《Rejected Mate's Redemption (Freda and James)》 Mates 1 Mates 1 Chapter 1 FREDA WHITLOCK ¡°You¡­are you leaving already?¡± I asked, staring in disbelief at the sweaty Kaiden who was pulling on his pants. We had just finished having sex in my room and the air still smelled of his musky scent, a scent that made my wolf purr dly. He paused and stared at me ¡°yeah I need to, Safiya just¡­. ¡°Mind linked you? When are you going to tell her about us?¡± I asked, pulling on the bed covers strongly. He sighed but kept on buckling his belt ¡°Soon Freda I promise you¡± and that was thest thing he said. before he left my room, closing the door softly behind him. I could hear the sound of his shoesnding on the floor as he ran down the corridors toward Safiya¡¯s quarters HOW IT ALL BEGAN ¡°He asked me out¡± was the first thing my younger sister Safiya said to me, immediately we met each other at the school gate. after school hours. I knew who she was talking about but to be safe, I still asked her ¡°Who in particr? Last time I checked your suitors can line all the way towards Mars¡± 288 Wouchers That wasn¡¯t a lie, neither was it a joke, my younger sister Safiya was the fairest amongst the two of us. With her shimmering blonde hair and Emerald green eyes, her caramel skin which she had inherited from our Dad and her curvy body, Safiya was the ideal girlfriend ording to physical standards. ¡°KAIDEN¡± she squealed, confirming my fears. Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I have a crush on him¡± I mumbled to her. My sister who was lost in her happy go lucky fantasies didn¡¯t hear what I had said so she turned towards me with raised eyebrows ¡°Huh? You say?¡± ¡°Nothing ¡± I replied quickly and lowered my head. My heart was hurting terribly but consoled myself ¡®Freda, it¡¯s just a s**d crush, your mate is on his way and he would be much better and handsome than Kaiden¡¯. But no matter how hard I tried to ignore that crushing feeling in my chest, it still grew. Everyday that I saw my younger sister, glued tightly to Kaiden, acting lovey dovey, there would be a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. Like I was the one that should be in my sister¡¯s ce but I knew that it was just jealousy acting in me. I thought it was so until my 18th birthday, when I got my wolf and found out that Kaiden was my mate. 18.52% 17.00 1288 Vouchers That night was the most traumatic moment of my life and I could still remember the conversation we had that day. ¡°You ¡­are my mate ?¡± I had asked him, bewildered and wondering what was happening. Kaiden was a year older than me and had turned 18st year so he should have been the first person to know that we were mates. ¡°Yes I am¡± Kaiden had replied, looking everywhere but my face, his countenance told me that he was ufortable to have this conversation with me. ¡°Then why¡­ Safiya¡­¡± ¡°See Freda I love Safiya so much, she means everything to me and I have been together with her for a year now, it would break her heart if I leave her now¡± He answered. ¡°But you knew that she wasn¡¯t your mate yet you still ended up getting together with her, what about me? Where am I left?¡± I asked, tears threatening to roll down my cheeks. Kaiden moved closer towards me and held my hands in his, I could feel the Sweet delicious tingles coming from that spot he held and traveling towards my spine. I shivered and leaned towards him, my head ced on his broad chest. His other hands went to my hair and caressed them gently. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Freda but I think we have to keep this a secret from your sister, until I¡¯m ready to tell her the truth or until she eventually finds her mate¡± Chapter 1 1288 Vouchers That¡¯s right, Safiya is just seventeen years old and she will find her mate when she is eighteen. I reasoned for a while before nodding my head reluctantly and that I think was the mistake I had made and till today, I was regretting it. PRESENT ¡°E, look at them suck the germ off each other¡¯s faces¡± My friend Lyra said in a gagging tone with a look of disgust on her face, making me giggle. It was early morning and we were all in the kitchen prepping breakfast and by all, I mean alle of age females that lived in the pack house The couple she was talking about was obviously Safiya and Kaiden who were hungrily kissing each other in the kitchen. One more look at them and I felt my stomach twist. ¡°He is such a pilfering b**d, a p**hile, I can¡¯t believe that he will really kiss a minor,¡± Lyra said again. They aren¡¯t having sex yet so it¡¯s cool and besides she will be turning eighteen in 2 months time, so she is almost legal¡± I said, applying jam thoroughly on the slice of bread I was holding. ¡°Do you think they might end up as mates, given how they are constantly at each other?¡± Lyra asked abruptly, her palms cradling her jaw in a contemtive pose. paused, raising my eyebrows at her before resuming the application of jam. ¡°And why do you ask that?¡± I inquired, 17001 Chapter 1 striving to mask my interest in the topic. 1268 Vouchers ¡°We all know your sister Safiya,¡± Lyra continued, unabashed. ¡°Forgive my bluntness, but she has quite the reputation. She started dating at thirteen and has already been with five boys. Kaiden, however, is the strongest and longest rtionship she¡¯s ever had, which signifies something special.¡± She wriggled her eyebrows suggestively. ¡°The future Luna might juste from your family,¡± she added, tossing a peanut into her mouth and crunching loudly. I lowered my head and mused silently, ¡®Indeed, a Luna wille from my family, but it won¡¯t be my sister-it will be me.¡¯ Mates 2 Mates 2 Chapter 2 FREDA WHITLOCK I could feel the calm breeze brush on my fur like it was tickling me, the scent of fresh grasses and earth filled my noise making my wolf mor toe out and frolic in the grass. But that wasn¡¯t my purpose here; I came to practice my hunting skills, which were getting rustier every day due tock of practice and hunting. ¡°One day I¡¯m going to deny you food and make you hunt for yourself for a full week¡± my mother had said today, this was what pushed me toe here because I knew that my mother was a woman of her words. I sighted a little hareing my way, it wasn¡¯t much but it would do. I watched it calmly while Iy in wait, patiently waiting for it toe toward my corner. When it was almost close to me, it seemed to sense the danger and quickly changed direction, running off. ¡°S**t!¡± I cursed in my mind and ran after it, hoping this easy prey wouldn¡¯t get away. But yeah, you guessed it. The hare managed to escape, and I went home empty-handed, though I did let Gia, my wolf, have some fun in the grass. Chapter 2 288 vouchein ¡°We are going on to the city carnival for a date,l and Kaiden, will youe with us?¡± Safiya asked me, immediately I entered the house, returning from my failed hunt. she was dressed to the nines, in a s**y white dress that emphasized her curves. It was only Safiya who would be able to perfectly pull out. looking cute but s**y at the same time. ¡°To look like a light bulb? Or the third wheel between you and your sweet Kaiden?¡± I asked sarcastically, that familiar pain in my heart was back ¡°Come on, you didn¡¯t have to be so toxic about that, you are getting hot tempered these days, what¡¯s the big deal with you?¡± She asked in a flippant tone. ¡®Well the big deal with me Is that I feel so jealous and abandoned whenever I see you with my mate kissing and frolicking in the grass like two rabbits, I have the urge to tear you apart whenever he talks about you with the love filled in his eyes, like you were the one who was his mate instead of me. I wish you never exist whenever I remember that I can¡¯t be with my mate just because of you¡¯ All these I wanted to say but I couldn¡¯t, instead I held them tightly in my heart, refusing to tell anyone, not even my closest best friend who I trusted so much. Because I knew that once the secret was out, my Mate would hate me and he would never want to be with me anymore. I just hissed at her and went up the flight of stairs, heading straight to my room,I knew that she was probably wondering 17:04 D why I was behaving like a wolf in heat. 11 268 Vouchers ¡°Urgh!¡± Kaiden groaned loudly, thrusting wildly into me, I embraced him with open legs and arms, holding onto him like I was clutching a life saving straw He growled, a loud guttural one while emptying his seeds inside. me. Panting heavily, his music body dropped beside me on the bed as he exhaled deeply. I, on the other hand,y naked, my body sweaty as my chest rose up and down due to the strenuous activity we had just performed. Kaiden had returned from his date with Safiya stressed and needing relief and as the only one who could provide him relief, I happily weed him into my room. I didn¡¯t me him though, Safiya was quite a handful to handle whenever she was on an overdrive of emotions, be it happiness or anger or sadness or hunger. She always made sure to stress out the people around her and Kaiden was always number one on her list. ¡°That was awesome¡± Kaiden breathed out, his hands making circles on my back, I purred in delight, enjoying the tingles that arose from wherever his calloused palmsnded. My wolf Gia was already howling I¡¯m delight at being pampered by her mate 17.04 288 Vouchers ¡°I could get pregnant, you know?¡± I said, I felt him go rigid as his movements stopped. ¡°Take pills or whatever women take to avoid pregnancy¡±He said and I felt my heart go cold. ¡°They are not good for my health? Maybe if you tried using protection then we wouldn¡¯t be having this conversation¡± I said, rising up from the bed slowly, while trying to cover my nakedness with the bedcover. ¡°How many times will I tell you¡­¡± ¡°That you love it raw! That you don¡¯t want me getting pregnant because it would expose our rtionship, that you don¡¯t want me to let anyone know we are mates because it will ruin your rtionship with Safiya?¡± I said in a questioning tone, my voice rising with each sentence ¡°I¡¯ve heard this for 2 years now and I¡¯m tired of hearing them¡± I said, Tears trickled down my cheeks and I sniffed, trying to retain them in my eyes. Kaiden sighed and hugged me ¡°please try to understand me Freda, I also feel pained seeing you like this but I can¡¯t disappoint Safiya, just wait for me, 2 months and once she has found her mate, that¡¯s all I¡¯m asking for¡± Kaiden pleaded. I wanted to refuse, I didn¡¯t want my dignity to be t**ed on again all in the name of the mate bond. I wanted to tell him to go to hell, but I couldn¡¯t because if I did, then I would lose my mate forever. So I nodded my head, agreeing to his absurd request. I was going to put up with him and Safiya for 2 months. 1704T Chapter 2 208 Vouchers And then once it was 2 months I would have my mate back and I wouldn¡¯t share him with anyone else.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Mates 3 Mates 3 Chapter 3 FREDA WHITLOCK Ok¡­I think I have made a very big mistake. Safiya stood in front of me sobbing tragically like a beauty in need of help. ¡°What have I done to you Freda, why the sudden hate on me¡± Safiya cried, her beautiful green orbs which we had both inherited from our mother was glistening with tears. Her pointed nose was red from sniveling. ¡°Why are you crying like a little child, it¡¯s not like Freda said anything wrong to you¡± Lyra scowled at Safiya, I knew that if I wasn¡¯t holding onto her hands, then she would have flown at Safiya and battled it out with her. ¡°That¡¯s a lie Lyra because she is your friend doesn¡¯t mean that you should support her wrongdoing¡± Sophia,one of Safiya¡¯s friends countered. She was such a nosy b**h, one that I detested and many times I had fantasized of pulling out her hair. ¡°¡±You little imp, I¡¯m going to pull out all your teeth! What do you mean by siding with Freda?¡± Lyra said, her face enraged. Sophie whimpered and stepped back. ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± I heard Kaiden¡¯s deep voice and I felt my heart s**p a beat at the sheer amount of authority his voice 17:04 D Chapter 3 288 Mouchers carried. Safiya pounced into his arms and burst into loud cries. Kaiden whispered soothing words to her while rubbing her mass of blonde tresses soothingly. I stared at the loving couple before me, envy in my eyes. Once Safiya had calmed down, Kaiden looked at me before saying ¡°I want to see you in my office right now, Freda¡± He carried Safiya in his arms into the pack house. ? ? ? ¡°I expected better than this from you¡± Kaiden began. I crossed my hands and waited for him to continue his judgefull tirade ¡°you know how soft hearted your sister is, you should try to put up with her sometimes¡­¡± ¡°You never asked what she did to me, all you keep on saying is that I should put up with her, well I don¡¯t want to anymore¡± I spat out. He looked at me with raised eyes ¡°Oh is this all about my request? Why can¡¯t you be understanding for once¡± ¡°Understanding?I¡¯ve been trying to be understanding for a very long time now, yet what do I get in return?She rubs it in my face that she owns you, that she would reject her mate even if she 1704 288 Mouchers finds him because you belong to her?¡± I asked. I watched Kaiden¡¯s eyes widen in realization. ¡°Oh..you already know about her ns? Yet you still ask me to Wait till she¡¯s 18?, why do you keep on lying to me?¡± I yelled at him. Kaiden raked his hands through his head and walked closer to me ¡°I¡¯m going to convince her Freda, I made a promise to you and I will try to keep it ¡°he said and pressed a kiss on my forehead. ¡®-reject him¡¯ Gia growled at me, she has always been saying this since we found out that Kaiden was our mate but I paid deaf ears to her. I¡¯ve loved Kaiden even before I found out he was my mate and I¡¯ve always wished to be his mate so I wouldn¡¯t let go of such an opportunity. ¡°Stop that, it¡¯s yucky!¡± I heard Safiya squeal from the opposite side of the table,I looked at them and indeed they were entangled together. Kaiden was trying so hard to feed her orange jelly, which Safiya was not a fan of. ¡°Disgusting¡± Lyra who was beside me scoffed. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. ¡°What¡¯s your deal with them? Why do you hate them so much or is there something you are not telling me?¡± I asked her. Lyra shrugged. 1704 208 Wouchers ¡°I just keep on feeling that they don¡¯t match, they won¡¯t make good Alpha and Luna together¡± Lyra said. ¡°You are the first person saying this, everyone says that they suit each other¡± I answered, inside of me, I was feeling giddy that someone finally saw them as unfit for each other. ¡°Listen up everyone, I have good news for y¡¯all¡± Safiya suddenly said, jolting me out of my thoughts. I looked at her with interest, wanting to know what she was about to say. ¡°You all know that September is my birthday and I¡¯m turning 18 on that day but since Kaiden will most likely be my mate, we have decided to get engaged next week,¡±She said with a wide smile on her face. I felt the world around me stop as my heart broke into pieces. Like a puppet being controlled,I stood up from my seat and objected. ¡°That would never happen¡± I felt the eyes of the whole pack on me, including the eyes Kaiden who was desperately winking at me to sit down but hell I was tired of keeping everything locked up in my heart. of ¡°You guys may not know, including you Safiya but Kaiden is my mate and he knows too¡± I began. There was a loud murmur in the pack as Safiya looked at Kaiden in a surprised and hurt me way. ¡°For two years I watched my mate kiss and treat another Chapter 3 288 Mouchers woman lovingly while all I was to him was a sex partner, he only came to me when he was in need of sex while he showered all his sincere feelings on my own sister¡± by now painful and bitter tears were rolling down my cheeks. ¡®reject him now! Reject him, we don¡¯t need a s**ag like himc Gia¡¯s voice came again, this time more strongly than before. I decided to listen to her this time, I was tired of the pain that bore everyday in my heart ¡°I¡­ ¡°Don¡¯t do that Freda¡± I could hear Kaiden¡¯s pleading voice but I wasn¡¯t listening to him anymore. I took a deep breath and continued ¡°I, Freda Whitlock, daughter of the beta of ming wolf pack, reject you Kaiden Stirling as my mate, from today onwards all fate holding us together has been broken and nothing will join us again¡± I said. I heard him howl loudly, was it in pain, I didn¡¯t know. But I and my wolf felt pain, pain stemming from the rejection and continuous betrayal of our mate. ¡°No¡± I whimpered as I felt myself slipping into darkness. Thest thing I heard was Kaiden¡¯s continuous howl. Mates 4 Mates 4 Chapter 4 FREDA WHITLOCK ¡°She¡¯s fine, there¡¯s nothing wrong with her, just the shock from rejecting her mate¡± those were the first words I heard when I opened my eyes. The pack doctor was exining to my worried father that I was perfectly fine and that there was no reason for him to panic. ¡°Are you sure, have you checked if her wolf is still..?¡± ¡°That would be when she wakes up¡± the pack daughter said I groaned in a low voice, the pain I¡¯m my heart wasing back, this time stronger than before. ¡°Oh my God, Freda baby, how are you feeling!¡± Dad yelled, rushing towards me. | The expression on his face told me everything I needed to know, my dad was worried about me and it would be quite hard to convince him that I was fine. ¡°I¡¯m fine daddy¡± I croaked out, my father stretched out his hands and took the cup of warm water that was ced on the table beside my bed, he brought it up towards my lips and motioned for me to open up. I took a sip of the water and almost moaned at the weing moisture that wasing from the water. 17 04¡ö After I had finished drinking, my father carefully ced the water back on the table and patted my head 208 Vouchers ¡°Thank G***d you woke up baby, I don¡¯t even know what I would have done if you were terribly hurt, But why didn¡¯t you tell us what was happening, I and your mother were really worried¡± he said to me, his eyes filled with worry. I looked around the room but I didn¡¯t see my mum. ¡°What about mum, is she angry because she thinks I took away Safiya¡¯s boyfriend?¡± I asked, I knew very well that my stepmother didn¡¯t like me. Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. Her favorite was Safiya and would always be Safiya, most at times whenever things happened to Safiya, she would me me for being the mastermind. Maybe that¡¯s one of the main reasons why she refused to visit me. ¡°No that¡¯s not true baby, Safiya herself is heart broken so your mother went to console her, she would probablye visit you soon¡± Dad said I scoffed in my mind, that was probably a lie, she would nevere to see me. ? ? ? I woke up from a brief nap and was shocked to see Kaiden standing at the window beside my bed, looking out absentmindedly. ¡°Hey, what are you doing here In my room?¡± I called out. 1704) 288 Vouchers He turned to look at me, his ck eyes were strangely deeper in colour, almost like he was about to lose his temper with someone and I knew that it was probably me since I had done something he did want me to do. ¡°We f**g made an agreement and yet you still went behind. my back to ¡­.F**K!¡± He cursed, kicking the bed cab. I jolted in fright but I summoned up the courage to speak up to him. ¡°So I should watch in silence while you and your sweetheart get engaged happily in front of me ?¡± I asked sarcastically with raised brows. ¡°I thought we agreed!¡± ¡°We agreed on nothing Kaiden, You don¡¯t know how the f**k it hurts, you know what? Hey the f**k out of my ward now? before I call my father to beat you up!¡± I yelled at him, breathing heavily, my chest rising up and down and I could feel my chest hurting again. My chest had been hurting a lot since yesterday. ¡°I¡¯m going to let you calm down and we are going to talk about this again¡± he said and left the ward. ¡°I¡¯ve rejected you and we are not talking about anything!¡± I yelled after him and dropped on the bed, a heart wrenching s*b escaping my throat. The door of my ward swung open again and I yelled at the 17:04 Chapter 4 280 Wouchers person. ¡°Get the f**k out of my room you b**d! I don¡¯t want to see you again!¡± But to my surprise it was my stepmother that had walked in, her eyes were red from crying and there was an angry look in her eyes. ¡°Why do you keep on taking away things that belong to Safiya, are you not tired of being a b**h?¡± She asked me in an angry tone. I stared at her in astonishment, wondering what had brought about all the hate she was showing me ¡°What do you mean? I don¡¯t understand?¡± ¡°You took away your father from her now you also want to take Kaiden away from her?¡± She snorted. ¡°Kaiden is my mate! I have every right to be together with him, that¡¯s how it works in the werewolf society!¡± I said in an incredulous tone. ¡°Well he doesn¡¯t love you one bit, the person who is In his heart is Safiya and you know that very well, so why do you insist oning between them, why are you always selfish?¡± I couldn¡¯t believe that my step mother was the one saying all these heartless words to me. I knew that she hated me but I never knew that it was to this extent. ¡°You came between my father and mother¡± I suddenly said to 17.04 Chapter 4 her 280 Vouchers I watched her eyes widen in surprise and shock. ¡°Your mother is dead, she died long ago¡± My step mom yelled. ¡°Before she died, you were the major reason for the rift between them, I knew very well what you did and I saw you doing it¡± I said in a mysterious tone. She gritted her teeth and red at me ¡°what did you see! I didn¡¯t do anything to your mother, I married your father fair and square¡± she said. ¡°Why are you so panicky, I didn¡¯t see anything¡± I said to her, that was true, I didn¡¯t see anything but I heard something ¦§ Safiya has been crying since, why don¡¯t you do one good deed in your life, pack your things and leave this pack, in fact leave this country. You have rejected Kaiden right? So what else are you doing in this pack, get lost and stop causing sorrow to other people ¡± she said and stridded out of the ward, banging the door harshly as she left. I sunk into my bed deeply, my mind going through the conversation I had just had with my stepmother. She was really right. Maybe I should just disappear. After all, no one in this pack wanted me. Mates 5 Mates 5 Chapter 5 KAIDEN STIRLING ¡°Young man, we need to talk¡± were the words my father said to me immediately as I stepped out of Freda¡¯s ward. And now here I was in his office waiting for him to begin but the first thing I got on my Face was a punch from Beta Whitlock, Freda and Safiya¡¯s father. ¡°You f**g manwhore, what gave the misconception that you could f**k with two of my daughters and get away free!¡± He yelled at me. My Alpha wolf, who was angry at being disrespected, growled at him ready to pounce at the disrespectful beta, but one re from my father got my bristling fur to calm down. ¡°Sometimes I wonder if you are ready to take over this pack. Haven¡¯t you ever wondered why I haven¡¯t handed this pack over to you even though you havee of age?¡± My father suddenly asked, making me gape at him in disbelief. ¡°You have let your emotions take control of you and not only have you failed two Women you have also failed this pack and your family¡± My father spat. ¡°I just didn¡¯t want to break Safiya¡¯s heart, I love her, don¡¯t you understand me?¡± I yelled in anger, none of them ever understood me. Not my mother, not my father, not the pack and not even my 17.04 Chapter 5 288 Wouchers own mate who imed to love me ¡°No, we don¡¯t understand because your actions are s**d! Freda is your mate, have you ever wondered how she feels whenever she sees you with Safiya, do you know the kind of trauma she and her wolf are going through?¡± He asked and my eyes widened in realization. ¡°But she said¡­¡± ¡°She said she understands? That she could bear it? That she would wait for you? If you reallyUpstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g believe all those things then I can only say that you are as dumb as you look! Hell I¡¯m going to ask Veronica if you are really my child because no child of mine should be as dense as you are¡± He cursed and went out of the office, banging the door of the office loudly. I stared at Beta Whitlock with wide eyes ¡°don¡¯t look at me that way, I don¡¯t want to see you near any of my daughters again¡± he growled at me and left the office, banging the door just like my father did. I was left all alone in the huge office, I raked my hands through my head and cursed. S**! I f**k**d up big time. ??? ¡°Are you in there?¡± I asked, I was standing at the door of Freda¡¯s room, waiting for her to Open the door. The door of the room swung open and I was face to face with Freda, her face was swollen from crying and her usually bright emerald green eyes were now dull. 1701 Chapter 5 208 Vouchers I shook my head at that thought and shed her a small smile. ¡°Can Ie in?¡± I asked her, she thought for some seconds before opening the door wider and motioning for me to enter. I walked into the room and looked around it carefully, oh her reading table was a picture of me, Safiya and Freda when we¡¯re still kids. I stared at the picture intensely, wondering how I missed seeing such a photo that has been ced here for so long. ¡®because all you thought about was sex and Safiya¡¯ my wolf, Kai said with a snort, reminding me of his presence. ¡°What¡¯s it? What do you want?¡± Freda asked me, hands on her hips, her pale face was twisted in a frown. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡± I said in a lowered voice. ¡°I¡¯ve been hearing that for a long time now, is there anything tangible you want to say, maybe exin to me why you are getting engaged to Safiya after all you have promised me¡± she asked. ¡°You should have asked me that before rejecting me in front of everyone!¡± I said, Gosh, my s***d mouth. I watched her face change to disbelief. ¡°Are you seriously asking me that ridiculous question? My own mate is getting engaged to another woman and wow¡­.I can¡¯t believe this¡± she yelled at me tugging her hair. 17.05 Chapter 5 I stretched out my hands in an attempt to touch her but she shifted and avoided my touch. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me¡­¡± Just then, I heard Safiya crying for me through the mindlink ¡°Save me ! Save me!! Kaiden!!!¡± The mindlink got cut short abruptly, making me jolt. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Freda yelled. 288 Vouchers ¡°Safiya is in danger, I need to get to her now¡± I replied and ran off. Missing the sad and abandoned look in Freda¡¯s eyes. I banged the door of her room loudly as I ran down the corridors, down the stairs and out of the pack house. I tracked Safiya¡¯s scent and found her deep in the woods, arge brown rogue wolf circling her and getting ready to attack. I shifted immediately andunched at the rogue wolf as the two of us got entangled in a fight. A fight which ended with the death of the rogue wolf andrge g**hes on my body. But the g**hes were nothing, with my supernatural fast healing speed, the wounds would close back before the next day. My main priority was Safiya who was crying In fright. ¡°Are you okay Safiya, were you wounded?¡± I asked worriedly, she shook her head and leaned into my arms. 1205 1288 Mouchers ¡°You are the one who I should be asking that question to? Gosh, there¡¯s blood all over you¡± she sobbed. I patted her hair assuringly. ¡°I¡¯m fine, these are just scratches, I will be healed tomorrow¡± I assured her. I looked up and found out that it was already dark. ¡°We need to get to the pack house before curfew¡± I said and carried Safiya on my back. On reaching the pack house we were met with the questioning eyes of Beta Whitlock and his wife who was sobbing tragically beside him. ¡°Have you seen Freda? My daughter?¡± Beta Whitlock asked me with worried eyes before he recognized who I was piggy backing ¡°Oh my baby Safiya! What happened to you?¡± Georgina Whitlock,Safiya and Freda¡¯s stepmother asked in a sobbing tone. Safiya got down from my back and hugged her mother, the two women crying and consoling each other. ¡°Beta we have searched everywhere and we can¡¯t find her¡± A pack warrior said, making me look at him in confusion. ¡°Who are you searching for, can someone tell me what¡¯s going on?¡± Lasked. ¡°Freda is missing¡± Wait! What?? Mates 6 Mates 6 Chapter 6 APTER SIX KAIDEN¡¯S POV I felt the world around me still and I almost copsed from the news that I had just received. ¡°What do you mean by that?! I clearly saw her this evening¡­she was ¡­¡± I stammered, trying to make sense out of what I was being told. I looked around the pack house, hoping that the pack members including my father¡¯s Beta were ying a silly prank on me but the look on their faces told me otherwise. Purchasepleted and we have no idea ¡°Sadly that¡¯s the truth, Fi where she has gone, we should be asking you where she is, you were thest one to see her right?¡± Lyra, Freda¡¯s best friend, asked me in an using tone. I looked around speechlessly, not knowing what to say back in return. She was right, I was thest person to see Freda but I had left her in her room to go save Safiya, I could still remember the look of disappointment in her eyes when I had hurriedly left, telling her that Safiya was in danger. And that was when it registered in my mind. When I was speaking with Freda in her room, her luggage was on the bed and wide open. Even her wardrobe was opened and there were clothes s**d on the bed. ¡°No! I should be the one asking you guys, how did Freda go missing under you guys nose, I left Freda in her room to go save Safiya who was attacked by rogues in the woods¡± I said loudly. The pack member murmured on hearing that there were rogues in the woods. For the meantime, talks about Freda was forgotten as finding and weeding out rogues were the most important thing. ? I was going crazy and mad in anxiety, it had been 2 weeks. 2 f**g weeks and still Freda was nowhere to be found, it was like she had disappeared off the face of earth, almost like she never existed in the first ce and that was when I began to have fears. ¡®Was it possible that she had been attacked and killed by a rogue while leaving the pack?¡¯ I felt my body chill at that thought. My wolf hissed at me she¡¯s alive, I can clearly feel her¡¯ Kai my wolf said in an angry tone. Ever since that day Freda had gone missing, we had be two enemies. He didn¡¯t want to have anything to do with me anymore, my wolf was badly disappointed in me. He had always been disappointed in me, since I find out that 288 Mouch Freda was my mate and refused to be openly together with her and the truth was that I regretted it So much. I shouldn¡¯t have dyed one bit, I should have proudly told everyone in the pack that Freda was my mate but my love for Safiya had clouded my eyes. I sat down and looked around the room, thinking seriously¡­.was I really that in love with Safiya. FREDA¡¯S POV I had been on the run for too long, moving from cities to cities, masking my scent with everything I could find,and changing cars and taxi¡¯s halfway. It was exhrating but worth it. I knew very well that my disappearance would cause amotion in the pack especially now that they had found out that I was their future Luna and they would probably send out their best trackers to go after me I didn¡¯t want to be caught by any of the pack trackers, I was tired of my painful life in that pack. I didn¡¯t want to go back to that old life,I wanted to be a new me, someone who didn¡¯t have to live everyday watching the person had held dearly in my heart kissing another woman in front of me and treating that woman specially. I really didn¡¯t know when my eyes started leaking tears as a drop of tear rolled down my cheeks ¡°Ma¡¯am, are you Alright?¡± A kind female voice asked beside. 1705 288 Vouchers I looked at the woman beside me and shook my head, shing a small sad smile at her. ¡°I¡¯m fine, I will be fine¡± I croaked out, cleaning the more tears that were rolling down my cheeks, I was embarrassed at being seen crying by a stranger in the bus. The woman shed an understanding smile at me, she reached into her bag and brought out a neat white handkerchief that was folded neatly into 2 squares. ¡°Here have this, you need it¡± she said and handed the handkerchief to me. I gratefully took it from her and pressed it on my face, the smell of mild and sewer scenting soap filled my nose reminding me of my mom who had died when i was still a little girl. The sad memories made more tears roll down my cheeks and soon I was bawling out little child, so loud that the other people in the bus stared at me with strange faces. o a But it was the woman who had given them an apologetic gaze because I myself was too far gone to remember that I was in a public bus with other people. A few minutester, I had exhausted my tears, I used the handkerchief to clean the tears and s** on my face. I was embarrassed to find the older woman looking at me with an understanding gaze in her eyes. ¡°Are you feeling better now?¡± She asked with an understanding smile. 17:05 288 Vouchere I nodded my head and crinkled the wet hanky embarrassingly. I was almost blushing from the shame that I had soiled someone¡¯s property with my liquids. ¡°Thank you¡± I croaked out ¡°It¡¯s alright, I felt that you needed a good cry, I¡¯m Tina by the way, what¡¯s your name?¡± She asked. ¡°I¡¯m Freda,¡± I replied. ¡°Running away from home?¡± She asked. I stalled for sometime before saying ¡°somehow¡­He was with another woman and I had to leave, he betrayed our bond and I found out that, I don¡¯t want to stay in a ce that would keep on reminding me about him and his betrayal¡± I said. I couldn¡¯t tell her that he was my mate and that I had actually left the pack house. She wasn¡¯t a werewolf and she won¡¯t understand what I was saying since the existence of werewolf were hidden from humans. If I told her all those s**t, she would probably look at me like I was a crazy person. The woman looked at me with understanding ¡°I know that feeling dear, I once experienced it and it was from someone I trusted so much, I was very pained¡± she said to me. I wasn¡¯t surprised, cheating and lying men like Kaiden were everywhere and their victims couldn¡¯t be counted. 17.05 288 (Vouchers ¡°But I apud your decision, you made the right choice, leaving him entirely was the best thing to do,no woman deserves to stay with someone who doesn¡¯t know her worth, you did well leaving so he would know what he had missed¡± Tina said, looking at me proudly. I curled up my lips at the thought that someone had supported me instead of ming me. But then I remembered my sister Safiya and Kaiden. I don¡¯t really think that Kaiden would miss me or realize that he had lost something. He was deeply in love with Safiya to realize anything, to him and Safiya I was the thorn in their flesh and they probably couldn¡¯t wait for me to leave the pack house and never return. C C It had been one month since I left the pack house and the country and I realized that it was the best decision that I had ever made. After crying in the bus that day, I hadn¡¯t cried since, I was happy and feeling confident, something I had never felt ever since I found out that Kaiden was my mate. I had settled down in this strange but weing country, found a house and gotten a nice job. All in all I was having a good time and I didn¡¯t even want to think of my previous life. ¡°Have a nice day ma¡¯am¡± I said to the customer, handing over 17.05 283 (Vouchers the cup of coffee to her. I worked in a cat cafe and I enjoyed myself so much though the pay was not high, I still loved the job. Working with furry cute cats and serving eager customers and then chatting with my colleagues, everything was fun and helped me take my mind off some certain things. Then that feeling came again, the feeling of nausea washing over me and that dizziness, fear gripped me immediately as I remembered something. ¡°Are you okay?¡± My coworker asked, I shook my head at her and removed my apron immediately. ¡°Can you cover up for me? I have something I need to check on quickly¡± I said to her breathlessly She looked at me for sometime before agreeing. I rushed out of the cafe and headed straight to a drug store. With a trembling voice I asked the attending woman to give a pregnancy test strip. A few momentster, I stared at the two red lines on the pregnancy strip with wide eyes. I was pregnant! Pregnant with Kaiden¡¯s childContent is property of N?velDrama.Org. Mates 7 Mates 7 Chapter 7 CHAPTER SEVEN 5 YEARS LATER FREDA¡¯S POV 388 Vouchers ¡°Francisco! Get up it¡¯s morning!¡± I yelled loudly, turning the dough in the bowl furiously. The little boy had learnt to wake upte due to reasons I didn¡¯t know about, I suspected that he was secretly watching cartoons in his room after lights out but I didn¡¯t know how to call him out A few minutester, I heard the tippy tap of tiny cute shoes on the floor. My little boy ran down the stairs, panting. He was wearing his school uniform and already carrying his backpack. ¡°Good morning mom¡± Francisco greeted cutely, winking hisrge green eyes at me. Eyes that looked exactly like my mother¡¯s and mine. ¡°Morning sweetie! How was your night¡± I responded, bending down to ster a quick peck on his chubby cheeks. He blushed and red at me before writhing out a Fine from his lips. 17057 289 Wouching I chuckled at his cuteness and shyness. Suddenly I saw my boy¡¯s eyes brighten. ¡°Are you making blueberry pancakes mummy?!¡± he asked in excitement. I nodded at him with a mysterious smile and he jumped around the kitchen happily, pping his little hands together. Blueberry pancakes were his favorites,he never joked with them. In Fact he wished that I made them everyday. Just then I remembered why he loved blueberry pancakes. Kaiden too loved them, he was obsessed with blueberry pancakes to the extent that on his birthday all he got was blueberry pancakes instead of a cake and he appreciated it So much. My son or rather our son had followed in his father¡¯s footsteps much like it was an inherited stuff. After breakfast, I dropped Francisco off at his school before heading to work. Little Cisco had clung onto me, refusing to go anywhere but just like everyday, I had to make a lot of promises before he let me go and today the promise I had made was to let him have a full 2 hours video call with his grandpa and Aunty Lyra. I drove straight to work, humming lyrics from a song that was ying on the radio in the car, a song whose lyrics I didn¡¯t even know clearly. 17.05 288 Mouchers ¡°Good morning Mam Freda, how was your night?¡± My assistant Sasha said immediately she sighted me entering the office. ¡°Morning Sasha, my night was awesome, how was yours?¡± I replied with a small smile,plopping on the swivel chair that was behind my work desk. ¡°It was awesome, I slept like a baby cuddled up against Alvin, oh my God it was so hot¡­¡± And there she went talking about her romantic life and boyfriend to her single boss. It was already after school hours and I needed to go pick. Francisco up from school. He was probably waiting patiently for me in the children¡¯s waiting bay while other children were being taken home by their parents. guilt gripped my conscience and felt bad leaving my son that way, to alleviate the guilt I had to go to an ice cream store and get him his favorite scoop of chocte ice cream. ¡°Mummy!¡± My boy screamed immediately he sighted me, the excitement on his face made me beam at him. I hugged Francisco and kissed his hair. ¡°Hey baby, how was school today?¡± I asked him. Cisco nodded and inhaled ¡°I smell something mummy, something cold and yummy¡± he said in a mysterious tone and I cracked, knowing fully well that he had seen the te of ice cream and wanted to stylishly ask about it. Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. 17051 283 iMouchero ¡°Well guess who that cold and yummy stuff belongs to?¡± I asked Francisco looked at me with furrowed eyebrows ¡°mummy?¡± He asked. I shook my head and whispered in his ears ¡°Francisco Whitlock, the boy who mummy loves so much¡± His eyes brightened with joy and he stered a kiss on my cheeks, his saliva rubbing all over my face. He jumped down from my arms and got into the car, taking the Ice cream and opening it quickly before devouring it. I stared at him with a small smile on my face before putting on the ignition of the car. After helping Francisco with his homework and giving him lunch, I video called my father with my phone hoping for him to pick it up but to my disappointment, it was Lyra that answered the call. But Cisco was happy the same, in fact he was much more happy to see Lyra¡¯s face on the screen since he preferred her so much. ¡°Aunty Lyra! How are you doing!¡± Cisco yelled out, waving at Lyra. Lyra waved back at him with a small smile on her face ¡°Hey Cisco! I¡¯m fine, what about you, how is school?¡± She asked him with a loving smile. The two of them began to chat like two best friends almost as if they had known each other for more than 20 years. 288 Vouchers I watched them talk to each other in an animated way, a small smile on my lips. My best friend had undergone drastic changes since I left the pack house. She had dyed her hair red and found her mate, though ording to her she said that they were unfit for each other. I wanted to tell her that there were no mates who were made to be unfit for each other,then I remembered I and Kaiden. Not that we were unfit for each other, in fact we were created to be sources of pain to each other. ¡°What about grandpa,I haven¡¯t seen him yet, doesn¡¯t ke know that I am the one calling?¡± Francisco asked with a pout on his lips. It was now that he remembered the existence of his grandfather. I watched Lyra¡¯s face through the phone keenly and I noticed that her face had changed at the mention of grandpa, was anything wrong? ¡°Grandpa is fine, he is just taking a nap¡± she said in a soft tone. Francisco nodded his head at her words ¡°When he wakes up tell him that little Cisco asked of him today¡± Francisco said to her. Lyra nodded, promising strongly to ry his words to my father. After the two of therh had finished talking, u took my phone from Cisco with the video call still running ¡°Cisco, why don¡¯t you stay here and watch paw patrol, I want to show aunty Lyra my room¡± I said, Francisco nodded his head and made an okay sign at me, a serious and promising look on his face. I walked into my room, still on the phone with Lyra. Immediately, I closed the door and looked at Lyra seriously. ¡°Now Lyra tell me the truth, how is my father?¡± I asked with a serious look on my face. Lyra waved her hands and looked at me. ¡°I said he is taking a nap,he just came back from the pack patrol and he wanted to have some rest¡± sfe said again. She was lying, my father was never one to take naps and when I had spoken with himst week, he had informed me that ever since Kaiden had taken over the pack, he had stopped going on patrols with the enforcers since it was no longer his duty. I stared intently at Lyra, noticing that she was looking everywhere but not my face andi solidified my assumptions immediately. Lyra was lying to me about my father,fear gripped me instantly and I called her fiercely ¡°Lyra! I¡¯m not Cisco who would believe everything you spot out from your mouth now can you tell me what happened to my father?¡± I asked in a serious voice. Lyra paused for some time before saying ¡°Your father is seriously ill Freda, he rpsed and I don¡¯t think he is going to recover from this one¡± she said and I felt my world still. ¡°His old illness rpsed? But how¡­he was fine just a week. ago¡­¡± I stuttered in panic. 288 Vouchers ¡°It came so suddenly and brought him down,the pack doctors said they can¡¯t do anything¡­he¡¯s on hisst sprint Freda you need to see him¡± Lyra said, at the end of her statement, her voice was cracking and tears rolled down her cheeks. My mind went back to when I was a kid, the time I thought that I would have lost my father. It was after a rogue attack and my father had been viciously wounded by a rogue, it was found out late and by then the venom had already circted throughout his body. The doctors were able to manage him and he miraculously woke up and became fine so hearing that he had rpsed was a huge shock to me. I cleaned my tears quickly and rushed out of my room, heading towards Francisco whomwas watching cartoons in the sitting room. ¡°What¡¯s wrong mummy?¡± He asked with worried eyes. ¡°We need to leave Cisco, let¡¯s go see Grandpa, he misses us¡± Mates 8 Mates 8 Chapter 8 FREDA WHITLOCK I bit my lip as I pushed thest of mine and Cisco¡¯s luggage into the trunk of my SUV and then mmed it shut. I let out a heavy sigh and wiped my face with the back of my hand. This was going to be hard. It was going to be really hard, especially with the fact that I was going to have to be driving for three days. straight if I wanted to reach my destination in time. ¡°Mommy, more chocte,¡± Francisco called as I walked into the house. He was seated on the couch and he was ying a game on my iPad. I was d I had that to keep him busy while I packed up our things and got ready for the move. I bit my lip hard and buried my face in my hand, desperately hoping that I would not have a m**l breakdown from all the stress and anxiety I had been going through in the past few days. It had been three days since we had received that call from Lyra and then she had told me the horrible news. Since then, I had been doing my very best to leave things in good condition before I went back to the ce that had once been my home for an indefinite time. I I had handed over the coffee shop to my assistant. She waspetent and responsible and I knew that I could trust her. I had also consulted Francisco¡¯s school and discussed with his teacher. She had asked me if I would be okay with leaving him over with her while I went back, but I could not. 17.06 First of all, I was not sure how long I would be staying. It was all so indefinite and unnned. While I was not obsessive about controlling things, I did not really like surprises. I liked to n things ahead and be ready for them. Second, Francisco was my life. He was all I had with me. physically. He was the person I woke up, lived, breathed and worked for. He was the reason I had been able to speak with my father and Lyra all the times they had called. ¡°No more choctes baby. You¡¯re going to have a stomach ache,¡± I told him and he went silent before murmuring an ¡°Okay.¡± A brief smile touched my lip and I walked into the bedroom I slept in in the cramped three bedroom apartment. It was a miracle that I could afford it with just running a coffee shop, but I could and it had been great so far, especially for Francisco. I looked around the room. Almost everything had been packed up to go with me back home, I took a deep breath, refusing to allow the part of my brain that was screaming at me to move my things from my car and back into the apartment to speak to me for much longer. ¡®You can do it. You need to do it for your father, Gia spoke in my head and I gave a single nod. It was a relief to finally hear something from her after nearly three months. Ever the rejection, she had barely spoken. I could count the number of times she had spoken in the past five years off my two hands. It was painful, but it was yet another loss that Kaiden had caused me. I swallowed the lump that appeared in my throat at the thought of him. 283 Mouchers was going to have to face him. It was inevitable- He was the Alpha of the pack. I was going to have to face my sister, my stepmother, all of the problems, people and things I had left behind. I was not sure I was ready for all of that, but I was going to build up the confidence and strength I needed in the three days it would take me to get there. I forced a smile to my face and walked out of the room, shutting the door behind me. ¡°Come on,¡± I muttered to Cisco as I lifted him into my arms. He said nothing. He was too focused on the game he was ying on the iPad and I still could not help the gratitude I felt for the device. It was going to keep him upied most of the way. I was prepared for the times it would not be able to distract him from the difort of sitting in a car the whole day. He would be fussy and annoyed, and as much as I dreaded the thought, I was fairly prepared for it m**ly. ¡°There you go, buddy,¡± I kissed his forehead as I buckled him into his child car seat and then secured the chair to the seat directly behind the front passenger seat so I would be able to nce at him easily while I drove ¡°You ready?