Fangless: The Alpha's Vampire Mate
Chapter 122: Power-Up Nap

Chapter 122: Power-Up Nap

"Florian! Oh, Dark Lord! You’re awake!" Riona charged into the hut like a whirlwind, making everyone scramble out of her path.

Florian sat on the edge of the bed, looking mildly confused but otherwise intact.

Riona plopped down beside him, her hands flying over his face as if she were expecting to find a hidden injury or two. Once she was convinced he was in one piece, she enveloped him in a tight, relieved hug.

"Thank the Dark Lord! How are you? Are you hurt?"

Riona’s questions exploded rapidly, leaving no room for Florian to answer. She had a ton of curiosity to unpack.

She was used to being the only one with a voice in their conversations. Riona had never heard Florian speak before.

So when Florian’s voice—clear and surprisingly melodic—broke the silence, it was as if the ground had shifted beneath her.

"I’m fine," Florian said. His voice was clear and smooth, resonating with a tone she had never imagined.

Riona stared at him, her fingers tracing his neck as if she were trying to find a switch or some hidden mechanism responsible for this miraculous phenomenon.

"You talk," she said, more to herself than to him. "Is this really happening? Are you seriously talking right now?"

Florian’s laughter rang out, and Riona was nearly on the verge of a full-on meltdown.

So this is what your laughter sounds like. How lovely! she thought, though she couldn’t quite manage to say it out loud for fear of breaking into full-blown sobs herself.

Lost in the wonder of her brother’s miraculous awakening and newfound ability to speak, Riona was startled by the sound of muffled sobbing from the corner.

She glanced over and saw Puck, the oversized crybaby, trying to hide his tears behind his knuckles wrapped in his shirt, trying—and failing—to suppress his tears.

"Puck? Are you crying?" Riona asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No!" Puck shot back defensively and bolted for the door like a cat being chased by a vacuum cleaner.

As Riona watched Puck’s hasty exit, she noticed that the hut was now packed. A whole crowd of werewolves had gathered, drawn by the commotion. Charna and Morgan were among them.

"Charna was on patrol when she heard the ruckus from inside. She was worried your brother might be suffering from some sort of illness or nightmare," Thorin stepped forward to explain.

He patted Florian’s head and ruffled his hair with a casual familiarity that suggested they were long-lost brothers rather than mere acquaintances. He shot Florian a quick smile before turning his gaze back to Riona.

"So, she came in to check on him, only to find him wide awake and perfectly fine."

Riona glanced at Charna, momentarily puzzled about whether a thank-you was in order. After all, Charna hadn’t exactly performed any magic. She had merely walked in and noticed Florian was awake. It was a job anyone with a pair of functioning eyes could do.

But despite her mental protest, Riona’s mouth decided to be helpful. "Thanks," she said, sounding reluctant.

Charna looked taken aback, her eyes widening as if she’d just been handed a surprise gift. She took a step back and blinked a few times before responding, "Oh, no worries. It’s my job."

"Alright, everyone, time to clear out! Give these siblings some privacy. I’m sure they’ve got a mountain of sibling drama to sort through," Thorin announced, clapping his hands.

One by one, the werewolves reluctantly shuffled out of the hut, heading back to the bonfire or whatever they’d been up to before this little drama unfolded.

As the crowd thinned out, Trudy hesitated. She lingered awkwardly by the door, dragging her feet like she’d suddenly discovered an invisible 100-pound weight tied to her ankles.

She wasn’t ready to let go of their unfinished business, but even she knew Riona’s brother took top priority right now. So, even though it stung, she finally dragged her feet and followed the others outside.

Riona caught a snippet of Thorin’s conversation as he walked beside Trudy. "Did you talk to her yet?" he asked, his voice low and full of concern.

Trudy shook her head in response, and Thorin added with a reassuring tone, "Maybe later. She’ll understand, I’m sure."

I’ll understand? Riona thought bitterly. But I don’t want to understand! I don’t want to be wrong!

Her internal whining hit full volume, but she kept her mouth shut. As much as she wanted to dive into her frustrations, right now, Florian was center stage. The rest of her emotional mess could wait—preferably forever.

Once the room was finally clear of werewolves and their lingering smells, Riona wasted no time turning to Florian, her eyes demanding an explanation.

Florian gave a small, tired smile, but there was something off about it—like he wasn’t exactly thrilled to be back among the living.

Despite all the sleep and supposed rest, he looked as though he’d woken up from the world’s worst nap, still worn out as if dreaming had been an endurance sport.

"I..." he started, his hand going to his neck like he was making sure his voice hadn’t wandered off somewhere. After a gulp that took longer than necessary, he added, "I’m still not used to this."

It was heartwarming, but also kind of weird. Watching Florian talk was like seeing a dog walk on two legs. It felt familiar, but not quite right. And something about him had definitely changed.

He seemed older—more grounded, but also somehow darker, like he’d come back with secrets he wasn’t ready to share.

"I d–don’t really know what happened," Florian stammered, rubbing his neck. "I was so... angry. All I could think about was p–protecting you."

"Yeah... about that." Riona nodded, chewing on her lip. "I haven’t had the chance to explain, but an ancestor paid me a visit. Long story short, he unlocked the Blood Moon power in me. But, uh, you know, in the process, he accidentally hit yours too."

Florian blinked slowly. "Oh."

She sighed and added, "Anyway, your body probably was overloaded. You know how it is—exert too much power, and boom, out cold. Happened to me so many times."

"M-hm."

Riona leaned in and asked, "So... tell me about your nightmares. You were wriggling so much in your sleep. Were they bad?"

Florian blinked, caught off guard. He didn’t seem too keen on reliving the nightmares because he quickly changed the topic.

"Actually, let me show you something," he said with a grin that practically screamed mischief.

Riona raised an eyebrow as Florian sucked in his lower lip like he was gearing up for a magic trick. She waited, half-expecting him to pull a rabbit out of his mouth or something equally ridiculous.

Then—boom! Out dropped his fangs.

Riona blinked, completely thrown off.

Wait, he talks now, and he’s sprouting fangs? What kind of nap did this kid take? Did he go on some supernatural field trip in his sleep?