Page 97 of A Chance at Redemption for the Alpha

Julianus looks seriously offended by that suggestion, while Nova completely ignores him. “I just want my mate,” she says with insistence. “Do you want to grab some coffee?” she offers, before pausing. “Do vampires drink coffee?”

“Yes, they do,” Julianus glances at us, and I can see the conflicted emotions in his eyes. He is confused and shocked, but also intrigued.

“Just go with Nova,” Silas encourages him.

“I just need to take Kitty home,” Nova says. “Then I am all yours.”

“How about you drive your friend home, and then you return,” Silas offers, because Julianus is still completely spellbound.

Nova gazes at Julianus. “Is that alright?” she asks, and her voice is soft, all of a sudden, much softer than I have ever heardher. There is a twinge of vulnerability in it, too. This is what finding our mates does to us.

She clearly is pretending to be tough, but I can see her hands trembling slightly. Finding our mates is the biggest emotional roller-coaster we can experience, the biggest joy, but also the biggest fear. Julianus is a vampire, so I am sure Nova fears rejection.

I know the feeling all too well. Olive never wanted me, and I knew a rejection was inevitable.

Alex elbows Julianus, making him nod. “Yes,” he says awkwardly. “That’s fine for me.”

Nova bids us goodbye and leaves for her car, while Julianus simply keeps standing in front of us, literally speechless.

“Nova is a friend,” Silas says quietly. “She is a fantastic young woman.”

Julianus gazes at him. “I’m not planning on hurting her. It’s just… this is so weird! A mate.”

“Well, I have a werewolf mate, too, and don’t regret it one bit,” Silas points out.

“But what about your different life-spans?” Julianus asks.

“Marc and I decided to take one step at a time,” Silas explains. “This is still a topic we are discussing, but we are going to decide on a solution together.”

Julianus places a hand on his chest. “It feels weird.”

“Yeah, that’s the bond,” I say. “You feel it, too, although you aren’t a werewolf. For her, it’s far more intense, though.”

“Listen,” Silas takes a deep breath. “The past is the past, but please take my advice. Mates are everything for the wolves. Always be honest with her. You can take it slow, but always communicate with her. For her, being mated to someone who isn’t a werewolf is a risk. Not because of what you are, but because the chance of rejection is higher.” He pauses. “Marc and I always communicated well.”

“Silas is right,” I say. “Being rejected is the worst. But if you know you don’t want a mate, then don’t beat around the bush. Be honest with her, and also concerning your past. Nova is not judgmental at all. Having a mate is also something really beautiful. Something connects you to each other on a deeper level, and it’s intense, but it’s only the initial push. We can’t solely rely on the mate bond; we have to make the relationship work ourselves.”

“It’s a sense of belonging,” Silas adds. “Like something was missing, and you weren’t even aware of it. That’s how it feels for me, and I am not a werewolf.”

Julianus looks at us thoughtfully, then he smiles. “Thank you for the advice. It… it means a lot to me that it’s coming from both of you.”

We wait for a bit longer until Nova returns. She has changed her clothes and freshened up, and looks absolutely stunning. Her face and eyes seem to glow when she spots Julianus. He notices it, too, because he looks completely stunned.

“Well then, see you later,” Alex says.

“Have fun,” Durant adds with a smile.

Silas nods at him, and Julianus takes off, following Nova to her car. We watch them drive away before we turn back to our work. “Well, now that it’s just us four,” Durant chuckles. “Shall we continue?”

“Yes, but maybe let’s move inside and have some tea,” Alex says. “I am starving. And how come I don’t have a beautiful werewolf mate?!”

Silas pats his shoulder. “Don’t worry, Broccoli, you will find your love, too.”

At that, Durant and I can’t help but laugh. Even Alex looks amused. “That little munchkin is truly something else.”

thirty-three

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