Master Alpha

Chapter 19

Lincoln jumped to his feet as he heard Rhea's cries. Him and Sam had been waiting in the living room of his house. Lincoln had refused to stay home, but he could not leave Sam unprotected, either. Lincoln burst through the master bedroom door. Father was standing guard outside of the bathroom door. He was wearing a black t-shirt with basketball shorts. "What happened?" Lincoln demanded, panicked. If Rhea had to kill the child, he needed to be with her to comfort her. Feral or not, that was child was a part of Rhea's family.

"Calm down, Linc," Father said softly. "Lillian spoke."

"What? It worked?"

"That's what it sounds like, yes."

"That's what it is," James said as he opened the bathroom door. "The child is coherent, no longer feverish, and her eyes have returned to normal."

"Fetch her parents and Victoria, please, James," Father said. James nodded and vanished with his speed. Father turned and entered the bathroom. Lincoln stopped at the doorway of the bathroom and looked inside.

Rhea had the child sitting on her lap, her beautiful face slick with tears. The chains that had confined Lillian were strewn on the ground next to Rhea. Lillian was trying desperately to wipe the tears off Rhea's face, which only made Rhea cry more as she laughed. "Auntie Ray, stop crying! I'm okay!" Lillian exclaimed.

"I know, honey. I'm just so happy. You really scared me."

"I'm sorry, Master," Lillian said as Father knelt beside her. "I disobeyed your order and got sick. I shouldn't have gone to the farm."

"Darling, that is in the past. I'm just glad that you came back to us," Father said as he touched Lillian's cheek.

Lillian's tired eyes brightened as she smiled at Father. Lincoln breathed a sigh of relief. We can fight this, he thought. As much as he had wanted to hope that it would work, he had braced himself for the worst outcome. He felt his heart swell as his mate hugged the child again, a smile and tears permanently etched on her face. "Hey, boy!" Lincoln called. "Come in here!" He heard rushed footsteps as Sam hurried over to him. The poor human's eyes were bloodshot from lack of sleep, but they cleared when his eyes settled on the scene in the bathroom. "You helped do this," Lincoln said softly. "We can't thank you enough."

"May I?" Sam asked as he nodded toward the bathroom, asking to enter it. Lincoln smiled and nodded.

Lillian looked at Sam curiously as he knelt beside Rhea. Father pushed himself to his feet and joined Lincoln in the doorway. "You're human," Lillian said to Sam.

"I am," Sam smiled. "I just wanted to make sure that you were okay."

"He's my friend, Lilly. He helped me save you," Rhea said.

"Really?" Her eyes widened as she looked at Sam. "Thank you, sir."

Sam laughed. "My name is Sam."

"I like it," Lillian chirped. She reached out and hugged Sam. Lincoln noticed that Rhea still had a grip around the child's waist. He was not sure if her grip was protection for Sam, or if she just could not bring herself to let go of her yet.

Diana and Levi appeared in the bathroom suddenly. "Mommy! Daddy!" Lillian sprang out of Rhea's grasp and embraced her parents. Instantly, both parents began crying. Father motioned silently for Sam and Rhea to give the parents some privacy. Sam and Rhea exited the bathroom and followed Father and Lincoln into the living room. Lincoln nodded as he saw James and Mother waiting for them. Father sat on the couch and motioned for Sam to sit on the opposite couch. Mother joined Father, and Rhea sat beside Sam. Lincoln stood with James beside the couches.