The Alpha and the Fox

Chapter One

     Maria and her husband Henry held hands as they walked up to the counter at the Rehabilitation and Relocation Center. Alice greeted them as they approached with a friendly, "Hello."

"Hello." Maria replied with excitement clear in her voice. "We called and set up an appointment last week. It should be under the name Maria."

"Let me check on that for you." Alice said and began typing away at the computer. "Yes. Right here. May I please see a form of ID?"

"Of course." Maria stated while retrieving her driver's license and Henry did the same.

Alice checked Maria's license before looking up at the woman, studying her light brown hair and hazel eyes, and then handed it back to her before taking Henry's. She checked his, looked up to see the dark brown hair and light brown eyes matched as well, and returned his license.

"You're right on time. Jenna will be with you in a moment if you would like to take a seat over there." Alice said with a gesture towards the sitting room.

Henry looked to where Alice had gestured and led his wife to the sitting area to wait. It didn't take long for Jenna to appear from one of the rooms down the hallway.

"You must be Maria and Henry," Jenna said, holding out her hand in a professional manner. "My name is Jenna, and I will be helping you through this journey. Of course, I would never want to discourage you from adopting but are you sure you're wanting to adopt one of our many troubled teens? They tend to be more work than people are prepared for."

"Very sure," Henry answered. "Our son has recently turned twenty-one and we've decided we're ready to give someone else a chance at a better life. We know how hard it is for a teenager to be fostered, let alone adopted. If we can make a difference to even one child then that's what we want to do."

"I absolutely love your mindset." Jenna replied cheerfully, " I wish more people thought the way you two do. I'm sure you've seen our registry list. Is there anyone in particular that you're wishing to help, such as someone with a physical disability, male, female?"

Maria looked at her husband and they seemed to silently communicate with each other. After a moment Maria answered, "We want whoever needs the most help."

Jenna looked thoughtful for a moment before a look of hesitation filtered into her blue eyes. She nervously brushed her medium length blonde hair away from her face.

"You have someone in mind?" Henry questioned.

Jenna nodded. "Ryan. He's very..." She paused for a moment as if searching for the right word before finishing with "...special."

After waiting for their reaction, she excused herself to go obtain his file.