¡± I asked and he looked away from the iPad for the first time in almost an hour. He smiled at me and nodded. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to see grandpa and Aunt Lyra,¡± he said with his gorgeous smile before looking back down at the iPad. I wanted to smother and bathe his adorable face in kisses but I held myself back. I didn¡¯t want him to get e**d or shy. It Chapter 8 288 Vouchers was fun to see him blush, but I didn¡¯t want to bother him any more than I was about to in the next three days. I hurried up the front porch and double-checked the front door to see if it was locked. It was. I bit my lip and headed round the SUV, climbing into the driver¡¯s seat. I flexed my fingers and started the engine. I nced back at Francisco. He was properly seated in his chair. I adjusted the rearview mirror so that he would be the first thing I saw when I looked into it. ¡°Let¡¯s go¡­¡± I muttered under my breath and put the car in drive.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Mates 9 Mates 9 FREDA WHITLOCK ¡°Mommy, can I just get my dessert?¡± Francisco asked in a manner that was so polite, my heart ached at the fact that I was about to refuse. ¡°Oh no baby, that¡¯s not healthy. You have to finish your food and veggies first,¡± I said in the most gentle manner I could so that he would not be too disappointed. ¡°Oh¡­¡± He muttered in response and I bit my lip. ¡°Look on the bright side. You¡¯re almost done with it,¡± I smiled at him. He nodded in response and excitement filled his eyes as he spooned the mashed potatoes and peas into his mouth. ¡°Don¡¯t go too fast baby, you don¡¯t want to choke,¡± I told him and he paused before nodding and then slowing his pace. Soon enough, he was digging into his apple cake and I smiled as I watched him as he savored the soft, spongy delicacy. ¡°Mommy, you don¡¯t have to read me a book tonight,¡± Francisco muttered as I tucked him into bed after his dinner. ¡°Why?¡± I asked with a small yawn and he gave me a tired smile as he reached up and piked my cheek. ¡°You look tired. You¡¯ve been yawning,¡± he responded, fighting against his fluttering eyelids. ¡°Go to bed baby, I¡¯ll lead you a story tomorrow. I promise,¡± I whispered and kissed his forehead. He gave me a small nod 17.06 1288 vouches and I watched him fall asleep. His gorgeous, long eyelids rested on his cheeks and I fell in love with him all over again. I kissed his cheek again and turned down the bedsidemp before heading towards the bathroom that was built into the motel room. I essed the bathroom. I had not had the time to thoroughly ess the facilities and guage whether it was worth the amount I was paying. Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. The shower was decent, but it had been difficult to give Francisco afortable bath there. I guess it was alright because the motel did not have five year old children in mind as part of their consumers. I sighed and took a long shower. The water was almost ice cold but it was just right for relieving my muscles that were tense from sitting in the car for almost eighteen hours. The cold water was helping to distract me from the chaotic thoughts in my head but I could not stand there for long. I needed to get some rest or even sleep so I would be able to drive for as long as I possibly needed to. I cut off the water flowing through the shower head and stepped out of the shower cubicle. I pulled on the robe that was hanging on the towel rack and then used the second avable towel to dry my hair. I was drained. I was so tired. I was not sure if it was just physically or even m**ally. I dried my hair and then walked to the faucet to look in the mirror. I brushed my hair out with my hairbrush and stared into my eyes. 1706 280 Vouchers The emerald color in them were dim. I was stressed. I was not willing to admit it, and I was only saying it to myself, but I was scared. I was a little scared about going home and it was draining me. I bit my lip and stepped away from the mirror. I walked into the room and climbed into the bed that was beside Cisco¡¯s bed. Iid on my side and watched my child. I reached to the bedsidemp that was on the bedside table which was in between our beds and increased the light a bit, so I would be able to keep my eyes on Franciscofortably. I was relieved when my eyelids started to flutter and I started to feel drowsy. Soon after, I fell asleep. *** *** *** ¡°Mommy, how far is it?¡± Francisco asked from the back seat and I bit my lip, looking in the rearview mirror for a second before my eyes went back to the road in front of us. ¡°We¡¯ll be there soon,¡± I said softly ¡°You said that two hours ago,¡± he murmured under his breath and i stifled augh so he would not grow more annoyed ¡°Yes baby, we are closer than we were two hours ago,¡±Iforted him. ¡°Really?¡± He perked up. ¡°Yeah baby,¡± I nced back at him. I reached into the glove box and tossed a bar of choctes unto hisp. 17:06 288 Wouchers ¡°Yay, chocte!¡± He grinned at me. ¡°Can I have the iPad too?¡± He asked in a quiet, pleading tone and I shook my head. ¡°No baby,¡± I said in the most patronizing tone I could muster. I did not want him to get too attached to it, and I did not want it to affect him in any way because he overused it. ¡°You¡¯ll get it tomorrow, okay?¡± I told him as I turned into another road. ¡°Okay,¡± he agreed with a small smile. ¡°Let¡¯s y a game then.¡± ¡°What game?¡± I asked, hoping would be able to concentrate on driving and ying the game with him at the same time. ¡°We¡¯ll say the letters of the alphabets and a word that starts with the alphabet,¡± he exined and I nodded. I could do that. ¡°I hope I¡¯ll be able to keep up with you,¡± I teased and he responded with a little giggle. ¡°You go first,¡± I said, relieved that he would be upied for a while before he asked when we would reach again. *** *** *** ¡°I can¡¯t wait to see you again,¡± I smiled softly as I set the phone down and folded up the clothes that I had prepared for Francisco to wear the following day. We had been moving faster than I had anticipated. By noon of the following day, we would be reaching the town where our pack was located. ¡°Me neither,¡± Lyra spoke with a softness that almost melted my chest. Seeing her through the phone was different from seeing her physically and I had just realized that. Mates 10 Mates 10 Chapter 10 FREDA WHITLOCK ¡°Me neither,¡± Lyra spoke with a softness that almost melted my chest. Seeing her through the phone was different from seeing her physically and I had just realized that. I had missed her. Her comforting scent, her warm hands, her sweet embrace. I could not wait to hold her. I had been lonely and even though I had Francisco, there was only so much that he could do and understand. ¡°How¡¯s dad holding up? Think he can see me tomorrow?¡± I asked Lyra as I packed my hair into a loose ponytail and sat in front of the phone. She smiled at me. ¡°You¡¯re going to be here by tomorrow?¡± She asked with a smile. ¡°Noon, if my calctions are right,¡± I spected. Her smile widened into a grin and I smiled right back. ¡°He¡¯s going to see you anytime,¡± she reassured me and I nodded. ¡°You better get some rest. You have to be here by noon tomorrow,¡± she winked and I smiled as I hung up. I nced over at where Cisco was lying down. He had had his fill of dinner and dessert and I had read him a story about a princess that had been hidden away for years. He had said he liked her and he would like to meet her. It has hurt my heart to tell him that she wasn¡¯t real, but he was already asleep by the time I hade up with a reasonable answer for him. 176 Chapter 10 I took a deep breath andid back in the small bed. It was significantly lessfortable than the one I hadid on at the previous motel. But that was okay, because I doubted I would actually be able to sleep from how anxious I was. The anxiety was choking the breath out of me and I was trying so hard to hold on to life and strength, but I was failing. I was failing badly. I bit my lip and looked up at the wooden boards of the ceiling. It was the most beautiful thing in the motel. That was a little annoying because I had paid more for this motel than the previous one and it hadContent is property of N?velDrama.Org. turned out to be c**y. I shook my head. My thoughts were spiralling and I was trying hard to settle them on the little annoyance I felt because the motel was **y. But they kept drifting to my home pack. To my step mother, to my sister¡­ To Kaiden. I buried my face in my hand. How was he going to react to seeing me? What was he going to say? How would he react to seeing Francisco? Would he be mad that I had kept a child from him for almost six years? I shook my head at that thought. He had no right. He had absolutely no right, and if he dared to get annoyed with me, I was going to tell him that. No¡­ I did not want to see him. I did not want to see him for any reason. I did not want to see him, or my stepmother, or anyone at the pack. I missed my sister and I still loved her, but a part of me resented her for all she had taken from me, so I did not want to see her either. I just wanted my father¡­ My father and Lyra. They were the only true family I had back then and they were the only true family I had had in all these years. An overwhelming wave of grief struck me and I blinked rapidly to stop the tears that filled my eyes. My father¡­ He was dying. He was leaving me behind with just two people in the world. He had done a lot for me. The most I could do for him was stay with him till he took hisst breath. I wanted him to know I loved and cared for him. I wanted my face to be thest he saw so he would feel all the warmth in the world. My life was aplete mess. I sat upright in the bed, too inconvenienced by the bed toy down comfortably, and too pained emotionally to force myself to sleep. I could not do it. I was a waste. I was a twenty six year old woman whose life hade to aplete standstill, and was on the verge of ruin because of a mate that did not want her or love her. I had tried. I had tried to hard to be stronger, to be better. And I had failed multiple times. I had disappointed myself a hundred times. I bit my lip hard with a frown, because this time¡­ There was not a single way I could fail. I did not have the luxury of failure or the chance to disappoint myself. I had lost all chances to disappoint myself. 17.06 Chapter 10 268 voucherd Because I was going back to the ce that had once been my home and I had to be strong, I had to be a better version of myself no matter what happened or what I faced. I had to show every single person that had hurt me in one way or the other that I was over the pain they had caused, and they could not hurt me anymore. Iid back in the bed and stared up at the ceiling with that very thought in my mind. I chanted it like a mantra and sometime in between, I fell asleep. *** *** *** ¡°Guess what, baby,¡± I grinned as I drove past a sign that boldly said ¡®Wee to Brookbacke¡¯. ¡°What?¡± Francisco asked. My eyes were on him through the rearview mirror and I watched him look up at me from the iPad with curiosity. I grinned, ignoring the way my heart thumped heavily in my chest. ¡°We are almost there,¡± I squealed. A smile touched his lip and he forced himself to hide it. ¡°You said that yesterday and the day before yesterday,¡± Ciscoined and Iughed. ¡°I know baby,¡± I admitted with a smile. ¡°But we¡¯re almost there for real this time.¡± I promised. ¡°I¡¯ll see Aunt Lyra? He asked with excitement that touched my soul and I smiled at him. ¡°You¡¯ll see grandpa too.¡± Mates 11 Mates 11 Chapter 11 FREDA WHITLOCK I took a deep breath and unlocked the door before I climbed out of the car. It was noon and I needed a breath of fresh air before I would fully drive into the pack environment. ¡°Mom? Are you okay?¡± Francisco asked and I noticed the worry in his tone. We had both just been speaking of our excitement at getting to the pack and I had stopped the car out of nowhere. I understood why he was confused and worried. ¡°I¡¯m okay baby. I just need a second,¡± I responded, ncing back into the car. He nodded and I stepped towards the treeline that was right beside the car. Gia purred in my head. We were both filled with a sense of nostalgia, excitement and joy that we were back where I used to go for runs when I was young. ¡°You like that, Gia?¡± I whispered with a small smile and she responded with a grunt in my head. It seemed that the fact that I was back in my pack connected her more with me, then when I was surrounded by the noise of the human society. I took another deep breath, enjoying the peace of the fresh air while I still had it. I smiled and walked back to the car. ¡°Alright buddy, Mom¡¯s had a second. Let¡¯s keep going.¡± I grinned back at him once I had buckled in and he smiled in response. 17.06 289/Vouchers I started the car and continued on my way through Brookback town. It was the small town where my pack was located. There were humans in the town, but they were very few and they knew nothing about the werewolves because the previous Alpha¡¯s of the pack had made sure to separate them from us. I drove for another ten minutes, admiring the trees and the surroundings. The nostalgic I was feeling almost choked the air out of me but I held on. I slowed down as I reached the area where most of the Werewolf dwellings were located. The pack house was where most werewolves stayed. It was massive and it could contain everyone, but a fewAll content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. people wanted to live on their own and they had houses around the pack territory. My family had beenpulsorised to live in the pack house because my father was the beta of the pack. I slowed my car down as I pulled into the driveway of the infirmary. ¡°Lyra¡­ ¡°I muttered. I picked my phone and ced a call across to Lyra. She picked the call on the second ring. ¡°You¡¯re here?¡± She asked and I could almost physically feel the vibration in her voice. She sounded excited, scared and anxious all at the same time. I understand her, because I was feeling those exact things. Except, mine was for an entirely different reason. ¡°I¡¯m at the infirmary.¡± I finally spoke. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll be out soon.¡± She replied and I hung up. 17:06 202 Vouchers ¡°Baby, we¡¯re h¨¨re,¡± I looked back at Francisco as I spoke but he was already fast asleep. I had not noticed that he had fallen asleep and I smiled at the sight of the peaceful expression on his face. I bit my lip and climbed out of the car after I had gathered my phone and other necessities into my small purse. I walked round to the back of the car and pulled the door open. I unbuckled Cisco out of the child seat and lifted him into my arms. I shut the door and clicked the lock button on the remote. As I turned around, I was faced with Lyra standing at the entrance of the pack infirmary. She looked lik a deer in the headlights and I wondered if she did. not like what she saw. I watched as her eyes filled with tears and her bottom lip wobbled. ¡°Freda¡­¡± She muttered in a cracked voice and I smiled at her, holding my sleeping son to my chest. Tears filled my eyes too. ¡°Come here,¡± I muttered and she speedily walked to me. ¡°I¡¯d hug you, but you¡¯re carrying Francisco,¡± she babbled through her tears. I blinked rapidly,ughing lightly and hoping that the tears would stop. ¡°We have all the time to hug when he wakes up. He was so excited to meet you,but I guess he was tired too.¡± I exined and she nodded. ¡°You¡¯re staying?¡± She asked and I hesitated before responding. ¡°We¡¯ll talk about thatter,¡± she nodded with understanding and I hummed in agreement. ¡°Dad¡­ Where is he?¡± I asked. I was dying to see him. I had missed him so much and I was eager to give him a warm embrace after all this time. 208 Vouchers ¡°Come on,¡± she beckoned on me to follow her and I did just that, bncing Cisco on my hand as I followed her. *** *** *** I stared at my sleeping father¡¯s form. He looked different. This was not the way I had remembered him. He had been handsome and healthy and happy. Now¡­ The healthy glow around him had disappeared. He was pale, he was a lot thinner and even in his sleep, he looked like he was in a lot of pain. I bit my lip and tried to stop the tears. I knew it was s**d, but I wished I had not run away. Maybe this would not have. happened. It was s**d. My father was h**d to his sense of duty and he would have performed his duties whether I was here or not. He would have gone after those rogues, and this would have happened anyway. I looked down at my hand while Ciscoughed at something Lyra whispered to him. He had instantly clicked with her when he woke up. It was like he had known her his whole life and he was comfortable with her. Then again, he had. Ever since he started learning how to talk, he had babbled to her when I had been on the phone with her. I smiled at them. It was heartwarming to watch them, but I needed some air. ¡°I¡¯ll be back,¡± I whispered to Lyra and she looked at me with 1 worry in her eyes before she nodded. And then I left the room. Mates 12 Mates 12 Chapter 12 FREDA WHITLOCK When I returned to the ward twenty minutester, Francisco was scribbling some things down on a paper that Lyra had gotten him. She knew he liked to draw: ¡°I didn¡¯t tell him you wereing,¡± Lyra whispered. We now had some time to bond since Cisco was busy. ¡°Yeah? Why?¡± I asked. ¡°Well he¡¯s been way too tired recently and I didn¡¯t want him to spend all of his strength on anticipating your arrival,¡± she exined. I nodded. ¡°I also wanted to surprise him,¡± she added. I bit my lip and looked down at my hand before looking back at her. ¡°You think he¡¯s going to be happy to see me?¡± I asked with genuine worry. ¡°Of course, Freeds,¡± she said with a small smile, calling me my childhood nickname. ¡°When we got the first message from you, we were worried it was someone trying to impersonate you. When you didn¡¯t respond for a while, he was shattered.¡± She said and I nodded, picking at the loose thread on my jeans. ¡°Okay,¡± I nodded. I could breathe properly now. I would not be able to bear it of he saw me and grew agitated or sad. ¡°So, are you going to do the catching up thing or are you going to remain silent?¡± Lyra teased me and I gave her a smile. ¡°Of course we¡¯ll catch up. Now is for dad.¡± I told her. She nodded with understanding and I was grateful to have her 0.00% III 18:33 Chapter 12 288 Vouchers by my side. She had been supporting me through everything and I could not be more grateful than already was for all her help and support. ¡°Georgina?¡± My father¡¯s soft voice filtered into my ears and I instantly sat erect, looking in hisUpstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g direction. His eyes slowly turned towards us and they widened before he shut them and looked back up at the ceilings. My heart dropped and I looked over at Lyra. She shook her head and gave me a smile before standing up and heading towards my father who was murmuring something about hallucinations. ¡°I have a surprise for you, Pops,¡± Lyra said with a gentle fondness that filled me with joy. Her father had been a pack warrior and he had died when she was a pup. Her mother died shortly after, from the grief of losing her mate and she was left all alone. That did not stay for long though. She was instantly weed by my family and it had been my biological mother¡¯s idea. Lyra grew up with Safiya and I and she was a part of our family. That was why it was not weird for her to call my father ¡®Pops¡¯. ¡°Freeds is here,¡± she said softly. ¡°Ciscoe here,¡± I called softly and he dropped his crayon and waddled over to where I was standing now. ¡°Freeds?¡± My father¡¯s voice shook, breaking and melting my heart at the same time. Tears filled my eyes because it had been ages since I had heard him call me that. ¡°Freda?¡± He asked again to confirm and Lyra nodded. 24.71% III O r 18:32 205 Vaucher I took Francisdo¡¯s hand and walked towards my father¡¯s bed. ¡°She¡¯s here with our sweet Cisco too,¡± Lyra added and I thought I heard my father struggle to hide a sob, breaking my fragile heart further. I did not realize how much I had been holding back tears over the past few days until this minute. And I could not hold them back now. ¡°Hey dad,¡± I smiled, walking round to the other side of the bed that was free. He stared at me for almost a full minute and I wondered if he was struggling to separate his delusions from reality. ¡°Freda?¡± He reached up his hand and I instantly grasped it. ¡°Oh goddess, Freda,¡± tears started to flow down his cheeks. ¡°I thought I¡¯d never see you again¡± he said weakly and I bit my bottom lip hard, struggling to hold it together in front of Francisco. I had been expecting to cry on speaking to my father. I had been expecting the rush of emotions. But this was a d**n flood, and I could scarcely do anything against it. ¡°I know, Dad. I¡¯m sorry,¡± I started to weep and Lyra discretely walked over to my side, taking Francisco away from me to give me this moment with my father. was grateful, but in my messy state, I could barely form any words. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for leaving without telling you.¡± I cried and he squeezed my hand that was in his. My father was a strong man, but he was not afraid to show his emotions in front of his family. It was one of the hundred things that made me respect him. He was crying freely too. 51.40% Chapter 12 288 Vouchers ¡°It¡¯s okay, princess. It¡¯s really okay. I understand you. You don¡¯t have to apologize,¡± he whispered and I shook my head, crying my heart out silently. ¡°I want to. It was not fair of me. I was selfish,¡± I told him tearfully. He smiled through his tears and I wanted to hug him, squeeze him to myself and give him life. ¡°If we could go back in time, would you have stayed?¡± He asked the million dor question and I could not answer. I did not have the heart to say the truth. I wouldn¡¯t have stayed. I could not have. He smiled at me. ¡°Then don¡¯t apologize. It is what you thought was good for you,¡± he smiled and I nodded. He slowly sat up in his bed. ¡°Now where is that handsome young man I saw some minutes ago?¡± He asked causing me tough despite the tears on my face and the s**t that was threatening to join too. ¡°He¡¯s over here,¡± Lyra said, leading Francisco over to where I was standing. Lyra handed me a face wipe and I stepped aside to blow my nose and get some of my **t together. ¡°Come here,¡± my father lifted him into his bed and held him to himself while Lyra and Iughed softly. 79.12% Mates 13 Mates 13 Chapter 13 FREDA WHITLOCK ¡°I¡¯ll be right back. I need to get something from the car,¡± I told Lyra who was paying all of her attention to Cisco. He had been trying to figure out how to y a color matching game on the iPad and he had not found his way so Lyra was helping him. ¡°Sure. Take your time,¡± she smiled and me and turned her attention back to Cisco. I looked back at my father who was fast asleep now. He had barely spoken with us for an hour before he went back to sleep. I looked down at my phone and saw that the time was a little after five in the evening. I was exhausted, but I was not leaving until Dad woke up again and I would be able to bid him a good night. I had not decided on where to stay. There were no motels or hotels in the pack grounds because we only ever received werewolf visitors and the werewolfmunity was very united. Any werewolf visitors stayed in the pack house with the other wolves, except they wanted a ce of their own. I wanted a ce of my own. I wanted myself and Francisco to be as far away as possible from my sister, my stepmother and Kaiden, who was now the Alpha of the pack. I sighed as I walked down the hallway. I was not sure how I was going to keep avoiding them, but nned on doing just that. I was not going to let anyone bother me or my son. Especially my 0.00% ||| 18:35 son. And as much as possible, I wanted to keep Francisco away from anyone who would notice him, because he bore a resemnce that was so close to Kaiden that sometimes it hurt my chest The universe, the Moon Goddess and the whole world just have been against me, because as I walked into another hallway- the one that led to the entrance of the infirmary, Safiya walked out of a door with a bright smile on her face and she turned right in my direction. My heart stopped and I hated that I froze, but I could not move a single muscle. ¡°Freda?¡± She called, freezing in her spot as well. ¡®Oh dear goddess¡­¡¯ I muttered under my breath, hoping that she would remain frozen and I would be able to walk away, then she would forget that she ever saw me. It was a lot to ask, and I knew it was impossible, but I could not help the wishful thinking. ¡°Oh goddess, it¡¯s you Freda!¡± She eximed and rushed at me. It seemed that she had broken out of her shock faster than I had. She wrapped her hands around me and her signature daisy scent hit my nostrils fast. She still smelt the same way she did back when I left. Her body had rounded and matured in all the right ces and she was looking more mature, more womanly. She was gorgeous. And I hated to say it, but I missed her. 25.31% Chalder 288 Vouchers I wrapped my hands around her too and closed my eyes, epting this calmness and peace before the storm of her demanding and possessive attitude would begin. ¡°I have missed you so much,¡± she breathed once she pulled back from the hug and I managed to muster a smile in return. ¡°Why did you leave?¡± She asked, without waiting for me to speak. ¡°Where have you been all these years?¡± She continued with the questions and I realized that I had been right. She was still as self absorbed as she had always been. While it was a painful confirmation of what I had assumed, it hurt nheless, because she hadn¡¯t done anything yet, but I knew she was going to make my stay at this pack hell. ¡°A lot has happened since you left,¡± she went on with a smile, oblivious of the fact that I wanted to walk away from her as much as I wanted my father to live. And that was will all my heart, with my very being. ¡°Indeed?¡± I asked with a small smile as I started to walk away, hoping she would take the hint to stop talking, walk away from me and maybe step in front of a moving vehicle. Maybe that was a little too much. ¡°Yes,¡± she grinned at me. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll fill you in,¡± she said and I nodded. If I attempted to increase my pace, she would notice that I was trying to avoid speaking to her. And while I didn¡¯t particrly want a rtionship with her, I did not want to make her feel bad on the first day of my arrival here. ¡°Kaiden is the Alpha now,¡± she started and I resisted a groan. Of course the first thing she would want to talk about was Kaiden. 49.71% ||| O < 18:36 Chapter 13 288 Vouchers ¡°I know that,¡± I told her, mustering as much of a polite smile as I could. ¡°We are married now. We have a gorgeous daughter and we are expecting another child,¡± she smiled wide as she spoke. She kept on speaking, oblivious to the fact that the heart that sat broken in my chest had managed to shatter further. I bit my lip. This was a nightmare. This was the worst of my nightmare. I was not going to lie to myself and say that I had not expected to hear something of that sort. At the same time, I had thought I would be ready for the pain. Clearly, I was wrong. I had been robbed of my air and I was not going to let Safiya see that her words had hurt me. There was absolutely no way I was going to do that. ¡°I have to go, Safiya,¡± I interrupted her. All of my politeness was out the window and all I wanted was for her to stop talking. It was either that, or I did not want to hear her voice anymore. She definitely would not stop talking, so i was going to stop listening. I walked away from her without another word and walked to my car. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g This was going to be hard. Really hard. 79.36% Mates 14 Mates 14 Chapter Fourteen FREDA WHITLOCK I walked into the two bedroom apartment that was surprisingly sp**ous. I absolutely loved it. It would be perfect for Francisco because he would have enough space to y and I would have enough space to do my own thing. Lyra carried in thest of my luggage and I smiled at her with gratitude. ¡°Thanks a lot Lyra. I really don¡¯t know what I would do without you,¡± I told her as I spread my arms for a hug. ¡°It¡¯s great to have you back home, Freda,¡± she sighed into my neck and I smiled, inhaling her scent and letting my wolf connect with hers. She was like my soulmate, she was made to be my sister, my partner, my best friend. ¡°How long are you staying?¡± She asked the question for the second time and I sighed as I settled into one of the couches. ¡°I¡¯ll stay with Dad.. until he¡¯s not here anymore,¡± I spoke the words in the most gentle manner for both of us, but we both knew what it meant. She had something to say, but she hesitated and then wentpletely silent. I wanted her to say it, but I knew that she would be trying to convince me to stay. I could not. I wouldn¡¯t. I didn¡¯t want to hear her try to convince me. ¡°You should get some rest,¡± she said quietly and I nodded. But before that¡­ 0.00% ||| 18:36 Chapiz Finnesti ¡°I saw Safiya,¡± ¡°I told her. I had to. She gulped and looked down at her hands. She knew. She had to have known. I chuckled ¡°She¡¯s with Kaiden. They have a child and they¡¯re expecting another, I told her. She looked both sad and furious. ¡°D**n, she said all that after seeing you for the first time in years? She really hasn¡¯t changed,¡± she fumed. I chuckled. She looked at me sadly. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to tell you about it,¡± she whispered. I shook my head immediately. ¡°No, Lyra. I already knew that¡¯s what would have happened and I would not have wanted to hear it,¡± I said honestly. She nodded. ¡°Get to bed. I¡¯ll see you tomorrow. I¡¯ll call you so we can meet at the infirmary,¡± she said and walked towards the room where Francisco was lying asleep in his new bed. ¡°He¡¯s gorgeous,¡± she whispered and leaned down to kiss his forehead. I leaned against the doorframe. ¡°No one knows about him?¡± I asked and she gave me a serious nod. ¡°Please keep it that way,¡± I pleaded with her and she gave me a nod. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡± She promised. ¡°Goodnight. I¡¯ll see you tomorrow¡± she said and gave me onest hug before heading towards the front door. I followed right behind her and locked the door. I leaned against it and let out a sigh. Today had been really hectic and I did not have it in me to take any more. I just needed 23.92% to lie down in bed and get some well deserved rest. I pushed away from the door and headed towards my room after grabbing the nket and bedsheet that Lyra had gotten for me. I did not have it in me to unbox my and Francisco¡¯s luggage, but I nned to do it the following day before I would go to the hospital. Iid out the bed and shut down the part of me that cried desperately for a shower. I was so tired that my knees were almost failing me. I headed to the bathroom, washed my face and walked back to the room. I switched off the lights andid back in the bed. I had sessfully avoided as many people as possible and I had spent some quality time with my best friend, my son and my father, the only true family I actually had. I intended to keep it that way, but I knew it would not be possible, at least not for too long. I yawned and turned over to my side. It was the calm I needed before the storm of all the attentionAll text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. from the pack members woulde for me. I would be ready though- I hoped I would be. And I would definitely protect Francisco from everything. *** *** *** ¡°Hey,¡± Lyra yawned and took off the shades as I climbed out the car and walked towards her with Francisco by my side. H was ying with the iPad but I did not want to take it away fr him because he seemed to be enjoying his game. At this poin the iPad was no longer mine. I was going to have to get anot ¡°What¡¯s with the shades? I teased and she rolled her eyes before poking her face in mine. Thad a hard time sleeping,¡± she murmured and I blinked at her. ¡°Why?¡± I asked curiously and she shook her head, stooping in front of Francisco who gave her a kiss on her cheek. ¡®TII exinter, she shook her head after showering his face with kisses. He giggled and wrapped his arms around her neck. I smiled at both of them and held out the fruit basket in my hand to her. ¡°Got this for dad. Does he still like berries?¡± I asked, looking at the assortment of berries I had gotten at a grocery store on my way to the infirmary. ¡°He does. I bet he¡¯ll love this,¡± she smiled at me and I smiled in response. ¡°Come on,¡± she reached for Cisco¡¯s hand and then led him into the infirmary. We were chatting andughing when we walked into the ward. Thest thing I expected was to see Safiya and my stepmother in there sitting with my father. My heart dropped and I instantly grabbed Lyra¡¯s hand, wanting her to bring Francisco along with her so we would leave the room. ¡°Grandpa!¡± Cisco eximed with joy and my feet got rooted in the spot. There was no escaping this, because all attention in the room was turned to us. Mates 15 Mates 15 Chapter 15 FREDA WHITLOCK ¡°Freda¡­¡± My stepmother said the signature sickly sweet tone she used when she was not pleased with something but could not control it. ¡°I told you she was here yesterday,¡± Safiya said, folding her hands to her a small frown. I gulped and looked over at Lyra. She had a fake smile stered on her face and I took in a shaky breath as I looked at my stepmother again. ¡°Georgina,¡± I said with a smile, hoping and praying that Lyra would walk out with Francisco. Thest thing I wanted was for my stepmother or you her sister to find out about him and begin to hate him. Safiya¡¯s eyebrows dropped and her frown deepened. ¡°Where have you been? You told no one that you were leaving and you told no one that you were back,¡± her face was stuck in a smile that was clearly forced and my heart thundered against my ribcage. Francisco broke away from Lyra¡¯s grip and raced towards my father¡¯s bed with a smile on his face. He attempted to climb into the bed to lie beside his grandfather and I nched, we realized that both my stepmother¡¯s and younger sister¡¯s eyes were on him. 0.00% Oh no¡­ Oh goddess no¡­ ¡°Who is this handsome little boy?¡± Georgina cooed and started walking towards him. Safiya stared at him and I watched her frown be even deeper as realization hit her hard. I nced at Lyra and the horror on her face was almost equal to mine. ¡°Francisco baby,e here. Grandpa is sleeping¡­¡± I spoke the words before I realized what I was saying. When I did, I wanted to p my hand over my mouth and punch myself hard in the gut. I had just given away that Francisco was my child. Goddess, this could not get any worse. ¡°Grandpa?¡± Georgina¡¯s head c**k*d to the side and I was not surprised. She was a little slow in the head. The only time she was quick to think was when she wanted to do something bad. And that was all the time. Her eyes widened. I took hurried steps towards Francisco and swooped him up in my arms, and then backed away from her. Francisco looked at me with confusion and then looked at Georgina and Safiya with a question in his eyes. I could clearly read it. ¡®Who are these people?¡¯ I said nothing. Safiya looked so angry that steam could very easily have been shooting out of her ears. I knew she would explode any minute. She knew. She knew that Francisco was my child, and his father 20.24% 18:37 00 Chapter 15 was her husband. 1 The Wow h** I had not wanted her to find out because I had feared what she would do to him out of hatred or jealousy. One of the young doctors that Lyra had introduced as the one helped with my father¡¯s care walked into the room and I gave her a grateful smile, to which she responded with a confused look. ¡°Tell Dad that I came by and he was asleep. We¡¯ll be back,¡± I said and then looked in the direction of my father. I felt bad that I was leaving him. But I had tried to build up the confidence, I had tried hard to be strong. Ultimately, I did not have it in me to stand up to the women that unintentionally and intentionally made my life hell before I left this pack. ¡°It was good to see you, Georgina, Safiya.¡± I said and nodded in their direction. I did not wait for a response before I left through the door like one being chased by all the demons in hell. *** *** *** ¡°Freda¡­ Freda wait,¡± I heard Lyra call behind me as she rushed to catch up with my steps. I could not stop until I had safely ced Francisco in his car seat. As much as possible, I wanted to keep him out of the eyes of people. I did not want him to suffer any bullying or hatred, because no matter how united the werewolfmunity was, the members of the pack would not help hating a child of the Alpha¡¯s that was born to someone that was not their Luna. They considered it an insult to her and their loyalties would make them restless until the insult was cleared or taken back. 43.12% ||| The 15 288 iVouchers That made me want to pack my and Cisco¡¯s things and bolt the hell out of this pack. I left him in his seat and handed him a rubiks cube. He liked them. ¡°Hey buddy, help me fix this,¡± I said with a forced smile. I was feeling anything but smiley. He nodded. I wanted to clear the confusion he was feeling which was very obvious in his face, but I did not have it in me to start exining our confusing dynamics. Even if I tried, I doubted he was going to understand a word of what I said. I looked at Lyra with a frown in my face and she bit her lip. ¡°I need to leave,¡± I immediately told her and she shook her head. ¡°You can¡¯t. What about pops?¡± She asked and tears filled my eyes. I hated that I was so much of a coward. I wished I could help it, I had been trying to help it but nothing had ever worked. ¡°I can¡¯t, Lyra,¡± tears sprung from my eyes and I started to pace. Lyra walked up to me and grabbed me in her arms. She hugged me tight and smoothed down my hair. I held her until I was sure I was strong enough to hold myself on my feet. ¡°They wille after him. I want to stay with Dad. I will stay with him, but I¡¯m scared. I¡¯m so scared of what they could do to Francisco. I¡¯m scared of what they will do to him,¡± I voiced my concerns as soon as we pulled back from the hug. ¡°I¡¯m here, Freda. I swear on my life, Francisco will be safe. I¡¯ll protect him with my life. If we have both of us protecting him, he will be fine,¡±she promised and her words managed to soothe my soul. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. 7 ¡°Besides, I¡¯m not letting you run from your problems again. Never again.¡± She shook her head firmly and I gave her a weak smile in return. Mates 16 Mates 16 Chapter 16 KAIDEN STIRLING I stared down at the pile of papers that were sitting on the table in front of me. I could not focus. had tried hard, and I tried taking a walk to calm myself and my agitated wolf, but I could not focus for the life of me. I groaned and got to my feet as I started to pace. I was restless. My wolf was restless, prancing around in my mind and I was not sure why. It had started since the previous afternoon and I could not exin why. I sighed and walked out of my office, heading towards the kitchen. Usually, taking chamomile tea managed to calm me down when a walk or nothing else seemed to be able to. The maids usually cleaned the Alpha¡¯s quarters (where I lived) when all the wolves in the Alpha¡¯s quarters had gone to bed. As I walked through the luxurious space and headed for the kitchen, all the maids that had been speaking went silent. They usually would just keep quiet when I passed, greet me and go on with their gossip. They completely stopped talking even after greeting me. One of them peeked at me from under her eyshes as she cleaned a vase She shook her head as she looked at the other maid that was close to her. The second maid shared the look with the the other maids around the room, unknowing of the fact that I could very Chapter 10 easily read all of them. 288 Vouchers I let out a quiet sigh. They specifically didn¡¯t want me to hear what they were talking about, whatever it was. I mixed the tea to my exact measurement and preference. I took a sip of the tea and a semnce of rxation hit me. My muscles that were pulled taught from stress (for whatever reason since yesterday) started to loosen up and I let out a very pleased sigh. Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. Usually, I would have been a little bothered that the maids were trying to keep whatever the tea was from me. I liked to listen to their gossip and keep in the loop. But now, I did not care. Not when I was getting the first semnce of calmness I had gotten in thest thirty two hours I walked out of the kitchen area and headed down the hallway. Finally I would be able to look at the petition that the humans at the outer part of Brookback county had sent. I liked to take care of our rtions with humans as quick and as neat as possible. I was at the end of the hallway in front of the door to my office when a whisper carried down the hallway and into my ears. ¡°Poor Alpha. This is going to cause such a great scandal. What will he do when she finds out that she¡¯s back?¡± One of the maids had whispered. I had no idea what she was talking about, and despite the curiosity that sat deep in my chest, I did not go to ask what it was. I walked into my office and shut the door behind me. And just like that, I was back in the restless my wolf and I had been suffering. 24 875 09:43 Chapter 16 *** *** *** 285 Wouchers ¡°Good morning, daddy,¡± my four year old daughter, Harper smiled as she climbed into myp and kissed my cheek. I stared down at my beautiful, lovely girl before picking her up in my arms and getting to my feet. I covered her face with kisses until she was screaming and giggling. ¡°That tickles, dad!¡± She squealed and I spun around with her in my hold. She screamed and Iughed. These days, mornings with Harper were the only things I looked forward to. Over the past six years, my life had gradually been falling apart and she had been the only thing that made me happy, that kept me alive and pushing. Because whether I liked it or not, I had to make sure she had a happy family; a father, a mother and all the love she could possibly get. Of course I liked it. I loved her. I would give anything to see her be happy. ¡°What¡¯s all the noise for?¡± Safiya walked into the kitchen with a frown. It was unusual, big not out of the ordinary. It seemed to me that she still had the hormones and mood swings of a teenager. Believe me, I understood women and the way their chemistry and mind worked. But I could never figure out Safiya. ¡°Good morning to you too,¡± I responded sarcastically, turning away from her and back to my gorgeous daughter. ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll make you some cereal,¡± I kissed her cheek and ced her in her special seat that was right within my arms reach when I sat at the dinning table. 09 43 Chapte 16 She was not tall enough to reach the dinning table, so she sat in a special elevated seat. Safiya threw me a furious re and my wolf growled in my head at the disrespect. I tempered him down. I realized now that it was not just hormones that were bothering her. She was angry about something. And she was really angry. ¡°What is it?¡± I asked with a sigh, grabbing Harper¡¯s favorite cereal and then a bottle of milk from the refrigerator. She sighed and I turned back to look at her before grabbing a small bowl for the cereal and then heading back to the table in front of Harper. She looked so adorable when she was excited. I did not want Safiya to lose her temper and ruin that for my daughter. ¡°What is it?¡± I asked again and she looked me in the eyes as she spoke angrily. ¡°Freda is back.¡± My world screeched to a standstill at those words and my heart went into overdrive, beating faster that it ever would have if I ran the circumference of the earth. Freda¡­ My mate was back? Mates 17 Mates 17 Chapter 17 Chapter Sixteen FREDA WHITLOCK ¡°Mommy!¡± Francisco screamed as he ran the length of the backyard with a cape waving behind him. I smiled. ¡°Be careful, Superman,¡± I called and the proud look on his face made Lyra and Iugh. ¡°Is he asleep?¡± I turned my attention back to what Lyra and I had been talking about before Cisco called me. ¡°Yeah,¡± she sighed. Then immediately went down to business with her next words. ¡°I am going to create shifts with us looking after Dad. Of course, I¡¯ll live here with him, but I can¡¯t stop Georgina from seeing her husband,¡± she exined and I nodded. It was going to be hard to avoid them, and people in general, but I was going try and face whatever happened eventually. Lyra had Dad moved from the infirmary to a secluded house that was constructed for him and his family. Someone else had taken over his Beta position since he was sick and it needed to be handed over. So Lyra had decided that it would be easier for Dad and everyone else if he just stayed in a house separate from the pack house, so he would have his peace. It was beautiful. The backyard was beautiful and Francisco absolutely loved it. Chapter 17 288 Vouchers I could never understand how Georgina was my father¡¯s wife yet it seemed like Lyra ran everything around here. My only guess was that she and my father had drifted apart when I left, and they were only together by title, not in their hearts. I was not sure if that made me happy or sad. My father had remarried to escape the grief of my mother¡¯s tragic death. I hated to admit it, bit Georgina had helped him. Now that they had drifted apart because of me, how had my father been coping with both his failing body and the grief he had been gued with for years? I let out a small sigh and reached for a butterfly thatnded on a de of grass close to me. My fingers barely skimmed over it¡¯s wings before it fluttered away. I smiled and watched it as it flew towards the flowers that lined the picket fence. ¡°Baby,e on. Let¡¯s go make a sandwich,¡± I called out to Francisco before I nced at Lyra who hadid out in the grass beside me. ¡°You hungry?¡± I asked her and she only nodded in response. ¡°You okay?¡± I asked with concern. I did not like it when she went silent. It made me feel lonely and ufortable. ¡°I¡¯m good. Just want to savour the sun.¡± She responded and I nodded. I was about to call for Francisco again when she interrupted me. ¡°You go on without ys¡­ We will come in when you¡¯re done. Just call me.¡± Chapter 17 280 Vouchers I nodded and got up. She stood up too. The sun was high in the sky but it wasn¡¯t hot, thankfully. ¡°Super Francisco¡­ I¡¯m the viin and you¡¯re the hero. Come get me!