Alpha’s Hybrid Cinderella
Chapter 76

Lucas Hanson was every bit the grizzled private eye stereotype I expected. Salt and pepper beard, dark fedora, tan trench coat, an unlit cigar hanging out of his mouth, even the pose. He stood in the living room when we entered, hands in his pockets and looking "Claudia Scarlet and Ken Joseph, I presume."

mysterious as anything.

"That would be us." Ken stuck his hand out for a shake, and the man examined it with a skeptical eye before accepting it. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you. I heard you've been on the case for over a year."

"Not the entire time. I only do the work I'm paid for." Lucas raised a lit lighter to his cigar, but reconsidered after looking around and remembering he was indoors, evidently. He tucked the light back into his pocket. "But yeah. A month on the case before. And been a month and a half that I've worked on it again. Found some things. Trails die fast, though. Should have kept me on it instead of taking me off the first time."

"Well, we have a few parties on the trail, as you call it." Ken nodded at me. "Claudia has hired some of your colleagues."

"Yeah, but this ain't an ordinary job. And I'm the best there is. Before you say that's what everyone in my line of work says, you should know I was the one who found where the good lady was buried, and the only record of the transaction that brought the lady into the former Alpha's custody." He grinned around the cigar. "Not to mention I just found out where a sister might be. There's other family too. Just haven't tracked them all."

I stared, mouth open. "What! You never said that! We just spoke three days ago!"

"And I stopped by there this morning to confirm it. Drove like hell to get back here in time to meet you. It was an unexpected break, and phone reception is shitty on that train, isn't it. Couldn't get a hold of you. I went and took care of it myself. If it was a false lead, better not to mention it. And if it was a good one, I'd have good news to give you as soon as we met. I made it work."Always visit FindNovel.net for more novels and updates

There was no way. I had put a stop to all investigating for over a year, true, but in that first month Evan and I had hired all those private eyes, no one had managed to find any other family on my mother's side. And all of a sudden, this? Out of nowhere? "What, you're not happy about it?" Lucas scowled. "Thought there would be a different reaction. But fine, then."

"No, I am. Can can I go see her, too? What did you learn?"

"Funny thing. She was out like a light one minute into me getting permission to see her. Apparently she's got some kind of narcoleptic thing going on, brain trauma from a head injury. But I have an appointment to see her again tonight, and perfect timing. You two can come with me. Got permission for that already, too."

I had come with determination but little hope. Kris, my main lead, was dead after all. But my mother's family? Could this be real?

Ken patted my back. "Let's go, huh?" "Yeah, let's go."

***

Evan had sensed I needed to do this alone. It wasn't that I wanted to exclude him. Besides how I couldn't bear to hand over our little boys to anyone else for what could be days and days, and how I could only sleep easy if I knew Evan was with them even in my absence, these were the ghosts of my past. If I wanted to heal the gaping holes and burnt cracks of my childhood, of my birth, I wanted to replace these memories on my own. Because back then, I had been on my own too, except when Elly, Maria, and Kris would mistreat me.

To retrace my steps, I had to walk back in them alone. By the end, I would fix at least one old wound, heal over at least one old scar I had avoided looking at for so long...

"Before we go up to see the patient, tell her what you told me, Ms. Delilah," Lucas instructed the pretty nurse who greeted us when we arrived at the care facility. The lobby was bright and pretty, much like the woman, and her smile lit up the place as much as the beautiful paintings on the walls. "Start from the beginning. I didn't relay anything to her since it might be better to hear it straight from the horse's mouth."

"Me! A horse! You are really not a gentleman," she teased, and Lucas cleared his throat, flustered. Really? Grizzled, tough-guy detective Lucas Hanson, blushing at a little thing like that? Ken and I exchanged looks. But Delilah gave us little time to ruminate on Lucas's strange bashfulness. Her face turned serious, and she turned to me with sharp, earnest eyes. "Then I'll start from the beginning, as Mr. Hanson says, Ms. Claudia, Mr. Ken. Please follow me to the break room so we can be comfortable, it's quite a story. Would you like some coffee? We have it going all day for the second and third shift nurses."

"Just Claudia is fine." I smiled warmly, and she responded in kind. Ken was also quick to assure her that titles were unnecessary. We followed her lead into a cozy room with a few small tables, and we pulled up chairs so we could all sit at one together. This place was supposed to be something like a private hospital and nursing home, the Butterfly Meadow Lounge, but it was far homier than I'd expected it to be. It put me at ease as we settled in and waited for Delilah to explain the situation.

"I understand you came to see a relative. Although we're quite far away, we of course have an agreement with the Scarlet pack, and Alpha Evan vouched for the report we received a few weeks ago. A Professor Ornby, tenured at Scarlet University informed us that Mr. Hanson's information was accurate. One of our patients who has been with us for the last year and a half is indeed your blood relative, Claudia. We had a third party compare the DNA sample from Alena... and although we would like to take a new sample from you to test anew as well, instead of using the results recorded from your previous tests by others, it's very clear. Alena Doe is most likely your mother's twin."

I almost choked. Ken leaned over and draped his arm around my shoulders, sensing my shock and distress. But Delilah had more to say.

"If we had had no prior context, we would have thought she was your mother. But we also received the information that your mother's death is confirmed, and that her body was exhumed to leave no room for doubt. My condolences for your loss, Claudia. I hope you don't mistake my bluntness for callousness. I only want to give you the information as quickly as possible so you can decide what you would like to do."

I shook my head. "I understand. Please continue. You say your patient is my mother's twin?"

"Identical, as far as we can tell. Now... I'm sure you're aware, but your genetic information is very different from werewolves, or even humans. We're using our technology to the extent possible, though. And we can say without a doubt that even providing for moderate error, it's undeniable. You and Alena are indeed blood relatives."

I couldn't breathe. But I had to get myself under control. There was too much to discuss urgently before I went to see this mysterious woman. "I see. Lucas mentioned she's a long-term patient. Who brought her here? Under what circumstances? Who's paying for her care now?" "There is an anonymous sponsor who covers all the costs for her long-term care, ever since she escaped her pack and stowed away on a train to this city. From what we can tell, she was kept as a slave in a northern territory, but we don't know for sure where that was. She was non-verbal for a time from the trauma, and her condition deteriorated, so questioning her quickly became impossible. Her head injury was left untreated for quite a while, and there was extensive trauma to the brain. The good news is she is recovering little by little, and although she doesn't have a werewolf's regenerating ability, she has some kind of alternative healing factor that allows her body to repair itself. She was in a coma for well over six months, but now she can stay awake for up to an hour or two every day. It's about the time she wakes up, soon."

I stood from my chair. "I'd like to see her then. I don't want to lose this chance."

Delilah nodded, and everyone else stood as well.

"I'll take you to her now."