Page 30 of A Second Chance for the Beta
He nods, looking relieved. “Thank Goddess. I was scared I got my schedule mixed up.”
“You girls go and have fun,” Dante tells us.
Ella looks at him. “Do you need the car today?”
“No, I think I will use the day to get an extra dose of training in.”
*ELLA*
Charlie and I spend most of the day in the mall, buying everything she needs. She doesn’t want to indulge too much, and I can sympathize. She grew up without having any money, just what the state provided her with. I don’t push her too much, but encourage her to get the stuff she needs and some extra clothes.
We go for milkshakes and burgers for lunch before driving home.
I’m surprised by how fast Charlie seems to adapt to being in a pack and being with Dante and me, but I assume her upbringing made her able to adapt to changing situations fast. I was the same at her age.
When we drop our things in our apartment, she is ready to set off to explore the pack grounds.
“Just make sure you are back when Dave is coming over.”
“Dave’s a legend. I won’t skip meeting him,” she promises.
I chuckle. As usual Dave manages to win anyone over. I contemplate asking Charlie where she is off to, but I don’t want to sound too overbearing or too much like a busybody. Shit, this is difficult. So, I just wave her off, waiting for her to run out of the apartment before I turn my attention back to my own shopping bag. I bought some kitchen supplies and some things for dinner.
“Oh, you are back.” Annie peeks through the door and smiles at me. I left it open because I had my hands full, and Charlie didn’t close it either when she took off.
“Yes, come on in.” I drop everything I am holding on the counter, thankful that Annie shuffles in to help me put everything away. Charlie tossed all of her shopping bags into her room. It’s on her when and how she puts her stuff away. I’m certainly not THAT overbearing. “Where are my favorite little godchildren?”
“Asteria is with her dad, and Aurora with her nanny. She is going to visit the nursery with her, just for an hour. Aurora loves to be with other children.”
“Why won’t you let Asteria go?” I ask curiously. Obviously they are both not even a year old yet, and while werewolf children grow differently than humans, they are still too young to spend a lengthy time on their own, but if they already let Aurora test the nursery just for the fun of it, it’s a good sign.
“A gut feeling,” Annie tells me.
“You think she would hate it?”
“No, Asteria is way more outgoing than Aurora. Aurora is the sensitive one. But I think Asteria might have certain gifts we don’t know about yet. Liam and I don’t want to take the risk of her hurting anyone by accident as long as we haven’t had her tested yet.”
“It’s probably for the best to have the Council send some elders to do the test a bit earlier on them.” Children usually get tested around the age of three to five, but seeing how powerful Liam as a royal lycan is, it’s probably smart to have his children tested sooner rather than later.
“Liam and I think the same,” Annie says. “But enough about me; how was your day with Charlie?”
“We had fun,” I tell her. “She is adapting well, though I think some of it might just be a front, and she is more anxious than she lets on.”
“Why do you think that?”
I look at Annie. “A gut feeling,” I admit.
She nods. “Fair enough.”
“Do you think the interaction during breakfast was weird?” I can’t shake it off that something felt off about it. I know Charlie is clingy when it’s about me, but I feel it’s just natural.
“A bit,” Annie admits. “I think she really wants to spend time with you, but it happens a lot that she blocks anyone else from joining you.”
“I think she has abandonment issues,” I say quietly. “I’m thinking of setting her up with a good therapist. Does that make me a bad aunt?”
“This makes you a fantastic aunt,” Annie emphasizes. “You are getting her help, and Goddess, she went through so much and had so many new truths thrown at her; she deserves to get any help she needs.” She pauses. “How is she with Dante?”
I look at her in surprise. “You noticed?”
