Alpha Alec's Redemption - Chapter 136: Chapter 136

Alec.
The evening mist clung to the trees like breath on glass—thick and heavy. The last light of the sun bled across the sky, casting everything in gold and shadow. My warriors moved through it like ghosts, their grunts and the sharp smack of fists against flesh breaking through the quiet. I watched them. Every step. Every swing. Every mistake.
"Dren," I said, my voice low but carrying.
He froze mid-punch and turned toward me, shoulders already tense. His form wasn’t bad, but I’d seen the flaw the moment he stepped into the ring.
"That right hook,” I told him, stepping forward. “It’s weak.”
He frowned; he probably didn’t like hearing it in front of the others. Good. Let that sting drive him to fix it.
“You’re throwing it with your arm, not your body. You want to rattle someone’s skull? You start from the ground up.”
I circled him, then stopped behind him and grabbed his hip—not gently. “Power starts here. Twist into it. Drive it through your spine, not just your shoulder.”
I stepped in front of him and showed him once—fast, fluid. The air cracked as my fist cut through it.
“Again.”
He did it. Better this time. Not perfect, but closer.
“You’re strong, Dren. But strength without form? That’ll get you killed.”
He nodded, jaw tight. Good. He was listening, not sulking.
I turned to the others, who had all paused to watch. I didn’t need to call for their attention. I had it the moment I walked onto the field.
“Let me be clear,” I said, pacing slowly. “Your enemy won’t wait for you to get it right. You train here so you survive out there. Every sloppy punch, every lazy step, every hesitation—you might as well dig your own grave and lie down in it.”
The air went still, like the fog itself was holding its breath.
“Rilan. Niko. You’re up. Show me you’ve been paying attention.”
They moved fast. No one wanted to be the next target of my correction.
I turned back to Dren. “You’re with me now. Shadow me until that hook comes from your bones.”
He gave a sharp nod, determination flickering behind his eyes. That was what I wanted to see.
The others resumed training, sweat mixing with dirt, the air sharp with focus and tension.
I kept walking through them, correcting stances, calling out bad habits, and pushing them harder.
We don’t train for war.
We train so war regrets choosing us.
A quiet presence stepped up beside me—familiar, steady. I didn’t need to look to know it was Micah. He never announced himself. He didn’t have to.
He stood shoulder to shoulder with me, arms crossed, eyes scanning the field like mine.
“Dren’s improving,” he said, voice low. “Still favoring his left, though.”
I grunted in agreement. “I’ll break the habit out of him.”
A moment passed. The sun slipped lower, spilling gold along the treetops.
“Think they’re ready?” Micah asked.
I watched Niko catch a blow to the ribs and stay on his feet, spitting blood and laughing.
“I hope they will be.”
Micah nodded once. He knew, just like I did, that this time we weren’t up against vampires, witches, or other wolves. This time, we were up against something far more dangerous. Hybrids.
Our warriors were trained to fight the three known species. What they weren’t trained for—what none of us were—was a fourth kind. Something faster. Stronger. Smarter.
They needed to improve. If I had any hope of them surviving what was coming, they had to be more than what they were.
“Training’s over,” I called out, my voice ringing through the clearing.
Everyone froze, turning toward me. I didn’t say anything else. I just turned and walked away, Micah falling into step beside me.
I ignored the quiet sighs of relief behind us. They didn’t know what I knew. Didn’t see what I’d seen. I was pushing them harder than ever—and it still might not be enough. But it was the only thing I could do.
We’d been at it since mid-morning, right after I finished playing with Aspen. The only break we’d taken was for lunch.
And at that thought, my mind drifted. Aspen.
I still couldn’t believe Sadie had let me spend time with her. Those moments with my daughter were the highlight of my day. Honestly, if I didn’t have Alpha duties, I would’ve spent the entire day with her.
All my tension faded when I thought about her. She was my sunlight—bright, soft, and warm in a way nothing else in my life had ever been.
She was bubbly. Reminding me of how Sadie used to be when we were younger. Loving her came naturally. So easily it scared me sometimes.
By the time we reached the packhouse, I was still thinking about her. It had only been a few weeks since I found out about Aspen, but I couldn’t imagine life without her anymore. I loved her so much it hurt.
Micah and I moved in silence until we reached my office. Inside, we found Jason already waiting.
My thoughts shifted immediately. Back to work.
“What do you have for me?” I asked, walking around the desk and sitting down.
“Nothing,” Jason said with a tired sigh. “Not a single damn thing. Honestly, I’m starting to think maybe Nyx’s sister is cloaking their presence.”
