Forsaken by the Moon Goddess novel Chapter 35

Benedict

When I returned home last night, my mother immediately asked where I had been.

“I’m a grown man who doesn’t answer to you, mother.

Where I was isn’t anyone’s business but my own,” I’d said before walking away.

Bethany, of course, had pounced on me. I’d told her nearly everything, then I laid in bed remembering the feel of Sloane’s lips, the taste of her tongue against mine, her intoxicating scent, and most of all the sweet way she admitted that she’d missed me.

In the morning, I was flying high, ready to see her later today.

“You seem awfully chipper this morning, Benedict,” my mother says over breakfast, her sourpuss face securely in place.

“It’s a lovely morning, mother. Perhaps you should take some time to enjoy it yourself, get some fresh air.”

“I have somethings I need for you to take care of today, Benedict,” she says.

“And what are those things?” I ask as I eat.

She lists off tasks that are so ridiculously outside the role of an Alpha that I know she’s doing everything in herpower to keep me home today.

“Give me the list and I will delegate as appropriate,” I tell her.

“I said I needed YOUR help, Benedict,” she snaps.

“Yes, you did. Therefore, I will delegate these tasks to the appropriate person or persons to handle them.”

“You are neglecting your Alpha duties!” she growls.

1 put my fork down, leaning forward and giving her the full force of my gaze. “I dare you to tell father that you need HIM to handle these things, mother. copied from jo_bn_ib_.{com} You and I both know that this is bullshit. So, give me your fucking list, and I will take care of it, but I won’t be doing it. I have REAL Alpha duties to take care of today.”

“What do you have to do today? Go gallivanting around again?”

“It’s called creating alliances and bonds with other Alphas, mother. I would have thought you’d understand that since you’re so interested in having large parties with lots and lots of Alphas in attendance,” I say, standing up. “Excuse me, I’ve lost my appetite.”

I’m still fuming when I get upstairs and check my phone seeing several missed calls from Scarlet.

I call her back immediately, worried that something happened to Sloane.”Alpha Benedict?” she answers.

“Scarlet, what’s wrong. Did something happen to Sloane?”

“Is it true? Are you feeling the early effects of the mate bond, or are you screwing with my friend?” she growls.

“don’t know what it is Scarlet, but I’m not messing with Sloane. I like her. You don’t have to worry about me using her,” I say, falling into the recliner in my bedroom.

“And what about you saying you like the way she tastes and smells, Benedict? I know what that means. I understand it a lot better now that I’m mated.”

“Well, I’m not mated, so I wouldn’t know,” I growl, not happy that I’m having to justify myself to Scarlet Chapman.

“But you feel a pull to her, right?” she asks.

I sigh. “Yes. Not that it’s any of your business, but she obviously told you about our conversation, so yes. Ever since my eighteenth birthday, the pull to Sloane has become even stronger than it was before my birthday.”

“Shit,” she whispers.

“Why is that a bad thing?” I growl.

“I wasn’t thinking earlier. Daniel says I act first and think later which is probably true. But when she told me what you’d said, I instantly realized what it was. Daniel felt it too before I turned eighteen. I may have told Sloane thatit was possible that you were feeling the early signs of a mate bond.”

Shit. I sit up.

“And what did she say?” I ask.

“She left, Benedict. That’s the real reason I’m calling. She didn’t even say goodbye. She told her grandfather she had to leave, she borrowed a car, and she left.”

“When?” I ask, walking to my desk and getting my car keys.

“About an hour ago.”

“Do you think she was going home?” I ask, walking out of my room and jogging down the stairs.

“Benedict? Where are you going?” my mother asks when I get downstairs. I ignore her and continue walking outside to my car.

“I’m not sure.,When Sloane gets like this, she withdraws into herself. I wanted to go after her, but Daniel said! need to give her space.”

Fuck that. The onty thing Sloane will do with space is put up a bunch of walls to keep me out.

“I’ll find her. I’ll make sure she’s okay,” I say, hanging up as I pull out of the pack’s garage and race down the lane to the main entrance of our pack lands. If she was headed home, she would have already passed the entrance to my pack lands. So, I turn in the direction of Alpha Roman’spack and hit the gas.

My mind begins racing with what I’m going to say to her.

Sloane isn’t the kind of woman who will accept pretty accolades. I need to be honest and I need to tell her that yes, I feel like this is the early stages of the mate bond. I know that every time I kiss her, she tastes better than the last, which only confirms my belief that we will be mates.

But more important than what I feel are Marrok’s feelings – for Sloane. HE likes Sloane. He feels protective of her. He’s become infatuated with her and that’s before you add Aisling into the mix. When you add Aisling, Marrok is becoming downright possessive.

Ive been driving about twenty minutes when I see a car on the side of the road. I’m in the middle of nowhere. It’s possible it’s Sloane, but even if it’s not, I have to stop and make sure the person is okay. There’s nothing around here for miles.

I pull up behind the car and as soon as Marrok sits up in my head, I know it’s Sloane. Relief and a bit of dread wash over me.

‘She’ll probably hit us, Marrok says.

‘So be it, I say, getting out of the car.

And then I hear it, sobs so heart-wrenching that I can’t stand it. I race to her door and yank it open.She turns and looks at me. Her eyes are haunted and so sad that it makes my heart ache even more. I want to do whatever I can to take away her pain.

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