¡± Lyra spread her legs apart and took a challenging stance as she called Cisco¡¯s attention to her. I nearly burst out inughter. Francisco looked at her and narrowed his eyes before racing towards her. She stood still for a moment, but broke into a run when he was close enough. She screamed and heughed, going faster at her tail. I smiled and walked back into the house through the back door that was connected to the kitchen. After Lyra and I had brought Dad home and we¡¯re sure he was fast asleep, we went out for a quick grocery run, to stock up stuff in the new ce they would be staying. As much as I wished I could live with them, I couldn¡¯t. I did not want to take the risk of putting my son close to Georgina or Safiya. Lyra had told me that Safiya barely ever visited Dad and was too absorbed in the bubble of her life and Luna duties. My wolf growled as the thought filtered through my mind. Gia was supposed to be the Luna. She was the Luna and she was a Luna wolf, whether she was married to the Alpha, crowned the Luna of the pack or not. I understood her anger. I pulled out the bread from the refrigerator and microwaved it. When that was done, I made some tomato sandwiches, Chapter 17 17 208 Vouchers because for some odd reason, unlike other children, Francisco absolutely loved vegetables. Well, any vegetable that was not broli. I smiled at the thought and carried out the three sandwiches with cold pineapple juice and a chocte drink for the sunny day. *** *** *** ¡°¡­ The princess fell in love with the prince and they lived happily ever after. The end,¡± I read the last two words in a whisper and kissed Francisco on his forehead because he was already fast asleep. ¡°G¡¯night baby,¡± I whispered. Lyra looked at Francisco with pure adoration and I was overjoyed with how much she loved him. I was blissful that he had family asides me that cared for him. When we were outside of his room, we walked to the living room. I turned around and looked at Lyra. She had been acting some kind of way and I knew she wanted me to ask her what was wrong. Either that or she wanted a favor. I was annoyed that she was scared to ask. ¡°Spill,¡± I red at her. ¡°What?¡± She innocently asked, looking everywhere but me. ¡°What is it? What do you want?¡± I asked in a pleading tone. She looked like a deer caught in the headlights. ¡°I¡­ I was wondering if I could go out for tonight. Just for tonight,¡± she said in a low voice, looking at the floor. I resisted the urge to punch her. ¡°Of course, Lyra,¡± I told her calmly and her eyes widened with gratitude. ¡°Dad is my dad too. Chapter 17 288 (oucherg Go have fun,¡± I said and she kissed my cheek before hurrying out the door without any other word. I shook my head. She was in her pajama shirt and pants. I guess she knew what she was doing¡­. Whatever it was. I locked the front door and headed to dad¡¯s room to check on him before I would go to my own room. I kissed his forehead when I found him sleeping. He spent almost every hour of the day sleeping. I guess he needed his rest. I quietly shut his door and headed towards my room. Halfway there, I heard a knock on the front door. Lyra. Knowing Lyra, she had probably changed her mind about going out. I stormed to the door and unlocked it. ¡°Lyra, if that¡¯s you, I swear to¨C¡± my words got cut off in my throat and the supply of oxygen around me suddenly vanished. Because Lyra was not at the door. It was Kaiden. Kaiden Stirling.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Mates 18 Mates 18 Chapter 18 288 Vouchers Chapter 18 Chapter Seventeen KAIDEN STIRLING I held my breath and said nothing. I looked down at Harper¡¯s cereal bowl and filled it with the cereal. Harper liked to eat a lot, and I liked to satisfy her. I poured in milk and she instantly started to dig into the cereal. My heart was racing in my chest, and frankly, I was a few seconds away from bolting from the whole of this. From Safiya, from the way my wolf was anxiously prancing around in my head, wing to be let out so he could go and see his mate (which was not happening), from this whole situation. ¡°What, you¡¯re not going to say anything?¡± Safiya said through clenched teeth and I nced at Harper before looking at her. I knew it. I had done my best to not give a reaction to her words because I knew that if I did, she would explode. Now that she had no reason to explode, or to transfer her anger on me, she was frustrated. ¡°Was I supposed to say something?¡± I asked with a quiet sigh, watching her chin quiver. ¡°You were supposed to reassure me and tell me everything will be fine!¡± She yelled and Harper paused. I red at Safiya before looking back down at Harper. ¡°It¡¯s alright baby, Mom and I need to talk,¡± I told her and threw a re in Safiya¡¯s direction before Chapter 18 288 Vouchers walking towards the stairs. ¡°Keep an eye on her,¡± I told one of the maids who were around the stairs as I walked past them. Safiya silently followed behind me and I changed my mind about going up to the room to talk to her. I could not stand being in a room with her. That was why I had been sleeping over in my working space in the Alpha¡¯s quarters for months. I headed towards the back door and out to the garden. Once she shut the door behind her, I turned around and looked at her. ¡°You want to tell me what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± I calmly asked. ¡°What?¡± She asked like I had just said the most ridiculous s**t. My blood began to boil but I temped my anger down. ¡°Why are you so mad? Mad enough to yell in front of Harper?¡± I asked and she shook her head before running her hand through her hair. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she said. ¡°I believe I asked a question,¡± I coldly replied and she could not stand it. ¡°Why are you so cold?¡± She fumed. ¡°Answer my question, Safiya,¡± I had to force my wolf down when the Alpha tone spilt from my lips. Her eyes widened and for a second, fear passed through them. ¡°She is going to take you away from me. She is going to ruin Chapter 18 280 Mouchers everything. She always does that,¡± she said and tears filled her eyes. I was in absolute disbelief. I was in so much disbelief that augh fell off my lips. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you,¡± I shook my head and she looked at me with confusion. ¡°What?¡± She asked. ¡°Your sister disappeared. You never tried to find her or reach out to her. She¡¯se back after all these years and all you can worry about is how hering. back will ruin things for you??¡± The more I thought about it, the more unbelievable it was. Safiya was the worst. I had figured that out before I married her, but then she had been pregnant. I had been s**d and I had gotten her pregnant. There had not been any way I could. abandon her or my child. That was the beginning of my misery, of my life falling apart. I shook my head and looked her in the eyes. ¡°You¡¯re disgusting.¡± I walked away. *** *** *** A walk around the park grounds had helped to clear my mind of the anger that clouded it. But as myAll content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. anger cleared, my need to see Freda grew until I was choked with it. I now understood why my wolf had been agitating over the past two and a half days. He had felt the presence of his mate and he was desperate to see her. I was desperate to see her too and myposure was shattering with every second I was not in her presence. I had not realized how much I missed her, how much I needed her, how much I depended on her until now. Chapter 18 11 And quite frankly, it was driving me out of my g**d mind. This was horrible. It was the absolute worst. I was not supposed to want her as much as I did. I was not supposed to need her as much as I did, because I was a horrible person. I had hurt her so much, and then I had gone ahead to marry her sister. I was married to someone. I was not supposed to be longing for her as much as I did. I leaned forward in my office chair and buried my face in my hand, hoping it would help me bury the restlessness that was sitting in my chest. It couldn¡¯t. It didn¡¯t. I pushed away from the seat and headed out towards the general area in the pack house. I needed a drink. A strong one. Werewolves could hardly get intoxicated on alcohol, except it had been mixed with a specific proportion of wolfsbane. Not strong enough to cause harm, but strong enough to alter the senses. I had tried it multiple times and I had only ended up hurting my stomach. As I walked into the general kitchen to look for something to eat (I had changed my mind about the drink halfway there), my ears picked up on the words of the women who were talking. ¡°She¡¯s back¡­ ¡± ¡°This is so messy.¡± ¡°After her confessing to be Alpha¡¯s true mate, he married her sister¡­¡± Chapter 18 ¡°I heard her son looks so much like Alpha¡­¡± ¡°This is such a scandal!¡± My ears shut every other word because my mind was reeling. She had a son? Freda had a son? My wolf growled in my head, from anxiety and frustration. And I could not stop him- or myself -any longer. Before I knew it, I was in front of the house that Lyra had requested for the former Beta who was ailing. For some reason, I knew she would be there. And she had been. In the flesh. My mate. Mates 19 Mates 19 Chapter 19 FREDA WHITLOCK I gulped, trying to calm the ss five tornado that was going through my chest. I was going to die. If I did not stop it, I was sure I would die. I did not know what to say. I did not know what to do. He was not supposed to be here. He was not supposed to know I was here. He¡­ I started to hyperventte. I had not been able to stop the tornado and not my heart was suffering for it. I had to stop it. I took a step back and shut the door. Well, attempted. He stopped it. Dear **d, this was not good. This was not how it was supposed to go. This was not how I nned my stay here. How did he know I was back in the pack??? Thest person I wanted to see was him. I couldn¡¯t breathe. And this was not figuratively. I could not breathe. ¡°Freda¡­¡± He whispered my name and a wake of dizziness hit me. I **d and instantly the door was wide open and he was holding me. I fought against the panic in my chest. It was not letting me breathe. I was having a d**n panic attack. Chapter 19 Oh, dear goddess¡­ 1280 (Vouchers ¡°Hey hey, breathe. Look at me, breathe¡­¡± He whispered, lowering my withering form in his arms. He was not supposed to be holding me. ¡°No,¡± I whispered. ¡®Let me go. Go away¡­ Please¡­¡¯ I wanted to plead, but my vision was darkening and my throat was clogged. I was suffocating. A tear left my eye as I choked and breathed myst. Thest thing I saw was his panicked face before my eyes slipped shut. *** *** *** ¡°What happened??¡± I heard a voice question someone with fury. ¡°What are you even doing here?¡± recognized the voice to be Lyra¡¯s own. Lyra¡­ She was supposed to have gone out for the night. What was going on? What was she doing here? I opened my eyes, and as I looked around, the memory of what had happened struck me. Lyra left, and someone came to the door. I opened it and found Kaiden. Kaiden. I bolted off of the couch, not exactly sure where I was going or what I nned to do. ¡°Woah woah, slow down. You just woke up,¡± I heard Kaiden¡¯s voiceing from the direction of the dining table. Lyra who was standing beside him walked towards me with a concerned Chapter 19 1/ 288 Vouchers look on her face. ¡°Are you alright?¡± She asked and bit my lip. ¡°What is he doing. here? He shouldn¡¯t be here,¡± I said the words in rushed whispers and the familiar chokehold of panic wrapped around my throat. I forced myself to take deep breaths and I looked in the direction of where the rooms were. Horror filled me. ¡°Francisco,¡± I started to panic again. ¡°Did he see Francisco?¡± I asked as tears filled my eyes. Lyra shook her head with sadness and lowered her voice. ¡°He knows, but he isn¡¯t sure,¡± she whispered and my eyes flew over to where he was. On any other day, I would have been too intimidated to speak, but I was not going to let him or his presence bring any harm to my child. For all I knew, Safiya had probably sent him toe and make sure no child of his was not hers. ¡°Get out,¡± I said through gritted teeth, wiping my tears as I stormed over to him. ¡°Get out right now!¡± I screamed. He looked hurt, but I did not care. The look passed away from his eyes almost immediately. He looked at me almost coldly. ¡°That is no way to talk to your Alpha, Freda,¡± he said in an almost gentle tone. What was he doing? ¡°I don¡¯t give a bird¡¯s a**who you are. I just need you to leave,¡± I said. ¡°Please.¡± He shook his head. was confused, and my frustration was reaching an all-time high. ¡°No,¡± he said and I bit my lip hard to stop the stream of obscenities that so desperately wanted to 00:44 Chapter 19 288 Vouchers leave my lips. I settled for a weak ¡°what?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not leaving until we talk.¡± ¡°We have nothing to talk about.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what you think.¡± ¡°It¡¯s what I know, Kaiden. Leave now. ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere, Freda. We need to talk,¡± he adamantly said and I very well could have tossed myself to the floor and burst into a sobbing, furious, tormented mess. ¡°Mom?¡± I heard my baby¡¯s voice and it was like my worst nightmare had juste true. ¡°Cisco baby, go back inside your room,¡± I said and Lyra lifted him in her arms, heading back. towards the room after giving me a look that said, ¡®I¡¯m not going to fail you this time¡¯. I took in a shaky breath and looked back at Kaiden. He looked surprised, hurt and almost tortured. ¡°Is he mine?¡± He asked in a quiet voice. I saw his eyes glisten with tears, and despite that catching me off guard, I adamantly shook my head and said, ¡°No.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe that, Freda. Don¡¯t lie to me,¡± he whispered, taking a step towards me. I inhaled sharply, taking a step back. ¡°Stay back, Kaiden. You¡¯re invading. Don¡¯t push it,¡± I said through gritted teeth and the pain in his eyes seemed to increase. I hate to admit it, but it was almost satisfying because the most emotion I felt for him was hatred. Chapter 19 1208 Vouchers Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Pure, angry hatred. Burning, red-hot hatred. ¡°Freda, I¡¯m sorry,¡± he whispered and my blood seemed to ice over at the same time it started to boil. My wolf was a mess of longing, anger and betrayal. She was angry that he had reced her and betrayed her by marrying my sister. At the same time, she longed for him. I could feel it. And I was feeling the same, except in ce of the longing was hatred. She was only pushing her longing to me. ¡°Get out,¡± I quietly said. Tears filled my eyes as I remembered how much he had hurt me, how he was the reason I left the pack. ¡°Freda¡­¡± He started speaking but I interrupted him. ¡°Get the f**k out right now!¡± I screamed and he sighed before he nodded and headed towards the door. He walked out and quietly shut it behind him. I blinked as more tears left my eyes and I fell to my knees, gasping for air. I started to s**b loudly at the agony that was cutting through my chest so viciously. I could not bear it. I could not take it at all. Lyra rushed to my side and knelt beside me, holding me tight like she was trying to hold my broken being together. ¡°I hate him, Lyra. I hate him so much,¡± I wept. ¡°I know, Freeds. I know.¡± NO 18% Mates 20 Mates 20 Chapter 20 1208 Vouchers Chapter 20 FREDA WHITLOCK ¡°Hey,¡± Lyra said, pulling her hair up in a ponytail as she walked into the kitchen. I was making waffles. Well, I was trying to. I could not focus for the life of me. I felt¡­ Dead. And that did not make sense because I was alive. Maybe my chest was dead. In the aftermath of the Category Five tornado. When Lyra got no response from me, she looked at me with worried eyes and tapped my shoulder. ¡°Go take care of Cisco. I¡¯ll take care of breakfast,¡± she said and I said nothing in response. I stepped out of the kitchen and headed to Francisco¡¯s room. He wasn¡¯t in his bed. My heart s**d out of my chest and trepidation gripped me. I started to fear the worst and my heart started beating at a million miles per hour. ¡°Francisco?¡± I called his name, and the tremor in my voice did not escape my ears. ¡°I¡¯m in here,¡± he responded in his small, sweet voice. Relief coursed through me in unbelievable waves and I took in several breaths to calm myself before I walked into the bathroom that was built into the room. I did not want my anxiety to infect him in any way. ¡°Where are you?¡± I asked with a softugh and he responded with a giggle. I pulled the nylon curtains in front of the bath back 208 Vouchers and I found him sitting in the tub. It was filled and he was coated in bubbles andther. Iughed out loud. ¡°Oh Cisco, what have you done?¡± asked and he giggled. ¡°I wanted to take a bath and you weren¡¯t coming yet,¡± he responded most innocently. My heart melted in my chest and all I wanted to do was grab him and bathe his whole face with kisses. He was the most adorable creature in the world, and he was mine: My son. I smiled and pulled up my hair in a ponytail. ¡°Come on. Let¡¯s run you a fresh bath, yeah?¡± I said, reaching into the tub to lift him. out of the water. He nodded and raised his hands, reaching for me. I stuck my hand into the water¡­ Well, I had thought it was water. It wasn¡¯t. Half the tub was filled with bubbles and soapther, the other half the lower one -was water. Oh my goodness. Iughed at how ridiculous it was. Just how much soap had he poured into the bathtub? I was not willing to find out. I wiped his hair out of his face and kissed his forehead. He wrapped his arms and legs around me and kissed my cheek. He had sessfully wet my clothes, but I did not mind. 22.25% Chapter 20 Especially not when I was terrified a few minutes ago that someone had taken my son away from me. 1288 Vouchers I decided to wash the remaining soapther off of him in the shower. As I targeted the jets of water shooting out of the shower head towards him to wash the soapther off, I told him how dangerous it was to run a bath for himself. ¡°You¡¯re still a little sweetie. You could drown, or slip and hurt yourself and also hurt me,¡± I told him and he wiped the droplets of watering from his hair to his face with his little hands. ¡°What does it mean to drown?¡± He asked innocently and I dreaded having to exin what it was to him. ¡°When a person can¡¯t swim, they start drinking lots of water, and when they drink lots of water, they can¡¯t breathe,¡± I exined it in the mildest manner possible. ¡°Oh¡­¡± He looked thoughtful for a moment. I lovingly caressed his cheeks and he smiled at me before speaking again with a face that looked almost too serious for a five-year-old. ¡°I have two questions,¡± he said and I nodded immediately. I was always going to entertain his curiosity with patience. He was just a child after all. ¡°WhatContent is property of N?velDrama.Org. happens when a person can¡¯t breathe?¡± He asked and once again, I dreaded having to exin what death was to him. ¡°They stop being like you and me. They go into a deep sleep, and they may never wake up again,¡± I exined as mildly as possible. He blinked and then nodded. I was done washing the soap off of him. I lifted him out of the shower and ced him on top of the Chapter 20 11 286 Vouchers counter. I grabbed his soft towel from the ce where it was hung and dried off his hair. I dried down his body with a second. towel and that was when he started speaking again.. ¡°How can I hurt you if I fall and hurt myself?¡± He asked, his eyes wide with childish curiosity. I smiled and kissed his forehead before lifting him in my arms and heading towards the room. ¡°Because¡­ If you hurt yourself, you¡¯re hurting me too. You mean the world to me and it would hurt to see you get hurt.¡± It was not easy to give an appropriate exnation to this question of his either. I could not possibly exin the depth of love I felt for him, and why it would hurt me to see him hurt. But I had done my best, and it seemed like I had done well because he gave me a satisfied smile and then nodded. The questions were over for now. ¡°Okay, Mommy. I won¡¯t run baths on my own again,¡± he promised I pulled his shirt- thest piece of clothing -over his head. ¡°Breakfast is ready!¡± I heard Lyra call and I liked down at Francisco. ¡°Come on,¡± I said and he nodded, eagerly jumping down from his bed and reaching for my hand. I took him and we headed for the dining table. I lifted him into his special seat and cut up his pancakes and fruit into smaller pieces before handing them to him. ¡°Thank you,¡± he politely said and I nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll go get Dad,¡± Lyra said, heading towards the room area. I looked down at my food and decided to wait for Dad and Lyra before digging in. I lived with my family and I loved my baby. All it took for me to calm down was to have a heartfelt conversation with my baby and listen to him talk¡­ Because my pain, anxiety, stress, anger and sadness had vanished. Mates 21 Mates 21 Chapter 21 Chapter Twenty KAIDEN STIRLING ¡°Good morning Daddy,¡± Harper said with her signature adorable. smile and I kissed her cheek. ¡°How¡¯s my favourite princess doing?¡± I asked and she frowned a little. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I asked immediately, concerned at how her smile had dropped. ¡°You said I¡¯m your favourite princess,¡± sheined and rubbed my head to show her that I was confused. She rolled her eyes and I wondered how the four-year-old had learnt that. Probably from her mother. Or it was just how naturally sassy she was. ¡°I¡¯m the only princess,¡± she said, lifting her chin and looking at me through her eyshes. It took me a second before I understood what she was on about. I couldn¡¯t help the softughter that left my mouth. ¡°Of course, Your Majesty,¡± I took her hand and kissed it. She went red in the face and tipped her chin even higher. When she had greeted me ¡®good morning¡¯, Lhad begun to wonder what was good about the morning, because between Freda ordering me out of her house and me berating and hating myself all night for the s**d decision I had made in my life, I had expected anything but a good morning. The only good thing about my morning was Harper. She was the 0144 288 Wouchers only good thing in my life at this point. She was my daughter¡­ And there was a possibility that she had a brother. The thought made my heart race wildly in my chest. Someone tapped my hand and I was jerked out of my thought reverie. It was Harper and she looked a little upset. ¡°You weren¡¯t listening to me,¡± she sulked and immediately started to apologize. ¡°I¡¯m sorry princess. What was that? What were you saying?¡± I kissed her tiny hand and she went on to tell me about what she was excited to learn in kindergarten for the day, how much she liked her friend, Gracie, and how much she loved the colour blue. She was a bit of an oddball. But I loved her. The table was peacefully silent and Harper and I were enjoying our meal¡­ Until Safiya walked in. She helped herself to some pancakes and then sat at the table. I silently watched as she spritzed blueberry syrup all over her pancakes until the syrup was dripping down all sides of the six pancakes that were stacked on top of each other. She didn¡¯t look good. She looked stressed, tired and sad. And I felt horrible. She was pregnant, and yet she was hurting herself. Why was she doing this to herself? I wanted to reach out to hug her, to let her know that she would be fine¡­ Eventually. But I did not want her to mistake my kindness for affection. I had no feelings for her anymore. They had all died and evaporated a year after her sister had left because I had started to see the kind of person she was. 22.03% 0945 Chapter 21 11 288 Wouchers. She was not a bad person. No, she was far from that. She was just attention-seeking, obsessive, desperate and the kind of woman who would want things to go her way at all costs. That was where she had lost me. And I had wanted to break things off with her. But she had been pregnant. I wanted to find her sister, Freda and patch things up with her, start from the beginning and see if she would give me a chance. But I doubted she would want that, especially if her sister was pregnant with my child. Even if I had pushed her (Safiya) away and given after Freda, Freda would have hated me for abandoning her sister, no matter how jealous she would have been of our rtionship. It was a conundrum. A total dilemma. And it was all my fault. I had endured her for almost six years and I was at my wit¡¯s end now. That was the point we were at. The one where I could not take it anymore. ¡°Where were youst night?¡± Safiya finally spoke, dropping her fork and looking at me like she had been dying to ask those words. I looked at her face softly. She was gorgeous. But that beauty had been married this morning the look of stress and tears. She had been crying. Oh, dear goddess. Here we f***g go. Yay¡­ ¡°What are you talking about?¡± I asked with nonchnce, eating a bite of my pancake and then cutting up a piece for Harper. She was eating a strawberry and she smiled at me with the fruit 09.45 Chapter 21 ¸Ê 280 Mouchers in her mouth. My tone seemed to infuriate her, because the next second, she was mming her fist against the table, causing her cutleries to drop in the process and almost scaring Harper out of her seat. ¡°You know what I¡¯m talking about! Where were you?!¡± She yelled at me. My wolf furiously growled in my head and I grit my teeth to calm. the anger that was building in me at her disrespect and outright foolishness. What made her think it was okay to do that in front of Harper? H**k**d to the side and found a maid standing at my far right. L nodded towards her and then looked at Harper. She immediately got the message and walked towards us, lifting Harper in her arms and taking her in the direction of the stairs and up to the bedroom. Once the maid was out of earshot, I red at Safiya furiously. My wolf must have been able to push through because she seemed to shrink back with fear. I hated having to scare her. I hated it, but she was making life difficult for herself, Harper and I. ¡°If you do that again¡­ Yell at me, or scare Harper, you¡¯ll have yourself to me.¡± I threatened and left the table because threats were the only things that seemed to get into her thick skull. She started to s**b as I left the table. I knew this wasn¡¯t right for her, or me, or any of us. But I needed her to stop causing more 0 problems for me. I already had more than enough on the ground.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. Mates 22 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 09 45 T 17 288 Vouchers 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 ww 24.01% 09:45 1 288 Vouchers 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 STAR Chapter 22 288 WouderS 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. Mates 23 Mates 23 Chapter 23 FREDA WHITLOCK I froze in the spot I stood with tears running down my face. I did not even know that Lyra had been going through so much. I had not considered it. Some part of me had assumed that she was invincible, she was untouchable, she was the strong best friend who would always be there for me. I was the main character and she was the supporting side character. I was disgusted with myself. How could I have been so s**d? How could I have been so selfish, so self-absorbed? How could I not have seen all the pain she had been going through? How? Just how? Her arms were crossed in front of her. Her bottom lip was in between her teeth and her eyes were closed as she sniffled. She looked almost¡­ Tormented. And it killed me. It wounded me so much. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lyra,¡± I pleaded, taking a step towards her. She shook her head but said nothing. She didn¡¯t recoil from me so I took that as a positive sign. I took hold of her hands and she looked into my eyes with her sad blue ones that still managed to be beautiful despite the pain in them. ¡°I¡¯m human too, Freda,¡± she whispered. ¡°I feel pain too. I feel fear and it¡¯s consuming me right now. Pops is dying, and you¡¯re leaving. I¡¯ll be alone again,¡± she sobbed, attempting to take her 09 45 1228 Vouchers hands away from me. I held onto her hands firmly. Realization hit me. I was not the only one that was scared. Everyone was scared of one thing or the other. The only reason people were able to live on was because they powered through the fear. They pushed it down when they needed to, faced it when they needed to and let it consume them at their weaknesses. My whole life, I had been letting fear consume me. I had been letting it control me. Fear of displeasing Kaiden, fear of losing Safiya, fear of what people would say, and now fear of losingUpstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Francisco. I had always been a coward. It was a horrible life to live. A horrible, horrible life. ¡°I¡¯ve been a coward,¡± I finally admitted the words out loud. ¡°I have had the habit of running from my problems since I remember¡­ And when I ran away, I did not think about how you or dad or anyone would. I¡¯m sorry I will always be sorry. For the horrible person I am and the horrible thing I have done.¡± ¡°And now I¡¯m scared again. Of losing Francisco. I can¡¯t let anything happen to him Lyra,¡± I exined the reason for my cowardice to her. I did not expect her to forgive me right away. It did not expect her to understand. But now that I had seen things from her perspective and not just mine, I had another reason to be stronger. For the family, I had aside Francisco. For Lyra. For my father. And then I decided. No matter how scared I got, no matter how bad things got, no matter how horrible my situation would ever be, I was done running away. I had people that needed it. I had a 285 Mouchers friend I needed to be there for. They had been there for me. Why was it so bad for me to be there for them? ¡°I¡¯m done running away,¡± I whispered. ¡°Please forgive me for always running away. Forgive me for being a selfish coward,¡± I pleaded and she shook her head at those words. ¡°Don¡¯t call yourself that,¡± she protested and pressed my lips together before I spoke again. ¡°We are going to get through this together. You, me, dad and Francisco. Dad will be happy¡­¡± I said. ¡°And we¡¯ll find your mate and ask him what took him so long,¡± I said and winked and sheughed softly, pulling me into a warm hug. ¡°I love you, Freda,¡± she whispered in my hair as we held each other. ¡°I love you more, sis,¡± I replied, d that the whole thing was over. I was d that we had finally been able to clear the air and I was d I had been able to learn what I had learnt about Lyra. I was staying. I was going to stay this time, no matter what anyone thought about it and no matter what anyone did. *** *** *** Thest time I had tried to make waffles, I had been in the process of mixing the batter when Lyra came in and took over from me. This time, I was going to finish it. She was helping Francisco brush his teeth and have a bath. He had been true to his promise. He had not run a bath for himself since that day and when I asked him about it, he had imed that he did not want to hurt me. I smiled for the rest of the day after he told me that. 0445 Chapter 23 288 Vouchers I heard the doorbell ring and I wondered who it was. I could only hope that the person was not coming in. I had run out of clothes. and between keeping up with dad and monitoring Dadncisco. and his adjustment to the new environment, I had not been able. to do myundry. Or it very well could have been because Lyra hated absolutely nothing more than doingundry. I smiled at the thought. I was going to have to go back to the apartment Francisco and I had initially stayed in before Dad moved here. We Dad barely stayed there for two days before we started staying here. It had been a full week since we arrived at Brookback County. The first few days had been draining, and filled with emotional moments that threatened to take the life force from me, but I had been able to cope and I had pushed through to the past few days that had been peaceful. Well¡­ Until now. ¡°The least you could have done was give us a heads-up,¡± I heard Lyra protest from the front door and immediately knew this was not going to be very fun. Mates 24 Mates 24 Chapter 24 KAIDEN STIRLING ¡°Mom wants us to have breakfast as a family,¡± Safiya murmured as she walked into the bathroom beside me. She stood at the faucet, applied toothpaste to her toothbrush and then started brushing her teeth just like I was I was confused. Didn¡¯t we always? ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked after I spat out the toothpastether in my mouth. I rinsed it out with water and the whole time, Safiya watched me before she decided to spit out the toothpastether in her mouth. ¡°With my dad and sister. As a form of reunion,¡± she coldly said. I knew the idea did not sit well with her, but she would always do what the woman wanted. I did not exactly have a problem with her. She was just a horrible influence on Safiya. And I feared that one day, it would get to the point where Safiya would get into a mess she could note back from and the woman would leave her alone. ¡°A form of reunion?¡± I asked, wiping my chin with a towel and then turning to look at her directly. ¡°It is a reunion,¡± I smiled at her. She looked p**d off, and I could tell what was going on in her mind. Whatever it was, whatever the exact thought was in her mind, it Chapter 24 208 Mouchers was correct. Because it was a reunion for me. With my mate, and a child I had a strong feeling was my son. ¡°You¡¯re annoying,¡± she shook her head and lowered her hateful eyes to the sink as she spat out the last of thether. I shrugged with a smile and proceeded to take my shirt off. I pulled it over my head and when it was down at my arms, I brought my eyes to her again. She was staring through the mirror and she was not trying to hide it. A wave of heat shed through me and my wolf protested. He didn¡¯t want it. I didn¡¯t want it to. I didn¡¯t. So I ignored her. It would have been incredibly awkward if left the bathroom or asked her to leave because I wanted to change or take off my clothes. I had been doing that in front of her for years. She would assume it was because her sister was back. And she was right. I wanted to stay clean. I wanted to be clean enough and good enough for Freda. I wanted Freda. I needed her. I was willing to atone for my sins in any way, even if it meant suppressing the urge to ravish this incredibly attractive woman in front of me. I pulled down my sweatpants and I was leftpletely naked in her eyes. She gasped as kept watching me through the mirror because¡­ Well, my **k was hard as a rock. I was both ashamed of myself and turned on. I could not understand how both of those feelings could gue me at once. She turned around and stared at me with heated eyes. She did Chapter 24 288 Vouchers not waste a second toe towards me with her bottom lip between her teeth. I inhaled slowly and stared her down as she went down on her knees. ¡°What are you doing?¡± I asked through clenched teeth. Shel looked up at me through her eyshes and smiled before taking the whole length of my *k i**nto her mouth and down. her throat. I exhaled sharply. My wolf had gone silent in my head and guilt consumed me as she sucked me off. I groaned and threaded my fingers through her hair. It was so good. She was so good at this. She was good at driving me crazy, at warping up my senses and altering my judgements. She had been driving me crazy the past few days, especially since her sister hade back. I had been dying for my mate¡¯s forgiveness and love. Safiya had been making me angry and filling me with negativity. Now, even though she was on her knees in front of me, she had me on my knees. In some way, she had me leashed to her. It was shameful for me, especially as the Alpha to be soAll content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. attached to someone that wasn¡¯t my mate, but I could not help it. Especially not now. I pulled her up by her hair. She groaned and brought her hands to where mine was gripping her hair. She was panting, and her eyes were filled with sensual desire. She was gorgeous. F**g hell, she was gorgeous. She was a she-devil. 09.45 Chapter 24 11788 (Vouchers And that was why she was pregnant with my second child. She was a seductress who knew just everything I liked, despite my not loving her. I pushed her against the counter, toppling over the products. that were lined on top of it. She groaned. ¡°Be careful,¡± she whispered, and I knew she was referring to the fact that I was handling her so roughly when she was pregnant. I barely registered it. I pulled up her small dress and spread her legs. She wasn¡¯t wearing anything else. I shoved myself all the way to the hilt inside of her and a strangled cry of pleasure left her lips. ¡°Oh my g**d! Oh goddess¡­¡± She whimpered as I f**d her out of her senses. I watched her through the mirror and she watched me. She had a smile on her face. She knew¡­ She knew that I knew that she knew I was hers. I pressed her head against the cool marble that covered the surface of the counter and f*d h**er harder. My hands gripped her hair hard and pulled her face up to look at herself in the mirror. She was sweating, at my mercy at that moment. Her moans grew louder and I watched her quiver as she reached her o**m. My hand wrapped around her throat, cutting off her air, so she could not fully enjoy it. Her eyes widened and I was d to have taken the pleasure from her. It was my way of showing her that despite the power she had over me, I hated her. Mates 25 Mates 25 Chapter 25 KAIDEN STIRLING We were sitting at the dining table in the house I had been to two nights before. Well, it wasn¡¯t all of at the table. Lyra was standing on the ind, feeding Freda¡¯s son his waffles. Freda¡¯s eyes flicked over to them every two seconds and the table was awkwardly silent. Georgina cleared her throat and dropped her fork as she wiped her mouth. Freda¡¯s eyes went over to her and then to her father who was at her side. ¡°Are you alright?¡± She asked him and he nodded. He ate his food silently. ¡°Freda dear, how have you been? We have barely spoken since you returned,¡± Georgina said and Freda tensed. I listened to her pulse as it quickened. She let out a slow breath and looked up from her waffles that she had managed to eat halfway. ¡°Yes,¡± she smiled politely. ¡°I¡¯ve been busy,¡± she calmly said. ¡°In between moving into my house and staying here, it¡¯s been too busy for reunions and talks,¡± she said. Georgina nodded and took another bite of her waffles. Safiya watched Georgina. She had barely looked at Freda since we arrived. I had initially thought it had been because she had been trying to make Harper eat, but I was convinced now that it was because she hated her presence. Chapter 25 288 Vouchers I sighed quietly and Freda¡¯s eyes touched me momentarily. Shel had also barely looked at it. It was like I was a bug, something she hated to see but could not get rid of, so she just had to endure my presence. It hurt my chest. It hurt me more than I would have liked to admit. And the guilt from what I had done with Safiya earlier at our quarters made everything worse. wondered if Freda knew. If she had guessed that we had done that. I wondered if she hated me more than she did before because I came to see her. I wondered if she would hate me even more if she found out what I had done with Safiya. Harper whimpered from where she sat and eyes went over to her. My eyes met Safiya¡¯s blue ones because she was the one cradling Harper. Of course, the short look I had exchanged with Freda had not gone unnoticed. I almost rolled my eyes. ¡°Do you want to tell us why you left in the first ce?¡± Georgina asked and I saw the tic in Freda¡¯s jaw. What was Georgina trying to do? Make her ufortable? Send her away again? ¡°You¡¯re out of line, Georgina,¡± Freda¡¯s father finally said something. Georgina looked both angry and betrayed. ¡°You still take her side after all this time? After all she¡¯s done?¡± She fumed. Freda flinched at Georgina¡¯s words and I clenched my hand that was beneath the table. Safiya was hiding a smile and across from where I sat, behind the counter, Lyra was fuming. Chapter 25 208 Wouchers ¡°That¡¯s enough, Georgina. Drop it, or leave,¡± Freda¡¯s father said and Freda wiped her mouth. Getting up from her seat. ¡°Excuse me,¡± she said, walking away from the table hurriedly. I tried to stop myself because I knew she wanted to be anywhere but near me, but I couldn¡¯t help going after her. She was standing under a small tree that was in the backyard, close to a pool. She had taken her hair out of its ponytail and she was running her hand through it. The other hand was on her trim, perfect waist. ¡°Hey,¡± I said, pulling both of us out of our thoughts. I did not want to sexualize her. Especially not after having sex with her sister. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± She asked without turning around to look at me. ¡°Are you okay?¡± I asked, allowing the concern I felt for her into my voice. ¡°What makes you think I¡¯m not?¡± She asked, still not looking at me. She didn¡¯t wait for a reply. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Now leave me alone,¡± she said. ¡°I need to talk to you,¡± I told her. ¡°I have nothing to say to you. I can swear that have told you that before.¡± ¡°Freda¡­¡± ¡°Please, Kaiden. Leave me alone. Are you crazy? You want to talk to me and you choose now at all times? How are you Alpha when you make all these s**d decisions?¡± She spat. 1288 Vouchers I flinched at her words. My wolf was filled with both anger which was directed at me, and unease at the whole situation. ¡°You¡¯re right. Some other time, then.¡± I said, hoping she would at least nod in her exasperation, so could hold her to it. She-turned to look at me with liquid fire in her eyes. ¡°There will be no next time, Kaiden. If you think you can make mee to bed with you again while you¡¯re married to my sister, you are sorely mistaken.¡± She said and stormed off, leaving me too stunned to say a word. Was that what she thought this was? She thought I was trying to get her to sleep with me. I ran my hands through my hair as frustration and disgust for myself filled my veins. I was going about this whole situation the wrong way. I was doing so bad with this whole thing and I did not know how to correct my wrongs. I was so s**id and I waspletely lost. And I just could not help it. I took a deep breath and walked back into the house. No one was at the dining table anymore. I guess breakfast was over. Harper was sitting on one of the couches and the child Freda had called ¡®Francisco¡¯ stared at her curiously. It was like he had never seen anything like her. I took that as the perfect chance to find out who he really was. A part of me would rather ept the fact that he was adopted, than him being Freda¡¯s biological son with another man. I would not be able to take it.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Mates 26 Mates 26 Chapter 26 FREDA WHITLOCK Kaiden had some guts, he dared toe before me just to lure me into his arms again. Once, I had been the longing lover who didn¡¯t mind when he did but now, it was never going to happen. Thinking back, I realized I was such a fool. Who agreed to watch their mate flirt with another and still love him? The dumb me. However, though not ring, within me I felt the longing to be in his arms again. It was wrong, he was with Safiya now, and they had a child together, I even rejected him, but still¡­ I needed to snap out of it. This was not the time to submit to Kaiden¡¯s mind games. He was not worth it. Suddenly, a wave of determination washed through me as I thought never to appear weak again. He was my past, the nastiest past and he would remain so. My hands formed fists by my sides when the thought of Fra cisco shed through my mind. Was I doing the right thing keeping him away from his father even though they were so close? I have kept them away for so long so I could keep up, right? There had been no second thought about this but suddenly, it was giving me a dreadful feeling. Soft chatters from across the room broke into my thoughts 0.00% Chapter 26 prompting me to look up. Naturally, seeing the owners of the voices, my body rxed and my fists unfolded. It was Lyra and Dad. They were seated before the big window that provided at vast view of the beautifully kept porch outside having coffee. And talking. Whatever they had spoken about sure made themugh a lot. It was a beautiful sight to behold. One of the many memories I would remember when Dad leaves. Knowing he would not make it was scary yet soothing at the same time. When he¡¯d leave, there were a lot of things he would see no more. First, a wicked wife. And a lot more. I watched quietly as Lyra helped him up and walked beside him holding his arm in the direction of his bedroom. Lyra was patient and it was lovely to watch as she would wait for him to take a step down the four-step stairs. And he trusted her to wait. To be patient. They were the perfect duo. Probably the only perfect thing in this house. Staring at them, I wonder if I would have been that patient. He is my dad, I would but like Lyra? I don¡¯t think so. Snapping out of my reverie, I approached them, nodding at Lyra curtly when our eyes met before reaching out to hold Dad. ¡°Dad¡± I held his other arm gently and a small smile tugged my lips when I felt him ease at my hold. My smile dropped at once when I realized how frail he had be in barely twenty-four hours. This was happening too fast and with everything going on around me now, I was losing my mind. We got to his room and led him to the bed, the three of us saying nothing to one another. Chapter 26 ¡°This is much better,¡± Dad said humorously. I knew he was trying to lighten up our moods because for some reason, were weren¡¯t chirpy as before. I chuckled at his remark as we helped him get into his bed. ¡°Sure it is, have some rest¡± Lyra smiled as she tucked him into the covers. Looking at the bed stand, there was no jug of water. What if he needed it? That was the least Georgina could do yet didn¡¯t. All she did was look for who to hound. What a woman! ¡°Let me go get some water for you Dad,¡± I told him and he nodded. Lyra jumped into the bed, sitting next to his head and stroking his hair. When I left his room, I hummed delightfully as I stride to the kitchen but my smile dropped when I was intercepted by Safiya. The look of fury in her eyes told me she wasn¡¯t standing before me for cute sister talks but something else. Something that probably rted to Kaiden. I had noticed she looked uneasy throughout dinner. Clearly, she didn¡¯t want me around but why? ¡°What do you want Safiya?¡± I asked when she didn¡¯t say a word and mostly because I was getting ufortable with her dark stare. She smirked a bit, folding her arms in front of her, ¡°I should ask you the same Freda, what do you want? Why are you back?¡± ¡°It¡¯s obvious but since you¡¯re here again I¡¯ll say it. I¡¯m here because of Dad¡± She didn¡¯t look impressed by my response, her frown didn¡¯t fade 09-40m Chapter 28 either, ¡°That doesn¡¯t make sense. Dad was here when you left. but you never bothered toe back to see him¡­¡± ¡°Back then, he was healthy and I trusted Lyra could take care of him¡± Georgina and Safiya were out of the question to look over father and she didn¡¯t seem to mind that I never trusted her. I can¡¯t believe we came to this. ¡°And nothing has changed now so why did you have toe back, why didn¡¯t you just remain where you hid yourself?¡± I watched her with disbelief written over my features, I couldn¡¯t believe she said everything was still the same. Did this woman have any idea that her father was dying? Sighing, I forced a smile, ¡°Safiya, if you have nothing to talk about other than interrogating me as to why I¡¯m back to see my father then please excuse me¡± Safiya chuckled dryly, dropping her arms. Her bitterughter paused and she shook her head, ¡°Pretending to be innocent now Freda? You say you¡¯re here for Dad but why do I feel you¡¯re here for something else¡± My lips parted but she beat me to speak, ¡°Kaiden. Are you here for Kaiden?