Mates 22


    Chapter 22


    FREDA WHITLOCK


    “What was life outside the pack like?” My father asked, adjusting the sunsses that shielded his


    eyes from the sun. He was lying on a chaise just like Lyra and I were.


    Lyra and I had decided that it would be a great idea to Dad a good time and as many good


    experiences as we could possibly offer. For today, we had decided to tan in the sun. The sun wasn’t


    too hot so it was not going to affect us way too much.


    I smiled and turned over on my right side so I could face him. Lyra turned on her left side so she


    could have a good view of both me and him.


    Francisco squealed and I nced over at the pool where he was sshing around. It was an


    intable pool that Lyra and I had gotten on a whim at a hardware store while driving past it.


    “It was different,” I started. My dad’s head tilted in my direction, but notpletely. “How?” He


    asked and Lyra nodded as if trying to affirm the question.


    “I was surrounded by humans. There was so much noise and everything was so strange and


    different. The air, the sounds, the living standards… Everything. Everything was so different. And it’s


    all dulled my senses over time,” I chuckled.


    “The rejection affected Gia,” I told them and instantly, the whole atmosphere became solemn. I


    almostughed out loud. I didn’t


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    want that. I did not want pity or sadness at the pain and torture I endured before I finally broke and


    left. I did not want any of that.


    I let out a chuckle, deciding to ignore their solemnity. “She became detached from me, but the


    distance from the pack and other wolves made it worse. She barely speaks to me anymore.” I said


    and shook my head with a small smile. “I wonder if I will have to suffer the difort of readjusting


    again when I go back,” I said, looking up into the sky.


    The clouds were suddenly dark again for some reason I could not exin.


    I felt Lyra’s eyes on me, but when I turned back to o like at her, she hurriedly looked away. I was


    about to ask her what was wrong and then I realized what I had said.


    I bit my lip.


    “You’re going back?” She asked and I looked at her. She was the one looking at the clouds now. I


    sighed. “Lyra I…” I paused and she looked at me.


    “It’s okay. It’s your decision, I understand.” She didn’t. I knew she didn’t. It was in the tone she


    spoke with, it was in the way she looked at me. It was on the sadness in her voice. It was in the way


    she looked away from me and smiled at my dad as she sat straight.


    “Lyra…” I called her and she shook her head, pulling off her shirt and revealing a one-piece


    swimsuit. She walked out to the pool. and dove in, causing Francisco to scream with surprise.


    “Bear with her. She misses you a lot and it hurts her that you want to leave again,” my father said


    and I felt a wave of tears hit


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    me hard. This was painful. So painful and I wished they would understand, I wished I could exin


    how much I wanted to protect my son and myself, my heart from the pain that my rejected mate had


    caused.


    I couldn’t really exin it to them. I could tell my father how it exactly felt in my chest, so I pressed


    my lips together and stared at Lyra as she lifted Francisco out of the water and then dunked him


    back under.


    *********


    “We need to talk,” Lyra said after had read Francisco a story and tucked him in bed. I gulped and


    walked after her. We were headed towards the living room.


    “What do you want to talk about?” I asked, sitting at the edge of the couch because I was anxious. I


    was very anxious and I was scared of what she had to say.


    She turned around to look at me. There were tears in her eyes. “Why are you being selfish?” She


    asked.


    The question hit me hard and knocked the air out of me like I had been physically punched. I


    blinked hard and looked away from her before speaking. More like, I attempted to. She was talking


    again in the next second.


    “You don’t care about me, you don’t care about Dad, you don’t care about Francisco, because if you


    did, you would let him have a life with his family,” she ranted and I breathlessly watched her.


    “Please don’t say that,” I pleaded, instantly tearing up. I hurried to my feet and reached for her


    hands. She withdrew from me


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    Chapter 22


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    and pain burned through my chest.


    I struggled to blink back the tears that were in my eyes. She had tears in her eyes too.


    “You don’t understand,” I told her and she shook her head. “Try me,” she said, staring me down.


    “I… I care about you. I care about Dad and of course, I care. about Francisco. He’s my son and I’m


    trying to protect him.” I told her, hoping I could find the right words to exin exactly how I felt.


    “You…” I took a deep breath. “You and Dad are my world. You’re the only real family I have. You’ve


    supported me through everything and you’ve been here for me. I’m just scared,” I broke into s**bs


    as soon as I said thest word. She stepped towards me, probably to hug me but I stepped away.


    “You’re making this about you again,” she shook her head. “You barely know anything about me.


    How much it hurts to have been without you this whole time. How much it hurts to know that Dad is


    dying soon,” I flinched at those words.


    “How much it hurts to know that I still have not found my mate up till now. Do you know how it hurts


    me to know that you already nned to leave when you just came here? You’re so so selfish!” She


    broke into s**bs too.


    I froze in the spot I stood with tears running down my face.All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.