Chapter 5 #3
Olivia couldn’t help but blush. “I can’t quite define what it is, but there is definitely something there. You understand right? There’s that initial rush of attraction and lust that’s just different. A connection you can’t explain and even your wolf feels it.”
“Oh yeah,” Sloane said with a chuckle. “And it grew stronger after Jacob and I spent more time together. And yes, even though I thought Jacob was a mouthy idiot, I still couldn’t help myself.”
“I hardly know Eli and we’ve only met twice before.”
Sloane scooted closer to her. “What do you wanna know about him?”
Olivia supposed Sloane would be the person to ask, since she’d known him most of her life. “I don’t wanna pry or anything and I want to respect his privacy.”
A wrinkle appeared between Sloane’s eyebrows. “Truth be told, he’s never shared any personal things or feelings with me. And I wouldn’t be able to tell you anything about his life before Boston.”
“Of course, I totally understand if you’re not comfort—”
“But I can tell you what I’ve seen with my own eyes.
” She took a deep breath. “Eli joined the Boston clan when he was only about fifteen or sixteen. Garret showed up with him one day, saying he was his son. The resemblance was obvious, plus he was a Lycan so there was no denying it. We all assumed Garret told Ronan the details of where Eli had been before he came to Boston, but never shared them with anyone else.”
“And his mother?”
“Neither Eli nor Garret spoke about her. I always assumed that she was a Lycan from another clan or a Lone Wolf, but never that she was his True Mate. I suppose that means she could be a human and maybe even that she didn’t know about Lycans.”
“I thought the same,” Olivia said. “What was Eli like?”
“Sad,” Sloane breathed out. “And very sensitive. He’d just lost his mom and now he had to adjust to a new life in a new clan. I think we gravitated toward each other because we were both orphans and got bullied by the rest of the clan. Also, he hadn’t even shifted at that point.”
Fifteen or sixteen was a little old for a Lycan to not have shifted yet; usually it happened around twelve or thirteen. Had Eli even known he was a Lycan? It was possible that he didn’t, if his mother had been human and Garret hadn’t told her.
“It infuriated Garret,” Sloane continued. “He was always pushing and pushing Eli so he could become an enforcer and join Ronan’s inner circle. But Eli didn’t want that. He didn’t want to hurt people or do Ronan’s bidding.”
Olivia gasped. “What happened?”
Sloane’s demeanor changed. “Ronan found out I was good at stealing shit and put me to work.” Her upper lip trembled.
“I was fourteen when I did my first job. Eli didn’t want me to be alone in Ronan’s crew.
So, he did what he could to become an enforcer.
He never said it, but I know that’s why.
Ronan and Garret used that against him too.
Used me to keep him in line. And Garret would beat him black and blue if he showed any sign of weakness. ”
Her heart lurched, thinking of what he’d gone though. “That’s beyond horrible.”
“So that’s why I know he’s not loyal to Ronan or his bastard sperm donor. He was only doing their biding because he had to, to protect me and himself.” She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. “I’ve probably said too much. I don’t want you to think badly of him or pity him.”
“I don’t.” She reached out and covered Sloane’s hand with hers. “I think he’s brave. I couldn’t even begin to think what it was like for him. Or for you. I’m so sorry.”
“It’s okay, really. I’ve come to terms with it. Though, sometimes I wonder, if my parents had gotten away, what it would have been like. To have grown up with a real family.”
Olivia squeezed her hand. “Well, you’re part of our family now. We won’t let anything happen to you.”
“Thanks. And I’m not saying this because I want you to feel sorry for me and Eli.
And while having my True Mate can’t change my past, it does make it seem like everything I went through was worth it, now that I have Jacob and this baby.
And if Eli could experience just a bit of what I did …
” She grinned, lightening the atmosphere.
“I mean, no pressure of course. The man has his flaws. He hates pineapple on his pizza. That alone is a good reason to break up.”
“Oh, too bad, now we really can’t be together.” Olivia said dryly, which sent Sloane into a fit of giggles.
“Thank you,” she said, wrapping her arms around Olivia in a big hug. “For listening. And everything else.”
“Of course.” She squeezed Sloane right back.
“Why don’t you get some rest? Jacob and I are gonna take a nap and then we’ll start making dinner around four. Come hang out whenever you feel like it, but we wanna do the planning part for tomorrow while we eat.”
“Sounds good,” she said as she released Sloane, then added as she reached the door, “Have a nice nap.”
“I bet Eli could also give you a good napping if you asked.”
Olivia’s face heated with the strength of a thousand suns. Sloane merely chuckled and then bounded out the door.