¡± Her voice was low, filled with unspoken threats that p**d my chest. My eyes widened and I gasped in disbelief at her silly assumption. Why would she think lowly of me? In all ways, Kaiden was hers so why would I want him? It was just s**id. The amount of hate in her eyes left me stunned. Safiya hated my presence and It wouldn¡¯t be shocking if she hated me as a person now. Agreed that we weren¡¯t the closest but we had a 0940 Chapter 26 fair bond. What changed? ¡°I thought so too¡± She hissed condescendingly, ¡°What do you think? It would be easy to take him from me?¡± Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g What in the world was thisdy saying? Not knowing how to respond to her s**dity, I stood and let her rant. She looked like she had a lot to say Fuming at my unresponsiveness, she continued this time with a sly smirk, ¡°Let me remind you then Freda, he¡¯s mine and always will be. We¡¯re together and our bond gets stronger every day. Sex was great in the bathroom early this evening. I believe you remember what he was like, I can assure you that he¡¯s much better now¡± She said that knowingly to get a reaction from me. Her eyes glimmered with wicked intent as she studied my face which had suddenly gone pale. They had sex earlier and he came to me acting all innocent like nothing happened. G**d. I felt my chest constricting painfully apanied by a burning sensation. Safiya was smirking as she watched my face flood with different emotions. Shoot! I had messed up. I knew they would be involved with each other, heck they were married and had a kid but why did that hurt me so much that in a split second, the pain spread through my body leaving lingering sensations? ¡°So you better stay away from him. You and that little b**d you brought along!¡± She spat and my face hardened. How dare she call Francisco a b**d? Chapter 26 I wondered what her reaction would be if she found out the b**d she was talking about was her husband¡¯s heir. 298 Vouchers ¡°Enough Safiya! I know how desperate you are to **d over your husband but take it from me, I¡¯m not here for him neither do I want him. If I did, I wouldn¡¯t have let him off and you know it¡± Her smile dropped instantly and she red at me when she got the insult, ¡°Learn to be grateful sometimes!¡± I added, sidestepping her to leave but stopped to tell her the most important thing I would say, ¡°Don¡¯t ever refer to my son as a b**d, Safiya. Don¡¯t!¡± With that, I walked out of the house hoping Lyra would get the water for Dad instead. Mates 27 Mates 27 Chapter 27 KAIDEN STIRLING ¡°That¡¯s my daddy¡± Harper¡¯s voice was filled with excitement as she spoke with Francisco who had done nothing but watch her speak to her heart¡¯s content. She had been talking about the food, her dolls, and even her school but he said nothing to her. I wondered if the boy spoke or didn¡¯t want to interact because we were strangers. He looked so innocent but I believe he was far from that. No matter who he belonged to, Freda was his mother and might¡¯ve taught him a few tricks. That was chaste but I really wanted to know whose son he was. Was he mine? He had to be mine, I had been with Freda for a long time before she left. She couldn¡¯t have moved on from me that easily after the rejection. Right? I tried to convince myself but what if she did? What if she found another mate? Kai snarled lowly at the thought. We were on the same page for once in a while, we both didn¡¯t want the boy to belong to someone else. His mother was my mate. Mine! ¡°Hey little fe¡± I cooed as I plopped on the space beside him. Harper, with a giggle shuffled to sit in myps. I ced a kiss on her forehead before staring at the boy again. He was watching us keenly as though he had something on his mind ¡°Daddy, he¡¯s not saying anything¡± Harperined looking 0941 M Chapter 27 288 Vouchers back at me with glistening doe eyes. She was sad her assumed new buddy wasn¡¯t speaking to her. Smiling at her, I looked at the boy ¡°Kiddo. My name is Kaiden¡± Maybe an introduction would do us justice, I had thought. However, the boy didn¡¯t look fazed, his lips twitched but he said. nothing. ¡°Are you waiting for your mom?¡± He nodded. That was one of the dumbest questions I had ever asked. Who else was he waiting for other than Freda? ¡®But he responded, ask him¡¯ Kai snapped impatiently, my curiosity piqued to the highest level. I would only ask who his dad was, nothing more. What if he wasn¡¯t mine? ¡®Then we¡¯ll deal with it, knowing it¡¯s all your fault¡¯ Kai scoffed, I could feel him roll his eyes as well. I pressed my jaws together, trying to swallow the bitter pill of his words. ¡°She¡¯ll be here soon¡± I assured with a smile and he nodded again mirroring my expression. His smile reminded me of Freda¡¯s and subconsciously mine grew larger. She had an effect on me even when she wasn¡¯t close. Seeing that Francisco was easing to our little conversation, I decided to ask what had been on my mind since I saw him but before I could, Lyra¡¯s sharp voice calling out to him cut across the room and the three of us looked up at her. Chroner 27 ZAR Mouchers ¡°Aunt!¡± He beamed and I blinked staring in disbelief. He had such a healthy loud voice yet chose to remain mute around me. This kid was too smart for his own good. Lyra ran to him, picking him up in her arms and cradling him protectively like I was a threat to him, like some evil being. I was only going to ask the boy some questions. here was a bang in my brain and I almost face palmed. The boy in question was a toddler and it was dumb to even think of asking him such a question which would be considered sensitive. I had lost my mind completely and it was my fault. Mine and Lyra¡¯s our eyes met, she red daggers at me. That was disrespectful but my ego had gotten used to it as I deserved it but I always wondered why Lyra detested me so much. She never said anything to me but it was obvious she hated me. As she made to leave, i stopped her and asked, ¡°Why do you hate me so much Lyra?¡± I had to know what more offences I hadmitted and to whom so as to atone ordingly. It wasn¡¯t right having this conversation here but the kids had buddies themselves already. Harper with my phone and Francisco with Lyra¡¯s locks. Lyra turned to me with anger in her eyes. ¡°Why won¡¯t I hate you Kaiden. You pulled the only family I have ever known apart and you think you deserve my respect?¡± I had known she harboured these feelings because of this but hearing her say it hit me right in the guts as though I had no idea. 09:41 ¡ö0 Chapter 27 ¡°And for what reason? Your selfishness, you cheat!¡± Kai grumbled out of restlessness and his actions may have tried to surface because I saw her eyes sh with horror and she quickly hung her head low. Regaining control of myself, I sighed as I stared at her, I didn¡¯t mean to scare her but her words hurt my ego as an alpha and Kai¡¯s as the head of the pack. ¡°Lyra¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry if my words hurt your feeling Kaiden but I don¡¯t think I¡¯m done yet so bear with me¡± She looked away from me, still frowning as she rubbed Francisco¡¯s back, ¡°She¡¯s back after so long so I plead of you to stay away from her¡­ And her son¡± Thest bit of her statement was spoken with emphasis that kept me outside the bar. She was dead serious and I could feel it. Kai, however wasn¡¯t liking being told what to do so he wouldn¡¯t stop snarling. As she turned to leave, she stopped when she came face to face with Safiya who appeared to be in a foul mood. I rolled my eyes, what was her problem this time? ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Ignoring Lyra¡¯s cold stare, Safiya snapped, staring at me ¡°What?¡± I asked. Why were we leaving early. We never left early so why did we have to do that today? I was getting annoyed already. ¡°Kaiden, why do you look reluctant to leave. Dinner is over and we¡¯re leaving now!¡± Safiya persisted, her snappy voice Chapter 27 Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. 1288 Vouchers prompting Harper to jump off the couch and instinctively at me. I caught her as she expected. I would never let my daughter fall, wouldn¡¯t say the same for her mother. Her mood swings annoyed the c**p out of me. Without a word to her, I turned to leave but not after casting Lyra a nce. Safiya scoffed and followed by my side. ¡°I think Georgina would be lonely without you, please take her along¡± Lyra chimed and walked away leaving Safiya in fumes. I walked out with my daughter in my arms, Safiya coulde when she wanted, I wouldn¡¯t wait for her. Mates 28 Mates 28 Chapter 28 FRIEDA WHITLOCK Days passed since I returned and after deciding to stay, I had to enroll Fransisco in kindergarten. He has stayed away from school for too long and I figured he was starting to get bored. hanging around adults only. He needed friends his peers but that was what worried me most. What if he got picked on by the other kids? ¡°Bye Mom¡± I snapped out of my thoughts when I heard his tiny voice chirp excitedly. He was waving at me with a bright smile as his teacher took him along to his ss. While I stared back with my heart pounding in my chest, wondering why I let that happen, heard the head teachermenting on how brave he was not to cry despite it being his first day. Other kids would pull the building down with their cries. My son was special in all ways. Smiling, I waved back stiffly. The urge to run up to him and hold him slowly consumed me. We had been together for days now and I didn¡¯t want to let go of my baby. When his figure finally faded down the hall, I gulped down nothing and sighed, my shoulders hanging limply as I stood dejected. The door to the head teacher¡¯s door opened wider for Lyra and the middle-aged woman, toe out. Chapter 28 288 Woucher ¡°Don¡¯t worry about anything Ms. Whitlock, your son is in good hands¡± She assured with a smile on her cherry lips. I nodded and after a final goodbye to her, Lyra turned to me, ¡°Let¡¯s go?¡± I hummed under my breath, quickening my steps to get out of there as soon as possible otherwise, Fransisco might leave with me.¡± ¡°Do you think he¡¯s fine on his own in there?¡± I asked when we got outside the building and was beside the car. ¡°I knew you were worried but not this much. Of course, he¡¯ll be fine, rx Freda¡± Lyra assured. She didn¡¯t seem worked up like I was and for a moment, I felt I was overreacting. This wasn¡¯t Cisco¡¯s first time in kindergarten so why wasn¡¯t I used to the anxiety? ¡°It¡¯s easy for you to say. He¡¯s not found it easy adjusting to this ce and now he¡¯s in school. What if he gets bullied by the kids. here? What if he runs away one day and we can¡¯t find him?¡± What if someone harmed him? I asked myself if this was right. I should have chosen homeschool. I was panicking already and Lyra seemed to find my actions amusing. ¡°What?¡± Her eyes widened and she chuckled at my wild insinuation. She stopped when she saw how serious I looked. Her face softened and she sighed, ¡°Freda, calm down. Trust me, he¡¯s going to be fine. I know it will take a long time to get used to staying here or even the school but you don¡¯t have to worry about those things. This is the best nursery and kindergarten there is over here and the parents are well-informed about their kids¡¯ school life,¡± 10522 00 284 buche ¡°I know,¡± I think she had forgotten that we attended this school when we were younger and she was right, the authorities were very apt in involving the parents with their children¡¯s school lives. Even though that fact made me rx, I could still feel a twinge of unease in my chest. ¡°Besides, if he has any problem he will share it with you. He¡¯s a smart boy¡± She continued, there was a sparkle in her eyes when she spoke of Fransisco which made me smile a bit ¡°I don¡¯t know Lyra- ¡°Freda, rx. If there¡¯s any problem, I can put myself on the line¡± She uttered dramatically forcing a laugh out of me. ¡°You don¡¯t have to put yourself on the line to earn my trust. I trust you, it¡¯s just some mommy insecurities I¡¯m dealing with¡± I yfully punched her and sheughed, opening the car door for me. She also rounded to the other side to get into the driver¡¯s seat. ¡°Dad is home alone,¡± She said when we hit the road. Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. I shrugged, watching as the trees and houses moved by as she sped down the road. ¡°I think he¡¯d be bored to death¡± It was a joke but there was no sound ofughter of either of us. For the first time in our lives, a joke scared us and the reality was creeping above our heads. Dad would be gone soon. The thought made my heart sink and I wiggled in my seat with unease. ¡°How about we take him out today?¡± Lyra asked breaking into my thought, ¡°For a drive¡± Chapter 28 263 Vouchers I nodded at her suggestion. Along with Dad, I think we also needed to step out of the house for a while. We were home in fifteen minutes thanks to Lyra¡¯s reckless driving. It was surprising that we didn¡¯t get a ticket or even run over a red light. ¡°I should take up a career in track racing¡± She had said when we alighted the car. I only rolled my eyes at her as we entered the house. We met Dad in the living room, leisurely gazing around, and before him was a deck of cards. We smiled when his face brightened up upon seeing us. ¡°What are you doing Dad?¡± I asked as we neared the sitting area ¡°I¡¯m waiting for you girls. I can¡¯t y cards alone right?¡± He asked, smiling. He had been doing that a lot these days, it was a bid to ease us, I knew but how could we fully be at ease when we knew we¡¯d lose him soon? ¡°We have a n better than ying cards. Let¡¯s go for a drive¡± Lyra chimed, tugging at his arm and he grinned so brightly that the corners of his eyes crinkled. Tears welled up in my eyes but before either of them would notice, I blinked them back. I.lomentster, we were in the car and this time, I took the wheel. Lyra had done enough driving for the day. I drove us to the other side of Brookback County. The county was located in the countryside. The ambience there was peaceful and refreshing. At a point, we stepped out of the car and took a walk. The chirping of birds in the stirring trees due to the gentle breeze wrapped us with a sense of tranquillity. Dad told us numerous stories of his visits to the county whenever he was Chapter 28 1288 Vouchers on errands. We had a peaceful walk. The morning was beautiful, and so was this ce. I wished to live here forever. ¡°I don¡¯t know why we don¡¯t live here instead¡± I heard myself mumbling when it was time for us to leave. Dad looked tired and it was time for him to rest. We were back home a few minutes before Francisco¡¯s school dismissed for the day. While I waited in the car for Lyra since she insisted oning along to get Cisco, she took Dad to his room for a rest. Mates 29 Mates 29 Chapter 29 288 Wouchers Chapter 29 FRIEDA WHITLOCK Fransisco had gotten so used to Lyra¡¯spany that he didn¡¯t have time to hang out with me anymore. I was jealous. Was I? Not even at the tiniest bit. Rather, I was happy he was loving his new home. It was the weekend, and Lyra had helped him with his homework so that they could hang out the whole day. They left for the park already leaving me at home. Lyra said I needed some time to myself and she was right. I don¡¯t know what I would do without her or how much of a mess it would have been if she weren¡¯t around. After making sure Dad was settled and needed nothing else, I decided to tour the pack. Things hadn¡¯t changed much but there were definitely changes. I rode around town with no aim in mind. An hourter, I found myself parked before my former apartment. Fransisco and I stayed here for just two days before moving back with Dad and Lyra. I walked into the house and headed to the kitchen area smiling mildly at the memories that flooded my mind of Cisco whining for bread while holding onto my feet. I stood in the kitchen for a while and when I decided to leave, I felt like someone else was present. My mind began to race as I tiptoed around the kitchen area with eyes gaping around to catch sight of who the evader was. 0.00% 00:420 Chapter 20. 11:289 Mouchers Maybe I was overthinking things. My skin was covered with goosebumps and a feeling of dread knotted my stomach. This was bad. What if there really was someone here, what would I do? I could confront whoever it was. Or maybe leave¡­ Thetter seemed like the best option for me. I wouldn¡¯t risk my life now, there were bigger tasks ahead of me, I knew. Perhaps this was one of them. I shuddered dreadfully as I headed toward the door with hurried yet quiet steps. When I got to the door, I thought it was locked but ignored it and tried to open it¡­ But it wouldn¡¯t open What the absolute heck? I had used this same door to get in so howe it was now locked and where on earth was the key I had left on the lock? I wondered staring around with my heart thudding fiercely against my ribcage. Oh G**d! I trieu opening the door again and got the same result. ¡°Why won¡¯t it open?¡± I snapped out of frustration, twisting the **b with all my might. However, no matter how hard I tried, the lock wouldn¡¯t budge. I was trapped inside. My mind raced with many unhinged thoughts as I struggled to pull the door apart. However, that was not even what I should be doing since I had no wolf. It surprised me that even now that I was in danger, Gia hadn¡¯t surfaced to help me out. 0942 0 Chapter 24 1288 Vouchers Was she that mad at me? I heard a sound behind me like a collision and turned quickly to see what it was. Shock filled my features when I saw Kaiden standing across the room and before I could register his presence, he was before me. ¡°What the heck, Kaiden!¡± I yelled, startled at his sudden approach. And angry that out of all people to break in, he had to be the one. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry I startled you Freda¡± His voice was soft as he reached out to touch my arm but I shrugged him off, furiously. ¡®Get your hands off me!¡± With a hint of resignation in his eyes, he dropped his hand, taking a few steps backwards. I appreciated the distance. I would have appreciated it more if he just left. His presence made me mad, mostly at myself because for some reason my knees were wobbly whenever he was around. After calming my nerves, I looked at the door and then back at him, ¡°Are you the one who locked the door?¡± There couldn¡¯t possibly be anyone else apart from him who was capable of doing that. He was an Alpha, he could be that fast to get in here and lock the door, unnoticed. However, what bothered me was howe he knew I was there. Was he stalking me? I stared at him with intent, squinting my eyes when I saw his lips stretch to form a smile. Why was he smiling? Did he find my question or even my state amusing? Chapter 29 288 Vouchers ¡°Yes,¡± He answered leisurely and my face twisted to a frown ¡°Open it¡± ¡°No, I won¡¯t,¡± He said, sounding like a kid throwing a tantrum. ¡°Seriously? What the f**k do you want from me?¡± I asked him annoyed that he was finding this situation to be a joke. I saw his eyes sh and my fear heightened, that was Kai and if 1 remembered clearly, his wolf didn¡¯t like it when someone stepped on his ego. I became self-conscious when he started taking slow steps towards me and subconsciously, I took steps back to maintain the distance. However, before I could take another step, he had covered the distance with two strides, held my shoulders, and trapped me against the wall. The swift action left me in a daze. When I got. my senses back, my lips parted to speak but not a word came out. I could only re at him while desperately fighting the tingling sensation beneath my skin, courtesy of his touch, hoping I didn¡¯t turn red before him or get lost in his deep eyes which had suddenly darkened with something I couldn¡¯t exin. I balled my fists by my sides as I tried to suppress whatever weird reaction my body felt from the closeness. This was wrong yet why was I finding it difficult to resist? Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. He brought his face closer to mine and my heart s**d a beat when his minty breath filled my face as his husky voice sounded, ¡°I want to talk to you Freda and we won¡¯t be leaving till I do that¡± Mates 30 Mates 30 Chapter 30 FREDA WHITLOCK ¡°I have nothing to say to you, Kaiden.¡± I said for what seemed to be the thousandth time. A sigh of frustration left my lips. Ast much as I hated him, the thought of us being in the same room for however long was making my thoughts run wild. And not in a good way. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Freda.¡± He said, walking to where I was sitting on the couch and reaching for my hand. ¡°I don¡¯t know how else to say it. I don¡¯t know how to make it up to you¡­¡± He said in a tone that almost sounded broken. I frowned at him and the guts he had to sound broken. How dare he? I was the one who had been hurt. I was the one who had been manipted and used. That was not really his fault, but he had chosen to use me and that had been so unfair. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you want to hear from me, Kaiden,¡± I muttered. He sighed and knelt in front of me suddenly. I was breathless all of a sudden. ¡°Go away,¡± I whispered and he shook his head. I shut my eyes tight. I was not going to let him get to me so easily. Not after what my sister had said they did the other day. I thought of all the anger, of all the hatred I held for him, of all the pain he had caused me, of the fact that it was his fault 09.420 Chapter 30 Francisco would not have a father figure asides my father. 1288 Wouchers ¡°Get away from me,¡± I said through gritted teeth and shoved him away. He stumbled and I almost regretted what I had done. Tears filled my eyes at the mad rush of emotions that were driving me nuts just because he was here. I stood up and walked away from him. I needed to think straight and-I could not do it when he was here. ¡°I need to leave,¡± I said, turning away from him. ¡°Please, Freda, tell me what you¡¯re thinking,¡± he pleaded and I turned to him. I was filled with anger once again and my emotions were giving me whish at this point. It was painful. ¡°What I¡¯m thinking? What I¡¯m thinking is how much I hate you. You are the worst thing that ever happened to me,¡± I spat the cruel worlds as they came into my mind and he frowned a little bit. But I was far from done. He wanted to hear my mind? He was going to get every single piece. ¡°You hurt me. Multiple times. And it¡¯s unforgivable. You took everything from me. You shattered me. You have taken my sister from me. You took everything!¡± I yelled at him and the tears were freely flowing down my cheeks at this point. I buried my face in my hands and my wolf whimpered at the agony that was coursing through both of our beings. For the first time in ages, my wolf gave me a helping hand. She tried tofort me. But this was beyond her. This was beyond both of our strengthsbined. I didn¡¯t know Kaiden wasing towards me until I could feel 23814 0942) 288 Wouchers his presence as he stood in front of me. He held both of my hand and took them off my face. tried to resist his touch but I did not have the strength to. I wanted to walk away but I couldn¡¯t. Especially not when he wrapped his arms around me. I buried my face in his chest. because despite the infinite hatred I had for him, he was providing mefort. He was my mate. His wolf was soothing mine and that was providing me relief from the pain, but not the hatred. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he whispered as I sobbed. ¡°I¡¯m a horrible person I know. I destroyed everything for you, I know. You hate me, I know. I¡¯m truly sorry. I don¡¯t know how to make you forgive me. I¡¯m desperate to find a way, but I have not been able to,¡± he whispered and pressed his face against my hair. I pulled back from him. ¡°I don¡¯t believe you. And that¡¯s your fault. I don¡¯t want anything to do with you. You¡¯re with my sister and I rejected you as my mate. My forgiveness is not something you will ever get, and it¡¯s not something you need.¡± I said the words with coldness. He seemed hurt but I didn¡¯t care. ¡°The rejection was invalid,¡± he said in a low voice. ¡°What?¡± I asked, just to be sure I heard him right. There was no way he was saying the truth. I backed away from him, wiping my eyes and taking deep breaths to calm my nerves that were on edge. He was driving me nuts. ¡°I didn¡¯t ept the rejection before you left,¡± he said and I shook my head with disbelief. There was no way¡­ 53.09% 09-42 Chapter 30 288 Vouchers ¡°It¡­ It doesn¡¯t matter if you did or not. I rejected you and that¡¯s all that matters,¡± I said shaking my head and beginning to pace. My wolf was starting to prance around in my head with excitement, but I was not going to allow that. I did not want anything to do with Kaiden. Absolutely nothing. ¡°We are still mates, Freda,¡± he said softly and I wanted to set myself on fire at those words. ¡°Kaiden, you don¡¯t seem to understand. I will reject you over and over if I have to. You lost your chance to be friends with me or be my mate when you left my room that day.¡± I spat at him. ¡°You are with my sister now. Doing this,¡± I gestured between us, ¡°trying to get me to be with you makes you a horrible, disgusting person to both her and me.¡± I said and grabbed the key that was sitting on the floor. I stormed towards the door while I left him stunned. I unlocked it, hurried to my car and sped off,Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Mates 31 Mates 31 Chapter 31 FREDA WHITLOCK ¡°Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you¡­¡± I listened and sang along quietly as the children that were gathered around Francisco sang for him. When they finished the song, they started to cheer and p. ¡°Make a wish,¡± Lyra said to Francisco cheerfully and he smiled and closed his eyes before blowing out the six candles that were standing on top of his cake. ¡°What did you wish for?¡± A girl around his new age asked him. and he shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s a secret,¡± he said with his gorgeous dimpled smile. My heart melted in my chest. He was the most adorable creature and I loved him. I loved him so much. I loved him with my whole being. My universe¡­ My little universe. That¡¯s what he was. ¡°Are you going to keep looking devastated?¡± Lyra asked and I just realized that she was standing my side. I was suddenly overwhelmed with a rush of emotions. ¡°He¡¯s growing up so fast, Lyra. What am I going to do when he grows to the point where he doesn¡¯t want to talk to me anymore?¡± My voice shook at thest words and I knew I was about to cry. ¡°Oh no¡­ Oh no, please don¡¯t cry in front of him. Not on his Chapter 31 birthday,¡± she whispered and grabbed me into a soft hug. ¡°I¡¯m so scared,¡± I resisted the shake that attempted to move my shoulders and clenched my hands into fists. ¡°Oh you poor thing,¡± Lyra said,ughing at my expense. I pulled away from her and red at her before bursting into a tearyugh. ¡°I hate you,¡± I said, wiping my eyes. She smiled and took my hand. ¡°You have absolutely nothing to worry about, Freeds. It¡¯s absolutely normal for children to grow apart from their parents when they be teenagers. It¡¯s the way you handle it that matters,¡± she told me and I nodded. ¡°I promise you,¡± she said, patting my shoulder and looking at something that had gripped her attention. ¡°He will always love you.¡± I smiled at those words and I started to feel fine. Why had I decided that it would be okay to sulk and cry at my son¡¯s birthday celebration because I thought he was growing too fast? I sighed and turned around. ¡°Freeds, we need another pitcher. We¡¯ve almost run out of punch, help me get another,¡± I heard Lyra call from the small table where the drinks had been set up. ¡°Roger that,¡± I said, smiling at a little girl as I walked past her and hurried into the house and into the kitchen. I was shocked to find someone standing in the kitchen and staring out of the window that gave a clear view of the 21.34% backyard. It was not just anyone. It was Kaiden. ¡°Oh goddess,¡± I eximed, taking a deep breath. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± I asked. ¡°You¡¯re not supposed to be here,¡± I sighed and looked behind me to make sure that no one wasing in. I did not want anyone to see him here and get the wrong idea. I was also wary of the fact that Safiya could be here. It was going to cause a big problem because she would be mad that I had not invited her for the mini party. I had only asked over the kids in his ss and his teacher had been here to monitor them in case of any danger. ¡°He¡¯s my son,¡± Kaiden said the words so matter if factly that my heart dropped to the base of my stomach. He had not looked at me. His eyes were still outside, in the direction where Cisco was sloppily feeding my father cake. ¡°What?¡± I gasped the word and that was how I knew I had messed up. ¡°He is my son,¡± Kaiden replied and turned to look at me with eyes that were filled with the list fury I had ever seen in them. I nearly stumbled backwards. His Alpha aura shot out of him in shockwaves and I was taking the brunt of every single one. I was a Luna wolf by birth and by right, but I was still intimidated by him and his Alpha aura. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about,¡± I said, forcing the words through the tightness in my throat. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare lie to me,¡± he growled and I held my breath, 00 421 Chapter 31 1283 (Vouchers looking away from him. The only good option was to leave the kitchen, because as much as I wanted to get him out of here, I could not make him. Not right now gen he was so angry. I bit my lip and decided to leave. Right when I turned around, he grabbed my wrist and held it in a firm grip. It was not painful, just firm. My breath caught in my throat and I looked around with panic. I hated that he was touching me, and n hated even more that he was doing it in such a way that anyone could walk in and see us. ¡°Let go of me,¡± I tried to force my hand out of his grip but it became tight. I gasped, hoping that he would not tighten it further and it would start to hurt. ¡°Please let go,¡± I pleaded, looking out of the window again hoping that Lyra would realize I was taking too long and thene and save me from this s**t. ¡°Is that how much you hate me?¡± He asked in a quiet voice and I went still. I opened my mouth to speak but he cut me off. ¡°You kept him away from me for six years?¡± His voice was broken and I did not know what to say. Actually, I did. I just did not want to break him any further. I hated him hug I was not cruel. ¡°You deprived him if knowing his father all these years,¡± he said through gritted teeth and I stiffened. Now I was filled with annoyance. ¡°I was trying to protect him,¡± I said fiercely. ¡°From a father¡¯s love?!¡± He asked like I had said the most ridiculous s**t. 72011 109 43 1 Chapter 31 1288 Vouchers ¡°From you!¡± I snapped and he blinked before my hand fell out of his grip. Oh goddess¡­Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Mates 32 Mates 32 Chapter 32 FREDA WHITLOCK ¡°What did you just say?¡± Kaiden questioned like he refused to believe that he had just heard what I said. I took a deep breath and nced outside of the window before looking back at him. ¡°Kaiden, I don¡¯t want to have this conversation with you. I don¡¯t know what makes you think my son is your son, but you¡¯re mistaken.¡± I said in a pathetic attempt to sway him away from bothering my child and I. He seemed to be convinced that Francisco was his son now, and I had not helped matters by making him believe that when I said I had been protecting Francisco from him. ¡°You liar,¡± he growled, taking an aggressive step towards me. I gasped and tried to step backwards but I tripped on my feet. Everything after that seemed to happen in slow motion. The pitcher in my hand slipped out of my grip, fell to the ground and shattered and I was falling right after it. Kaiden¡¯s eyes shifted from anger and widened with worry as he saw me fall. He reached out for me while I scrambled to stop myself from falling. It was impossible. He didn¡¯t reach me in time and I was not able to save myself. I fell andnded on a shard of ss from the broken pitched. I gasped and quickly ced my injured hand over my mouth to stifle a scream of agony. ? 09 431 Chapter 32 1288 Vouchers The shard had gone so deep into my right arm that I hadnded on that I knew it was going to be excruciating. Time seemed to be normal again and Kaiden was instantly. by my side. ¡°Hey hey, are you okay?¡± He seemed panicked and I wanted nothing more than to shove my fist in his face. Hard. I bit my lip once I was sure that the scream had died down in my throat and then took my hand off my mouth. Lyra was going to be here any minute because the sound of the pitcher shattering and the loud thud of my body hitting the floor was definitely going to attract her. She hated Kaiden. I knew she despised him. If she saw him beside me while I was on the floor and bleeding, she would lose her mind. She was definitely going to attack him. And while that sounded incredibly pleasing to my ears, I did not want her to get. in trouble for disrespecting the Alphal Kaiden tried lifting me up to my feet and I. fought his grip, s**g my injured arm from him. ¡°Get out.¡± I said. He looked pained and I looked at him with disgust. ¡°Let me help you, Freda, please,¡± he pleaded and I red at him as I clenched my teeth in an attempt to stop the tears that were rapidly filling my eyes. Why? Why was he so good at making me sad all the time? Why was I so softhearted when it came to him? Why was I so weak? How did he make me so weak without even trying? ¡°You¡¯ve done enough help,¡± I spat, getting up to my feet and cradling my arm. ¡°Freda¡­¡± I cut him off. I did not want to hear his voice or my name on his lips again. 72 712 09431 Chapter 32 288 Wouchers ¡°Get the f**k out!¡± I yelled at him and pointed towards the door. with my free hand. He sighed defeated. He dropped his arms to his side and then walked towards the door. He stubbornly shook his head all of a sudden. Fury shed through me as he turned around and started walking towards me with a look of determination. What was he doing? ¡°What the hell do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± I growled at him. He grabbed my left hand in a firm but somehow gentle grip and started pulling me along with him. ¡°Let go of me!¡± I struggled to get my hand out of his grip but he maintained his hold on me. Lyra¡¯s voice burst through the kitchen just as he pulled me to the living room. ¡°Freda? What¡¯s going on? I heard you yell,¡± she said as she poked her head into the kitchen. Her eyes scanned the room with panic because she must have seen the broken pitcher and my blood on the floor. I was still bleeding and this b**d was not willing to let my hand go. I was staining the floor drops of blood. Her eyesnded on us almost immediately and her eyebrows. rose before her eyes lit ame. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± She questioned Kaiden and he let out a weary sigh, almost like he was tired of hearing that question. If he was so tired of hearing it, then maybe he should stop showing up here. ¡°Excuse me? I asked a f**g question,¡± Lyra said as she Chapter 32 2 Vouchers advanced towards us. Oh no, she was mad. Really mad. I could not let her get closer to where we were or she would disrespect her Alpha. My wolf could already tell that his wolf was offended by her tone. ¡°Lyra, it¡¯s fine,¡± I said with a sigh and she looked at me with a raised eyebrow. ¡°You don¡¯t look fine,¡± she said and shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s really fine. I was surprised to see him here and I fell and hurt myself. I¡¯ll take care of it,¡± I said, giving her a pleading look and trying tomunicate the fact that I was going to tell her -everything later. She frowned deeply and I let out a sigh. ¡°Please Lyra. Get the punch. I don¡¯t want dad to get worried. I¡¯ll be right outside when I¡¯m done with taking care of it,¡± I told her. She softened at the mention of my dad- well our dad and then nodded before giving Kaiden a hateful look and turning around to leave. ¡°Thank you,¡± I spoke out my gratitude and she gave me a nod in return as she fetched a pitcher of punch from the refrigerator. ¡°That was my favorite pitcher,¡± I heard her mourn as she left the kitchen and went back to the backyard furiously. I let out a sigh of relief and sn**d my hand from Kaiden¡¯s own. I started to head towards the kitchen,All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. ignoring the excruciating pain in my arm but I stumbled, suddenly feeling dizzy from the loss of blood. I had forgotten just how deep this wound was and how much I was bleeding. I copsed¡­ And even though it was relieving to finally be away from the m**l stress and the emotional and physical pain, I hated that I fell into Kaiden¡¯s arms. Mates 33 Mates 33 Chapter 33 11 288 Vouchers Chapter 33 FREDA WHITLOCK I opened my eyes and I was in my room. A small sigh escaped my lips as I tried to raise myself to my feet. I was still a little dizzy but I seemed to be more stable on my feet now. I immediately looked around the room as soon as I remembered what had caused me to go unconscious. I forced myself to sit straight in the bed and a pain shot through my hand. It was minusculepared to the pain I had felt when I fell on the shard of ss. I looked at my hand and saw that it had been wrapped. That meant it had been treated. My nose instantly picked up on Kaiden¡¯s scent. I looked around the room and my eyes caught on him. He was already looking at me and that caused my heart to thud hard in my chest. ¡°Why are you still here?¡± I voiced the first thought that came to my head. He looked at me and tilted his head to the side before letting out a sigh. ¡°Freda, we need to talk,¡± he said and I shook my head. I had heard that a thousand times but nothing meaningful had evere out of the conversation. ¡°For the umpteenth time, I don¡¯t want to talk to you. We have absolutely nothing to talk about. Why don¡¯t you ever understand 0943 1288 Vouchers that?¡± I said through gritted teeth. He shook his head and walked towards the door and then locked it. My heart dropped to the base of my stomach. What was he doing? What had he just done? ¡°We are going to have an actual conversation on our future and the future of our son,¡± he said and his words caused a flutter in my belly, in both a good and a bad way. I wanted to throw up. My wolf was swooning at the way he used ¡®our¡¯. I was utterly sick to my stomach. I did not want him mentioning that words, especially when it rted to Francisco, because I all truth and honesty, there was no me and him. It was just Francisco and I. Just us. ¡°There is no ¡®our¡¯, Kaiden. Please, just leave me alone. Why won¡¯t you let me have some peace of mind?¡± I asked the question because I actually wanted to know. He had made it a point of duty to make my poor life miserable. ¡°Francisco is our son. He deserves to have a father. What are you going to tell him when he starts asking? How do you think he is going to feel about being lied to this whole time about not having a father?¡± He asked,pletely ignoring the question ! had asked him. He sessfully diverted my attention from him and the anguish he was causing me to s new fear that he had unlocked. The thought hade to my mind, but I had refused to 22 20 09.43 entertain it for too long because it made me too sad. 788 Vouchers he ever asked, I was going to tell him he had no father. And I¡¯m sure that he was never going to because I love him enough for two people, more than you ever would,¡± I spat at him and he seemed to flinch at the harshness of my words. We were already past the point of arguing about who was the father of my son because we both knew. ¡°Look Freda, I know you hate me. I understand it, and I will keep doing all I can to stop you from hating me. But, I need you to know that you have immensely hurt me by keeping my son away from me this whole time,¡± he said with pain in his was wondering what he had done to deserve it. eyes, like he ¡°I wonder how I was supposed toe back and tell you that I was pregnant with your child when even when I was lying in bed sick, you left me for my sister, the one you loved more,¡± I said and pain seeped into my voice unpermitted. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. I looked away from him as tears filled my eyes. ¡°You don¡¯t understand, Freda. I had to go that night,¡± he whispered, like he understood my pain. He didn¡¯t, because her was trying to justify what he had done.. ¡°You had to go, just like all the other times,¡± I said quietly, shaking my head and looking at him with disbelief. He opened his mouth to speak but I beat him to it. ¡°Look, you have a daughter. That¡¯s perfect for you. You even have another child on the way. That¡¯s lovely. Francisco is all I have. Please leave us alone,¡± I pleaded with him with my whole heart. If he wanted me to get on his knees, to grovel at his feet so he would leave my son and I alone, I was going to. Just this once. 11 288 Vouchers He seemed to be in thought, to be considering it and I anticipated that for the first time, he would do something that made me happy. He bit his lip and then shook his head almost sadly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Freda, but I can¡¯t do that to him, to myself. I want to make up for he six years that I was not with him. I want to catch up with him. I want to be there for him. If you¡¯re not going to let me willingly, I will have to force myself in.¡± He said with a tone of finality and my heart dropped and shattered in my chest. Tears filled my eyes as he got to his feet and headed towards the door. He had taken every single thing from me. He was going to take my son too. And there was nothing I could do in the end, because he was the Alpha and I was nobody to him. I red at him with pain and tears in my eyes as he left the room. I was weak to fight against him. But I didn¡¯t have to fight, could run. My heart tore apart with pain, because I was having to consider running away again despite having promised Lyra that I was not going to. I hated myself. The heavens knew I did. But if was not my fault. It really wasn¡¯t. Mates 34 Mates 34 Chapter 34 KAIDEN STIRLING I walked out of Freda¡¯s room and passed through where the celebration was taking ce. Lyra Jacobs, red at me scornfully from where she was serving punch to the others. Her eyes silently daring me to utter a single word. If not for Freda¡¯s sake,I wouldn¡¯t have hesitated to rush over and snap her neck for daring to insult me. No lowly wolf like her could even bear to look into my eyes. I couldn¡¯t tell if it was guts or mere s**y this friend of Freda possessed. I nced around, my eyes scanning every child in the room until my gaze finallynded on Cisco as he yed with a bright smile on his face with his friends. I needed no soothsayer to confirm that the boy was my son. The resemnce between us was undeniable. Clenching my fists in anger, I stormed out of the house. I strode towards my car and pulled the car door with such intensity that could have it ripped it out of its hinges. I was angry and my wolf was wing at me to burst out and eliminate every obstacle in my path. I ignored it and drove furiously to the office. I arrived at the office and my anger had not simmered down one bit. ¡°Sir the files in the office need to be signed¡±, my secretary stated cautiously, three feet away from me. He nced at the floor, obviously intimidated by my aura. Chapter 34 288 Vouchers ¡°Noted¡± I stated through gritted teeth as I entered my office. I needed the distraction anyway. Anything to take my mind off things. I sat down and took a deep breath to settle my nerves as I began to go through each document carefully. Thirty minutester, I had barely signed any of the documents,and my mind kept straying to Freda. I tried to focus but my mind decided otherwise. ¡°You want her¡±, my wolf teased. ¡°Shut up¡± I yelled finally losing control. It was all because of Freda, why was she so stubborn?. She clearly wanted nothing to do with me. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Balling my hands into fists, I thought of when she denounced our mate bond in front of everyone, how she rejected me. I epted that I made a mistake and marrying Safiya was the worst mistake of my life. I would probably spend the rest of my days regretting our ill fated rtionship. I just wanted to make things right with Freda. I needed to get on her good side. I wanted to be a good father to my son. Why couldn¡¯t she let me do just that one thing?. I kept my face in my hands in frustration as I sighed deeply. It was a mess, I needed to get things right with Freda. She seemed to hate me even more than before. With my hands still in my face, I kicked the table repeatedly. I needed to release some of the steam or I could go crazy with anger. Just then the door suddenly burst open, as if all the terror I was facing wasn¡¯t enough I was graced with the sight of my worst nightmare, Safiya. Thisdy was a wolf in sheep¡¯s clothing. She came in, huffing and panting with red nostrils and her 7-60 Chapter 34 1288 Vouchers. blonde hair was flying furiously behind her. Her green eyes. burned furiously with murderous intent. I rubbed my temples in frustration and sighed. ¡°What do you want, Safiya?¡± I asked tiredly. All this stress was beginning to get to me. ¡°What do I want Kaiden, you have the guts to ask me what I want?¡± she yelled as she dropped her bag on my table and crossed her shoulders staring angrily at me. ¡°If you have nothing to say, then the door is behind you¡± I stated as I went back to going through the files even though I wasn¡¯t concentrating on whatever was written on it. But right now I¡¯d do anything to get rid of Safiya. ¡°Where the hell did you go, Kaiden?, why weren¡¯t you answering your calls?, I called you severally¡± she yelled so loudly her veins were bulging. She didn¡¯t look so pretty to me now, she looked like a m**l patient despite the ssy clothes she wore. I wondered what attracted me to her in the first ce. Freda was more mature and would definitely not be causing a scene in my office like Safiya was doing right now. ¡°Kaiden¡± she yelled, bringing me out of my thoughts as she stared daggers at me. ¡°I asked you where the hell you ran off to? Why didn¡¯t you answer my phone calls?¡± She said in a questioning tone. kept mute as I didn¡¯t feel the need to exin my whereabouts to anyone. I was only tolerating Safiya because she was the mother of my Kids, if not, no one dared to speak to their alpha in such a condescending manner and went scot free. Chapter 34 7 BB Wouchers I flipped quickly through the documents as I ignored her presence. ¡°Kaiden, did you go to see Freda?¡± She questioned. I balled my hands into fists as I clenched my jaw as tightly as I could as I ignored her still. ¡°Kaiden, I asked you a question,¡± she yelled a bit louder this time. ¡°Did you go to see that b** Safiya?¡± She asked as she sent all the documents on my table flying to the ground. I couldn¡¯t tell whether it was her s**g my table or her disrespectful tone towards Freya that was my undoing, all I knew was I was up the next minute using all my alpha aura to silence her and make her sumb to me. She stared at me with wide eyes as she didn¡¯t expect me to unleash my aura on her. I had always been tolerating her tantrums but not anymore. ¡°I-its because of Safiya, isn¡¯t it?¡± she croaked out. ¡°You went to see her and you¡¯re doing all this because of her?