Page 34 of Stealing Sloane

Chapter 7

They drove all night, stopping only to refill gas and for bathroom breaks. Sloane had never felt so tired in her life, yet she could only drift in and out of sleep as she sat in the passenger seat of the borrowed SUV. Every time she managed to nod off, her mind refused to let her rest.

Jacob could have been killed.

Seeing him kneeling on the ground, those two guys holding him down had sent fear through her the likes of which she’d never felt before. Even now, knowing he was safe, her stomach still filled with dread at the idea that he could be dead.

“We’re here,” he announced.

Glancing outside the window, she blinked. Gone were the tall buildings of Manhattan and the endless highways of New Jersey. Instead, they were surrounded by greenery. The sun peeked out from behind rolling hills, bathing the Shenandoah Valley in orange and yellow hues.

Jacob parked the car in front of a large, white country-style home with two stories and a wraparound porch. As they exited the car, the front door flew open.

“Sloane!” Stella cried as she slammed into her. “Oh my God, are you okay? Are you hurt?”

“I—uh! Y-ou’re choking me.” Her sister’s hug was so tight, she could hardly breathe.

“What? Oh sorry,” Stella covered her mouth with her hands. “I keep forgetting how strong I am now.”

“It’s … fine …” She took in a deep breath. “How have you been? How are the Lycan lessons?”

“Me? How have I been? What about you? The Alpha told us that you’d almost been kidnapped by Forte and were on the way here, and you’re asking how I am?”

“It’s fine. I’m fine. I’m here—oh hey, there!” she exclaimed as she grabbed Stella’s left hand, which sported a large diamond ring. “Wow, that’s a hell of a sparkler.”

“Oh yeah.” Her face flushed. “Cliff proposed last night. He took me camping deep into the territory, to this gorgeous clearing with like, a million stars overhead. We actually just got back less than an hour ago.”

“Congratulations, Stel. I’m happy for you.” She truly was. “I’m sorry for ruining your announcement.”

“What? No, no, you’re not ruining anything. You’d only ruin things if you actually got kidnapped.” Stella pulled her in for a hug. “I’m so glad you’re okay.” Pulling away, she strode over to Jacob, who was taking their bags out from the back of the SUV. “Thank you for being there to save my sister.”

“You’re welcome.”

“What were you guys doing at the club, by the way?”

Jacob’s face turned red. “We, uh …”

Memories of what happened at Blood Moon—in the basement in particular—sent a curl of heat down Sloane’s belly. “Er, where’s Cliff? And the Alpha? I should introduce myself.”

“Oops. How rude of me. C’mon.” Stella tugged at her hand. “I’ll introduce you to everyone.”

She followed her twin toward the porch, where several curious onlookers waited. Cliff was there, and next to him were two men and three women.

“Alpha, Lupa,” she said to the older couple, probably in their fifties, in the middle. “This is my sister, Sloane. Sloane, this is Jackson and Jordan Forrest.”

Sloane bowed her head and pulled her shirt to the side. “Alpha, thank you for allowing me into your territory.”

“You’re welcome, Sloane.” Jackson Forest was an enormous man with sandy blond hair and green eyes. “Heard you were in a heap of trouble.”

“I’m sorry to have to bring it to your doorstep.”

“Nonsense.” The small, dark-haired woman beside him—his Lupa, Sloane guessed—stepped forward. “Stella is part of our family, and so are you. And we protect our own.”

“Thank you, Lupa.”

“Just call me Jordan,” she said. “And these are two of my children, Jack and Austin.”

“Hey,” the petite young woman greeted. She had the same, straight black hair as her mother, half hidden under a backwards ball cap. “I’m Jack.”

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