Fangless: The Alpha's Vampire Mate-Chapter 125: A Really Annoying Voice

Startled by Florian’s sudden outburst, Thorin jumped out of bed, raising both hands in a calming gesture.

"Alright, it looks like you need some time to adjust. I’ll give you space. Can you manage on your own for now? I’ll let your sister know."

Florian felt a pang of regret for lashing out at Thorin, though that hadn’t been his intention. He had only been trying to silence the incessant, nagging voices in his head. Lowering his gaze, Florian gave a slow, reluctant nod.

"Okay."

From inside the hut, Florian could still hear Thorin’s voice, now in serious Alpha mode with Charna. "Keep an eye on him. Help if he needs anything, but for the love of all things sane, give him some space. Got it?"

Florian felt a wave of dejection wash over him. He sighed, wishing he could take back his outburst.

Great first impression after waking up, he thought. He’d always seen Thorin as the big brother he never had, and here he was, making a mess of it.

Despite their different backgrounds, Florian had always enjoyed being around the Alpha, who treated him with kindness and respect, unlike the vampires who cast judgmental glances his way because he was mute and didn’t have fangs.

Thorin made him feel like he belonged, and so did his whole crew. They made him forget that he was different, or at least, they made him forget it was a problem.

"I shouldn’t have lost it like that. Could have used a bit more self-control," Florian muttered to himself.

Of course, the dark voice inside him was right on cue, swooping in like a nosy neighbor with too much time on their hands. It just loved to strike when Florian was at his weakest.

"Why do you even care about him?" the voice jeered. "You’re stronger, and with the power I so generously lent you, you could crush him like a bug. So what’s the deal—why are you so scared?"

"I’m not afraid of him," Florian retorted but he ceased before he launched on a full-on explanation because he thought the dark voice didn’t deserve that.

"I’m not afraid of him," Florian snapped back, but he quickly bit his tongue before giving the voice any more of his time.

The dark voice didn’t deserve an explanation, and it was absurd to even suggest he was afraid of Thorin. Whatever this parasite in his brain was, it clearly didn’t have a clue about feelings.

"Oh, you can deny it all you like," the voice continued, sounding like it was lounging on some imaginary throne, "but you can’t hide fear from me. I can smell it from a mile away."

If Florian were anything like his sister Riona, he would’ve rolled his eyes so hard they might’ve popped out of his skull. He might’ve even thrown in a snarky comment about how the voice should get its nose checked.

But Florian wasn’t Riona, and he wasn’t nearly as expressive as she was.

So instead, he stayed silent, letting the voice drown in its own nonsense as he worked on blocking it out.

While Thorin was away, more familiar faces began streaming into the hut. Morgan had been looking for Charna, who had mysteriously vanished from the bonfire, and naturally, she arrived with her entourage.

It didn’t take long for the small space to feel more crowded than a popular nightclub. With a quick peek inside, Morgan announced Florian’s awakening to the other werewolves, and suddenly, it was as if the whole pack wanted in on the action.

It was their first time seeing Florian—Thorin had kept him tucked away in this hut, and since Florian had been out cold, no one had even glimpsed his face.

Now, they poured in one by one, nearly tripping over each other as they elbowed their way inside. It felt like they were lining up to see some rare animal on display.

"Where are the fangs?"

"Is that the Snob’s brother?"

"He doesn’t look half as stuck-up as the Snob. Are we sure they’re related?"

"Silver hair—yep, definitely a vampire."

"Why is he so pale? Does someone need to check his pulse?"

Florian’s discomfort grew with every comment. The flood of stares made his stomach churn, and he instinctively turned away, trying to escape their curious gazes.

He wanted nothing more than to disappear, crawl under the bed, or drape a blanket over himself—anything to stop being scrutinized.

"Pathetic child! Why do you cower like this?" the dark voice in his head hissed, latching onto his discomfort. "You could kick them out in an instant. Go on! Show your strength! Show them you’re no one to be trifled with. Let them see who’s really in control."

Charna pushed her way through the wall of werewolves, trying to break up the gathering.

But now even Puck had shown up, his eyes watery with emotion. Seeing him brought Florian a strange sense of comfort, like a lifeline in the midst of all the chaos.

Florian reached out like a small child, and Puck immediately rushed to his side, gently assuring him, "I’m not going anywhere, kid."

Then, with a wry smile, he added, "Glad you’re finally awake. You’ve missed quite the show. Your sister’s been raising hell—it’s a shame you missed out on all the fun."

Florian chuckled at that. If Thorin had always been the big brother figure, then Puck was definitely the grumpy but secretly soft-hearted uncle. The kind who’s perpetually annoyed but still the first to jump in and fix everything when it all goes sideways.

And, of course, Zane showed up as well, the ultimate father figure, completing the crew and making Florian feel even more at ease in the crowded room.

The heartwarming reunion hit its peak when Riona made her dramatic entrance, bursting through the door and rushing straight into Florian’s arms.

He was thrilled to see his sister again—after all, the endless pit of despair he’d been stuck in was a bit much even for him. Missing her had been like a constant ache, and her sudden presence felt like sunshine after way too many gloomy days.

But, of course, that sunshine didn’t last long.

Riona, in her typical fashion of getting straight to the point, asked the one question he dreaded: "What about your nightmares?"

Just hearing the word sent a cold wave of dread crashing over him, stirring memories he’d fought so hard to bury. The nightmares were unbearable—horrific things he wished he could erase.

Florian shuddered at the thought, unwilling to relive those horrors, especially not in front of Riona.

Clearly, his sleep had been bad enough to catch her attention. And if it had been bad enough for Riona to worry, that was all the more reason he didn’t want to dig up those memories and discuss them.

He wasn’t ready to face them, let alone share them.