¡± She gaped in disbelief as her green eyes stared directly into my soul but I couldn¡¯t care less. ¡°Yes¡± I growled, closing the distance between us as I stood tall in front of her. I was surprised she was still on her feet, most people usually fell to their knees whenever I released my alpha aura on them. ¡°If it makes you happy, then yes, I went to see Freda, and you should get used to seeing me around her¡±, ¡± I finished as I stared down at her hard until she lowered her eyes in defeat. Feeling a bit satisfied, I stormed out of the office. Mates 35 Mates 35 Chapter 35 Chapter 35 FREDA WHITLOCK The celebration came to an end. After saying goodbyes to Cisco¡¯s friends and seeing thest person to the door, I tucked Cisco in bed. Iid beside him, stroking his head gently to the back. And I was content at this very moment. At this moment it was just a mother and her son bonding. Just then, my best. friend Lyra walked in. ¡°Is he asleep yet?¡± She whispered softly as she leaned against the door frame. Her blue eyes glowing in the dim room. I shook my head in the negative and she nodded and left us alone. I knew she had questions, angry, confused questions as to what happened today. As to why Kaiden had shown up here at the party. And I knew she wasn¡¯t going to let me rest until I provided the answers. Lyra hated Kaiden for rejecting me and I couldn¡¯t me her, but I couldn¡¯t ignore the fury that raged in Kaiden when she talked back at him. Had I not intervened, things could have gotten ugly. But why did he turn up all of a sudden? Honestly I couldn¡¯t say either. I knew he had an idea that Cisco could be his son but still, did he think he coulde storming back into our lives after six years? If he thought so, he was a big joker. Cisco and I had been doing fine without him and we would continue to do so. So far Cisco had not mentioned anything Chapter 35 288 (Voucher about wanting to know his father and I preferred to keep it that way. If Kaiden decided to show up here every day, suspicions were bound to arise and everything I struggled to build woulde crumbling down. I wasn¡¯t going to sit and watch that happen. Never! He should stay with his wife Safiya for the rest of his lifetime I thought as I felt a pang of loss in myUpstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g heart and my wolf screamed in disapproval but I refused to acknowledge any weak feelings. I could still feel the pain from where the pitcher pierced my skin. The wound tickled at the memory and I bit my lip down in an attempt to reduce the pain. ¡°Sleep baby¡± I muttered to Cisco as I closed his eyes with my hands. ¡°Mummy can I ask you a question?¡± Cisco questioned in his cute soft voice as he peered at me with big doe eyes. I raised a brow. ¡°Go ahead honey, you can ask me anything¡±, I stated rubbing his head in assurance. ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of a ¡®dad¡±?¡± questioned in his cute voice. The hands rubbing his head stilled and my spine stiffened at his outburst, color drained from my skin as I wondered what could have brought up such question. My hands shook involuntarily as I pondered in my mind. I never expected him to ask that kind of question, and at this moment of all times. My worst fears were finallying to light. I quickly masked my expression with a bright smile on my face. 0944 Chapter 35 1288 (Vouchers ¡°Why did you bring that up all of a sudden?¡± I asked with a strained voice.Cisco obviously not noticing the difort his question brought me continued on.. ¡°One of my friends at the party kept mentioning how her dad treats her like a princess and buys all the toys and clothes she wants. And all my friends kept saying something about their dad¡±. He muttered sadly and my heart clenched at the pain he must have felt. ¡°And I just stood there and said nothing because I didn¡¯t have dad like them¡±. He finished in a dejected tone. Tears rushed to my eyes slowly trickling down my face. The worst had happened and there was nothing I could do to stop it. Sooner orter, Cisco was going to find out that he truly had a father. But how was he going to feel if I told him his father was with another woman who was no one else but my sister or the fact that he father had other children too. My heart broke into a million pieces as I thought of how that knowledge would shatter Cisco. It was best not to tell him for now. It didn¡¯t deserve the heartbreak it would cause him. Instead, I med myself foring back as more tears spilled from my eyes. I couldn¡¯t bear to see my son hurt by anything or anyone. Kaiden was to me for this, if only he had acknowledged me as his mate, his son would never have had to suffer orck the love of his father. Mustering up courage, I wiped my teary eyes and took a deep breath. ¡°It¡¯ste now Cisco dear, sleep¡± I stated as I rubbed his 288 Wouchers head tenderly, silently praying he didn¡¯t bring up further disturbing questions. He seemed to have noticed my mood and questioned me no more as he closed his eyes. I heaved a heavy breath of relief as I resumed rubbing his hair gently. A part of me hoped he forgot about all this tomorrow. And another part of me twinged with guilt at the thought of me hiding something from Cisco or denying him the truth he had a right to. I was in a state of dilemma as I had no idea what to do. I was stuck between a rock and a hard ce. Nothing could be done now. The truth couldn¡¯t be hidden for long. It always came to limelight. But one thing I realised as I continued to lull Cisco to sleep was i had people who would support me,i had Lyra and my father. They would never leave me to deal with this all by myself. This thought served as a little encouragement for me but it still didn¡¯t help heal the pain my heart felt. Would my son never experience the love of his father? Will I forever be the rejected mate? Kaiden was only here because he wanted to take Cisco away from me. I shook my head at the thought pushing it away from my mind. I would take my problems one day at a time. My wolf hummed in approval as I pride for me grew. I had my wolf¡¯s support now. I continued rubbing Cisco¡¯s head softly as he slowly drifted off to sleep. Mates 36 Mates 36 Chapter 36 FREDA WHITLOCK I watched Francisco¡¯s eyes flutter shut after I started to hum a random tune. It was to help me stop myself from crying, but it had made him fall deeper asleep. When I stopped and he didn¡¯t open his eyes, I stood up from his bed side and pulled the duvet over him. He muttered something but didn¡¯t wake up, so I turned off the light and left the room quietly. I walked out into the hallway and wiped my eyes as the tears filled them again. I met Lyra in the living room and I wanted to hide my tears from her. But she had already noticed me. ¡°Hey¡­¡± She said as she stood up and walked towards me. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why are your eyes so puffy? Have you been crying?¡± She asked with a look of great concern. I started to s**b again and she pulled me into her arms as a look of panic crossed her face. I cried a lot. I had been crying a lot. It was shameful. S**d too. But I could not help it and that made everything even worse for me. ¡°Tell me, Freeds. What¡¯s wrong?¡± She asked and I pulled away from her to wipe my eyes. ¡°Cisco talked about someone at his party saying something about his dad. Now he¡¯s asking me about his own dad,¡± I cut everything short for her. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to tell him. I really don¡¯t. It kills me that I have to keep him away from his father. That makes me a bad person to both of them but I¡¯m doing it to Chapter 30 protect my son. What else can I possibly do?¡± I wept. 1288 Wouchers Lyra shook her head and hugged me again. I didn¡¯t really need.fort. I just needed to let all of my sorrow out, but I let her hold me. *Hey, it¡¯s going to be okay. It¡¯s really going on be okay, believe me.¡± She said and I shook my head, pulling away from her once again as I started to pace around the room. She looked at me worriedly. ¡°What if he asks again? What am I going to tell him? He seemed really curious and sad.¡± I said in a low voice. She shook her head and took a step towards me.¡±He is just a child, Freda. Children ask funny questions all the time. He¡¯ll probably forget about it before tomorrow,¡± she said in an attempt to stop all of my worries. ¡°I doubt it, Lyra,¡± I said, wiping my eyes and taking deep breaths so I would be able to pull myself together. She took my hands in hers and looked at me in the eyes. I avoided her eyes. Maybe I did not deserve thefort she was trying to offer. Maybe I deserved to suffer for depriving my son from having his father¡­ For mostly selfish reasons. ¡°He will. I promise,¡± she said and nodded. She pulled my in for for another hug and I let her hold me. We stayed that way several seconds until I was not huping from my tears anymore. ¡°What did Kaidene here for?¡± She asked, leading me to one of the sofa¡¯s and taking a seat. She pulled me into the seat 17.288 Vouchers beside her and pulled me against her shoulder. I leant my head there and ignored the way my heart **d a beat in my chest at the mention of his name. I opened my mouth to speak but she stopped me. ¡°Hold on,¡± she said and got up from the seat, hurrying to the kitchen to get a ss of water for herself and a ss of yogurt for me. She knew I loved yogurt. Goddess¡­ I loved her. I love her. What was I going to do without Lyra? What would happen to me. If I ever lost her for any reason? My best friend in the whole world¡­ ¡°Go on,¡± she said after she handed me my ss of yogurt. I took a sip and ran my fingers over the ss of the cup before. speaking. ¡°Just like I told you earlier, I met him in the kitchen. I hurt my arm,¡± I said and I only remembered the small throbbing pain in my arm. The pain in my chest hadCcontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. overshadowed it and now that I was feeling somewhat calm, it was mostly gone. ¡°Because he grew angry at the fact that I had denied Francisco being his child and I was trying to hide it from him. He seemed to have lost control for a moment and when he walked towards me, I thought he was trying to attack me. But I tripped and fell and hurt myself. Who knows. He could have hurt me in worse ways than the ss had,¡± I chuckled and I heard her audibly clench her teeth. I continued. ¡°After you left, I passed out from the blood loss,¡± I said, avoiding telling her that I had asked her to leave because I was fearing for her well-being if she disrespected the Alpha. 11:30 1 298 Vouchers ¡°I woke up and he insisted on having a conversation with me in my room.¡± She spoke immediately. ¡°Did he try anything??¡± She questioned. ¡°No Lyra, I wouldn¡¯t let him,¡± I smiled and took another sip of my yogurt. ¡°He wants to be a father figure in Francisco¡¯s life. I was going to object, in fact, I did. But he said that I can not stop him. He¡¯s insisting, Lyra. He is going to take my son away from me.¡± I whispered the last part. ¡°This is my worst nightmare. This is everything I was trying to protect Francisco from,¡± I said. ¡°Safiya is going to put her dirty eyes on my son and only the goddess knows what Georgina is going to do when she hears it from Safiya,¡± I said, trying unsessfully to keep the tremor out of my voice. ¡°And don¡¯t you dare me yourself for making me stay. This is not your fault in any way. I made my choice. I chose to stay and I¡¯m going to go through with it,¡± I said, turning to re at her because I felt her body tense against me at my words and I naturally knew that she would me herself. She smiled at me weakly. ¡°This is an absolute nightmare,¡± she said. ¡°I don¡¯t want to have anything to do with him but it seems like I¡¯m going to be seeing him a lot, since he is going to being to see Francisco whether I allow it or not,¡± I said sadly. ¡°This is bad. This is really bad,¡± Lyra said and I could only nod in agreement. Mates 37 Mates 37 Chapter 37 KAIDEN STIRLING ¡°Daddy!¡± Harper squealed as she hurried to the dinning table in a jean pinafore. Her gorgeous blonde hair had been packed into two pigtails that were adorned with bows and she looked incredibly adorable. ¡°My princess,¡± I grinned, getting out of my seat just in time to grab her under her shoulders and lift her go into the air. She screamed with excitement and thenughed. ¡°How¡¯s my one and only princess doing today?¡± I asked, cing her in her special seat and handing her a full bowl of sliced fruits. She happily dug in. ¡°Woah, looks like someone is hungry,¡± I said with a smile and she gave me a smile through a mouthful of watermelon. One of the maids had already dressed her up for school since Safiya had refused toe out of the room. I sighed as I ate my pancakes. G**n it, I was tired of the pancakes. If there was any other thing I could have for breakfast, I will greatly appreciate it. I was worried about Safiya, for a lot of reasons. She was not taking proper care of herself and that worried me. She was pregnant. I could not possibly allow anything to happen to her. As much as the child she was carrying was hers, it was mine as well. Chapter 37 1288 Vouchers She always **d meals and she did not exercise and take antenatal care as much as she had when she was pregnant with Harper. I feared that was because of me. That was the second reason I was worried about her. She was trying to punish me by hurting herself. She was angry at me for the ways I had been treating her and gradually growing indifferent towards her over these years. It just was not something I could help. I did not love her anymore. I was not even sure I ever loved her. It was just an obsession I had had over her and it had died the moment my mate had left. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. A foolish part of me had fed on the enjoyment we got from Safiya as an obsession because I had always thought Fredal would always be there for me to f**k, for me to hold, for me toy my comins. Goddess, for a man as s**id as was, I could not understand how the moon goddess had made me the Alpha by birthright. Another reason I was worried was over the fact that¡¯s she hated her sister because of me. She hated Freda and she did not try to hide it anymore. That was my fault, and absolutely hated myself for it. I hade in between the sisters the moment I had started dating Safiya while I manipted Freda to satisfy my needs because of the feelings she had for me as her mate. I understood why both of them were angry at me. But the one thing I could not understand was Safiya¡¯s anger at her sister. Freda had refused to look at me any other way than as an 11001 Chapter 37 enemy ever since she hade back and found out that Safiya was married to me. That hurt, but she was beingpletely faithful to her sister. Why wasn¡¯t Safiya the same way? ¡°What of Mom?¡± Harper asked, pushing her te towards me. She was done with her food and she rushed to grab her bag from where it sat on one of the couches. I carried her lunch bag with me and instructed a maid to send food up to Safiya. ¡°She¡¯s still asleep,¡± I told Harper a half truth. Harper nodded. ¡°When you get back home, tell her I said hi,¡± she said and I nodded, bending down at the waist so I could kiss her forehead. She blushed crimson and grabbed my hand as we headed out towards the driveway. I put her in her car seat and buckled her in. Her school was a twenty minute drive away from the pack house. I parked the car at the entrance of the kindergarten school and went to open the door for her. ¡°Bye dad!¡± She called and kissed my arm where she could reach before running off. I turned to look at her after I shut the door and realized that she was not going towards the entrance. She was running towards a small boy. A boy that looked just like me. Francisco. His mother was not far behind. My heart s**d a beat, and I did not have as much control over my wolf as I did, I would have been running towards her the way my daughter had fun towards her son¡­ My son¡­ Harper¡¯s brother. Oh hell¡­ Chapter 37 ¡°Francisco,¡± Harper said with a big smile which Francisco shyly returned. He was so adorable. He took Harper¡¯s hand gently and turned to save goodbye at his mom before they walked to the entrance together. ¡°Hey, big man,¡± I said with a grin, intercepting both of them on their way. He grinned up at me and thenughed as I ruffled his hair. Freda¡¯s smile as she stared at our son walk into the school with his step sister. Goddess, the whole family dynamic was weird. I did not regret having both my son and daughter though. I just wish I had been able to control the erratic piece of s**t I had been back then. I walked towards Freda who stared straight ahead. ¡°Hey,¡± I said and she responded with a cool ¡°Hi.¡± I sighed as I looked at her. ¡°Freda, I was serious about being a father to Francisco. I know that makes you ufortable. You don¡¯t have to tell me the reason again, but I can¡¯t leave my son alone.¡± I told her with exasperation. I needed her to stop being so cold to me. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be there for him, Kaiden, please,¡± she looked at me with pleading eyes. ¡°Think about what this will do to him, to my already ruined rtionship with my sister. I can take care of him on my own, just back off,¡± she pleaded and I was quite for some minutes Then I shook my head. Despite the fact that she had a point, I was going to have to be selfish for my son this time. I needed to have a rtionship with my son and he needed one with his Chapter 37 father. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯ll face the consequences,¡± I said and walked back to my car. Mates 38 Mates 38 Chapter 38 FRIEDA WHITLOCK I was d that Kaiden said nothing more to stop me as I walked away. If he did, I¡¯m afraid I would have given in to his demand of having ims over Francisco. I had seen as he stared at him with tenderness. The longing in his eyes to do more than rub his hair was ring on his features. I needed no soothsayer to tell me that Kaiden loved Francisco. However, he had a family already. Harper was always so ecstatic when she spoke about her father to Fransisco. I recalled how she kept bragging about him during Cisco¡¯s birthday party. Kaiden was her superhero. I could imagine how much it would be for her to know that her dad would be someone else¡¯s too, someone who wasn¡¯t her mom. This was so tough to even imagine. Tears welled in my eyes as I thought about it. Igniting the engine, I dared not to look back even though I felt his stare piercing through the window to my face. Roughly, I drove out of the premises and my tears finally fell freely. I was not being fair to Cisco. He deserved a father¡¯s love like every child out there with their parents but I couldn¡¯t give him that and this is because of how messed up everything had be. Kaiden wasn¡¯t giving up and it was evident from how he spoke earlier. My mind was in turmoil. It was a miracle that I arrived home safely with how much tears had blinded my sight. As I pulled 11:30 Chapter 30 1268 Wouchers over in the driveway, I caught sight of a familiar figure standing outside the building. It was Safiya. She stood with her arms folded and had an unfriendly look on her face. Whatever it was, she didn¡¯t seem happy to be here. My breath hitched for a moment when her eyes fell on the car and my heart sank to the bottom of my stomach. Why was I reacting this way? I did nothing wrong. Bing wary of her stare, I quickly wiped my face and made sure I looked natural before hopping out of the car. I didn¡¯t hurry to go meet her, I took my time getting my things from the car before walking toward the front door where she was standing. As I walked toward her, I noticed the look of conviction in her eyes as she stared at me. It was evident she hated me but I was wowed by the fact that she didn¡¯t hide it every time we were to face each other. Maybe it was a good thing. At least I knew her feelings towards me. What I didn¡¯t know were her intentions but judging from several events that had taken ce in the past, I didn¡¯t think I had a shot of getting a dose of good thoughts from her. ¡°Safiya¡± I acknowledged when I was before her, when she said nothing, I gazed around. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you go in? Aren¡¯t you here to see Dad?¡± I asked with concern but all she did was stare at me with disgust. I had seen from her expression earlier that she wasn¡¯t here for nice talks and this proved it. Why was she here if not for Dad then? ¡°Why are you acting like you actually care about what I do or feel when you clearly don¡¯t¡± She said, a scowl forming on her face as her eyes squinted at me. 26361 11:30 1288 Vouchers What did she know? My heart s**d a beat and sweat broke out on my forehead. ¡°Safiya, stop talking in riddles and state what your problem is, or just leave. I have better things to do¡± I stated, almost giving my restlessness away. What if Kaiden made mention of Fransisco being his son to her? My heart thumped out of fear, so much that I feared she could hear it. ¡°Stay away from Kaiden, Freda. He¡¯s mine. You better pay heed to my words before it¡¯s toote¡± She spat with disdain, ring daggers at me. Her hateful look was like a knife tearing through my chest as I recalled when everything used to be neutral between us. We didn¡¯t hate each other but also weren¡¯t two peas in a pod. Just neutral. But now¡­ Things were different. Safiya had changed and so did I. Even though that was the case, I was somewhat relieved to know that she had no idea aboutCcontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Francisco¡¯s rtionship with Kaiden. For some reason, she not know seemed to be the best option for everyone. ¡°How do you feel, lurking over a man with a wife, kid, and another on the way? Ever since you came back, you¡¯ve been doing all you can to separate him from me, when did you be so cheap?¡± She continued, raising her perfectly carved brows my way. Anger surged through my chest and I scoffed. How dare she call me cheap? Between me and her, we both knew who the cheap one was. I should have known this was the reason why she would be here in the first ce to im her husband. The 11 30 Chubler 38 288 (Vouchers same man I rejected and had no business with. I had Francisco and he was enough. We didn¡¯t need Kaiden in our lives. Staring at how serious and desperate she looked, I wondered what attitude Kaiden might¡¯ve disyed before her that made her feel I wanted him. However, whatever it was, I didn¡¯t care. Right now, I wanted her ugly face out of my sight. ¡°Safiya, still dumb as usual,¡± I smirked at how wide her eyes went at my remark, she gasped, seething silently while I continued, ¡°Instead of putting the me of your husband¡¯s actions on me, you should warn him and ask him to stay the f**k away from me! I don¡¯t want him back. I never will!¡± With that, I walked past her, our shoulders brushing gently but she s**d a bit and that was not my problem. She had iting. Mates 39 Mates 39 Chapter 39 FRIEDA WHITLOCK When I entered the house, I mmed the door and leaned against it breathing heavily as the image of what I would have done to her if she wasn¡¯t pregnant shed through my mind. It had taken me immense control over Gia that she was still alive this day since Gia wanted to rip off her throat for iming her mate. Ex-mate, who for some reason, she still was attracted to. ¡®He didn¡¯t ept the rejection¡¯ Gia snapped and I let out a long hiss, staring out the window, watching as Safiya stomped toward the car parked by the road. She was lucky today. However, if she continued getting on my nerves every time, I don¡¯t think she would be spared next time. I balled my fists as I moved away from the window. To an extent, it wasn¡¯t her fault. Kaiden was to be med. It was his fault from the start and even though I hated to admit it after what Safiya did out there, he yed with us both. He made her feelfortable and now, she couldn¡¯t handle the heat from his actions. Taking a deep breath, I gazed around the room only to see that no one was present. It seemed like Lyra wasn¡¯t home because if she were, she woulde running to me once she heard the door m. And dad? I made my way to his room but upon getting there, I found no one. He was not even in his bathroom. Maybe Lyra took him out Chapter 39 for a walk around? I spotted the empty jug on the bed stand and picked it up, taking it with me to the kitchen for a refill. When that was done, I headed to my room and dropped on the bed like a bag of chips. My throat felt a bit sore from crying earlier. I don¡¯t think I fried enough but thanks to Safiya I was done crying over silly things Kaiden said. He didn¡¯t deserve a reaction like this from me. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Fransisco and I were fine. As I gotfortable with my thoughts, the ring sound of my phone¡¯s ringtone disrupted me and I begrudgingly sat up before grabbing the device from the nightstand. My face immediately lit up when I saw the caller. It was Elle, the secretary at the coffee shop. Since I returned home, I hadn¡¯t given her a call and even though her call made me happy, I couldn¡¯t help the twinge of guilt hunting my system. I should have called. I picked up the call, ¡°Hello Elle,¡± There was a sigh of relief from her end that made me chuckle, ¡°Oh my goodness, Freda. It¡¯s nice to hear from you after a long time. I was so worried, you know¡± She expressed her concerns and my chest warmed. I smiled, ¡°I¡¯m fine Elle, you don¡¯t have to worry about me. I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯te back as promised but I swear everything of fine here¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I know you had to settle in and all. How is Francisco? Oh, I miss that smart boy¡± She said and I could picture her pupils dting as she spoke of Cisco. When I was still there, all my colleagues loved Cisco. So much so that they made him a Chapter 39 special cup of coffee when he came around. Recalling those moments brought tears to my eyes. My coworkers were also part of the train to bring Cisco up and I couldn¡¯t be more grateful that I knew them. ¡°He¡¯s doing very well Elle. How is the business? I believe the sales have been growing exceptionally well¡± I asked, steering the conversation away from me. ¡°Yeah, sales have been good but the customers miss your coffee,¡± She said and Iughed at the compliment. ¡°You never told us the secret ingredient to your coffee till you left and for that reason, I¡¯m very mad at you¡± I couldn¡¯t help the rumble ofughter that escaped my lips this time. I fell back on my bedughing at herment. There was nothing special to my way of making coffee. The customers just loved seeing my pretty face standing behind the counter, I guess. But that was pretty because I had the prettiest coworkers. After a long chat with Elle, we bade each other goodbye after I promised to call her now and then. Speaking with Elle lightened up my mood drastically. I was up and all smiles the next minute as I headed to the bathroom to take a shower. Today had to be a good day, I m**y noted. After taking a shower, I dressed up in shorts and a decent tank top before leaving my room. Lyra and Dad were yet to be back from wherever they went. I had gotten a bit scared when I found out that it had been an hour since I was back so I texted Lyra but she said Dad wanted to stay out more hence the dy. She did say, they would be home soon though. Chapter 39 283 Vouchers I decided to make something simple for the three of us as I felt Dad would be tired after that long time out. Who knew what Lyra was making him do? That naughty girl. Today, we would have breakfast twice. Giggling at my thoughts, I s**d to the kitchen where I got busy with the things I needed to make the simple breakfast buffet I had in mind. As I chopped, sliced, and mixed, I hummed along to the soft tune of my favorite songing from my phone. I was fast with everything I did. I wanted Dad and Lyra toe home to a feast but maybe that was a thought too soon because I was merely halfway done when I heard the doorbell ringing. Wait. Why were they ringing the doorbell instead of just walking right into the house? I wondered ignoring Gia¡¯s restless movements in my head. She had her problems these days. The ringing of the doorbell persisted and I was forced to wash my hands and hurry to get the door ¡°This must be one of Lyra¡¯s tricks¡± I muttered with a smile as I twisted the door **b. However, when I pulled the door open, my smile dropped at the sight of Kaiden standing before me. Gia had different thoughts though, ¡®Why does he look ravishing now?¡¯ What the heck?! Mates 40 Mates 40 Chapter 40 FREDA WHITLOCK I pushed the door shut as soon as I realized that it was Kaiden. Well, I tried. He stopped me from closing the door. ¡°Kaiden, please stop,¡± I said tiredly. I was not in the mood for this. I really was not in the mood for this. I did not want any more issues at this point, especially not with Safiya. ¡°What do you want from me?¡± I asked, ring at him. He pushed it wide open and I could not do anything about it because I was not as strong as him. ¡°I just want to apologize,¡± he said with a pleading look. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear anything you have to say, Kaiden. I just need you and your wife to stay away from me. You¡¯re both making my life more miserable than it already is. Why is it so hard for you to leave me alone?¡± I said tiredly, letting out a sigh. He tried to let himself in but I pushed at his chest. ¡°Get out,¡± I said through gritted teeth. How did he not understand that I was already going through sufficient emotional stress. Why was he stressing me physically on top of it? ¡°Freda please,¡± he said, sounding exasperated. How dare he? I was the one who was constantly being bothered, bullied and stressed. How dare he act tired? ¡°Get out! I don¡¯t want to see you, talk to you or hear whatever you have to say!¡± I yelled and him and finally forced the door Chapter 40 Padded a post. You watched their videos recently close with a burst of strength I did not know i nad. As soon as it clicked shut, I locked it and leaned against it, crying bitterly. I was angry, sad and frustrated all at the same time. How had ite to this? How did my rtionship with my younger sister gone to s**t the way it had? How had we fallen apart? How had we let an indecisive, selfish p**k pull us apart? In all honesty, I missed my sister. I missed the angel she had been before she fell for Kaiden. I missed the rtionship we had before I discovered he was my mate and he was attracted to myAll text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. younger sister. We had let him destroy what we had, what was left of our family after mom died. So shameful. I cried harder. I wanted to stop. I really wanted to because crying was s**d and it almost never yielded any results. It was s**d, but I could not help it. I fell in my knees and hugged myself as I curled in a ball. I was pathetic. I was s**d. I should have stood up my sister back before I ran away. I should have told Kaiden that I was not going to take any more of his b**t, that he had the choice to make between my sister and I. And now I was facing the consequences. I just feared that the consequences were a little too much for me. A little more than I could take. A little more than I deserved. I heard a knock on the door and I ignored it. It was Kaiden.i knew he was trying to bother me again and I was not going to let him. Why was is it so d**n hard for him to stick to the 1288 Vouchers choice he had made? He had to choose between my sister and I. He had chosen my sister. He had married her. Why was he finding it so difficult to stay with her? The knocks became more insistent and I grew very angry. I picked up my broken pieces from off the floor, held myself together with temporary glue and got to my feet. I was going to punch him in his Alpha face since it was so difficult for him to understand simple words. I unlocked the door and aggressively pulled it open. ¡°Kaiden, I swear to G**d¡± I cut myself short and took in a deep breath as my eyes caught sight of Lyra. ¡°Hey¡­ Where have you been? Didn¡¯t you hear ¡ª What happened to you?¡± She asked and her face that was initially filled with confusion was now filled with concern. My bottom lip wobbled on sighting her and I took a deep breath to stop the tears that were imminent. ¡°Heyyy¡­¡± She whispered, pushing past me and shutting the door behind her. I walked towards the kitchen to see if getting a sip of water would help me get my s**t together. ¡°Freda, talk to me. Tell me what¡¯s wrong,¡± she said with a sigh. I knew she was tired of seeing me cry, but I doubted she ever got tired of consoling me. ¡°It¡¯s Safiya. Safiya and Kaiden. I know you¡¯ve tried to get me not to cry over them anymore, but I can¡¯t help it. They have made it Chapter 40 a point of duty to stress me out and hurt me every chance they get. I¡¯m so tired of it and I don¡¯t know what to do at this point,¡± I said and blinked rapidly, trying to stop the tears that were coming to my eyes. She sighed and walked up to me, pulling me in for a hug. ¡°What exactly happened? What did they do?¡± She asked and I gulped, looking down at my hands. ¡°Safiya approached me. She was yelling and agitating and I¡¯m pretty sure that people heard how she would not stop talking about how I was trying to take Kaiden from her. I lost control and yelled back at her. Kaiden is the oneing after me. I want him to stop but he just won¡¯t. As If that was not enough, he came to the door. I sent him away. I thought it was him that was at the door. That was why I did not answer you in time,¡± I said, burying my face in her chest as I wept. ¡°It¡¯s exhausting. I just want them to leave me alone. I just want Kaiden to leave me alone. It hurts that I¡¯ve gotten to this point with Safiya. Why does he insist oning after me and making things worse between us? Why?¡± I cried out the question. because I needed an actual answer. I was so tired of all the drama and I just wanted it all to end. She wrapped her hands tighter around me but said nothing. That was enough for me. I did not want any words because she was not going to answer my question with whatever she had to say. Mates 41 Mates 41 Chapter 41 KAIDEN STIRLING Throughout the drive back to the pack house, I could not stop thinking about what Freda had said. And the more I thought. about it, the more annoyed I had grown. What had she meant, ¡®warn your wife¡±? My thoughts could only go in one direction. Safiya had done. something to her. Something very bad. I mmed the car door shut as soon as I had parked the car and hopped out of it. I stormed into the pack house, in the direction of the east wing where the alpha quarters was. As soon as I was in there, my eyes caught Safiya having her breakfast. ¡°What did you do?¡± I asked immediately, storming towards her. I knew I should have controlled my anger, or at least tried to. But I couldn¡¯t. Not when she had hurt Freda enough to cry so much. ¡°What?¡± She asked, pausing the fork that held a slice of pancake and two blueberries in its way to her mouth. ¡°What did you do to Freda? What did you say to her?¡± I asked, so she would know I was not ying around with her. I needed. answers as soon as possible and she as annoying me even further by not giving me the answers I wanted. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. Did something happen to her?¡± She asked, feigning ignorance of what I was asking her Chapter 41 1288 Vouchers about. I knew she was not ignorant. In fact, the eyeroll she had failed miserably at concealing was proof of what I was talking about. ¡°Safiya, I¡¯m not messing around,¡± fumed and she seemed taken aback by my anger and then hurt. ¡°Why are you so concerned about her? She¡¯s not your wife. I am. You¡¯re supposed to support me in whatever the situation may be and you¡¯re not doing that,¡± she ced down her fork and spoke. A low growl escaped my throat and it was not a warning one. It was a threatening one that made her eyes widen with surprise. My wolf was really upset. Even more upset than I was, because he sensed that Freda and her wolf were in a lot of distress. That bothered him a lot and the fact that Safiya was not telling us what we wanted to hear was aggravating him far more than I had the ability to control. ¡°Fine.¡± She said, getting up to her feet like she wanted to confront me. ¡°I told her to stay away from you. You¡¯re my husband, you¡¯re mine. She needs to get over whatever it was you both had in the past and leave you alone. You belong to me now,¡± she said, walking towards me and my wolf seemed to lose it for a moment. A vicious growl tore through the air between us and she shivered with fear. Her wolf understood the rage in my wolf¡¯s voice and despite how both of them were, her wolf seemed to want to back away. ¡°Safiya¡­¡± I said her fame in an exasperated manner, letting out an aggravated sigh. This was exhausting. Having to endure the b**t she fed me with time was exhausting. Dejder 41 I took several deep breaths to calm myself before I spoke to her. I did not want to scare her too much and at the same time, I wanted her to learn her ce, to learn that she was in the wrong and she was offending me. ¡°Don¡¯t ever¡­¡± I continued the warning I had started when I called her name. ¡°Don¡¯t you ever approach Freda to bother her again.¡± She looked appalled and I could tell she was about to yell. ¡°I¡¯m sorry??¡± She questioned, her voice rising in pitch as year filled her eyes and anger filled her features. ¡°What did you just say?¡± She fisted her hands beside her as she furiously asked the question. t a re ¡°You heard me, Safiya. I do not of what happened today,¡± I told her with a sigh. I hated having to be this way with her, but she always pushed me. She always brought out the worst in me. And she always took the brunt of my anger. ¡°I am your wife, Kaiden. I have the duty to keep our rtionship safe. You are mine and Freda is trying to take you away from me. You think I¡¯m just going to let that happen?¡± She asked angrily, mming her fist in the table. She was being disrespectful but that¡¯s as the least of my worries at the moment. ¡°Except you want to see the worst part of me, you will stay away from her,¡± I said with a tone of finality and the tears that were glistening in her eyes finally dropped down to her cheeks. She wiped them off aggressively but the kepting in torrents. I hated hurting her. I really did. But she was always pushing me to my very limits. Chapter 41 285 (Wouchers ¡°Is she important to you?¡± She asked and I said nothing for a full minute before I spoke again. ¡°You need to remember that she is my mate,¡± I told her bluntly, ignoring the way pain etched on her face. I could see that she was visibly holding back s**bs. ¡°She rejected you,¡± she said in a cracked voice. I shook my head. ¡°I did not ept it, Safiya,¡± I told her in a matter of fact tone and she broke down into tears. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. She doesn¡¯t want you. She left. She stayed away. She¡¯s just trying to take away my happiness now and that¡¯s why she came back. You¡¯re letting that happen, Kaiden,¡± she cried, grabbing her fork and clenching it in her hands. For a second, I was scared she would stab herself and I kept my instincts razor sharp so I would be able to stop her from doing anything s**d. ¡°I¡¯m afraid you don¡¯t know Freda. That¡¯s quite unfortunate,¡± I said, shaking my head and walking away from her as she tossed the fork across the room and cried hard. I truly hated hurting her, but she was doing this to herself.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Mates 42 Mates 42 Chapter 42 FRIEDA WHITLOCK ¡°Do you n to spend the whole day here today?¡± Dad asked, staring at me lovingly and I smiled at him. Two days ago, my new apartment with Francisco had been arranged and paid for so I moved out. Getting that apartment was to maintain my and Cisco¡¯s dynamics as we were back in the States. However, who knew I would always want toe over and talk to Dad and Lyra any chance I got? Luckily, the apartment was just a street away from home so I could jog over most of the time. This way, Cisco could easily cycle over to visit his grandpa. But it just wasn¡¯t the same as living with them. Lyra had thrown a tantrum about me moving out but in the end, she reluctantly helped set the interior decoration of my apartment. As long as I wasn¡¯t leaving, she would do anything in support of my decision of staying of course. ¨C ¡°I wish I could dad. I love spending time with you two¡± I pursed my lips to form a pout and he laughed. Chuckling, I reached for my ss of smoothie on the table. We were in the backyard lounging in the garden. Lyra had set up umbres to block it from the sun. This was such a perfect arrangement to cool off. I mindedying here all day doing nothing other than talking andughing like we were doing now. ¡°Me too darling, however, I think it¡¯s time for you to get out of the house often. You need to get a job¡± Dad stated seriously Chapter 42 and I sighed. 1288 Vouchers ¡°It¡¯s not that easy to get a good job with my qualifications, Dad,¡± I told him feeling a bit embarrassed. I was lucky to get past twelfth grade then no more. Maybe, things would have been different if I didn¡¯t have Cisco. I might¡¯ve graduated college and secured a good job but probably would still have lost either way. I don¡¯t regret having Cisco, he¡¯s my life and maybe having him was already the biggest win for me after everything I had been through. Aside from a job, I don¡¯t think I needed anything else. ¡°I understand Freda and there¡¯s nothing to be ashamed of Your were in a tight position then because I know you. You were always the brightest back at school. If things were different, you would¡¯ve had a great career¡± He said, his voice calm and smooth. I smiled, feeling a heat crawl to my cheeks, ¡°Thanks Dad for being the most supportive¡± ¡°What about me?¡± Lyra chimed in and we turned to stare at her. She was by the door, frowning dramatically with her hands folded across her chest. She looked like a five-year-old deprived of candy. Such a baby. My favorite baby in the whole world apart from Cisco. ¡°Lyra, you know I wouldn¡¯t do anything without getting a go- ahead from you right? That¡¯s how much you impact my life. I love you sis¡± I winked and she smiled, walking toward us. ¡°I love you too¡± She winked, plopping on the lounge chair next to Dad, ¡°I overheard Dad telling you to look for a job. I think that¡¯s a great idea Freeds. You should go for it. I¡¯ll help look for Chapter 42 1283 Vouchers vacancies around¡± ¡°See what I was saying?¡± I grinned, pointing at her and weughed. ¡°Thanks, bestie¡± Two hours passed and it was time to get Cisco from school. I was reluctant to leave but both of them had to sing it to me how they wouldn¡¯t spare me if their Cisco had to wait for me while exhausted from all the school hassle. It was sweet but mean at the same time. How could they threaten me with my son? All through the drive, I kept giggling. I think today was probably the first time, Iughed so hard. I felt alive. Deep down, I wished things would never change from this but was that possible? A part of my life was already heading downhill and in the meantime, I had no control over it. But¡­ Today was good and I had to stop thinking about everything else but the fun I had with two of the most special persons in my life. ¡°Well, I¡¯m early and no one¡¯s grandson will be waiting for their mother¡± Sarcasm dripped from my words as I pulled over in the parking area of Cisco¡¯s school. When I got out of the car, I took a picture of myself and sent it to Lyra with a caption stating how early I was. I know she and Dad will have a goodugh over this. After me, more parents arrived to get their kids. Momentster, the children had been dismissed for the day and I hurried over to get Cisco. stood right in front of the building searching for my handsome boy with my eyes. He was yet to come out and I couldn¡¯t wait to see him. I missed him so much, I just realized. Chapter 42 11 288 Vouchers Suddenly, a woman I recognized as Cisco¡¯s teacher blocked my line of sight. I frowned. I don¡¯t think she knowingly did that since people were all over the ce but it made me angry. I shifted to the side to see if I could spot Cisco but then his teacher walked till she was right before me. ¡°Ms Whitlock¡± She called and I looked at her with raised brows before nodding. Why had shee to me directly, did something happen to Cisco? Was she here to report something irrational about him? Well, she better hold her horses because my son was the sweetest and I was ready to vouch for that. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so tensed ma¡¯am. All¡¯s well. I just came. over to tell you about the party that will be held next week¡± She informed and my shoulders rxed ¡°Oh, a party?¡± ¡°Yes ma¡¯am. The school has decided to throw a party and only the top ten students have been selected and invited. Cisco is among the top ten. Actually, he¡¯s in the top five. I must say, ma¡¯am, you have such an intelligent boy. Despite being a new pupil, he has been doing exceptionally well¡± My chest bubbled with joy as she praised Cisco. I couldn¡¯t help the wide smile that spread on my lips. Cisco had always been brilliant but when we moved here I was worried about how he would cope but he was proving to me that he could do just fine. ¡°Thank you very much. I will be sure to bring him to the party¡± My voice seeped with excitement. I felt like jumping but that would just be dramatic. She smiled and nodded. However, her next words left me frozen in my spot. ¡°You will be expected. Please ask Mr. Whitlock toe as well as it is a requirement that the kids muste with both. parents¡¯ What did she mean by a requirement for the presence of.. of a father?Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Mates 43 Mates 43 Chapter43 FREDA WHITLOCK I had no idea how many seconds passed between us but I stood frozen unable to react while she kept smiling. ¡°What?¡± I voiced out when she turned to leave. I hoped that I was the one who misunderstood her statement. Maybe she said. something else and I misheard? ¡°Yes, Mrs. Whitlock?¡± She called, turning back with a chaste smile on her face. The smile suddenly annoyed me, how could she still be all smiles after dropping that bombshell? And for goddess¡¯s sake, it was Ms. Whitlock and not whatever she kept saying. ¡°Is it necessary?¡± My voice came out h**e, barely above a whisper due to my parched throat. She looked cluelessly at me as if she hadn¡¯t gotten my question. ¡°Is it necessary that Cisco¡¯s father come as well?¡± She gave me a look that made me uneasy. She seemed to have questions swirling in her head as to why I was asking such a question. It made me angry but I couldn¡¯t react. People were bound to feel the same way she did, I just had to get used to it as time went by ¡°It is. The children must be here with both parents else they will be disqualified and sent home¡± She exined and my mouth. hung open. Chapter43 288 Wouchers What the heck? What type of absurd requirement was that? Moon goddess, what sort of conspiracy was this? ¡°Oh! And the best student would be awarded greatly. I expect to see Francisco present ma¡¯am¡± She added and tapped my shoulder lightly before walking away. My eyes were on her figure as she left and when she was gone, they turned misty. Today was going great. Everything was fine so why did things. have to change? ¨C from not wanting Kaiden around to him being needed. What would I do now? No matter what, I had made it clear that Kaiden would never be part of my life again. He had hisAll content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. family and even though Cisco was his son, we didn¡¯t need him. My heart raced with many thoughts of how I could get around this situation. This was Cisco¡¯s big moment, it had to be perfect. I couldn¡¯t deprive him of this. I had to figure something out. I was stressed out and perspiring so badly even though the weather was cool. I had forgotten that I was standing in front of the school building and was waiting for Cisco. I only snapped out of reverie when I felt tiny arms wrapped around my legs. ¡°Mommy!