“We haven’t confirmed she’s Nyx’s sister,” I reminded him. “That’s just a theory.”
“Yeah,” Jason said. “But it feels right. I can’t explain it. I can’t stop thinking of her that way.”
He wasn’t wrong. The moment the idea got rooted in my mind, it made sense. There were no coincidences. Everything pointed toward it.
Micah finally spoke, his voice calm but firm. “With her kind of power, it’s possible. Hell, it’d be easy to cloak their presence. They’ve existed for what, three years? And no one knew a damn thing. If someone like that has their back, it’s no wonder they’ve stayed hidden.”
He was right. Except for Sadie and her inner circle, no one had known hybrids even existed. When she first told me, I didn’t believe her—until I saw them myself.
Hybrids shouldn’t exist. Yet here they were, alive and thriving, defying everything we thought we knew.
“So apart from Brian, we’ve got nothing?” I asked.
“Yeah.” Jason exhaled. “No sightings. No traces. Absolutely nothing.”
“Do you think Brian would help us find their hideout?” Micah asked, leaning forward slightly, something sharp glinting in his eyes. “He escaped. He has to know where they’re hiding.”
“It’s a long shot,” I said, leaning back in my chair, “but better than running around like a headless chicken.”
“I’ll arrange another interrogation first thing in the morning,” Jason said, yawning. “Also, don’t forget—we’ve got a meeting with the elders tomorrow. Remind Sadie and Raven, too.”
I nodded, closing my eyes briefly. Silence settled over us.
I was just about to get up when I smelled her—before the knock even came.
“Come in,” I called.
All three of us turned toward the door. The knob twisted, and a second later, Sadie peeked in.
“Is this a bad time?” she asked. “I can come back later.”
There wasn’t anything left to say. I gave Micah and Jason a look. “We are done.”
“We’ll get going,” Micah said with a smile, pulling Jason up and practically dragging him out.
Sadie stepped aside to let them pass, then closed the door behind her.
I watched her cross the carpeted room and drop into one of the chairs. Her eyes avoided mine, flicking around the room. Her fingers fidgeted in her lap. I could hear the soft tap of her foot.
“Sadie?” I said gently, drawing her gaze to me.
The moment our eyes met, the bond between us flared to life. It never failed to catch me off guard.
I was drawn to her like a moth to a flame.
With Lola, I’d never felt this. And I’d thought that was normal. I didn’t know what a real mate bond was supposed to feel like. But with Sadie… everything was more. Stronger. Deeper. Consuming.
She looked away first, taking a breath. “I came to talk about Aspen.”
My heart stopped. I tensed, bracing for the worst. She was Aspen’s mother—I wouldn’t fight her on this. Not after everything I did.
“It’s clear you love her,” she said, her voice low, shaky. “I won’t deny that. And she loves you.”
I stayed silent, though my pulse thundered in my ears.
She closed her eyes and exhaled. “What I’m trying to say is… I’ll allow you to be in her life.”
I stared, stunned. This wasn’t what I expected. I thought she was here to cut me out for good. To deny any access I had to her. To tell me she didn’t want me anywhere near our daughter.
“Are you sure?” My voice was hoarse. I was shaking.
“Yes,” she said, trying to smile. “She deserves to know her father. And you… you deserve the chance to know her.”
Emotion surged through me. Relief, disbelief, joy—I almost couldn’t breathe. This was everything I’d ever wanted since knowing about Aspen’s existence. Yet everything I thought I couldn’t have because of my past mistakes.
“We’ll start slow,” she continued. “Give her time to adjust. Then, when the time’s right, we’ll tell her the truth. That you’re her father. Eventually, I won’t limit your access to her at all.”
I shot up from my chair. Without thinking, I crossed the room, lifted her out of her seat, and crushed her to me.
“Thank you,” I said, voice thick. “Thank you so fucking much.”
I didn’t think—I just moved. Spinning her, holding her, pressing a kiss to her cheek. I felt alive, lost in the moment, with her in my arms.
“Put me down, Alec,” she said, with a nervous laugh.
I blinked, realizing what I was doing. I set her down gently, a sheepish smile tugging at my lips.
She wasn’t angry. Just amused.
We stared at each other, the silence stretching, warm and heavy. I’d touched her more in that one moment than I ever had before.
“Thank you,” I said again, softer now. “This means more to me than you’ll ever know.”
“You’re welcome.”
Silence wrapped around us again. I opened my mouth, searching for something to say—
“Want to go say goodnight to her?” Sadie asked. “She’ll love it.”
I smiled, already moving. I wouldn’t pass up that chance for anything.