Page 112 of A Chance at Redemption for the Alpha

“Not weird at all! You always had a nurturing side to you, and you were so good with people.”

She beams at me. “I want to go back to school and learn more about psychology, so I can get a license as a therapist, too,” she explains. “Okay, enough about me. I want to know more about the pack!”

That’s easy, as pretty much all of us are very passionate about our pack. Silas and I explain our project to her before she starts to chat with Lori and Benjamin about their experiences. Benjamin is burning for the pack, and it’s obvious.

I haven’t seen Flo in years, yet I still feel the same sense of familiarity around her, like the sister I never had, and the friend who stood by my side and was loyal to me during the whole fuckup with Eugene.

I forgot to ask you something. How did you manage to join us so fast?I link Silas, asking the question I was dying to know the answer to, the moment he arrived.

When I am on my own, I have certain abilities I can use,he admits.Like, being very fast.

That’s pretty cool!I smile.Thanks for coming. It was so much easier for me to handle everything with you being there.

The drive is relatively long, but with Flo updating us on everything that happened during the last couple of years, it passes really quickly. She is much more confident than she was as a teen, livelier, but still with an earnest and kind touch to her. I can absolutely see her as a nurse.

When we arrive at Sunset Hills, Lucian is already awaiting us with a very tired Maddie.

“What’s wrong?” Sheila asks, climbing out of the second car.

Lucian hands her Maddie and sighs. “I think she is sick,” he says. “She is warm and is coughing.”

Sheila touches her forehead, rocking her in her arms. “She has a fever,” she mutters.

“I couldn’t get her to rest,” Lucian admits. “She was restless.” He pauses, as if he is choosing his words carefully. “Haunted almost.”

“Haunted?” Sheila asks, alarmed, before turning around to look at me.

What’s going on?I link Silas.Is that normal for vampire children or hybrids?

No, not really that I know of, but keep in mind that hybrids are still very rare for us, and I have barely any research material on them. It might be a surge of power in her. After all, her senses have become much sharper recently.

Silas steps forward, gently touching Maddie’s head. “Her eyes are bloodshot, too,” he mutters.

“I can take a look at her,” Flo offers. “Do you have an infirmary?”

“A small one,” Sheila says. “Our current nurse is out of town for the weekend.”

“Is that really okay, Flo?” Silas asks.

“Absolutely,” she exclaims.

Sheila turns to us. “I will leave the rest to you, Alpha Marcellus, Lord Silas.”

Rest assured,I link Sheila.Silas is going to research what’s going on.

Sheila nods, but I can clearly see the worry in her eyes. She might not be Maddie’s birth mom, but she became her motherthe moment she held her in her arms and agreed to adopt her to keep her safe from Aloysius.

“Alright, everyone,” I turn to the others. “Let’s make sure to help our new pack members settle in.”

Both Silas and I always involve ourselves whenever we have new members join us, to show them we are there, not judging them and that they have a safe space here.

“You are Bambi? Did I remember that correctly?” I ask the young woman who has left her pack and family behind to be with her little brother.

“Yes,” she smiles brightly at me. “My real name is Helga, though. But seriously, it doesn’t fit me.”

“Bambi is perfect for you,” her younger brother, Asher, says. It really is. She has big brown eyes and a round face, giving her an almost innocent look, but I am sure she is far stronger than she looks. It takes great strength to stand up for someone and to leave the safety of your pack to protect someone you love.

“Seeing how you are family, how about you both have a cottage together?” I offer.