¡± I looked down only to be melted by the gorgeous. eyes staring at me. ¡°How was your day, sweetheart?¡± I asked, crouching to his level to engulf him in a big hug. For a moment, while he was in my arms, I forgot about everything I had been worried about. ¡°I had lots of fun today¡± He beamed and I tapped his nose Chapter43 11 288 Voucher yfully before standing to my feet. ¡°I¡¯m d you did, baby¡± I relieved him of his bag pack and held his hand. ¡°Shall we?¡± He nodded and we began heading toward the car. ¡°Mom?¡± He called as we got to where my car was parked. I hummed with a nod, urging him to speak. ¡°The teacher said there¡¯s going to be a party and I am invited because¡­¡± He paused as though searching for the right word to say, ¡°Because I¡¯m smart¡± He said with a smile so wide that I pouted at how cute he looked. ¡°You¡¯re smart indeed and yes hunny I know about the party,¡± I said, pulling his cheeks, and his giggles rented the air. I led him to the passenger seat and opened the door for him but he didn¡¯t get in immediately as he turned to me swiftly. ¡°Mom, she said we should bring our dads with us. We¡¯re bringing a dad right?¡± He blinked with innocence as he spoke. While it was a mere question to him, it sent my mind reeling with many thoughts. When I looked down at him again, I gulped down nothing. His hopeful eyes wererge and round as they gazed up at me. My heart began to race as I thought of the right words to say in response to his question. He said, a dad. How do I tell him that, a dad was not an item but a person? His other parent. How do I tell him that he had a father but he was not with him? He had another family. ¡°How about we go home and guess what I made? Your favorite meal!¡± My voice was shaky as I brushed his question off. His eyes shed with excitement and he pped gleefully, hopping into the passenger¡¯s seat and I closed the door. Chapter 43 1288 Vouchers The thud from the door shutting made me s**p. I was scared now. How would he feel when I told him he wasn¡¯t going to be apanied by his father? Would I do that to him? He could get disqualified. Oh moon goddess please, spare me already. When I got into the driver¡¯s seat, I yed his favorite tracks and got ready to drive. My hands were shaky on the steering wheel. I took deep breaths to calm myself while slowly bobbing my head to the tunes booming in the car. He looked excited, and I knew it had something to do with the party. Would I break such hopes? I couldn¡¯t even if I wanted to. But then, I would never call Kaiden for his help. However, I was in a fix. There was no other option for me than getting Kaiden toe to this event and leaving our lives for good. Now, the problem was how willing was Kaiden to do this one thing for me without wanting something in return. I knew he would want Cisco but what about me? I finally started the car and drove it out of the school. As I drove, I would smile at Fransisco as he had his fun listening to the tunes. How many more times would he ask about his father and for how long would I keep brushing him off? He was growing up and the more he hung out with friends, the more he learned about having a father. Now, this g**d-d**d school insisted on this throwing me off my feet. What do I do now? Mates 44 Mates 44 Chapter 44 FREDA WHITLOCK It was evening time, Lyra, Cisco and I were all seated together in the living room as Lyra cracked silly jokes and we allughed. It was a lively atmosphere and I looked at Cisco whoughed at another of Lyra¡¯s silly jokes, his eyes glinted with the innocence of a child and I couldn¡¯t help but sigh in contentment with a wide smile on my face. My mind strayed to the party taking ce at Cisco¡¯s school and how it waspulsory for his father to attend. My smile faded instantly as my mood soured. Lyra kept ying with Cisco and she even advanced to tickling him, his pure innocentughter filled the whole room. I watched this all with a strained smile, Lyra, bless her soul, must have noticed as she kept ncing at me with a typical Lyra ¡®are you okay?¡¯ face. I just shook my head and nced at Cisco. She nodded, giving me the ¡®we would talk about thister¡¯ look and went back to ying with Cisco, soon my baby fell asleep on the couch. And Lyra, who had been waiting for that moment, took a seat beside me on the couch and attacked me with questions. ¡°What¡¯s wrong Freda, you look off?She asked, her eyebrows knitted together in worry, I couldn¡¯t me her as I¡¯d been sitting the whole evening with a stiff expression on my face. I gave her a light smile that didn¡¯t reach my eyes as I looked down at my feet. 1131 Chanted 788 Vouchers ¡°They are holding a party at Cisco¡¯s school and Cisco was selected among the top ten intelligent students¡±. I finally began. to speak. ¡°Wow, that¡¯s awesome, you should be happy¡± she squealed as she shook my arms vigorously. I looked down at my feet, and tears rushed to my eyes, threatening to spill. Lyra stilled when she saw my reaction. ¡°There¡¯s more to it, spill it¡± she said, giving me a gentle nudge. ¡°The attendance of his father is required, if not Cisco would be disqualified¡± I said barely audibly. Lyra gasped. ¡°No way, you¡¯re not taking that arrogant animal as his father¡±, she said a bit too loudly and Cisco stirred in his sleep. ¡°Shhh¡±, I said, nudging her, ¡°talk a little more softly you¡¯ll wake Cisco¡± I added giving her a hard re. ¡°Fine¡± she whispered but her blue eyes still glowed fiercely ¡°Tell me you¡¯re not thinking of taking Kaiden, Freda¡± she whispered, her gaze scrutinizing me. ¡°Of course not¡± I denied. ¡°I¡¯m sure as hell not taking Kaiden, but I don¡¯t want Cisco to be disqualified either. Why is everything so difficult?¡± I asked as I ced my head in my palms agitatedly. ¡°Ever since we came back it¡¯s just been from one issue to another¡±. I muttered with a tinge of sadness. Lyra pulled me in one of herforting bear hugs and I purred softly. ¡°It¡¯s going to be okay, everything will be okay,¡± she said reassuringly, as she rubbed my back gently. By the way,¡± she said, breaking the silence.¡± Don¡¯t you have anyone you¡¯re seeing?¡± she asked, wiggling her eyebrows and my face turned crimson red immediately as I pulled out of her embrace. 11 311 Chapter 44 286 Vouchers Ohe on, you¡¯ve been out of the pack for six years, surely you have someone,¡± she said, nudging me and I blushed deeply. W Ohhhh¡± sheughed, ¡°you do have someone you like, tell me, what¡¯s his name,give me all the details¡±. I smiled, Lyra wasn¡¯t going to let me go until I spilled everything. We¡¯ve been apart for six years. I hadn¡¯t fulfilled my duty as a friend, the least I could. do was tell her what I¡¯d been up to. Taking a deep breath, ¡°I do have someone¡±, I muttered slowly. ¡°Of course it¡¯s obvious, silly¡±, Lyra said, rolling her eyes. ¡°Show me his picture¡± she said as she stretched her hands out for my phone. I took my phone out and searched for his picture, finally seeing it, I handed my phone to her. She took the phone and her eyes widened. ¡°His name is Cole Norman, he¡¯s a doctor, we met at the Cafe where I work part time¡±. I disclosed as I inched closer to Lyra who hadn¡¯t stopped staring at my phone. I knew she was impressed, Cole was handsome, I mean he had light brown eyes, a clearly definedCcontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. jaw, straight nose and his eyes had that yful glint to them. Everyone liked Cole. He was a very funny person though he wasn¡¯t as handsome as Kaiden. Wait why was I even thinking about that d**h**g. I shook my head to clear my thoughts as I continued to stare at Lyra who hadn¡¯t blinked for the past five minutes. ¡°Lyra!¡±I eximed as I nudged her in the ribs. ¡°So what do you think?¡± I asked curiously, as I grabbed my phone from her hand. She seemed toe to her senses as she began to speak almost immediately. ¡°You¡¯re asking me what I think?¡± she yelled Chapter 44 and I had to tell her to be quiet because of Cisco. ¡°Sorry¡± she muttered sheepishly as she scratched her head. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you going out with him? You obviously like him a little, and this guy is hot as hell,way better than that d*g, she **muttered, rolling her eyes in the Lyra way. ¡°I know¡±, I replied slowly drawing my gaze to my feet. ¡°It¡¯s Gia, she doesn¡¯t really like humans. She finds it hard to adapt to them, especially the men¡± I finished and my wolf growled in approval and it was my turn to roll my eyes. ¡°Oh¡± Lyra muttered softly. ¡°That could be a little discouraging,¡± she added and I sighed nodding my head. Just then, my phone vibrated in my hand. My eyes widened in surprise. It¡¯s Cole¡±, I whispered as I shoved the phone in her face. What do I do? What should I say?¡± I questioned as apprehension set in. ¡°Wow, your Prince charming is just in time, answer it¡± she said as she gave me a gentle shove. Gia growled at me in warning. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t answer it¡¯, I thought. I hesitated but one expectant look from Lyra had me answering the phone call ignoring Gia¡¯s warning. Mates 45 Mates 45 Chapter 45 FREDA WHITLOCK ¡°Hello¡± I answered sheepishly as Lyra nudged me to put the phone on speaker, which I did. ¡°Freda¡± came Cole¡¯s worried voice. ¡°Are you alright, where are you?¡± he asked worriedly. I went to the Cafe several times but you weren¡¯t there¡±. He disclosed as he continued on. ¡°It waster when I asked that I was told you¡¯ve been absent for weeks. Is everything okay?¡±he asked again. ¡°Where did you go? Everyone here is so worried about you¡±. He stated and I could feel his concern over the line. Gia just scoffed but I ignored her. ¡°Yes Cole, I¡¯m good¡± I stated with a sigh. My father was ill so I had to leave. I finished. ¡°Are you sure?¡±came Cole¡¯s worried voice again. ¡°I¡¯m fine¡±, Cole,¡± I assured him. ¡°That¡¯s really all there is to it¡±. ¦§ ¡®Sorry I couldn¡¯t notify you earlier. It was an emergency and I haven¡¯t had the time to call anyone¡±. I lied smoothly.¡± I knew I could have called him to tell him, but for some reason I didn¡¯t want to¡±. I felt guilty for lying but had no choice. ¡°Okay, do you need help with anything, can Ie visit you?¡± He asked with a little hope in his voice over the line and Lyra¡¯s eyes widened and she smirked. I rolled my eyes at her action but 000% ZELL ¦§ Clupter 45 couldn¡¯t help but smile, myself. Cole always found a way to amuse me. He was such a sweet guy. Stifling a chuckle, I replied. ¡°Visit me? You can¡¯t¡± I stated, still amused. ¡°Why?¡± came his questioning volce. ¡°Because you can¡¯t and even if you decide to do so, it will take driving, for three. days straight¡±. I disclosed. I heard Cole¡¯s sigh over the phone. ¡°Is there no airport nearby?¡± He asked curiously. ¡°There¡¯s none,¡± I replied. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t mind. traveling by car,¡± he said. ¡°No¡±, I objected a little too quickly. It¡¯s dangerous I stated. ¡°But you still traveled, so why can¡¯t I?¡± He asked slowly. ¡°Because I am familiar with the routes and I don¡¯t want you putting yourself in danger because of me. I¡¯d feel very guilty if anything. happened to you. I finished with a sigh. ¡°Careful Lyra¡±, he said with a chuckle. ¡°You¡¯ll almost have me thinking that you care¡±, ¡± he added and I blushed. Lyra tickled me as she let out a softugh. I gave her a hard re as I disentangled myself from her yful assaults and went to the end of the room to chat with Cole more properly. So are youing back anytime soon?¡± He asked hopefully. ¡°I can¡¯t say,¡± I replied with a sigh. ¡°I¡¯ve been apart from my family for six years. They need my support and there¡¯s a lot of catching up I have to do¡± I finished. ¡°Hmm¡±, Cole stated. ¡°Take all the time you need. Family is everything¡± he said as he gave a little sigh. ¡°Thanks, Cole¡± I will. ¡°Thank you for being a good friend,¡± I 288 Wouchers stated. ¡°I want to be more than just a good friend Freda¡±, he stated. And I gave a deep blush and I gasped as I looked at Lyra who¡¯s smirk widened Gia growled in response. She was not going to let me rest after this. I gave no reply and thankfully Cole didn¡¯t push obviously noting my difort. I and Cole chatted some more as he told me about work, some funny patients which Iughed deeply at. He told me some other random gossip and he asked about Cisco¡¯s wellbeing to which I replied. After speaking for about an hour he finally ended the call with me promising to call him at least once a week to which I agreed. We ended the call and I turned around with a big smile on my face. It was difficult to be in the same ce with Cole and notugh heartily. He was a good guy. As I turned around, I was faced with a blushing Lyra. I walked over to her and sat down as she still gave me that look. resembling that of a mother that just saw her daughter falling in love for the first time. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. ¡°I was the one who answered the call, but why does it feel like it was you who spoke to Cole?¡± I said with a chuckle. ¡°Oh my days Lyra, you should see your face girl, you look like a red tomato¡±. I added as Iughed heartily. She seemed to havee out of whatever trance she was in as she looked at me with teary eyes. ¡°In all of my lifetime, I haven¡¯t seen you as happy as you were when you were speaking with Cole¡±. She stated tearfully. ¡°No one has ever treated you with so much care and with such Chapter 45 12811 Vouchers tenderness, I couldn¡¯t help myself from shedding a few tears. from over here,¡± she added as she dramatically dabbed her eyes. ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve seen a man genuinely care about you and respect you¡±. He was obviously trying to make youugh. Lyra stated. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right¡±, I added. ¡°No one has ever treated me with respect and care like Cole has. He has always been gentle and kind to me¡±. I finished with a smile. ¡°Yeah. He¡¯s so much better than that d**g and I¡¯m sure he¡¯s very nice to Cisco too, Lyra said. ¡°Yes he is¡±, Cisco loves him. ¡°When I first arrived in their city, he was among the first people to warm up to me. He respects me and honors me. I was so hurt by all I¡¯d been through but with Cole I learnt to smile again¡±. ¡°He was alwaysing to sit down with me to make meugh even when I didn¡¯t want to open up to anyone, he made me see reason with having people who could support me¡± I added and Lyra¡¯s gaze softened. ¡°So why haven¡¯t you decided to go out with him?¡± Lyra finally asked and I went still. Mates 46 Mates 46 Chapter 46 FREDA WHITLOCK I didn¡¯t have a response to her question because I had never really thought of it. Cole was a nice guy and he cared about Cisco and me, truly so why hadn¡¯t I given him a chance yet? What exactly was I scared of? ¡®It¡¯s because we belong to only our mate¡¯ Gia purred and I scrunched my face in disgust. Ever since she started talking, she didn¡¯t seem to have a filter for her actions anymore. ¡°Freeds, what are you thinking about?¡± Lyra asked and I blinked, shaking my head. ¡°Nothing¡± ¡°So?¡± She persisted and I sighed, ¡°I don¡¯t have an answer to that question Lyra but I would say I¡¯m not ready?¡± I said, more like questioned and she smiled as though she understood. She did. Was I not ready though? It had been years right? I could move on and Cisco would have a father if I met the right man. In many ways, it was the fair thing to do. However, in a way, my heart ached when I thought deeper about moving on and I had no idea why. I looked at Cisco as he yed with his toys. He was so bubbly as he conversed with his army of cars he called the transformers. God, I recall when we binge-watched the movie series at the cinema when it premiered. He made me buy him every design bot that there was. He was such an insistent kid so much that I wondered whose nature it was. Mine or Kaiden¡¯s. Shaking my head at my thoughts, I smiled when Cisco looked at me. He smiled back and my smile widened. It was filled with pride I couldn¡¯t contain.. ¡°He¡¯s so cute,¡± Lyra said and I nodded ¡°I can see him having the girls in chokehold already¡± She added and I frowned, ¡°Don¡¯t say such things about my son¡± ¡°Wanna bet?¡± She asked, smirking, ¡°He¡¯s got the looks Freeds. Just wait and see, when he gets to thirteen, all¡¯s done. You¡¯re going to be a judge for the girls who¡¯d be after your son¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like that prediction, Lyra¡± I warned and she chuckled, raising her hands in surrender. ¡°Okay, ma¡¯am¡± Rolling my eyes at her antics, I asked, ¡°Are you sleeping over?¡± ¡°Of course, where would you have me sleep tonight?¡± She asked back, smirking as she stretched out her arms. I didn¡¯t mind her sleeping over, hell, she had a room here even though she would always want to stay in my room. I was worried about Dad. There was no one at home with him¡­ ¡°If you¡¯re worried about Dad then rx, I called the caretaker beforeing over here. He¡¯s in safe hands, okay?¡± Great. It¡¯s been established that without Lyra, my life would be a mess. Literally, I smiled gratefully at her as my shoulders slumped in relief. ¡°The thought of him being alone scares me so much that I forget how efficient you always are sometimes¡± Chapter 45 She yfully nudged at me, ¡°I understand and I feel the same way too. But don¡¯t worry, the caretaker knows just how to take care of Dad¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re wee. Can we make dinner now? I¡¯m hungry¡± Her cheery expression turned into a grumpy one in an instant. and I let out a loudughter that made Cisco look at me quickly. ¡°Woah, he¡¯s like your very own mini bodyguard, that¡¯s so adorable¡± Lyramented, getting up and pulling me along. ¡°What can I say, he loves me¡± Weughed as we headed to the kitchen. ¡°So what about you?¡± I teasingly asked once we were in the kitchen and she stared at me with her brows furrowed, confusion evident on her face. ¡°Do you have anyone on your mind to be your mate?¡± I asked hoping for a positive response even though I was fairly sure she had no one. If she did, I would have known. Ever since I returned, I would stare at her and wonder why she wasn¡¯t involved with anyone yet. Lyra was so pretty and smart. She was the whole package and I bet guys were all over so why was she not taken? My thoughts were irrational, I agree but it felt like the best for her. ¡°No, I don¡¯t¡± Just as I expected. A negative response but I was intrigued. Why? ¡°Seriously? Why? You¡¯re so pretty. I know you have lots of guys 11321 Chapter 45 788 Mouchers swooning over you¡± I said with a wink but instead of a smile or blush, she held a serious expression as she shunned my question. Feeling my questioning gaze, she muttered, ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter¡± I chuckled softly, ¡°What does?¡± We paid more attention to making dinner now. She responded to my question after she was done chopping the carrots, ¡°I don¡¯t want to get invested in a man who would turn out to be someone else¡¯s mate¡± Her words struck a cord in my chest. I was reminded of Safiya and it left a fair amount of pain. ¡°That¡¯s why. I want to be on the winning side at the end of everything between the man and me. The only way that can be achieved is if he¡¯s my mate. Only mine¡± She added and I smiled. She spoke so passionately about love. in her life and I knew she¡¯d be a passionate lover. I hoped her mate woulde soon. I just know I would be punching whoever it turned out to be for making my best friend wait for so long. ¡°That makes sense,¡± I told her and we continued in silence. My mind wandered to her statement about loving someone else¡¯s mate. Safiya fell for my mate. She loved him. What if she didn¡¯t love him so much, would things have been different today? Would we have been closer like before? Would Kaiden and I have been together and happy? The probability of that happening was almost at a hundred percent. I sighed, but that didn¡¯t happen and here I was, alone and without a mate. What a gamble! Chapter 47Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Mates 47 Mates 47 Chapter 47 FREDA WHITLOCK The next day, I woke upter than usual so I had little time to prepare Cisco for school. I made him a breakfast of cereal and while he ate, I took a quick shower and threw on the casual clothes my hands touched when I opened the wardrobe. So much forte-night talk with Lyra. We had stayed up all night looking up job vacancies and having random discussions that we lost track of time. When I was done roughly styling my hair in a messy bun, I jogged to the kitchen to pack Cisco¡¯s lunch. Today, he would have a not-so-bnced meal for lunch. Goddess, I¡¯m such a terrible mother. I¡¯ll make sure this doesn¡¯t repeat itself ever, again! ¡°Cisco, are you done with breakfast?¡± I asked as I fixed his lunch box. He hummed and came running into the kitchen with the empty bowl he had used to take cereal. ¡°Thanks, Mom,¡± He said and I smiled, taking the bowl from him, ¡°You¡¯re wee, sweetheart. Now, go put on your shoes, mom will be done in a minute¡± He ran off after nodding while I washed his bowl and other tes used earlier. When I was done, I grabbed his lunchbox, my phone, and the car keys then sauntered out of the kitchen. ¡°Cisco, let¡¯s go¡± 11:32 Chapter 47 He had finished putting on his shoes and grabbed his bag pack, running toward me but stopped halfway upon hearing Lyra¡¯s voice. ¡°Hey, I want to take him to school today¡± She was running down the hallway of the bedroom, dressed in a short and the same T-shirt she slept In. Do I speak about how freakish she looked? Small strands of hair were sticking out in different directions, her eyes looked saggy and she definitely was hungry. She looked hungry. And determined to take Cisco to school but heck? ¡°Good morning Aunty!¡± Cisco beamed at her but ended up giggling. She looked like she just fought a war all by herself. I found it hard not tough, myself. The sight was hrious. ¡°Have you looked at yourself in the mirror this morning?¡± She frowned, squinting at me. I guess she hadn¡¯t else she wouldn¡¯t havee out here looking like she fought a circus animal. I chuckled, ¡°You look like a monster¡± ¡°How can you say that to me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not lying¡± I shrugged, opening the door. ¡°I swear I¡¯ll get you for this one, Freeds¡± She challenged, tugging at her disheveled hair, getting some stray strands off her face. A low rumble ofughter erupted from my chest and I winked, ¡°I¡¯ll wait for that time, bestie¡± With this, Cisco and I sprinted out of the house. He was right behind me waving and saying goodbye to her while she watched us by the door. I drove fast but carefully with the hopes of beating the time since we were running quitete. However, just as we covered 11 32 Chapter 47 1288 Vouchers half the distance to his school, the car came to a sudden halt. Luckily, I had noticed a change in its efficiency so I drove by the side and now, we were not stopped right in the middle of the road. I tried starting it again but the best it could do was shudder and go off. Tension crept into my mind as I tried the process over again. It didn¡¯t start this time leaving me stunned and confused. I paused the process and took a deep breath. ¡°Seriously?!¡± I whisper-yelled, frustration evident on my face as I tried starting the car again. The ignition wouldn¡¯t start no matter how much I tried. What in the world? My brows furrowed in slits as I wondered why it wouldn¡¯t start? ¡°Mom, what¡¯s going on?¡± Cisco asked, his tiny voice filled with worry as he stared at me. ¡°Why did we stop?¡± I heaved a deep breath, shaking my head as I took off my seatbelt to get out of the car. ¡°Wait here, sweetheart¡± Why would the car stop now that was in a hurry? The time we spent here would have been enough for me to get Cisco to school and be on time. Now, we wereter than earlier. This would ruin his streak of being early at school. I was mad at myself for so many reasons. One is waking upte today. I got out of the car and walked to the front to check on the engines even though I had no great idea of what might¡¯ve happened. As I opened the car¡¯s bo, I was weed by the gust of hot air emanating from the engines and I shifted back instantly, ¡°What the heck? Why is it so hot? 11.32 Chapter 47 ¡°Mom, are you okay?¡± I heard Cisco ask from the car. He had his head sticking out of the window. ¡°Yes, sweetie¡± I sighed, rubbing my forehead as I walked back to the car to get my phone. I nned to call Lyra toe and get him then the mechanic. I hadn¡¯t noticed a car drive past me but I noticed when it stopped and reversed then stopped with a grinding halt in front of my car. Standing protectively by the door, I watched keenly what would happen next. The door opened and I felt the ever- so-silent Gia fawning in my head. Goddess, please no! When the person stepped out, I rolled my eyes in exasperation and let out a huff. It was Kaiden and he was in front of me in a matter of a second. ¡°Freda¡± He called, staring at my car then waved at Cisco who was in high spirits upon seeing him. He turned to me and sighed when he saw the frown on my face. What did he want now? ¡°I was passing by and I saw you parked here. Is there any problem?¡± He asked, looking genuinely concerned but his presence here was thest thing needed. Ignoring him, I walked back to the engine and tried to do what I thought a mechanic would. What do they even do? Unfortunately, in my quest to fix my problem, my hand touched the hot engine and a sharp whimper escaped my lips ¡°Ouch!¡±All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Mates 48 Mates 48 Chapter 48 KAIDEN STIRLING Freda hurt herself and let out a loud yell. I rushed towards her. My heart constricted in pain at the sight of blood oozing from her fingers. It felt as thought I was the one injured. I reached forward to hold her hand but she flinched from my touch. I tugged her hands towards mine as she gave me a hard re which I dly returned. ¡°Stay still¡±, I scolded. ¡°It¡¯s your stubbornness that led to all this¡± I chided softly. ¡°You should have let me help you out¡± I added, staring into her eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t need your help¡±, she stated as she red at me but allowed me to take her hands in mine. I held her hand relinquishing the feeling of her hand in mine. She must have experienced the same feeling because she shifted ufortably and withdrew her gaze from me. I examined her hand as I felt for her pain then I used my wolf abilities to heal her. Closing her woundspletely. She gasped as a surprised look took over her face. She obviously hadn¡¯t expected that I would heal her and that was where she was wrong. I was willing to do so many things for her. She just didn¡¯t realize it. She kept on looking at me in silence. The silence lingered on till I could no longer bear it. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I questioned curiously 11:32 Chapter 48 1288 Vouchers at her weird reaction. ¡°Nothing¡± she lied as she avoided my gaze. I knew something was wrong but I couldn¡¯t ce a finger on it. Our rtionship. was strained, part of which was my fault. My wolf screamed at me to take her in aforting hug. I shook my head, things don¡¯t work that way. If I still knew Freda well, she would probably p me hard for hugging her without consent. I smiled at the thought. I couldn¡¯t act rashly, any wrong move I made would strain our rtionship further and I wanted to get on Freda¡¯s good side. Our hands were still joined together and I rubbed my palm in. hers. Her hand wasn¡¯t as soft as I remembered it now. She had developed little callouses on her hand and my heart twisted in pain at the rough life she must have lived away from the pack all alone. Tension hung heavy in the air between us as neither of us spoke. She must have realized her hands were still intertwined in mine because she removed it quickly as she red at me awkwardly. I I chuckled at her antics, ¡®Oh Freda!¡¯, she was going to be the death of me. I crossed my shoulders and leaned against the vehicle. ¡°You have to tell me what¡¯s wrong, if you want me to help you¡±. I added with a wink. She recoiled in disgust at my behaviour as her eyes widened and it only amused me further. I knew I was being overbearing, but right now, I¡¯d take anything to get into Freda¡¯s space. Before she could retort back, a small figure came down from 11 32. Chap 40 1200 Mouchers the car and came to stand in front of me with expectant eyes. It was Francisco and for a minute I was stunned. ¡°Hi¡±, he said shyly. ¡°My mum was trying to get me to school when our car broke down. She was trying to fix it when you arrived¡±. And I couldn¡¯t help but smile at his adorableness as he exined the whole situation calmly. Pride swelled in me as I listened to him speak. I quickly comported myself. ¡°Hey kiddo, how are you doing?¡±, I asked as I crunched down to his height. ¡°I¡¯m good¡± he answered bashfully. And my smile widened. This boy was smart just like his father which was me obviously. I couldn¡¯t help but ruffle his hair a little as he gave a small pout. And I could see myself in him. I was immediately struck with nostalgia. I looked up as I expected Freda to object to me talking to Francisco but she said nothing and just stared as our son kept talking to me about various things. Her reaction encouraged me a little as I drew Francisco into my solid arms just wanting the feel of my son I had missed for six years. Francisco hugged me back with the same intensity. The little boy probably couldn¡¯t understand the reason why he felt so connected to me. But he was going to find out soon, that I would make sure of. I released him and stared into his bright eyes. ¡°So you¡¯re saying you were on your way to school?¡± ¡°Yes¡± he nodded affirmatively. ¡°So would you like me to take you to school today?¡± I asked hopefully. He was silent for a minute but as he opened his 1132 Chapter 48 1280 Vouchers mouth to speak, Freda interrupted. ¡°There¡¯s no need¡± she said as she drew Francisco away from me towards herself. We can take care of ourselves, she added as she red at me scornfully. I let out a frustrated sigh. This woman! Couldn¡¯t she see I was trying to form a bond with my son? Was she always going to be a barrier between me and my son I had no ess to for six years? The boy clearly liked me, if it were the other way around I might have backed up. So why was she denying her son the love of a father he clearly deserved and craved for? Fine, I had hurt her feelings but wasn¡¯t she taking things too far. Just as we were ring daggers at each other, with Freda silently hating me for trying to force my way into their lives and me frustrated with her Stubbornness, Francisco decided to speak ¡°Mommy¡± he spoke in his cute voice that had me wanting to drag him away from Freda. He nced up at her with big doe eyes. Sure, love, you ¡°Can I say something?¡± he asked hopefully. didn¡¯t even need to ask¡±, she replied, drawing her gazeUpstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g from me. ¡°Since our car broke down, why can¡¯t we ride in Harper¡¯s daddy¡¯s car?¡± He suggested stunning both me and Freda. Mates 49 Mates 49 Chapter 49 FREDA WHITLOCK I was taken aback by Cisco¡¯s abrupt question. How could he say such a thing. They hardly knew each other. ¡°Cisco how could you suggest such a thing?¡± I scolded as I red at him. ¡°This man is just a stranger, we don¡¯t take ride from strangers, I¡¯ve always told you this¡±. I finished ¡°But mommy, I¡¯ve seen you a lot always talking to Harper¡¯s daddy. And even on my birthday, saw you both going into your room together. So how can you say he¡¯s a stranger when you are both staying together in the same room?¡± He asked innocently. My cheeks reddened instantly at the thought of Cisco seeing all my interactions with Kaiden. You really couldn¡¯t hide anything from kids. I nced at Kaiden for help but he had a smirk on his face as he leaned on the car and he seemed pleased with the whole. situation I had put myself in. He raised his eyebrow in a look that said ¡®you should have let hime with me earlier to avoid all this embarrassment¡¯. I looked at Cisco who stared at me expectantly and I was speechless. I bit my lip as I thought of what to say. Just then Kaiden interrupted my thoughts. ¡°Okay now kiddo, let¡¯s not stress you mommy any further¡± he Chapter 49 1268 Vouchers said as looked at me with a smile. A**hole. ¡°Why don¡¯t I take you to school and you can finish this conversation with your mommyter? You are already runningte¡±. Cisco nodded and Kaiden grabbed his hand as they began to walk to his car. Just then, Kaiden looked back. ¡°Youing?¡± He asked with a smirk as Cisco looked at me expectantly. I wasn¡¯t going to sit in Kaiden¡¯s car and give him the pleasure that he had won this round. So I turned away slightly and kept quiet: Kaiden must have gotten the hidden meaning as he pressed no further and took Cisco in his car and they drove off. I let out an exasperated sigh as I watched their car fade into the distance. I walked to my car still in thought, Kaiden was obviously trying to force his way into our lives. He was trying so hard to get Cisco to warm up to him which he didn¡¯t need to because Cisco liked him already. That was already confirmed today with the question Cisco asked. And no doubt Kaiden was going to use that as a leverage to get closer to us. Which meant our secret was going to be exposed sooner orter. I couldn¡¯t just sit down and watch that happen. Kaiden must have been surprised I didn¡¯t object when he hugged Cisco. He should know I didn¡¯t do it for him but for my dear baby boy who deserved to at least have a hug from his father. Chapter 49 11 I had seen how troubled Cisco had been regarding this whole daddy issue, I just wanted to give me a chance to feel the love of a father. The poor boy had been taunted by his friends in school about not having a father. My heart twisted in pain and guilt at all he had been facing since we came back. He had never been troubled by anything when we still in city, in fact the problem escted when Kaiden came storming back into our lives. It was all his fault that Cisco had seen us together and was beginning to have doubts. He was going to ask me what connection I had with Kaiden and I prayed fervently for that day never toe. Because if Cisco knew he had a father, he would know about the other secrets as well. And he was so young, it was going to break him. He would hate Kaiden for not acknowledging me as his mate. And he would hate me for rejecting the mate bond and hiding the fact that he had a father. I was all so confused and scared. And I could only me it on Kaiden. Ever since our argument at the party, I knew Kaiden would try every means possible to get into Cisco¡¯s good books. And he was seeding. What even surprised me more was the fact that Kaiden healed me. I had clearly rejected the mate bond. It wasn¡¯t supposed to have any effect on me whatsoever. Or was there still a tiny thread that joined I and Kaiden together?. Or was this just one of the Moon goddess¡¯s trick to get me back with Kaiden? Chapter 49 Or was this all part of Kaiden¡¯s n because he had proved to me that he would go to any length to take Cisco away from me. He had held my hand so gently I almost thought it was genuine. I remembered how Gia purred in satisfaction when he used his healing abilities to close the wound. My heart fluttered a little but I waved it off. This was all part of Kaiden¡¯s master n to get into my head. I had rejected the mate bond and I nned to make it stay that way. So whatever n he was cooking up in his head was never going to work on me. I didn¡¯t know how he was able to heal me, and if the mate bond wasn¡¯t properly severed then it was going to pose a problem for me. I thought. Unable to understand anything, I shook my head to clear my thoughts and I went back to my car as I tried to fix the problem. After many attempts and a few kicks here and there, the car finally roared back to life and I couldn¡¯t suppress the squeal that escaped my mouth. My mind wandered to how the car stopped working earlier, the probability that the universe and moon goddess were all working together in Kaiden¡¯s favour made me frown a little. I checked the time. Kaiden must have dropped Cisco in school by now. I hated that he won this round. But I was grateful we were able to get Cisco in school on time. I got into my car and took a deep breath. Things weren¡¯t working in my favour and I didn¡¯t like it, but I shook my head and decided to let the matter rest. I ignited the engine and drove off.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Mates 50 Mates 50 Chapter 50 KAIDEN STIRLING Throughout the drive, the two little children at the back seat of my car kept ying and reaching for each other and ying around. ¡°You owe me a whole pack of candy!¡± Harper eximed and Francisco onlyughed in response. He was still shy. He had probably not had the chance to interact with a lot of people as he grew up. I could not me Freda for trying to protect her son, but at some point she had to have realized that it was not good for him and despite that, she had kept on locking him in and to herself. I sighed as I turned into the street where the school was located. I pulled over in front of the entrance and Harper and Francisco paused their giggles. ¡°Hold on,¡± I said, looking back at them and smiling at them. before climbing out of the car and going round to the back where Harper¡¯s side was. ¡°Princess treatment for the princess,¡± I said with a grin and kissed her cheek as I unbuckled the car seat and took her out of the seat. ¡°Thanks daddy,¡± she said with a smile and took her little school bag from me. She stood to the side, waiting patiently as i took Francisco out of his seat and then set him beside her. He smiled at her and ruffled his hair. He was so adorable and it pained me that I had kissed out on Chapter 50 the most of his life. It was my fault that Freda was wary of me, but it still hurt. He liked me. I knew that, but he was still notpletelyfortable with me. I nned on making himpletelyfortable with me because I wanted to be in his life from now till whenever I would not be able to anymore. I shut the door and handed him his bag. ¡°Come on, kiddos,¡± I said, taking one of each of their hands in mine and walking towards the entrance of the school. Harper started a song and Francisco joined in. It seemed they had taught them the song in school. Once we were at the main entrance, I let go of their hands. Harper immediately grabbed Cisco¡¯s hand and hopped forward. Francisco wasughing and hurrying so he could meet up with her. She was so energetic. Francisco seemed like the type of kid that would love his quiet and Harper was the opposite. Yet they seemed like the would be friends for a long time. I loved that, because when they got older, it would be easier for them to ept each other as siblings. ¡°Good morning, Alpha,¡± ady said and gave a subtle nod of her head. She was one of the middle ss wolves. I have her a smile in response. My two children had the ability to bring me to a great mood no matter how annoyed or in a bad I was. ¡°Are you by any chance Francisco¡¯s father?¡± She asked with a -look of curiosity in her eyes. A protective instinct automatically rose in me and I tilted my head to the side. ¡°Why do you ask?¡± I asked her. ¡°He just enrolled and he¡¯s only ever been dropped by his mother, We have a partying up 11:33 Chapter 50 and I did not really know how to ask her about his father so I could invite her and him,¡± she said with a small smile. She touched her chest in a hurry, oh and I¡¯m his teacher.¡± Her smile widened. ¡°Oh,¡± I said, thoughtfully considering her words. I was not sure if Freda would be happy if I revealed myself as Francisco¡¯s father. After careful consideration, I realized that that would seal it and make it official. She was definitely not going to like it, and it was selfish of me to consider this but I could not help thinking about it. ¡°I¡¯m his father,¡± I said with a curt nod. Her smile widened and she stepped closer. ¡°Nice to meet you, as Francisco¡¯s father,¡± she said with a small smile. I could not help my chuckle. At least she had a sense of humor. ¡°Tell me more about this party,¡± I said and she nodded. ¡°Oh well, it¡¯s for the kids. We like to give them a small celebration after thest day of school. It helps them to appreciate and look forward to school more,¡± she said and I nodded thoughtfully. That made a lot of sense. I was going to ask more questionster. ¡°That¡¯s great,¡± I said and she nodded. ¡°If you needAll content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. sponsors or anything, you can alwayse and find me,¡±I told her and she smiled gratefully. ¡°Oh well, they¡¯re all yours,¡± it was only after I had told her how great the idea of the party was that I noticed that Francisco and Harper had been standing at the entrance and watching the two of us talk. She looked at them andughed. ¡°Of course, Alpha,¡± she said and took both of their hands, leading them into the school Chapter 50 288 Vouchers building. I headed back to my car, started it and drove off in the direction of the pack house. I made sure to pass the way I had gone through in the morning to make sure that Freda had gone and she as safe. I did not see any car of her car. I wanted to see her and hold her hand again, but I knew that she would only push me away. I sighed. My thoughts diverted to the party that the teacher had talked about. D**n, I had not even asked for her name. She sounded like she had already mention led the party to Freda but Freda had not said anything about Francisco¡¯s father and that had been the reason for her worry. I sighed and ran my hand through my hair. Freda had not mentioned anything about the party to me and I realized it. She definitely was not going to. She was hell-bent on keeping me out of her and Francisco¡¯s life. I was going to have to work harder. Mates 51 Mates 51 Chapter 51 KAIDEN STIRLING I was still upied with my thoughts when I drove past ady standing on the streets. I drive for five more seconds before something clicked in my brain. I applied abrupt force to the brake that almost caused my chest to harshly drive itself against my steering wheel. Thank the goddess for seatbelts. I immediately put the car in reverse. Safiya¡­ I wanted to be sure I had not lost my mind for second. I reached the figure of thedy that was dejectedly walking by the side of the road and I did not even have to see the face of the person to know it was Safiya. She was barely dressed in a thin gown and her skin was pale, like she was sick. Thest time I had seen her was about an hour ago. I had left her in bed to take Harper to school. What on earth was she doing out here¡­ Looking like this? Oh f**g hell, I was going to lose my mind. I immediately jumped out of the car without shutting the engine off. ¡°Safiya,¡± I called and ran after her as she kept taking slow steps. Shepletely ignored me and I grasped her arm, wrapping my hand around her arm. ¡°What are you doing? What¡¯s wrong?¡± I asked with great concern. Not only for her and the fact that she was acting crazy out of nowhere, but also the fact that she was doing things that Chapter 51 1208 Vouchers could kill her and even the baby. What¡­ She managed to break free of my grip because it was not tight and then continued to walk. If I let her continue with this, she was going to get a very bad cold and she was barely dressed. Rogues could get hold of her and do anything to her. The protective alpha instinct in me was automatically activated. Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Safiya! Can you stop and tell me what this is?¡± I pleaded with her and grasped her arm again in a firm but gentle grip. ¡°Where are you going?¡± I asked, concerned that she was actually losing her mind. J Her eyes finally focused on me. She blinked before she tried stepping away again. ¡°I have to go,¡± she said, offeri no exnation for why she looked the way she did and why she was acting the ways he was. I bit my lip to hold back a stream of curses. I rounded her and stood in front of her. I grasped both of her shoulders in my hands and then held her in ce. ¡°Where are you going? Why do you have to go there and why are you dressed like this?¡± I asked slowly, hoping that in all of the madness she would understand my question and answer me. She looked like she was contemting telling me and then like a perfect actress, she somehow removed the haze in her eyes that made me fear that she had lost her mind. ¡°This¡­¡± She said, holding up a book that I had not noticed at all in my panic. 13.05 Chapter 51 1288 Vouchers ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± I asked,, taking a step back as she flipped through the pages of the book. She looked up at me again. ¡°It¡¯s Harper¡¯s. She left it at home and know she needs it at school,¡± she said and I tried to hide the incredulous look on my face. What? What?? She was going to drive me nuts. let out augh of both relief and annoyance. ¡°You could have called me, Safiya,¡± I said the words gently. Thest thing I wanted to do was talk to her gently after making me worry that she was going nuts but I refrained from yelling. ¡°You were driving, picking my call could have put you and Harper in danger,¡± she said and I let out a sigh. I almost told her that Francisco was also in the car but I refrained fron, Joing that. That would have been incredibly s**d. ¡°And even if I had called and you could have safely picked it, I doubt you would have wanted to talk to me. You wouldn¡¯t have picked the call,¡± she said like she waspletely sure of that. Her words made me feel bad because I knew I was not treating her right. She knew that and that was the reason she had punished herself by walking all the way to this ce. ¡°Come on,¡± I said, taking her hand. She looked at where our hands were connected and for a second, I thought she was going to pull her hand from mine. She didn¡¯t. She only rxed and then shook her head. ¡°I have to give it to her,¡± she said and I bit my lip as my frustration grew. ¡°You can¡¯t go there now, safiya. It¡¯s alreadyte. If you insist on giving it to her, I have to drop you off at home and take it to her,¡± I said and she seemed to concede. She nodded and exhaustion filled her eyes. It seemed she had been keeping it bay. She was putting so much strain on herself. and the baby for what reason? I was not even sure. I led her to the car and opened the door for her, security the seatbelt. I walked round the car and entered at my side, shutting the door. I locked both sides, making sure that she would not be able to jump out of the car in case she changed her mind about agreeing to go back to the pack house with me. As soon as we got to the pack house and I unlocked the door, ked and I she started to speak. ¡°Do you care about me?¡± She dreaded the answer I had to that question. ¡°Of course I care about you, Safiya,¡± I responded as I pushed the door shut. ¡°Do you love me?¡± She asked and I froze before looking at her. She suddenly had ager, pain and tears in her eyes. ¡°What are you getting at?¡± I asked with a sigh and she frowned. ¡°Answer the question, Kaiden!¡± She yelled and the eyes of people around us moved to us. ¡°Safiya, whatever this is, you need to stop it,¡± I said through gritted teeth. As though she had not heard what I said, she yelled more. ¡°You¡¯re a cheater! You don¡¯t care about me or our daughter or ouring baby!¡± She screamed at the top of her lungs and tears flowed down her cheeks. 