Page 26 of A Second Chance for the Beta

“Yes, that’s because you didn’t live in the safety of a pack. Lorenzo tried to keep your existence hidden to save your life,” Dante explains carefully while Ella turns back to her human form. I try not to look at her; it’s awkward to see her all naked, but fortunately she dresses fast.

“You are a true rockstar,” Ella tells me.

“Why’s that?”

“I gave you the brutal truth, and you didn’t run,” she says.

“Well, I asked for the brutal truth, and I prefer it over thinking I’m crazy.” I pause. “I don’t get it though.”

“It’s a lot to take,” Ella says. “But we will explain it all to you. Whatever you want to know.”

“Is Lorenzo a wolf too?”

“No,” Dante answers. “Lorenzo is a human, but his mate, his partner, is a wolf. So, he knows. He was a close friend of your grandfather and knew your mom.”

I let his words sink in. “Mom’s dead, isn’t she?” I ask.

Ella’s sad eyes tell me everything.

“I knew it,” I mutter. “I… One day a few years ago, I felt something, like something ripped inside me, a crazy pain, and then I just knew.”

“You felt the family bond to her rip,” Ella says. “It’s the same bond that prevents you from running away from us.”

“Wait, does that mean I’m a wolf too!?”

“Yes, of course.”

“Wow,” I breathe out. “This is so cool! I’m not some crazy loser!”

Dante snorts and tosses Ella a gaze. “Yeah, she is truly related to you. I can see a certain resemblance.”

Ella glares at him, her eyes glossing over. Dante just seems to be amused, though.

*ELLA*

I can’t believe that she didn’t run. I could feel the turmoil through our bond. Ever since seeing and recognizing her, Nefeli’s been able to build the bond to her and to the young wolf spirit still peacefully asleep in her mind. She was even able to link her due to that bond and thanks to our gift. Usually it wouldn’t be possible.

I feel it, how sad and troubled she is, how lonely. Her resentment, her anger, her desperation.

Yet, it still shocks me that she didn’t run! She is a little trooper. Dante isn’t so wrong; she is similar to how I was as a kid. Slightly angry with trust issues, but who can blame her?

Gerard promises to deal with the paperwork while Lorenzo, Dante, and I take Charlie out for dinner. Lorenzo chooses a secluded, rather private restaurant that gives us the opportunity to talk. For Charlie, everything is new; she wasn’t born into this world although she is a wolf. It’s going to make it all so much tougher on her.

Good thing we found her now,Dante links me.She already feels the effects of being rogue.

Yeah, I could feel it through our bond.I pause.D, I know we never talked about this properly, but it seems like she is ready to come with us sooner rather than later, and it means… that…well…

I’m one hundred percent in on this. Together with you,Dante interrupts me.

But she is my niece, not yours. I hate to force this responsibility on you. She is a teen, an angry and traumatized one. This won’t be easy.

She is my niece too,he says.You are my mate and my wife, and your family matters to me. I don’t have any family left either.He chuckles.I know this isn’t going to be an easy transition, but I’m happy we found her, and I’m sure we’ll manage this.

I didn’t even know I’d been carrying this huge weight on my shoulders until Dante told me he was on board and ready to take her with us and have her become part of my family. There is no way I wouldn’t have taken her with me, but until today, I wasn’t truly aware of what it means. One glance at her made me realize that I’m not going to have her join Red Claw’s orphanage; I also don’t want her to be in the little foster home Annie put up for the older kids to give them some autonomy.

I can’t. I want her to be with me, and I hope I can be the family that she missed her whole life. I know more than anyone else how hard it is not to have anyone growing up and how lonely and resentful it makes one. I still suffer from abandonment issues sometimes.

I would have taken Charlie with me either way, but the fact that Dante is so supportive and wants this, too, makes it so much easier.