Second Chance Luna

7-Comfort

Chapter 7 - Comfort

I arrived at the door to my mate's room to find her parents consoling a sobbing child and my Beta looking incredibly torn...

"Anderson," I growled. Stalking down the hall in rain and mud soaked clothes.

"Alpha!" Anderson all but jumped for joy at the site of me.

"Is Alyssa okay?! What the hell is going on!? I was gone for 30 minutes!" I huffed.

"Alpha, Luna is fine. I mindlinked you because you said not to let anyone is and well...her daughter is here and I didn't know what to do.."

Daughter..of course. I swallowed the lump in my throat and turned toward the crying child. I bent down in front of her to appear less threatening.

"You must be Tenley." My heart stopped at the site of her red rimmed eyes and the tears spilling on to her little cheeks. I could feel a bond, although faint, with her and it was tearing me apart to see her so sad.

She nodded slowly, and stared at the ground.

I gently lifted her chin to look me in the eyes.

'Pup,' my wolf whispered incredulously and stunning me with his revelation, I brushed it off for the moment, knowing the little girl needed to be comforted.

"This has been a really hard day for you, hu?" She nodded again, a fresh batch of tears threatening to spill over.

'Our pup,' my wolf stated a little louder this time, willing me to hear him.

"He said I couldn't see my mommy!" She yelled suddenly, pointing her finger toward my sheepish beta.

"You what?!" I looked up at Anderson.

"Alpha, you said not to let ANYONE under ANY circumstances enter Luna's room!" He stammered my words from earlier back at me. In my defense, and his, I didn't realize Alyssa's parents would bring a child to see their mother at almost 11 at night.

I pinched the bridge of my nose in pure exhaustion.

"Alpha?"

"Mary, please call me Brent."

"Oh, yes, um Brent...I know it's so very late, but Tenley has been beside herself worried for her mother and would not sleep so I thought maybe seeing her would put her mind at ease. Her dad hasn't been by to explain anything and ordered her grandfather and I not to say a word to her, and I'll probably be in trouble for having her here, but she's just.."

"He what?!" I bellowed into the quiet hall. My wolf not caring who we woke up. This earned a fresh new set of tears to fall from Tenley's eyes, I had scared her with my outburst. I felt horrible and as if driven by instinct, I scooped her tiny self into my arms.

Her eyes widened, but she instantly melted into my embrace. Could she feel a parental bond, too? What in the world was happening...

I opened the door and walked the small child over to my mate and laid her on the bed next to her mother and covered them both up.

After a few short minutes of being snuggled up to her mom, she fell right to sleep. We all stayed silent for a while. Taking in the current situation. Exhaustion seeped into my bones. Alpha's don't get "exhausted" by much, and I have rarely felt it, but after this day..I felt it in every fiber of my being. My heart ached for Alyssa to open her eyes.. My heart ached even more for the small child who just wanted her mother. Even though I'd never seen her in her roll as a mom, I knew by Tenley's response to being near her that she was amazing.

Clearing his throat and making my Beta and I snap our heads up, James spoke first, "I think Mary and I will go ahead and take Tenley home now. It's very late and now that she's calm I am sure she'll sleep much better."

My heart pulled at the thought of Tenley leaving.

"What if she stayed here next to her mother?" I stunned myself with this question, but I truly did not want the child to leave.

This earned me a look from both grandparents and my Beta.

"I.." I swallowed trying to get this out right. "I feel..protective over her. I haven't quite sorted it out, but my wolf is recognizing her as my pup and I don't know what to do about that right now, other than asking if she can stay here with her mother and I.."

Mary took in a sharp breath and looked up at James, waiting to see what he would say.

"Dalton is not going to be happy about this, Mary." He blew out a slow breath, trying to figure out what to do.

"I will deal with Dalton" I said through clenched teeth, trying to remain calm at hearing his name yet again.

"Well, okay. Yeah that will be fine. We will be by in the morning to get her for preschool" James said.

I nodded a silent thanks at the couple and they left.

"You feel like she's your pup?!?" My Beta whisper shouted as soon as the door shut.

"Not my actual pup, dumb ass...but yes, my wolf is recognizing her as mine and feels extremely protective." I said as I began to gather my things for a shower in the world's smallest bathroom.

"What about you? How do YOU feel about your mate having a child?" He narrowed his gaze at me. Wolves were very territorial, most males would no the able to handle their mate having a child, but it didn't phase me at all. In fact, I knew that I was ready to embrace it if Alyssa would allow. Swallowing the familiar lump of fear once more.

I let his question sink in as I crossed my arms over my chest and looked down at my mate and her sleeping child. I rubbed my hand along my jaw mulling the question over. How did I feel?

'She is mate's child therefore she is our pup.' My wolf suddenly chimed in, almost as if he were annoyed with me for taking even a second to think about my beta's question.

'I know she is. I feel the bond with her, too, but what if Alyssa rejects me?' I threw back at my overly positive wolf. Suddenly scared that I may not only lose my mate, but a child too.

'Mate will not reject us. We calm her.' He offered.

'I sure hope you're right...'

'I'm always right.'

'Sure you are..'

"Alpha?"

My Beta suddenly pulling me from my thoughts, "I could easily love and care for her as my own if my mate will allow it."

Anderson nodded in understanding.

"Speaking of mate, go give your mate a call and brief her on the situation and head to bed. I am sure we have another long day ahead of us.."

"I am sure you're right, boss....I'm sure you're right." He said as he let the door close behind him.

After taking an extremely fast shower and getting ready for bed; I sat down in the recliner next to my mate's bed and pushed it back to its full length and settled in under the thin blanket. I reached over and took my mate's hand into mine and began rubbing it softly as the touch of her hand and her even breathing lulled me into sleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~EDITED!!!!!! 

All previous chapters have been edited and updated so pretty please alert me if you see any issues with them!!

Are we totally gushing over Brent right now for going full daddy and zaddy mode????

Vote and comment!!!!!!!

Fixed some silly mistakes - 8/23/22

Edited 9/27/2022