13:05 Chapter 51 1288 Vouchern My wolf forgot for a moment that she was still our wife. My hand rose up to hit her as my wolf took control but I was able to stop myself in time. ¡°F**k,¡± I muttered under my breath as I saw her shrink away from me, expecting to be struck. I looked around subtly and eyes were on us. F**k, f**k! ¡°Come on,¡± I said, taking her hand and leading her into the house. Mates 52 Mates 52 C Chapter 52 KAIDEN STIRLING I avoided Safiya right from the moment we got to our quarters. I was convinced she was in a mission to frustrate me, push me over the edge and the cause me to hurt her. As much as I possibly could, I was not going to let her seed with that. I sighed and ran my hand through my hair as I walked out of the Alpha quarters and into the main living area of the pack house. I headed towards the cafeteria because the burger and fries there were absolutely to die for and I was starving badly. As soon as I walked in, several eyesnded on ¡­e. I was used to that, since I was the alpha. What I was not used to was the way everyone hurriedly looked away when I looked back at them. My wolf growled in my head and Ipletely ignored him because I was still furious with him for losing control and almost making me hit our wife. I sighed. I had not apologized to her for that, because I had been wary of her. I had even been avoiding her because I did not want her to provoke me or my wolf again. Maybe I would get her favorite snack and apologize to her, because no matter how much she annoyed me or frustrated me, she was still the Luna of the pack by marrying me and I had publicly disrespected her, she was still my wife and I had scared her. D**n it. Chapter 52 209 Vouchers Bu Fiyata Bu Tatil¡­ Bodrum¡¯da 3 gece her ?ey dahil tatil paketini hemen incele>> I could feel more eye on me and it was not in the way tney usually looked at me, it was not with the eyes of admiration and respect. No. They looked at me with disgust and when I looked back at them, they would look away. Was it just in my head or was something going on? I got my burger, fries and a croissant with hot chocte. I left the cafeteria and it¡¯s unusual silence and just before I left the room, I heard them all start to talk at once again. ¡°I can¡¯t believe he hit the Luna.¡± ¡°He¡¯s such a good Alpha, how is he an abuser?¡± ¡°Imagine it being so bad that he does it in public¡­¡± ¡°He must be an amazing pretender to have fooled us this whole time.¡± ¡°He¡¯s a man. You never know with men.¡± ¡°Poor Luna, she¡¯s pregnant!¡± ¡°Their poor daughter. Oh no¡­¡± The words kepting into my ears and my blood ran cold. This was bad. This was really bad. Suddenly, my appetite was gone. Far gone. *** *** *** ¡°How did this happen? Why are these rumors going around?¡± | asked, pacing the width of my office with a worried frown on my face. Chapter 52 288 Mouchers I was furious and frustrated. ¡°It seems people saw what happened outside of the pack house this morning and they blew it out of proportion,¡± he said and quickly corrected himself. Violence was not something anyone should say was being blown out of proportion. I had almost hit Safiya. Those were the exact words that people were supposed to say. ¡°I mean, as the word of it spread, it started to change ording to different ounts, you know. The way news spreads,¡± he corrected himself. And what he said made sense. A guard hurried into the room without knocking and I was too frustrated to be angry at him for interrupting a meeting with my beta. ¡°What is the way forward?¡± I asked my beta, de ding to ignore the guard that had rushed into the room. Before my beta, Dane could respond, the guard spoke. ¡°Alpha,¡± he said, his voice taking a pleading tone. ¡°I do not mean to disturb you, but the pack werewolf council has summoned an urgent meeting and you are to be in attendance,¡± he said and for the second time that day, my blood ranMaterial ? of N?velDrama.Org. cold. I nodded and the guard left my sight. He was definitely made ufortable by my aura. My beta looked at me and he looked deep in thoughts. ¡°What are we going to do now?¡± He asked the same question I had asked him seconds ago and I sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll handle them. You handle the rumors. They are not true. I¡¯ll offer a public apology to my wife.¡± I told him and walked out, heading to the meeting room where the werewolf council which I was a member of always held its meetings. Chapter 52 Except that this time, I was the one standing before them to exin what was going on. *** *** *** 204 Vouchers ¡°Alpha Kaiden, what is this we are hearing?¡± Gorden, a friend of my father¡¯s asked me once everyone was seated and the meeting hadmenced. I let out a sigh and rubbed my face with stress. ¡°Whatever it is you have heard, it is not true,¡± I said, shaking my head. ¡°How would you know what we have heard?¡± He asked again and I sighed, knowing he was grilling me because he was my father¡¯s friend and they had trained me better than to hit women. ¡°Some preposterous rumors are going around about me hitting the Luna,¡± I said taking a pause and allowing th to absorb what I had said. ¡°I¡¯ll admit that I did lose my temper and I almost hit her, but I would never. I stopped myself. I¡¯m sorry. I am truly sorry. I will ept any punishment you give me and I will offer a public apology to the whole pack and go my Luna especially,¡± I said with a somber tone. Gorden was the one in charge of the council whenever the alpha could not take care of it and now was a time I could not take care of it. He looked at the other members of the council and they sent me out of the meeting room so they could decide the appropriate punishment for me. was called in ten minutester. ¡°You will bring the Luna to testify that this is the first and only time you have attempted hitting her. Until that is done, we will not believe a word of what Chapter 208 Vouchers you have said. That will happen in a meeting tomorrow.¡± Garden said, standing up and automatically ending the meeting. My heart dropped. A realization hit me and I knew that Safiya had intentionally done this. Mates 53 Mates 53 Chapter 53 KAIDEN STIRLING I stormed to the room that Safiya and I had shared at the beginning of our marriage. She was the only one that stayed there now most times. ¡°Safiya,¡± I knocked on her door. She didn¡¯t answer. ¡°Safiya,¡± I called again. I ced my ear against the door and heard shuffling sounds inside. She was awake and she was inside. ¡°I know you¡¯re inside there. Answer me, Safiya,¡± I fumed, holding myself back from smashing my fist against the door angrily. ¡°Go away,¡± she said and her voice seemed broken, like she had been crying. I sighed and ran my hand through my hair with frustration. After what I had done¡­ More like almost done to her, I was not supposed to be yelling at her or actually this way. I was supposed to be apologizing, but she was making everything so **n hard. She was insistent on ruining my day, for some d**n reason. ¡°Safiya, we have to talk, please,¡± I said and she yelled from the other side. ¡°Go away! I don¡¯t want to see you. How hard is that for you to understand?¡± She yelled. ¡°This is not about you wanting to see me or not. We have to talk.¡± I was convinced she wanted to ruin my life. I would not really Chapter 53 have minded if it was just about her life, but the life of my unborn baby was involved, and so was Harper¡¯s. 288 (Vouchers ¡°Safiya?¡± I called when she said nothing. She didn¡¯t reply. My patience had been stretched thin and I could not take any more. ¡°Safiya!¡± I said, hitting my fist against the door. She started crying at the other side and I thought I was going to go mad. She was not allowed to cry. Why the hell was she crying when she was the one ruining things? She had caused those rumors to fly around and now that I needed to talk to her about what she had done and how I needed her to talk to the werewolf council, she was refusing to talk to me. She gave me no choice. I was going to have to use the Alpha tone on her, because whether anyone believed or not, it was a matter of urgency. I started to speak when I heard the lock mechanisms in the door begin to work to unlock the door. She pulled the door open five secondster and I was greeted with a puffy eyed, red eyed, red faced mess with tear streaks in her face. I immediately felt bad. But I knew she was definitely trying to guilt trip me. ¡°I need you to speak to the Council,¡± I went straight to the point. ¡°Tell them the truth. I have never hit you and I have never even tried,¡± I said breathlessly. ¡°Please Safiya,¡± I pleaded. She was silent for a second and then before I knew it, she was Chapter 53 1288 Vouchers shaking her head. ¡°No.¡± She simply said, trying to shut the door again. ¡°What?¡± I asked with exasperation. ¡°I said no!¡± She yelled. and aggressively pushed the door. I stopped it with little effort and the walked into the room. She stared at me with anger and hatred in her eyes and I did not know if I should be surprised that her and her sister had the same look when they were angry at someone. ¡°I know you¡¯re doing this intentionally,¡± I said, lowering my voice to a pleading tone despite wanting to match the way she was yelling at me. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about,¡± she said, looking away from me and wiping her face. ¡°I just need to tell them that it¡¯s not true,¡± I whispered. ¡°I am not feeling well enough to do that. You want¡­e to go there looking like this? It¡¯s your fault I look like this. No surprise you¡¯d want people to see me looking like s**t,¡± she aggressively said and I took a deep breath. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I said quietly and surprise shed through her eyes before she looked away again. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for yelling at you, for almost hitting you. I¡¯m sorry for scaring you. I really am. You just frustrate me so much. You get on myst nerves and it drives me crazy,¡± Imented. Her lips spread apart and she looked furious again. I realized my mistake toote. ¡°Are you apologizing or you¡¯re insulting me?¡± she asked, her voice taking a loud pitch. I groaned and buried my face in my hands. Chapter 53 208 Moun ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I sighed. ¡°No you¡¯re not,¡± she fiercely replied and I could not help but wonder where all the aggression wasing from. ¡°You know what you are, though? You¡¯re a jerk. A big, fat, dumb jerk. I loathe you!¡± She yelled and I started to grow angry again. Goddess. Give. Me. Patience. F**g hell¡­ ¡°Safiya¡­¡± I called her name but she cut me off. ¡°Don¡¯t call me. You¡¯ve made my life miserable.¡± ¡°What?¡± I asked with irritation and utter exhaustion. I was tired of this back and forth with her. She was driving me nuts. ¡°Did you n what happened this morning? You deliberately provoked me in front of everyone. It came out of nowhere and you knew I would attempt hitting you,¡± I said, stating all the things that hade together in my head. I just wanted her to tell me the truth. ¡°I¡¯m talking about how miserable you¡¯ve made me and you¡¯re using me? I do not even know what you¡¯re talking about!¡± She yelled, feigning ignorance. ¡°I know what you¡¯re doing,¡± she said, taking a step towards me with a wild look in her eyes. ¡°You¡¯re trying to find good reason to leave me, aren¡¯t you? This is about Freda. You¡¯re always choosing her over me!¡± She yelled and started to cry. Anyone who was hearing her voice from the outside would probably assume she was having a m** breakdown. Maybe she was. Chapter 51 ZAH WVouchers Because even¡¯I was horrified at the way she turned everything on me. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. I was about to speak when my phone rang. I was going to ignore it, but I needed a break from Safiya. ¡°Hello?¡± I spoke into the mouthpiece and the next words I heard froze me with shock. Mates 54 Mates 54 Chapter 54 ¡°Hello, Mr. Stirling, this is Harper¡¯s teacher¡± My face lit up with surprise when I heard the voice but what threw me off was the panic and urgency in her voice. Was everything okay? While enrolling Harper, Safiya and I had given our contacts to the school management including Harper¡¯s ss teacher and if I recall correctly, we had hers as well so why was this an unknown number? My heart raced with many thoughts and questions within just a second as I remained rooted without saying a word in response to her introduction. uld feel her ¡°Harper¡¯s teacher?¡± I heard Safiya behind me and I getting tensed. Shoot, I had mistakenly ced the call on speaker. ¡°Mr. Stirling, are you there?¡± Thedy¡¯s voice pulled back my attention and I nodded as though she could see me ¡°Yes, is there any problem?¡± I asked, my heart thumping in my ribcage. I hope my baby girl wasn¡¯t in trouble because that¡¯s what it seemed to be. ¡°S.. sir, there was an ident over here. Your daughter was pushed down the stairs while ying and she¡¯s currently in the infirmary¡± My heart sank to the bottom of my chest and I swallowed, ¡°What?¡± Chapter 54 ¡°Your presence is required, sir. Pleasee soon¡± She ended the call before I could say another word. I stared at the device, shaken, inwardly writhing in pain. My whole body went numb and I stood frozen. I came out of reverie when I felt my phone drop to my foot. ¡°W¡­ What did she just say?¡± Safiya stammered as she rushed to my side, she had been crying earlier but now it was worse, and for the right reason. A part of me was d she cared for our daughter. Amidst the feeling of appreciation for her concern, I was scared for my daughter, what condition was she in at the moment? Stay here, Safiya. Get some rest, I¡¯ll go to Harper¡± I told her and. dashed out of the room but she followed. I could hear her footsteps close to me as she ran down the stairs. ad to stop and take her hand to guide her to the car. She was panting already. When we got into the car, I drove out of the house roughly, and through the drive, I didn¡¯t mind how many rules I had broken as long as we could make it to Harper as soon as possible. While I was trying hard not to think of how badly I would destroy the school if anything happened to my child, Safiya was in tears, inconsble. I tried consoling her but she wouldn¡¯t stop so I let her be knowing that I also felt like wailing but was only holding back for whatever reasons. Upon reaching the school, we jumped out of the car heading toward the building in search of the infirmary. When we got there, we spotted Harper on the first bed beside the door with a Chapter 54 288 (Voucher bandage wrapped around her head. Safiya jumped to her side at once, crying harder now. Seeing my daughter lying there, pale and quiet made me want to punch something. Anything. How careless could they be? Tears threatened to spill from my eyes and I blinked them back, biting my lips so hard that I almost drew blood. The teacher whom I presumed was the one who called, came running into the room after us, panting. ¡°What exactly happened?¡± I demanded angrily and she gulped, panic washing over her features. ¡°She was ying with a pupil when she fell down the stairs, Mr. Stirling. It was an ident. In an attempt to save her from falling, another pupil also got injured¡± She recounted, choosing her words carefully as she could still sense my anger. However, after her exnation, I was left speechless. I knew idents weremon with kids at school but this was too much for me to take in. Then another pupil getting hurt because of my daughter, made me overwhelmed with emotions. Just how much purer could kids get, even during such a situation, a child tried to save her. Loosening up from my uptight and angry expression, I requested her for the kid, even though he or she didn¡¯t seed in the quest to save Harper, they tried and also got a scar for that. ¡°Sir, he¡¯s right here. It was a bad fall¡± She said, her voice calm Chapter 54 388 Vouchers and surprisingly collected. She pointed to the bed behind me and when my eyes fell on the child lying on it, my heart almost jumped out of my chest and this time, the tears I had tried so hard to contain came falling out of my eyes. It was Francisco. My son. Oh my goodness! How bad could this day get for me? Two of my kids were lying side by side, both in pain. To think he tried to save his sister. I didn¡¯t know how to react, my bones felt weak and frozen. I wiped my tears as the teacher rounded to tuck him in properly. ¡°He must be the one who pushed my daughter. Stop making up stories, I know he did it!¡± Safiya¡¯s tearful yet shrill ice reverberated through the room. I gasped, she was using my son. How cold could she be to the reality here? Why would Cisco take the risk of harming someone else? He wouldn¡¯t even think to harm Harper in the first ce. They were friends. He probably had run to her aid to save his friend. ¡°Safiya stop it¡± I turned to a tearful Safiya, she was cradling Harper in her arms. ¡°What do you mean, Kaiden? Can¡¯t you see, that boy pushed our daughter off the stairs? I just know it!¡± She persisted with her usations and I exhaled tiredly, she was worried, I get it but was there any need to cause a scene? Chapter 54 1288 Wouchers I knew she only wanted to spite Freda before me but she had no idea that he was my son and I wouldn¡¯t believe her words even if it were another child over there instead of Cisco. ¡°I think you¡¯re mistaken, Mrs. Stirling. Fransisco didn¡¯t push Harper off the stairs, he was actually attempting to save her but fell along in the process¡± The teacher exined, ¡°Fransisco is a good kid, he would never try to harm anyone for any reason¡±Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Mates 55 Mates 55 Chapter 55 Chapter 55 KAIDEN STIRLING The teacher looked taken aback by Safiya¡¯s words and through the worry and anxiety I was feeling, I could not help the rush of embarrassment that flowed through me. ¡°Luna, there is absolutely no way that Cisco could have saved Harper. He must have known that yet he tried to help her and that resulted in both of them falling,¡± she said, speaking out her mind. The weight of the situation I was being faced with hit me fully and I realized that I could very easily lose both of my children in one day. With the injuries I was seeing on them it did not seem like what two young children could endure. Tears fell down from my eyes and I wiped them speedily, not wanting anyone to see them. I was about to turn around and face the window until I was strong enough topletely stop my tears but I was distracted by someone rushing into the room. It was Freda. She must have heard the news. Oh no¡­ Francisco was like her world, her life. If anything happened to him¡­ I did not want to imagine what would happen. ¡°Cisco¡­ Francisco!¡± She called, immediately hurrying to his bedside, seeming oblivious of everyone else in the room. That Chapter 58 200 Vouchers was how anxious she was. F**k. ¡°What happened to him? What exactly happened to him?¡± She turned to the teacher with tears in her eyes grasping her hands and urging her to tell her what had caused her son to be in this state. ¡°Harper was falling down the stairs and he tried to stop her from falling. They¡¯re still children, Freda. He could not hold his weight and hers¡­ And he fell too. They had been ying,¡± the teacherUpstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g exined regretfully and I was selfishly happy that I was not the one that had to remember and tell that story over and over to the parents of the injured children. ¡°Harper?¡± Freda whispered and as if something clicked in her head, she looked around the room and sighted Safiya and I. She blinked before looking back down at her son as ars started to stream down her face. ¡°Francisco,¡± she whispered as she ran her hand over his hair. ¡°Oh my baby,¡± she sobbed, running her thumb over his bottom lip that had a small cut. It had been treated but it was still red and rough looking. I looked at Safiya who had been pacing beside Harper¡¯s bed when I realized that she had been quiet for too long. It was toote. She was already advancing towards Freda with her hands. clenched into a fist. She was mad. Very mad. But her anger was not warranted because I was sure that Francisco was not responsible for Harper getting injured. They cared about each other too much to hurt each other. If he had tried to hurt her, why was he so severely injured? Chapter 55 128 Voucher ¡°This is all your fault,¡± Safiya said through gritted teeth, wiping furiously at tears that left her eyes. ¡°Safiya,¡± I called her name in warning. Freda looked up at her slowly. There was pain in her eyes but it was gradually turning to anger. ¡°Excuse me?¡± Freda asked, probably trying to be sure she had heard Safiya right. ¡°I was not even there. How is this my fault??¡± She questioned, looking at Safiya like she was the most s**d thing that had ever happened to this world. I was so ashamed and embarrassed. Maybe she was. ¡°Your son pushed my daughter,¡± Safiya insisted. ¡°Your b**d of a son pushed my daughter and got her hurt!¡± She said, taking a step closer to Freda. Freda¡¯s brown eyes seemed to sh the color ofva for a second before she took a deep breath to calm herself. ¡°The father of my son is right over there, so I¡¯m just going to ignore that b**d comment,¡± she said in a calm tone. Safiya¡¯s face turned red with anger and I was not sure what had caused her anger. Freda¡¯s calm tone or her words. Maybe both. Freda was far from done. ¡°You have no idea how absolutely ridiculous you look and sound saying this in front of everyone. My son pushed your daughter? How did he get those injuries? How is he unconscious right now? Not everyone is cruel like you, Safiya! Just because you can do something like that doesn¡¯t mean my son can!¡± Freda ranted. Tears started toe down her eyes again and my heart broke. Chapter 55 288 Vouchers Not only did she have to face her son in this state. She also had to endure her sister saying a load of usatory nonsense against her and her son. ¡°Safiya, that is enough,¡± I sighed taking a step towards them. ¡°You don¡¯t get to tell me what to do, abuser!¡± She yelled at me, causing me to pause in my tracks. What? Freda nced between Safiya and I with confusion and I looked away from her before I could see the hatred she held for me intensify at her sister¡¯s words. Freda and Safiya were not on good terms but I knew that Freda would not hesitate to support her sister when it came to me. I decided to back off except this became physical They needed to handle themselves. I had children that were probably legally hurt. Safiya squared up to Freda, with her face in Freda¡¯s face. ¡°It¡¯s your fault he¡¯s hurt though, don¡¯t you think? Regardless of what happened, you brought him back here. If you hadn¡¯t, he wouldn¡¯t have been hurt right now. You came back. With him. You brought this on both of us!¡± Safiya yelled thest sentence and Freda¡¯s eyes went from angry to sad. Shit. Shit, I was going to have to intervene whether they wanted me to or not. As I took a step towards me, a child rushed in. He seemed to be a year or two older than Harper and Francisco. ¡°Francisco did it,¡± he said breathlessly, like he had been running. Chapter 55- The teacher who had been watching the drama with wide eyes looked at him. ¡°What did you say?¡± She asked. ¡°I was there. I saw Francisco push Harper and she held his hand to stop herself from falling. Two of them fell together,¡± he said and the whole room went silent¡­ Before Freda exploded. Chapter 56 Mates 56 Mates 56 Chapter 56 FREDA WHITLOCK I couldn¡¯t believe my ears at the usation pointed against my son. ¡°Keep quiet, do you even know the weight of what you¡¯re saying?¡± I asked the little kid who imed to have seen my dear Cisco push Harper down the stairs. ¡°My son would never harm a fly, not to mention Harper of all people. They are good friends. Friends don¡¯t do that to each other¡±. I stated as I red at the kid who dared to use my son. ¡°I¡¯m not lying ma¡¯am, I did see your son push Harper down the stairs¡±. The kid insisted and my scowl deepened. ¡°You¡¯re lying¡± I used. ¡°My son would never do that to Harper¡¯ ¡°He did, ma¡¯am¡± he insisted and he turned to Cisco¡¯s ss teacher, Mrs Campbell. ¡°Mrs Campbell, Cisco really pushed Harper down the stairs. I¡¯m not lying¡±. The kid kept insisting that Cisco was at fault but I didn¡¯t believe a single word he uttered. Miss Campbell noticing the tension the child¡¯s usation was bringing had to intervene. ¡°Steve dear, you may leave now, your observation has been duly noted¡± she stated. And the boy left but not after sending a serious re in Cisco¡¯s direction. I couldn¡¯t believe my ears, ¡®why did all these people think Cisco was the one at fault?¡¯ The kid was so gentle and kind. There was some conspiracy I couldn¡¯t understand going on here. Was it a coincidence that the two kids got injured at the same time? I was still in my thoughts when Safiya resumed her yelling. ¡°That child clearly saw what happened, Cisco pushed my dear Harper down the stairs¡± she yelled angrily as she strode in front of me. She raised her finger at me as she threatened. ¡°If anything happens to my daughter Harper, I¡¯m going to make you pay¡±. She red at me menacingly and I was too stunned to speak. It took a while before I could recollect myself to form a reply. ¡°My son didn¡¯t harm Harper, it seemed like you didn¡¯t catch that earlier when I said it¡±. I stated for the umpteenth time. I don¡¯t know what issue Safiya had with me, but she seemed bent on making my life miserable. ¡°Oh, what do I even expect from a mother who goes behind seducing other people¡¯s husbands. I shouldn¡¯t expect less from her son¡±. She scoffed as she crossed her arms. I was beyond mortified as Safiya uttered that stament. Miss Campbell who had been listening to the conversation coughed ufortably behind me. ¡°Safiya, that¡¯s enough. You¡¯ve said enough for one day. Freda is your sister for crying out loud. Be considerate in your usations¡± he stated firmly. ¡°I will not¡± she yelled. ¡°Not until she publicly apologizes for her son trying to murder my daughter¡±. ¡°Apologize?¡¯,she was clearly joking I couldn¡¯t take the insults anymore and I retorted back. ¡°I will not apologize for anything, because my son did not push your daughter down the stairs. You have gone too far with this Safiya. I am only being considerate because of your state. But don¡¯t you dare forget that I am still your older sister. So show moo respect¡±. For a second, Safiya seemed shocked by my bo quickly recovered. ¡°Or what Freda? What will you do? Will you murder my unborn child too just like you tried to murder daughter?¡± She asked as she closed the distance between us, her eyes challenging me. ¡°Who knows? Maybe you sent your son to push my daughter down the stairs, because you im he isn¡¯t guilty but what if he was coerced into doing it. You know what I think Freda, I think you¡¯re the real culprit here. A murderer¡±. She stated as she emphasized thest word. ¡°Enough, Safiya. If you say one more word. You would not like the result from it¡±. Kaiden bellowed in a loud voice and with an aura that had everyone silent within minutes. Just then, the doctors walked in and that immediately upied everyone¡¯s attention as we rushed over to them. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Doctor Russell and here beside me is Doctor Marcus, we are here to examine the children¡± he stated ¡°Of course, please do so Kaiden spoke on behalf of all of us¡±. We quickly made way for them to pass and they examined the kids and took notes. Unable to hide my anxiety, I asked. ¡°What does the report say, will the children be okay?¡± I asked anxiously. Dr Russell took a deep breath and sighed. ¡°The boy is fine, he only sustained a mild concussion so he¡¯ll wake up soon¡±. And I heaved a heavy breath of relief. ¡°What about my daughter?¡± Safiya asked curiously. ¡°The girl had some serious injuries so it might take a day for her to regain consciousness. We still have to run some tests¡±. The doctor disclosed ¡°Please excuse me¡± he stated and walked out with 51 97% 1307 Chapter 56 120 Vouchers For a second, Safiya seemed shocked by my boldness but she quickly recovered. ¡°Or what Freda? What will you do? Will you murder my unborn child too just like you tried to murder daughter?¡± She asked as she closed the distance between us, her eyes challenging me. ¡°Who knows? Maybe you sent your son to push my daughter down the stairs, because you im he isn¡¯t guilty but what if he was coerced into doing it. You know what I think Freda, I think you¡¯re the real culprit here. A murderer¡±. She stated as she emphasized thest word. ¡°Enough, Safiya. If you say one more word. You would not like the result from it¡±. Kaiden bellowed in a loud voice and with an aura that had everyone silent within minutes. Just then, the doctors walked in and that immediately upied everyone¡¯s attention as we rushed over to them. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Doctor Russell and here beside me is Doctor Marcus,we are here to examine the children¡± he stated ¡°Of course, please do so Kaiden spoke on behalf of all of us¡±. We quickly made way for them to pass and they examined the kids and took notes. Unable to hide my anxiety, I asked. ¡°What does the report say, will the children be okay?¡± I asked anxiously. Dr Russell took a deep breath and sighed. ¡°The boy is fine, he only sustained a mild concussion so he¡¯ll wake up soon¡±. And I heaved a heavy breath of relief. ¡°What about my daughter?¡± Safiya asked curiously. ¡°The girl had some serious injuries so it might take a day for her to regain consciousness. We still have to run some tests¡±. The doctor disclosed ¡°Please excuse me¡± he stated and walked out with 51.97% Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. the other doctor. Safiya slumped to the ground but Kaiden was quick to hold her. My heart twisted in pain that he still loved her but I pushed those feelings away. Safiya was quick to regain herself as she suddenly rushed in front of me. Her eyes zing in anger. ¡°You did this¡± she used. ¡°This was all your master n so you can take Kaiden away from me¡±. ¡°Safiya¡± Kaiden warned in a harsh tone. ¡°I¡¯ve told you it¡¯s enough. Freda is just as worried about the kids just as you are. Her son was also injured¡±. He stated. ¡°But he¡¯s going to wake up soon but my daughter might ke up tomorrow. It¡¯s still under probability¡± she yelled as she pounded Kaiden¡¯s chest with her fists as Kaiden tried desperately to restrain her. She freed herself from his grip as she stared deep into his eyes. ¡°Kaiden you tell me, what is your role here?. Why are you supporting Freda instead of me? It¡¯s our daughter¡¯s life that is at stake. You should be on my side. That kid even said he saw Cisco do it, so why?¡± she asked with tearful eyes. Kaiden kept silent but the answer was clear. Devastated, Safiya s**d her bag from the chair and stormed out in anger. Mates 57 Mates 57 Chapter 57 KAIDEN STIRLING After Safiya¡¯s outburst I quickly rushed after her worried that she might do something to hurt herself or the baby, given her current state of mind. I was just in time to spot her step out of the school gate. Her expression filled with fury. I quickly walked over to her as I held her hand in attempt to stop her. She stilled for a moment in apprehension but when she looked back and realized it was me, she wrenched her hand away and continued to walk away ignoring me. I cursed, as I quickly walked in front of her blocking her path. ¡°We need to talk,¡± I muttered calmly. The only way I could handle the situation was by being calm. Acting angry would only infuriate Safiya further. I didn¡¯t want anything that would endanger the baby, so I was willing to endure every insult from Safiya just for the safety of my unborn baby. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to say, you clearly made your choice back there and you¡¯ve shown me the role I¡¯m ying in your life¡±. She stated as tears pooled in her eyes. ¡°Calm down, Safiya, you¡¯re taking things the wrong way. I¡­.¡±. ¡°Wrong way?¡± she screamed, cutting me off. ¡°What you did back there obviously told me everything I needed to know¡±. 13:00 Chapter 57. 288 Vouchers ¡°You kept on taking Freda¡¯s side. Ever since Freda and that son of hers came back, you¡¯ve withdrawn yourself Kaiden. You used to hate Freda but now you¡¯re sucking up to her?¡± She used me, as tears rolled down her cheeks. There was no way I could tell her that Cisco was my son, she didn¡¯t need that stress now, especially in this condition. ¡°It¡¯s not what you think, Safiya¡± I stated as I held her shoulders and turned her to face me, staring directly into my eyes. ¡°I am not taking anyone¡¯s side. I only did that to prevent things from escting, and you were overreacting a little. Freda¡¯s son too was also hurt, not just ours. She is going through all is alone¡±. ¡°Freda, Freda, Freda. I¡¯m sick and tired of hearing her name. Can¡¯t you see all this is part of her master n?, she is a conniving self centered b**h¡±. She yelled and wrenched my hands away from her shoulders as she heaved uncontrobly, her body shaking from anger. Some part of me roared in anger as my wolf growled at my mate being insulted. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare forget that Freda was once my mate, so you will show her some respect¡±. I warned and Safiya was beyond mortified. ¡°I knew it¡±, she yelled with bulging eyes. ¡°You love her, you love her so much that you are blinded not to see that she is toying with you. She is drawing you away from your family. Your daughter is lying there unconscious and here you are worrying about another woman and her son?¡±. Safiya stated as she screamed wildly drawing attention to us. I didn¡¯t even care about the crowd watching us from a distance. I needed to calm Safiya down before things went out of control Chapter 57 288 Mouchers and she overworked herself causing harm to the baby. I took a deep breath as I calmed myself down. ¡°Nobody is taking your husband away from you Safiya. All I¡¯m saying is that you need to calm down. The kids should be our priority right. now. Why don¡¯t we wait for them to regain consciousness and then we can revisit this issue again and ask them what really happened?¡±. I stated ¡°While in the meantime you go home, freshen up and take a good nap to relieve the anxiety and stress you¡¯ve been through these past few days, and you know it¡¯s not good for the haby. I finished and she seemed to have calmed down a little b. the fire in her eyes remained. Crossing her arms, she looked at me squarely as she began to speak. ¡°I will only calm down once you can make Freda apologize to me publicly,¡± she stated and the patience I had been building to reason things with her withered away. I rubbed my temples as I sighed deeply.¡± ¡°Nobody knows what happened, Safiya, it¡¯s not right to force Freda to apologize when we aren¡¯t sure if it was really Cisco that pushed Harper down theCcontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. stairs¡±. I disclosed as a matter of fact. One look at Safiya, and I could see that the raging storm I had tried to still for the past thirty minutes, came crashing down again as she began to scream once more. ¡°And you say you¡¯re not on Freda¡¯s side?¡± She scoffed. ¡°You are Freda¡¯s pawn, Kaiden. She has already brainwashed you, and here I was thinking I could get you on my side¡±. She stated as she shook her head disappointedly. ¡°I¡¯m being reasonable here, Safiya¡±. I stated getting tired of Ch¨®pter 57 288 Vouchers always being put in the middle of the two sisters. ¡°I can¡¯t just use Freda and Cisco or anyone else for that matter when I have no proof that they are guilty¡±. ¡°They are, that child clearly provided evidence, he said he saw Francisco push Harper down the stairs¡±. She yelled once more. ¡°We can¡¯t trust the words of a kid and you know that as well, Safiya. You¡¯re only saying this because it¡¯s Freda that¡¯s involved¡±. ¡°Yes I am,¡± she agreed, shocking me. ¡°I am saying this be use it¡¯s Freda. I can never trust that vile woman, ever since she came back she has been trying to pull us apart¡±. She yelled. ¡°That¡¯s not true, it¡¯s not¡­¡±. ¡°Yes, it is and you¡¯ve proved it to me once again that my suspicions are true,¡± she said, cutting me off. ¦§ How?¡± I asked confusedly and Safiya walked up to me till there was barely any distance between us and stood on tiptoes as she leveled her eyes with mine. ¡°Tell Safiya to apologize and I¡¯ll believe you, I¡¯ll believe that you are not on her side¡±, she stated. ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± I replied truthfully. ¡°It doesn¡¯t work that way¡±. Safiya backed away as she created distance between us once more. ¡°And you tell me I shouldn¡¯t hate Freda¡±, she stated and stormed off angrily before I could convince her otherwise leaving me more confused than ever. Mates 58 Mates 58 Chapter 58 FREDA WHITLOCK I cried miserably as I looked at my Cisco¡¯s pitiful condition. He had bruises on his cheeks and his skin was so pale. I couldn¡¯t help but shed more tears as I watched my dear son lying unconscious without being able to do anything to help. my My wolf, Gia tried tofort me but I would hear nothing of it as I did the only thing I could do right now. I had never see son in such a state since I gave birth to him. It was heartbreaking! Miss Campbell who had been watching me cry for the past thirty minutes came to my side as she ced an assuring palm on my shoulder. ¡°Mrs Whitlock, you shouldn¡¯t hurt yourself by crying too much. You need to be strong for yourself and your son. He needs you more than ever right now¡±. I nodded as I tried to wipe my eyes with the back of my hands but more tears just spilled out. ¡°I¡¯m trying¡±, I stated in a choked voice. ¡°I just haven¡¯t seen my son in such a helpless state¡±. I said miserably. Miss Campbell just stared at me with eyes full of pity as she could no longer think of words to comfort me. It was in this state that Kaiden walked into the room. He must have failed in reasoning things out as I nced at him, his expression filled with confusion and frustration. His expression immediately changed to one of concern and Chapter 58 288 Mauchers worry when he sighted me. ¡°Freda¡± he called in a worried voice as he walked over to me and put a hand on my shoulder. Had it been any other day, I would have shrugged him off. But today, I was tired of fighting things alone, I neededfort, who else couldfort me better asides from Cisco¡¯s father? How ironic! ¡°Why are you crying?¡±, he asked as he crouched down to meet my eye level. ¡°I-I¡¯m scared¡± I huped, my voice hoarse from crying. ¡°What if Cisco doesn¡¯t wake up? He¡¯s my life Kaiden, I can¡¯t live without him¡±. I choked out as more tears spilled out. ¡°Freda¡± he stated firmly. ¡°Look at me¡± but I was too devastated to do so. ¡°Freda¡± he called once again more softly this time as he took my hands in his, squeezing softly. ¡°Look at me¡± he said softly and I slowly raised my eyes to meet his. And I was surprised by what I saw. He was hurting too. He was the father of the two kids. It hurt him to see his kids this way and not be able to help them. But he was holding out strong for all of us and I needed to be strong too. I nodded my head at the hidden meaning of his soft gaze as wemunicated with only our eyes. It was just two of us in our little world, oblivious to the rest of our surroundings. ¡°Cisco will be fine¡± he muttered softly. I nodded. ¡°He will be fine¡± I repeated and instantly felt relieved. My wolf purred with contentment at the bond between I and my mate Kaiden and I had to agree, maybe what I needed was just thefort of my mate. My ex mate and Cisco¡¯s father. He released my hand and my heart ached at the loss of touch. ¡®No!¡¯ Now was not the time. I gave him a small smile to show my Chapter 58 288 Vouchers appreciation and he nodded. I turned to gaze back at Cisco. Just then Lyra came in. ¡°What happened?¡±, she asked worriedly as she took in the scene. before her. ¡°I came here as soon as I got your distressing phone call but I was held up in traffic¡±. She quickly gave me a tight hug and I leaned into her touch sighing softly. She nced at Kaiden only just noticing his presence in the room and she red at him before turning her attention back to me. ¡°Tell me what happened exactly, why is Cisco injured like this and why hasn¡¯t he regained consciousness?¡±. Tears threatened to fall from my eyes but I willed it back. I took deep breath as I began to exin to her. I told her about the phone call I received from Cisco¡¯s teacher, telling me Cisco was in an ident and how I came rushing here only to see Harper was injured too and how Safiya started ming Cisco that he was responsible for Harper¡¯s ident, that he pushed her off the stairs and the doctors report on the two kids and the argument between Safiya and I and Kaiden trying to calm us down. As I narrated on, her scowl deepened and when I finished she was shaking with anger. ¡°Harper is clearly at fault here, she is the the older one here. She should have been more responsible and it only makes sense that she was the one who pushed Cisco¡±. She stated as her eyebrows knitted together in fury and concern. ¡°No,no Lyra let¡¯s not assume. I suggest we wait for the kids to wake up and give us their side of the story. We should hope for a quick recovery for them¡±. I finished. Lyra paid deaf ears to me as she turned to face Kaiden. ¡°And 280 Vouchers you, what were you doing when your wife was busy using Freda and her son of attempted murder?¡±. ¡°Lyra¡­¡± I tried to exin to her but she cut me off. ¡°No, Fredal someone needs to speak some sense into this buffalo, he needs to have some control over his wife. He¡¯s an alpha for crying out loud¡±. Kaiden who couldn¡¯t take anymore of Lyra¡¯s insults strode over to Lyra as he straightened himself to his full height towering over her but Lyra red on not intimidated in the slightest. ¡°Insult me again and I¡¯ll¡­.¡±. ¡°You¡¯ll do what?¡±, Lyra yelled cutting him off. ¡°It¡¯s obvious to everyone here that you have no control over your wife. So what have I said that¡¯s so wrong?. If you had a little more control over her, maybe none of this would have happened. This is clearly your fault¡±. she stated in a raised voice. ¡°Lyra¡± I called trying to butt in but a growl from Kaiden silenced me. ¡°You¡¯re lucky you¡¯re Freda¡¯s friend and I¡¯ll take it that you¡¯re being concerned for her, because no one insults an alpha and gets away with it¡±. He warned and stormed off carrying his menacing aura with him. What had Lyra done?!Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Mates 59 Mates 59 Chapter 59 FREIDA WHITLOCK Night hade but despite Lyra¡¯s attempt to get me back home, I wouldn¡¯t leave. How could I leave my son¡¯s side when he was in this condition? Despite the loud ranting from Lyra after Kaiden left, Cisco never for once stirred and it worried me greatly. What would I do if anything happened to my baby? Oh, dess! My train of thought was in turmoil and I could stop shedding tears as I stayed by his side the whole night. I don¡¯t think I slept a wink. I couldn¡¯t even try. While by his side, I would stare at Harper. She too was still in an unconscious state and hadn¡¯t woken up. Her condition looked fatal and I couldn¡¯t help but wonder how Safiya must be feeling. ¡°Please don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re worried about that girl. I strongly believe she¡¯s the cause of this. She¡¯s Safiya¡¯s daughter after all¡± Lyra¡¯s harsh words had brought me out of reverie and I sighed, turning to cast her a nce of disapproval. I understand Safiya trying to me my son for this was to spite me to prove that Kaiden was hers but I didn¡¯t expect this from Lyra. She knew too well that Harper would never have the thought of pushing Francisco off the stairs. She was a child for crying out loud. ¡°Lyra, I don¡¯t think that makes any sense. Stop ming her because you don¡¯t like Safiya. The kids are innocent¡± My words Chapter 59 1200 Vouchers were intended to chide her but did they? She didn¡¯t look fazed by them one bit. She scoffed, ¡°We can¡¯t just let anything slide¡± ¡°True. But we can¡¯t me kids for our actions, can we?¡± I asked with a sigh, ¡°It¡¯s not her fault that her mother is a pain¡± ¡°I feel bad for her. She had to have that vile woman as her mother, of all people¡± Lyra spat with disdain and I stared at her with a pained look. I couldn¡¯t believe she would say such a thing. ¡°Lyra!¡± I cautioned. No matter how bad Safiya had be, I would never ept the fact that it was her fault. Yes, she go overboard but it had never been her fault and she seemed to be a good person to her daughter. The worry in her eyes for Harper was palpable while she was here. Lyra clicked her tongue and walked out looking annoyed and I sighed. She needed that time alone. I rested my head on Cisco¡¯s bed and whiled away time staring at him. The next morning, after her failed attempts to persuade me to go back home for a change of clothes, Lyra decided to go fetch. the necessities for me. Fransisco was still not awake and even though I tried hard to be strong, I was losing a huge part of my mind. Tears were dropping from my eyes every second after Lyra left and had made me promise her not to cry. I just couldn¡¯t help it. I wanted my son to open his eyes already and speak to me. Was that too much to ask? The door to the ward opened and I lifted my head to see a distressed Safiya walk in with a bowl in hand. I quickly wiped my Chapter 59 tears with the back of my palms. could feel her ring at me. I heaved. What did she have in mind to say now? To my surprise, she said nothing. Instead, she went to Harper¡¯s side and gazed at her frail daughter with quivering lips. She seemed to be trying hard not to break down before me. After cing kisses all over Harper¡¯s face while whispering things as she did, she sat on the stool beside her bed and with a towel from the bowl gently wiped Harper¡¯s bare skin. She suddenly looked up and our eyes met. I held my breath not because I was scared of her but at the amount of hatred in her eyes as she red at me at my son. What was going on in her head? looked away first because I thought I saw Cisco stir. He did. My heart swelled with joy when I saw his eyes flutter. Oh my goodness, my son was awake! I felt like squealing and I might have done so because Safiya¡¯s gaze was boring holes into my soul as she fumed. I didn¡¯t mind her reaction knowing how much of a bitter person she had betely. ¡°Cisco¡± I gasped, ¡°Sweetheart¡± I sat on the bed, feeling his forehead with the back of my palm, ¡°G***d, you¡¯re awake!¡± My voice was shaky, filled with emotions as I leaned down to engulf him in a hug. ¡°M.. mom¡± He called weakly and I broke the hug staring at him. with intent to study his wounds like I was seeing them for the first time. Oh, goddess! The tears I was trying hard to contain came spilling out in torrents. I thought something bad would happen to you¡± I cried, ¡°Don¡¯t ever scare mommy like that ever, okay?¡± I scolded, palming my face as I cried. Chapter 59 288 Wouchers ¡°Mom, stop crying. I¡¯m fine now¡± The nerve of this boy speaking to me like he was all grown up. What did he know? He had no idea that I would have lost my mind if he hadn¡¯te to. I sniffled wiping my tears as I helped him sit up like he requested. I knew his back was hurting from lying down for a day and a half. He looked exhausted and his stomach kept grumbling showing he was hungry. The sound made me chuckle, after all the distress I had been through the whole night, he woke up with a stomach that needed food. Oh, my boy! ¡°Are you hungry?¡± I asked the obvious and he nodded. It ed, ¡°Aunt Lyra will soon be here with breakfast, okay?¡± He nodded, ¡°Mom, where¡¯s -¡± Safiya cut him off, her voice shrill and using, ¡°Hey little boy, why did you push my daughter, how can you be so cruel, huh?¡± Her eyes were zing with fury that would scare anyone. Just like me, Cisco looked puzzled. He shifted uneasily on the bed and my hold on his hand tightened a bit to calm him down. He didn¡¯t have to get agitated by her words. Seems like she was deranged. ¡°Safiya watch what you say and stop using my son for your daughter¡¯s condition!