“No!’ Olivia pulled her hand back. “It’s all right,” she said to Devon, who looked at her curiously. “I’m fine,” she called as she got up and dashed out of the conference room.

No, she wasn’t. Standing up, she waved at Devon before he could say anything, then ran out after Olivia. “Hey!” she called. “Olivia! Wait!” She saw a flash of blonde hair by the door to the ladies’ room and she quickly followed inside. “Olivia?”

Olivia’s pretty face paled as she locked eyes with Sloane. “Did you?—”

“Yes. I saw it.” She walked over to where she stood by the sink, washing her hand. “Olivia, are you?—”

“Pregnant.” She held up her palm, which was completely healed up.

“Who’s the dad?”

“I … I don’t know.”

“You don’t know your True Mate?”

She shook her head. “I know, that makes me sound awful, but?—”

“I’m not judging,” she said. “But how?—”

“We didn’t exchange names. And he’s a Lone Wolf, so he’s not from here.” Color bloomed in her cheeks. “It was that night at Blood Moon. Actually, I saw him at there a few months ago but nothing happened. When we saw each other again … it was hard to resist.”

“I know, believe me. But you have no clue who he is? Did he leave in the morning?”

“Er, I did,” she confessed. “That morning, I kind of, uh, panicked because I’m not like that at all. I mean, I don’t just sleep with people I just met. But I was embarrassed, you know? Like I said, I don’t normally do that.”

“Does anyone else know?”

“No … before you ask, we didn’t exchange contact info. I tried … I went back to Blood Moon a few times, but I never saw him again.” She glanced back at her reflection. “I just don’t know what to do. I mean, obviously I’m going to keep it. I just … I’m confused.”

“It’s going to be okay.” She wrapped a hand around her shoulders and leaned against her. “We’re family. I’m here, whatever you need.” It seemed strange to say that to a near-stranger, but it felt right. Jacob was her mate, and his clan and the Shenandoah wolves had shown her what it meant to be family.

“Thanks, Sloane.” She gave her a weak smile. “I just found out myself recently. I’m planning to go away and think for a bit, then when I come back, I’ll tell my parents and Arch, and then everyone else.”

“I won’t say a word, I promise. Do you want to go back to the party?”

“Yeah, but I need a moment.”

“Take your time.”

Sloane gave her a last squeeze around the shoulders before she left. When she exited the ladies’ room, however, she nearly collided with someone. The familiar scent immediately hit her. “What the—Jacob.”

“You okay, Sweet Stuff?” His eyebrows drew together. “Devon said you ran out of the conference room after you hurt yourself. Are you okay? Do you wanna leave?”

“Nah, I’m good, just a little broken glass.” She raised her hand. “Invincible, remember?”

He looked relieved. “I know. I keep forgetting, but still … I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

“Same.” She stepped into his embrace. Twice now, she’s seen him almost die. If anything did happen to him, she didn’t know what she’d do.

“Hey now.” Pulling away from her, he rubbed the tears on her cheeks with his fingers.

“Must be hormones.”

He flashed her a bright smile. “Yeah, that must be it. Do you want go back to the party—oh.” He glanced behind her, then called out, “Hey, guys, what’s up? Why don’t you join us in the conference room? Office is shut for the day and we have tons of food and drinks.”

Sloane turned her head to see two men walking down the hall towards them. One she immediately recognized as Adrian, the hot blond from Blood Moon who she danced with.

And the other …

“Eli?” Her hands dropped to her sides and she spun around, facing him. She blinked several times, as if waiting for him to disappear like a mirage. “What are you doing here?” Her heart leapt into her throat as she threw herself against him, the solid body telling her that he wasn’t a figment of her imagination. “I thought … that you … they said you died.”

The hulking, stoic man stiffened in her arms, but said nothing.

“What the hell is going on here?” Jacob growled. “Get the hell away from my mate!”

“Jacob,” she admonished, but fearing for Eli’s safety, she stepped away from him anyway as her mate looked ready to explode and set the other man on fire. “Jacob, this is an old friend.”

“Friend?” Jacob sounded mollified and strode over to him. “You mean from your time as a Lone Wolf, right?”

She shook her head. “No, no. He’s?—”

At that moment, the door to the ladies’ room swung open. “Excuse me, I didn’t realize.” Olivia stopped short, and her eyes widened. “I …” Blood drained from her face.

“You …” Eli rasped. “It’s you.”

Jacob’s eyes darted from his cousin to Eli and back again. “What the hell is going on?”

Sloane wasn’t sure, but she had an inkling. “I think we should go.” She snapped her finger at Adrian. “You too. Scram!”

“Yes, ma’am.” He gave her a salute and scurried off.

“We’ll leave you two alone.” Sloane winked at Olivia, then hooked her arm into Jacob’s and dragged him off.

“What the hell … Sloane … wait a sec.”

But she ignored him, and instead pushed him into the nearest office. Once the door closed behind them, Jacob disentangled his arm from hers. “Sloane, what the heck is going on? How do you know Eli?”

She took a deep breath. It was hard to believe that Eli was alive. “He’s not a Lone Wolf.”

“Yes he is,” Jacob countered. “It’s the only way the Alpha allowed him to stay. He was one of the wolves the mages kidnapped, and once we defeated them, he decided to stay and work for the company.”

Her mouth twisted. “Maybe he is a Lone Wolf now, but he wasn’t always.”

“No?”

“Nuh-uh. He was a Boston Lycan. We grew up together, though he’s a year or two older than me. My contacts told me that he died in the battle at Lake Hope.” She’d been devastated, and carried the guilt with her this entire time because if she had known how dangerous the mages were, she would have said screw Ronan and would have gone to help anyway.

“So … Eli Blake was from Boston and then he turned Lone Wolf?”

“I guess? But his name isn’t Eli Blake.”

“No?”

She shook her head. “It’s Eli McCall. He’s Garret’s son.”

Realization passed over Jacob’s face. “No fucking way.” His expression changed to fury. “I have to talk to my dad. And my uncles. And I have to get to Olivia! If Eli harms one hair?—”

She clung to his arm, preventing him from running off. “Jacob, no.”

“I know he’s your friend, but he’s dangerous. I knew there was something off about him.”

“Jacob you don’t understand. Eli won’t harm Olivia.” Not if he was who she suspected.

“How do you know? What if he’s been working for Ronan and Garret?—”

“No, he would never. Eli hates his father.” She’d seen it with her own eyes, how Garret treated his only son. “He didn’t grow up in the clan like I did. I think … I think he came from a loving home, but then his mom died, and he was sent to live with the clan.” That first year had been brutal and she could only watch, helpless, as Garret McCall turned a sensitive young man into a soulless animal. “I don’t know what happened between the time I left and now, but trust me, please?”

He clucked his tongue. “My dad and my uncles still have to know the truth, especially if he’s been lying to us. And we need to do it before he makes a run for it.”

“All right.” But she knew he wasn’t going to run. Still, if he’d been lying to these people—her family—then he had to face them and tell them the truth. “Call your dad and uncles, and I’ll bring Eli here. I’m sure he’ll explain everything.”

“All right. Be careful with him. I’ve seen what he can do.”

“You have nothing to be worried about,” she assured him. “Besides, I’m your invincible True Mate, remember?”

He smirked at her. “Like you would ever let me forget, Sweet Stuff.”

She grinned back at him. “You bet your fucking ass I won’t, Hot Stuff.”