¡± I warned, staring back at her with the same intensity and she hissed Her gaze was still pointed at Cisco, ¡°If you don¡¯t tell me the truth right now, I¡¯ll have your mother arrested, don¡¯t test my patience¡± She stared at him trying to intimidate him and before I could utter a word to diffuse her usations, Cisco burst into tears. Chapter 59 Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g 288 Vouchers. My heart s**d a beat and I returned my attention to him. D**n you Safiya. ¡°Cisco, don¡¯t cry¡± I held him close in my arms trying to soothe him but his cries grew louder every second. Mates 60 Mates 60 Chapter 60 FRIEDA WHITLOCK ¡°You better tell your son to cut that c**p of his and answer my questions else it won¡¯t be good for both of you Freda!¡± Safiya continued with her threats while I tried to console Cisco. I ignored her words. My worry grew as Cisco kept crying the more she spoke. He might just be a child but I knew he could understand the weight of her words. He had gotten scared when he heard her speak about throwing me in jail. My hea warmed despite the pain of seeing him in tears. I was happy he cared about me and feared for my sake but if he continued crying so much, he would catch a fever or something else. Safiya was still throwing profanities at us and I grew tired of hearing her voice. It was loud and annoying. ¡°Shut up, will you!¡± I snapped and she huffed, staring at me in disbelief that I dared to yell at her. She might be the Luna but I wouldn¡¯t take her using and pressuring my son into epting me for what he didn¡¯t do. She was trying to intimidate him and that was the height of it. ¡°Can¡¯t you see that you¡¯re scaring him? He just woke up. If I were you, I would use this energy to take care of your unconscious daughter, she needs it right now¡± I continued, this time lowering my voice and that seemed to blow up a fuse within her. Her nose red as she shot daggers at me with he res. Disbelief, hate, and pain were etched on her face. No matter how much I saw these emotions on her face, it took me Chapter 60 288 Vouchers off guard every time. I always wondered why she hated me so much. So much that it seemed like a default look whenever she saw me. However, I looked away from her and stared at the sobbing Francisco in my arms, rubbing his back gently to stop him from crying as he was still in tears. The peace that was in the room had now been disrupted thanks to Safiya¡¯s s**d insinuations. ¡°How dare you speak to me in that manner, Freda?¡± She roared and Cisco jumped out of fright. I could feel her wolf almost baring free. It was agitated for a fight and so was Gia. My wolf had long wanted this starting from the day we knew she was shamelessly involved with my mate. If we were to face offr N, I would tear her apart because she was no match for me. Give me strength, goddess. Gia sensing my reluctance to attack, snarled in anger and shut off our contact leaving me alone to confront my problems. Knowing she wasn¡¯t there tofort me anymore suddenly made me feel vulnerable. Tears welled in my eyes and I could feel Safiya smirking triumphantly. She thought she had won. I only let her win for the sake of my son¡¯s aggravated state. ¡°For this Freda, I will make sure you publicly give me that apology and nothing will stop me. Not even Kaiden as I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve talked him to your corner already¡± She spoke with spite and just when I thought I had only her to deal with, Georgina stormed into the room. Initially, she was eyes on her granddaughter but seeing how focused Safiya was on me, she looked in my direction and her face soured. For a second, I had doubts about myself. I wondered what I had done to ever make them hate me so Chubter 60 288 Vouchers. much. They seem to lose their **it whenever they set their eyes on me and it was rming now that Cisco was involved. ¡°What has she done this time, Safiya?¡± Georgina asked, staring condescendingly at me. ¡°Her wretched son pushed my daughter off the stairs and they think I¡¯d let it slide? Never!¡± Safiya spat I shot her a re, ¡°He didn¡¯t do anything as such, Safiya. Stop making things up and pay attention to your daughter¡¯s health!¡± ¡°Oh, shut up you s**t! Don¡¯t speak to my daughter in that manner. It must be true that your son did this. What do I expect from a fruit of yours?¡± Georgina would obviously take her daughter¡¯s side even though I had always known, it hurt. ¡°How are you sure your daughter wasn¡¯t the one to push my son down the stairs?¡± I retorted, slowlyUpstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g sumbing to the urge to cry. I began to s****b and I could see Georgina¡¯s wicked smile when she saw my state. ¡°My granddaughter would never do such a thing to anyone. It¡¯s obvious it¡¯s your son¡¯s fault. I¡¯m not even surprised to see you involved in this since all you love doing is wrecking my daughter¡¯s life!¡± She persisted and my cries intensified. I couldn¡¯t take the pain of being med anymore, I was overwhelmed by everything and Gia had left me also. I was alone and helpless as mother and daughter showered me with insults. They weren¡¯t backing down and kept spilling harsh words every second they thought of something. was being bullied and I could do nothing other than cry. When did I be so weak? Imented inwardly. Chapter 60 The door bursted open and Lyra tripped in with a bag and lunch basket in her hands. Her eyes widened when she saw my state. ¡°Freeds, what the heck?¡± She rushed to me with a worried look. on her face and I don¡¯t think I had ever been happier seeing my best friend as I was now. I opened my mouth to speak but ended up huping and she frowned deeply turning to Georgina who stood defiantly. Safiya was back to massaging Harper but that didn¡¯t mean she wasn¡¯t aware of Lyra¡¯s presence. She knew and looked fierce as ever. ¡°What have you two done to her? Lyra asked, angrily staring at Georgina. ¡°Who are you to question me?¡± ¡°Who the f**k are you toe in here and cause her distress. She was fine before you brought your busy body around so what did you do to her?¡± Lyra yelled and Georgina looked tongue-tied for a second but that didn¡¯t mean Safiya was. She looked at Lyra with the same look she always had when she looked at me ¡°Watch your tone, orphan, and get the hell out of here!¡± That seemed to get to Lyra. She folded her hands, her anger was so palpable that I shrunk back. She hated being reminded of that and Safiya just did. ¡°As an orphan, I am better than your puffed-up self in all ways, Safiya. You might be the glorified Luna but you mean nothing to me and I will not hesitate to beat you up to a pulp!¡± Lyra retorted and Safiya shot to her feet as though she was ready for a fight. Chapter 50 288 Vouchers Just as she was about to walk over, a nurse barged into the room and everyone froze. She looked at all of us, her eyes lingering on me and Francisco before speaking ¡°What¡¯s with all the noise here?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t get to ask what the problem is when all you have to do is throw it out as it¡¯s obviously before you!¡± Georgina snapped at her, pointing at Lyra The nurse sighed and surprisingly sounded calm as she poke, ¡°Ma¡¯am, the noise had beening long before she arrived here¡± Georgina stared at her in shock, while Safiya shot her a re. Lyra however, burst into a mocking laughter. Chapter 61- Mates 61 Mates 61 Chapter 61 FREIDA WHITLOCK Lyra¡¯sughter didn¡¯t stop. She continued knowing well it could get to every nerve in Georgina¡¯s body. And I loved it. The look on the duo¡¯s faces was to live for. I don¡¯t think I had seen Georgina more infuriated as she was the the moment. By this time, Cisco had stopped crying and was huping. For the both of us, we had calmed down knowing Lyra was here on our behalf. ¡°What do you think, that you can go around implicating peop. and not get called out for it?¡± Lyra asked, her tone mocking. I looked up. Georgina wasn¡¯t dealing well with it and fueled by Lyra¡¯s words, she turned to the poor nurse who seemed to shudder at the sight of the angry woman ¡°What do you mean by that? Are you using me of the charade she started?¡± She fumed, ¡°I¡¯m sure she must¡¯ve paid you off toe here and insult me¡± She cast Lyra a demeaning nce. Lyra wasn¡¯t bothered, she red back, unyielding. The nurse shook her head, ¡°It wasn¡¯t an usation ma¡¯am, I only stated the fact which is there had beenmotion here before her arrival. She has nothing to do with this¡± Chapter 61 288 Vouchers Safiya scoffed and rolled her eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t think you know how to do your job properly. You don¡¯t question people how they handle their matters, what you do is make sure they get taken care of which is not the case with my granddaughter. Howe she¡¯s still not awake? Can you tell me that?¡± Georgina yelled and the nurse sighed. ¡°Ma¡¯am please stop shouting. There are other patients around trying to get some rest. And it¡¯s also a school, the students might get distracted¡± Lyra startedughing again upon hearing the nurse¡¯s words. It was logical to know that the ssrooms were not near the infirmary at all. All the nurse was trying to do withouting off rude was try to stop Georgina from yelling. However, one could feel her frustration. Her fists were balled by her sides as she kept a calm face. Very professional. I respect her more for that. ¡°Are you insinuating that my mom is causing amotion in the school?¡± Safiya asked through gritted teeth. ¡°Who else do you expect her to confront other than thisdy filled with bully genes?¡± Lyra spoke before the nurse could respond and they gasped. ¡°Lyra¡­¡± I called softly, cautioning her with my voice. I loved that she cared and was standing up for me but I think she was going too far. No matter what, Safiya was she Luna and disrespect like this could cause her a lot. Safiya already had bad blood with us and was looking for every means to harm us. This would be the height of it. Chapter 61: 288 Vouchers: I didn¡¯t want to lose my friend because of a tiny issue that Safiya had purposely blown up. ¡°I think that bravery of yours would be wiped off soon. I won¡¯t let this slide, you b**h!¡± ¡°I truly can¡¯t wait to see what you do. I dare you to try, I swear, I¡¯ll snap your bony neck off your body!¡± Lyra retorted and Georgina¡¯s eyes shed with fury. Her wolf was not taking it anymore and I felt Gia slowly creep out of her shell. I guess she could feel the tension and menacing presence of Georgina¡¯s wolf. She was ready for a fight but I didn¡¯t want that especially when Cisco was frozen in my arms out of horror. ¡°Pleasedies-¡± The nurse was rudely cut off by Georgina¡¯s angry snap, ¡°Shut up!¡± The heated exchange between the three of them continued with the nurse in between pleading with them to stop. It was so loud that I was having a headache. No matter how much I tried to calm Lyra down she didn¡¯t want to listen. Cisco¡¯s hold tightened around me and he buried his face in my chest and began to cry again. This was too much for me to bear. Their exchange paused at Kaiden¡¯s sudden entry into the ward. He didn¡¯t look pleased as she gazed at everyone in the room. ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± His voice thundered across the room, his eyes flickering between the usual normal color of his eyeballs. His wolf was having it, he wanted control. The nurse quickly scrambled out of the room. She must think we were Chapter 61 288 Vouchers mentally unstable. Maybe we were and I bet she¡¯d never forget that interaction ever. Who would? ¡°Ask your mother-¡± A re from Kaiden shut Lyra up at once. He faced Georgina and she smiled feeling she had him on her side. Safiya looked happy as well but their excitement was shattered when he spoke. ¡°I could hear your voice while on my way up. Why the hell were you yelling knowing well that your granddaughter is in the room and would be getting some rest? ¡°She started it by insulting my daughter, your wife. I just wanted to put some sense in her head¡± Georgina said and Lyra hissed, aloud before walking out. ¡°Get out!¡± Kaiden ordered when Lyra was out. He turned to Georgina who seemed clueless at the command. ¡°What?¡± She asked when she realized she was the one being sent out. How did she not know earlier? ¡°You¡¯re asking me to leave? I¡¯m here to see my granddaughter¡± Georgina seemed scared when he red at her, the aura of his wolf intimidating. She shrunk back fearfully. It was a sight to behold since Georgina had been acting all high and mighty. Who knew she could also be scared of someone? ¡°Kaiden¡± She called, sounding surprised. ¡°Leave, immediately¡± He spat and she hurried out of the room. Giaughed, squealing the fact that her mate ¨C ex-mate looked Chapter 288 Vouchers so hot asking her to leave which was absurd because I didn¡¯t find any of that alluring. He was a d**k for all I cared. ¡°Kaiden, why did you send my mother out? She did nothing wrong other than ask who harmed Harper¡± Safiya confronted him, rounding the bed toe to his side. Meanwhile, Kaiden tucked his hands in his pockets as he stared back and forth between Cisco and me. There was a flicker in his eyes I almost missed and his forehead creased. When his eyes rested on Cisco, he frowned deeply. ¡°She was yelling¡± Calmly, he responded to Safiya who was now tugging at his arm. Gia scoffed in my head seeing the action. I looked away to ignore them. ¡°She was too. It¡¯s her fault mom had to yell¡± Safiya told him, pointing at me. Kaiden¡¯s eyes didn¡¯t leave Cisco who was in my arms. He didn¡¯t seem to hear his wife ming me for her overboard actions. Safiya noticed he wasn¡¯t listening and snapped, ¡°Kaiden, I¡¯m talking to you, look at me, and in case you¡¯ve forgotten, your daughter is right here!¡± He sighed, wearily. ¡°Safiya, I know our daughter is over there but can you see the condition of others for once? The boy is obviously traumatized because of the vile exchange of words he had to listen to¡± ¡°And whose fault is it? His mother¡¯s!¡± She snapped and looked at him only to find his eyes glued to Cisco by my side. Her face dropped briefly in disappointment and a sh of sadness before Chapter 61 288 (Vouchers returning to a full-on mask of anger and hate. Again, I felt bad for her. Again, I didn¡¯t me her but Kaiden. He was the only one to be med. After all the problems he had caused, he was making the same mistake again. When would he learn? ¡°Do you care about that boy so much that you¡¯ve forgotten about our daughter? You haven¡¯t even looked at her since your got here. What is wrong with you, Kaiden?¡± She yelled. ¡°Safiya, unlike you who is heartless, I care about him and there¡¯s nothing that can be done about it He blurted nonchntly and her shoulders slumped. She looked shocked, defeated, and hopeless at once. Subconsciously, I clutched Cisco close to me. I felt pity for her. I didn¡¯t want to imagine myself in her position because from the looks of it, it sucked and Kaiden had no idea it did. Staring at him in disbelief, she cast me a nce that sent chills down my spine. It was a dark look I had never seen on her face before. It got me scared for what was toe. She picked up her phone and brushing against Kaiden¡¯s shoulder angrily, stormed out of the ward.Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Mates 62 Mates 62 Chapter 62 AUTHOR¡¯S POV Georgina stormed out of the ward with Safiya trailing behind her. Georgina was furious. How dare Kaiden send her away! And that b**h Freda watched on? This was all her fault. Ever since that Freda girl came back she had been thwarting all her ns. She thought angrily as she stomped off. Safiya who had been running after her mother finally caught up to her. She held her mother¡¯s hand but one hard re from Georgina silenced whatever words she nned to speak out. ¡®Okay now was not the time,¡¯ Safiya thought as she waifor her mother to blow off her steam. She knew her mother was insulted by Kaiden, but she didn¡¯t deserve the transfer of aggression her mother showed her. Nevertheless, she would wait until they got home and then they would talk. car au They got into Georgina¡¯s the driver who had been waiting for them took them home. All through the ride Safiya and her mother said nothing to each other, both of them upied by their own thoughts. Safiya was thinking about Kaiden¡¯s recent behaviour. ¡®How could he side with Freda?¡¯ What was so special about Freda that he had to neglect his own wife and child? She thought as angry tears threatened to spill. By the time they got home, Safiya was a crying mess as s**t was falling freely from her nose and her eyes were puffy. 0.00% 288 Vouchers. Georgina, upon seeing Safiya rushed up to her. ¡°What¡¯s wrong dear?¡±, she asked with concern. ¡°Is it because of the way I treated you? I¡¯m so sorry, I was just so angry at the time¡±. She stated as she helped Safiya to a chair nearby. Safiya shook her head in the negative. ¡°N-no, Mum,it¡¯s not you, it¡¯s just that I don¡¯t know what to do anymore¡±. She said between hups. ¡°Kaiden no longer loves me, he loves Freda now¡± she croaked out as she kept her face in her hands and sobbed harder. ¡°That¡¯s not true dear. He is only brainwashed¡­.¡±, ¡°No Mother, I know what I¡¯m saying, h-he loves Freda, can¡¯t you see how soft his gaze was when he was talking to her. He even defended her and her son too¡±. Safiya stated in heavy breaths as she continued on. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do anymore, mother. Kaiden won¡¯t even look at me or talk to me unless it¡¯s rted to Freda. We don¡¯t even sleep together. I¡¯ve never hated Freda as much as I hate her now. She has ruined everything. Why didn¡¯t she just stay wherever she stayed for the past six years? Why did she have to return?¡± Safiya asked in despair. ¡°Safiya darling¡± Georgina called her in a honey coated voice as she removed her hands from her face and made her look at her. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t stress now, especially in this condition¡­¡±. ¡°stress mother, stress?¡± Safiya asked as she cut her mother off. ¡°That¡¯s all I have been hearing for the past week. I shouldn¡¯t stress because of the baby, nobody cares about me. If you all don¡¯t want me to stress, then you should get rid of Freda!¡± She yelled furiously. Chapter 62 289 vouchers ¡°I¡¯m telling you not to stress because I have a n that will destroy whatever hold Freda has on Kaiden¡±. Georgina stated triumphantly. Freda raised her eyebrows and dried her eyes quickly. ¡°Really,mother? What¡¯s the n?¡± She asked curiously. ¡°I¡¯m still making some adjustments to the n, I¡¯ll reveal it when the time is right¡±. Georgina disclosed slowly. ¡°Okay, mother, but when will the time be right?¡± Safiya asked again. Time was running out. Who knows what more havoc Freda will cause before her mother reveals her n. ¡°Soon¡± Georgina replied with a smile as she refused to say more. ¡°Go freshen up and rest dear. You¡¯ll need it¡±. She stated and Safiya nodded as she sighed. She knew there was no poin bugging her mother about it. When she didn¡¯t want to reveal a particr thing, no soothsayer could talk her into spilling it. Safiya gave her mother a quick hug and went to her room. She was a bit calmer now. She would trust her mother to handle things now. She had always been on her side and would never let her down. Minutester, Safiya was done having her bath and as she walked into the room with nothing on, Kaiden walked in. It had been a while Kaiden had entered her room and right now he was looking at her naked body. Safiya was surprised and blushed immediately. But then something was off, he didn¡¯t seem to appreciate what he saw,he barely had any reaction at all. Forcing back tears that threatened to spill, she put on a mask of indifference as she walked over with elegance and with her head held high as she reached over for her towel and tied it around her body all the while with Kaiden¡¯s presence in the 50.09% ? Chapter 67 288 (Vouchers room. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Safiya asked c**ly, barely sparing a nce in Kaiden¡¯s direction. ¡°We need to talk¡±, he replied, barely affected by her state of undress. ¡°About? Safiya inquired with the same mask of indifference. ¡°You still have toe out in public and tell the council that I never meant to harass you,¡± he disclosed. ¡®Of course¡¯ Safiya thought. It was always about his reputation, a part of her hoped he was here to talk about their depressing rtionship but he had disappointed her again. And he was going to regret it. If he wanted to toy with her feelings then she was going to show him that she could y his games too. She slowly walked to her closet, patiently taking her time to select her outfit and she knew her actions were making Kaiden irritated. And she smirked a little before hiding it quickly. After wearing her clothes,she turned slowly and crossed her arms as she looked at Kaiden who red at her with a scowl on his face. He knew she was deliberately stalling him but he was somehow at her mercy now and could do nothing about it. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I will only do as you say once Freda apologizes to me in public concerning her son trying to murder Harper¡± she stated and Kaiden¡¯s scowl deepened. Mates 63 Mates 63 Chapter 63 FREDA WHITLOCK It was time for lunch. ¡°Cisco dear I called out as I finished setting the table with the help of Lyra. ¡°Come down for lunch honey¡±. Few minutester, Cisco came to join us at the table. My heart twisted in pain at how miserable my son looked. The past few days must have been so hard on him. With Safiya constantly using him of trying to kill Harper. The poor kid was overwhelmed. He had been so quiet ¡­ese days and he wouldn¡¯t speak about what happened with Harper and I was almost tempted to ask him. A quick nce to Lyra stopped me as she shook her head sensing what I was about to do. I nodded, ¡®I¡¯ll give him more time to collect his thoughts, he would tell me when he¡¯s ready¡¯. Thest thing I wanted was him thinking we thought he was guilty. I casted a grateful look at Lyra, she had been so helpful these past few days, I didn¡¯t know what I¡¯ would have done without her in my life. She even had the guts to stand up to Safiya and Kaiden. I was in awe of her courage. My mind drifted off to Safiya, I was angry that she thought Cisco was responsible for Harper¡¯s ident. I mean Cisco was injured too. But then, I really couldn¡¯t me her any mother would be worried but she was taking it too far Chapter 63 288 Vouchers I decided to me it on her hormones. It must be the stress of her pregnancy or Georgina¡¯s maniptions. That woman was bent on ruining my life. She even had the audacity toe to the hospital to use my son. If not for Kaiden¡¯s quick interruption, she would have created a big scene that day. The look on her face when Kaiden asked her to leave was priceless! I nced at Cisco again who barely touched his food. Infact, none of us had started eating yet. We were all so upied by our thoughts. ¡°Okay everyone¡± I stated with augh trying to lighten the mood. ¡°Let¡¯s not just stare at the food. It¡¯s meant to be eaten¡±. I joked and Lyra gave me a smallUpstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g smile as she started eating. ¡°I didn¡¯t push Harper down the stairs¡±. Cisco¡¯s unexpected loud voice boomed in the room making all of us drop our spoons. I looked at Lyra and she was just as shocked by his outburst as I was. ¡®Oh my poor baby¡¯ I thought. He must have felt the atmosphere in the room and probably thought we deemed him guilty. ¡°I didn¡¯t push Harper¡± he stated more softly this time as tears rolled down his cheeks. ¡°I-I was only trying to help¡±. ¡°Oh honey¡± I stated as I scooped him up and ced him on myp. ¡°Nobody thinks you pushed Harper. We were only worried because you haven¡¯t really spoken about it in days. You haven¡¯t talked to anyone. And believe me I trust you more than anyone and would always believe what you say¡±. ¡°Really?¡± he asked in a croaked voice. ¡°Of course¡± I replied as I ruffled his hair. ¡°Now enough of all that. I made your favorite food for lunch,¡± I stated as I began to feed him while he was still Chuder 61 288 Vouchers on myp. ¡°Does aunty Lyra also think so?¡± he asked again as he casted a pitiful look at Lyra. ¡°Of course, kiddo¡± she stated ¡°you didn¡¯t even need to ask¡±. She stated. ¡°Yes honey, you should have seen her fighting all the people who dared to use you. No one here thinks you¡¯re guilty¡± I assured as I ced a kiss on his cheek. ¡°Oh, when will I have my own cute son?¡± Lyra joked and we allughed. Halfway through lunch, my phone rang. I was surprised by the caller. It was Cole but I ignored it. I hadn¡¯t contacted him since the day he called and now wasr really a good time as I wasn¡¯t in my best of moods. The phone rang again. ¡°Who¡¯s it?¡± Lyra asked from across the table. ¡°It¡¯s Cole¡± I answered, still feeding Cisco and she gasped. ¡°Pick the call girl¡±. I sighed she wouldn¡¯t let me rest until I picked the call. ¡°Cisco honey, mummy has to pick this call. Can you finish the rest on your own?¡± He nodded and I smiled as I dropped him- on his chair. I walked to a corner in the room and picked the call. ¡°Freda?¡±Cole¡¯s worried voice came through the other side of the phone and I was immediately filled with guilt. Cole was a good man. I shouldn¡¯t have ignored him but still I couldn¡¯t drag him into this life I was living. He didn¡¯t deserve it. ¡°Hello, Cole,¡± I replied softly. ¡°Freda, I¡¯ve been so worried about you. You promised to call but you never did¡±. He stated with hurt evident in his voice. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Cole. It¡¯s just that a lot has happened recently. I¡¯ve been swamped¡±. I replied. ¡°Freda, where are you? Which city are you in? You wouldn¡¯t tell me where you are, I¡¯m so worried about. you¡±. How could I tell him I¡¯m in a pack of werewolves? Or should I just say ¡®oh Cole sorry I¡¯m a werewolf and humans aren¡¯t really allowed in the werewolf pack?¡¯ He¡¯d freak out immediately. ¡°I can¡¯t, Cole, I¡¯m sorry¡± I stated slowly. ¡°Why? Why can¡¯t you tell me? Is there something else I don¡¯t know¡± he asked and my heart skipped a bit. ¡°Why did you call Cole?¡± I asked a bit too sternly and I immediately regretted my tone. ¡°Because I¡¯m worried about you and I want to see you but you are clearly pushing me away¡±. He replied softly. ¡°You can¡¯te and see me Cole, it¡¯s not possible¡± I stated slowly.¡± Why can¡¯t I?¡± He stated almost in a loud tone. ¡°Because you can¡¯t,¡± I replied frustratedly. ¡°Then if you don¡¯t want me to see you, I¡¯d just have to use a tracker to locate you, he threatened and I was immediately filled with apprehension. Chapter 64 + Mates 64 Mates 64 Chapter 64 FREDA¡¯S POV ¡°Wh-what? Why would you do that?¡± I asked with great worry and concern. I was starting to get agitated. ¡°Why would you want to track me down?¡± I asked, ncing at Lyra and stepping away from her so that she and Francisco would not hear what the person was saying and they wouldn¡¯t see the wor on my face. ¡°Why would you track me?¡± I asked, folding my free hand across my chest. ¡°I¡¯m kidding,¡± he chuckled. ¡°Did you actually think I would do that?¡± Heughed, making fun of the panic in my voice. ¡°Oh¡­¡± I said, letting out a sigh of relief. ¡°Why would you joke about something like that?¡± I asked, ncing back at Lyra. She was whispering something to Cisco and he giggled in response. She nced at me and I gave her a small nod. ¡°Well¡­ For the fun of it. I just really wanted to find out where you are and I thought it would be fun to push in that joke,¡± he said and the edge I had initially heard in his voice that caused me to be scared was no longer there. ¡°Well, you got me,¡± I said and a small smile touched my face. ¡°Is there a particr reason you want to see me so much, though?¡± I asked, curiosity taking the best of me. ¡°You honesty want to know?¡± He asked with a teasing tone in his voice. Chapter 6 1288 Vouchers ¡°Yes,¡± I said, allowing myself to take slow steps around the space around me so I could let go of the remaining nerves that were guing me. ¡°Are you sure?¡± He teased again and I chuckled this time. ¡°Of course,¡± I said, nodding. I chuckled again when I realized that I was nodding and he could not see me. ¡°I have not been able to stop thinking about you since the first time I saw you. Does that make sense?¡± He asked and I felt a flush of heat run through every inch of my skin at his worde What? I was flustered. ¡°What?¡± I asked and my voice came out confused and a little squeaky. Just a little. Heughed at my expense. D**n it, did this guy get off on my misery? ¡°I knew it would sound ridiculous! That¡¯s why I asked if you wanted honesty.¡± He said and I nodded before catching myself again. He was not with me, why was I nodding? Why was I being so weird? ¡°Why though? Why are you just reaching out to me?¡± I asked, looking in Lyra¡¯s direction. She was not looking at me anymore. ¡°I only just found a way to reach you. Initially, I thought it would be a good idea to leave you alone, but I couldn¡¯t stop obsessing over the thought of meeting you again,¡± He said and I nodded thoughtfully. ¡°In truth,¡± I began regretfully, ¡°I don¡¯t remember what you look like,¡± I said. There was silence on the other end of the phone. Chapter 64 1288 Vouchers ¡°Hello?¡± I called, worried for a second that he had gone off the phone. ¡°Ouch,¡± he chuckled. ¡°What?¡± I let out a slow breath of relief. What I could not understand was why I was relieved that he had not gotten off the phone. He was literally just someone I had met once. I was not supposed to be feeling like that. If anything, I was supposed to be kind of creeped out that he had found out my information and reached out to me. ¡°That kind of stung,¡± he said and Iughed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Didn¡¯t mean to ¡®hurt¡¯ you,¡± I said emphasizing the ¡®hurt¡¯ word in .unny way. ¡°No problem, Freeds,¡± he said and I paused. He seemed to sense my hesitance. ¡°Is that okay? Is it okay if I call you Freeds? It just kind of came to my mind as what would be the perfect short form of your name, Freda,¡± he said, going into what seemed to be a panicked rant and Iughed again. ¡°It¡¯s okay. It was just a childhood nickname of mine and I was wondering if you found that out while looking for me,¡± I said, shaking my head at the silliness of the thought. ¡°I guess you¡¯ll find that out if you agree to meet me,¡± he said. and I could not help the grin on my face. I had been a little curious at first, but now I was curious and intrigued. He had stolen my whole attention. I wanted to put a face to his voice, character and sense of humor. ¡°You have me intrigued, I¡¯m not going to lie,¡± I said with a smile and looked out of the window at the back yard. A squirrel was 46 45% ||| PLEL 288 Wouchers running up the small tree at the backyard. ¡°Yeah?¡± He teased. ¡°I¡¯ve been told that a lot,¡± he said and I could imagine him smirking. ¡°Oh please,¡± I said with an eyeroll. ¡°Please tell me where you are,¡± he said and his tone was pleading. ¡°I don¡¯t know about that, Colin. How do I know you haven¡¯t found me yet and you¡¯re just doing this for the sake of formality and to not sound like a creep?¡± I asked. ¡°No, Freda. I already sound like a creep. And the manager at your coffee shop wouldn¡¯t give me any information bey your phone number¡­ And that was after I had sworn on my balls that nothing would happen to you, your son, her or her job,¡± he said and we both chuckled at thest two words. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll text you my location. I assure you, the cops will be nearby whenever you decide to visit,¡± I said with humor and a hint of seriousness. ¡°Okay, Freda. That¡¯s understandable and fair,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll talk to youter. I have to get back to something,¡± I said, struggling to keep the smile off my face. ¡°Of course, my queen,¡± he said with a small chuckle and I hung up. I took a deep breath, wondering what the f**k just happened. I turned around and almost jumped out of my skin when I saw Lyra looking at me with squinted eyes. ¡°Oh my G**d, Lyra! What are you doing?¡± I eximed. ¡°Who was that?¡± She asked with a grin on her face. I blushed and her eyes widened. ¡°Oh my gosh, you like him! I¡¯m so happy for you,¡± she squealed and pulled me into a hug. I hugged her back with a small smile in my face.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Mates 65 Mates 65 Chapter 65 FRIEDA WHITLOCK The next day, I drove Francisco to school since he insisted to go see Harper. I also had intentions of going to check on the girl. She was still not awake and it worried me. I felt restless knowing she was in that condition and somehow, Cisco was tangled in all of it. Of course, I was sure my son didn¡¯t push her down. There was no guilt fueling my actions. I truly cared for her. I was her aunt after all. Even though Safiya and were not on good terms, I didn¡¯t harbor any sour feelings toward her. She was a sweet child and Cisco¡¯s best friend ¨C Stepsister. On our way, I bought choctes at Cisco¡¯s behest. He wanted to give them to her once we got here. He was so sure she¡¯d be awake but his hopes shattered when we got here. She was still unconscious and my poor boy was confused ¡°Mom, why isn¡¯t she getting up?¡± He asked, peering deeply into her face. I sighed taking hold of his shoulders and guided him away from her bed to the bed across the room. ¡°She will soon¡± I repeated for the umpteenth time in response to his question. The same question he had been asking since we got here. Cisco wasn¡¯t content with my response, his face scrunched and he heaved, dropping the chocte bars, dejectedly. His reactions made me wonder how deep their friendship was Or Chapter 65 1288 Vouchers was it the bond of being family? ¡°Cisco dear, don¡¯t be sad, okay, I promise you she¡¯ll be fine¡± I rubbed his back to calm him down. His eyes had be misty and he was on the verge of tears. He had been crying a lottely because of this situation but now, he was crying for his best friend. It warmed my heart. I craned my neck to stare at Harper¡¯s frail body on the bed and sighed. The bandage around her head had been taken off but there were a few sters on the bruises on her face. Her body had lots of cuts also. Her condition didn¡¯t look good. It made my stomach churn, Safiya might have a mouth that never ceased to throw words at me but I knew from her state days ago that she didn¡¯t like the state Harper was in. She looked drained and miserable. The way she watched over Harper wasmendable. Sighing, I picked up one of the chocte bars and handed it to Cisco. He would need it because, aside from paying Harper a visit, he had an appointment with the doctor. When we got here, I had spoken with a doctor to check up on his wounds. As we waited, my eyes were on Harper watching her chest as it rose and fell rhythmically. It was great to know that she was still alive at least. The door opened and I stood to my feet expecting to see the doctor but my expectations were at bay because instead of a doctor, there were two burly-looking men. I tried to think that they were doctors but they weren¡¯t dressed for the profession. They had eyes on me. Chapter 65 288 Vouchers Who are they?¡± My eyes furrowed, ¡°You missed the way, misters¡± I said, thinking that was the problem but the grim look on their faces didn¡¯t fade off. If they hadn¡¯t just barged in here, I would¡¯ve said that they were statues. One of them stepped forward and I wrapped my arms around Cisco protectively. He stopped midway, ¡°Ma¡¯am, we mean no harm. We were sent here by the Alpha to bring you along to the pack house¡± I blinked, Kaiden sent them? Giving them a once over, I made out the fact that they might be guards. But why would he want me in the pack house? This didn¡¯t seem good. ¡°Why?¡± I asked, staring at them. ¡°We don¡¯t know about that ma¡¯am, but we are here on the Alpha¡¯s orders to bring you to him¡± The other one who remained by the door spoke and I tilted my head wondering what on earth KaidenMaterial ? of N?velDrama.Org. was ying at this time. Why would he send guards toe and fetch me to the pack house of all ces? ¡°Ma¡¯am we have to go now¡± The man before me reminded, snapping me out of my thoughts and I frowned when I felt Cisco¡¯s hold on my arms tighten. Chapter 65 1288 Vouchers ¡°I can¡¯t leave my son here,¡± I told them through gritted teeth. I had no option but to follow Kaiden¡¯s orders at this point. Sending guards to find me was to show his Alpha status and I dare not disobey. F**k. Him. ¡°We are not here for the child but you, we don¡¯t care about what happens to him so you better find a solution-¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± The man by the door snapped at the man before me who had been speaking and getting on my nerves. ¡°You can bring him along. Let¡¯s go¡± I red at the man before me and picked Cisco up before walking out. He followed behind, huffing. Why was he a guard in the first ce with such an attitude? That was no way to speak to a woman with a child. ac What did expect from a blockhead like Kaiden anyway? They insisted I followed them in the vehicle they brought and I was left without an option but to do as told since arguing with them was causing a scene and drawing attention to us. In the car, I held Cisco close to myself like he would be s**d from me if I didn¡¯t hold onto him tight. Maybe that was Kaiden¡¯s n? To s**h my son away with absurd demands. He could but for some reason I couldn¡¯t decipher, I doubted it. Then what was his motive? My heart thumped in my chest as I thought of numerous reasons he would want me in the pack house. My mind wandered to Safiya. What if this was her n, to get me to the pack house so she could trap me? Goddess, please help me out here. I shut my eyes resting my head on Cisco¡¯s shoulder in search offort and I got it. Mates 66 Mates 66 Chapter 66 KAIDEN STIRLING ¡°What?¡± I asked, not believing my ears at Safiya¡¯s request. ¡°I said I would only do as you say once Freda apologizes to me in public for her son¡¯s behavior¡± she repeated and crossed her hands like I didn¡¯t hear her properly the first time. ¡°That¡¯s not possible, Safiya. You know very well that Freda¡¯s son wasn¡¯t responsible for Harper¡¯s injury. We have no proof of it¡±. I stated a bit too loudly. I was getting tired of Safiya¡¯s drama. Right now, she was just being unreasonable. I couldn¡¯t deal with it any longer. ¡°Then be prepared to bebeled as a woman beater¡± she huffed as she made to walk out on me. ¡°Stop right there!¡±Imanded in my alpha tone. I was extremely angry at the moment and my body trembled slightly because of it. Safiya was testing my patience greatly and I wasn¡¯t sure I could hold back any longer. Just as I was about to talk some sense into her,my phone rang, startling the two of us. It was one of the elders from the council and I groaned in frustration. I threw a look at Safiya that kept her rooted in ce and picked the call. ¡°Hope you have not forgotten the meeting today, Alpha?¡±, the elder stated over the line. ¡°You promised to bring Safiya over, to clear the rumors that have been going around and to remove Chapter 66 200 Mouchers the stain on your reputation¡±. ¡°You¡¯ve been named a woman beater and the news is fast spreading. I hope you are aware that failure to bring your wife over to clear your name will result in you being removed from your position¡± he finally added¡­ I rubbed my head in frustration. Safiya was bent on making my life hell. I was between a rock and a hard ce. Safiya was my wife. Freda was my mate. Taking a deep breath I began to speak. ¡°Of course I¡¯m aware of the repercussions. Safiya and I will head over now¡±. He hummed in response and the line went dead. ¡°We are going to the council meeting now!¡± I stated in a domineering voice. ¡°Only if Freda ising along to apologize¡±, Safiya retorted. I groaned. ¡°Fine, Freda will be there, but you better make sure you take back all the horrible things you said about me and you better not make a scene while we¡¯re there¡±. I warned, Safiya gave no reply and walked out. I sighed in frustration. Freda and I were just beginning to warm up to each other after months of fighting. She would hate me if I forced her to do this. But my reputation was at stake. I knew I was being a jerk by doing this but I had no choice. I could only pray to the moon goddess that Safiya didn¡¯t create a big scene while we were there. She had been aching for a chance to humiliate Freda and I had a feeling I had just given her the chance to do so. I decided to call my men and the line got connected. ¡°Go and 1330 Chapter 66. 1288 Mouchers pick Freda up and bring her to the council¡±. I stated trying to keep my tone professional but my voice trembled a little. ¡°Yes, boss¡± the man at the other side of the line stated not noticing the slight tremble of my voice. ¡°And remember you are. only to escort her to the council,do not rough handle her¡± I warned and disconnected the line. I had already agreed to this, might as well take it head on. I left. the room and joined Safiya who was already waiting in the car. She didn¡¯t spare me a nce as I got in and I didn¡¯t regard her either. Two people could y the game. ¡°Let¡¯s go¡± I stated gruffly to the driver and the trip to the council hall began. I looked at my trembling hands and tried topose myself as I thought of how Freda¡¯s reaction would be when she realizes that I set her up. She would hate me for this forever and whatever tower of hope of reconciliation I had been building came crumbling down at the thought. I took a sharp intake of breath. I was beginning to feel things¡­. for Freda. I thought it was only because Cisco was my son that I felt drawn to her but I was so wrong. The realization of my feelings shocked me as I nced at Safiya hoping she couldn¡¯t see through my thoughts. She looked lost in thought. She looked so far off and I was almost filled with pity for her. I knew I had somehow hurt her feelings, but if she didn¡¯t always make things so difficult all the time,our rtionship would at least be bearable. I was drawn from my thoughts when the driver announced we had arrived at the council hall. 13:30 All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. I and Safiyae down from the car as I held up my hand and surprisingly she took it. I was d she didn¡¯t decide to cause a scene here again. I took it as a good sign that she wouldn¡¯t go too far with whatever she said against Freda. As we walked in I was greeted from different directions. ¡°Alpha¡± someone greeted and I nodded in acknowledgement. We got to the the council of elders. ¡°Alpha¡± they greeted in unison and I nodded in acknowledgement. ¡°We are d you were able toe to a decision, the right decision if I may add¡±. The eldest member of the council stated and I nodded and we sat down. I was apprehensive the whole time. This all seemed like a bad idea. Freda didn¡¯t deserve all this. I was the one who hurt her. She and Cisco were bearing the brunt of my actions. Just then Freda¡¯s arrival was announced. She was here, but I couldn¡¯t bring myself to look at her. I couldn¡¯t look into her eyes, afraid of the disappointment I might see there. I was scared for Freda. My heart beat faster. My emotions were all over the ce. I struggled to maintain myposure as my hands trembled slightly. I knew what I was going to ask of Freda would change. everything and I could do nothing about it. I Mates 67 Mates 67 Chapter 67 FRIEDA WHITLOCK The ride to the pack house was slow. Time seemed to freeze as we navigated through the scanty road. Traffic was surprisingly smooth today but that wasn¡¯t helping. It would have been much. better if we had to go around a fleet of cars and end upte than ride freely and still be as slow as this. I felt suffocated. At the back of my head, I registered the fact that I had just been summoned by Kaiden to the pack house. He even sent guards to get me. What if¡­ I cast the supposed guards¡¯ fleeting nces. What if someone else sent them to me? Not Kaiden nor Safiya? Holy cow, Freda, scratch that thought! Indeed, I had to because we had just rounded the street that led to the Alpha¡¯s house. The pack house. It was Kaiden who sent for me. What did he want? What would he want? Cisco? I wasn¡¯t going to let my son go without a fight. Nheless, I hoped it wasn¡¯t Cisco by any means. It could be everything but my son! We finally arrived at the pack house and got out of the car. Cisco was still in my arms but seemed scared. ¡°Mom, what¡¯s happening?¡± He asked, his voice shaky, filled with 13:30 Chapter 67 fear. His fear got to me, it seeped into my spine and I shuddered. 1288 Wouchers I rocked him and shed a smile at him, ¡°Trust me Kiddo, there¡¯s nothing to be worried about¡± He stared at me for a while, hist eyes threatening to break through my false mask of braveness but then he blinked and nodded before burying his face in my neck again. I sighed out in relief. I was led into the house through another route that was separated from the living room and led into a wide corridor. It was a five-minute walk before we got to a huge door. ¡°Is he in here?¡± I asked when they said nothing, rather stood nkly staring at the door. They were probably on a mind link with Kaiden or whoever it was that sent for me ¨C Safiya? They opened the door and ushered me in. I entered the room timidly but soon became aware of the presence of a few ¨C about five- older men in the room. They were seated around a concave desk staring at me with hardened gaze. My eyes widened as realization dawned on me. These were the members of the council. I was standing before the council. Why? What was happening? Why was I brought before these men who were staring at me with judgemental eyes? What did I do wrong? I felt an intense stare at the back of my head and tilted my head to the side. My heart dropped to the base of my stomach when I saw Kaiden seated in the head chair and beside him was Safiya with a malicious on her face. 13.30) 1288 Vouchers I gulped down nothing and carefully ced Cisco down. He clutched my leg with his hand burying his face at the spot. Before I could ask my reason for being here, Safiya stood up abruptly. ¡°This woman¡¯s son is the one who pushed my daughter, Harper down the stairs. He may look innocent but he¡¯s far from that and so is his mother!¡± She used and my temper red. I should have known this was what this was about the moment I stepped foot here. This would be Safiya¡¯s n but I didn¡¯t think that Kaiden would be a pawn to her games as well. He usually looked displeased at the usations. What did I expect? ¡°And I say for the umpteenth time that my son had nothing to do with your daughter falling off the stairs. Stop ming your child¡¯s misfortune on mine!¡± Angered, I snapped at her. She was pulling this issue too far. Bringing me before the council was the height of it. It was bait to trap me and it didn¡¯t matter now. I would not stay silent and watch her t*ple o**ver Cisco¡¯s pure. heart that way. She was forcing him to say yes to what he had no idea about. What a wench! ¡°Watch the way you speak, woman!¡± An elder berated, his voice sending chills down my spine, ¡°That is your Luna and you will not speak to her in that tone¡± He said and I bit my lip hard, almost drawing blood. Gia was enraged but we couldn¡¯t do anything because we were at the mercy of stronger wolves and Kaiden wasn¡¯t doing anything. He just sat there, quiet with his eyes on me. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to snap at her but if she keeps using my son 13:30 M) then, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to hold back my tongue¡± Or even my arms from whipping her face. She needed a good beating and f**k her pregnancy, I was willing to give that to her. A good beating! ¡°Ask your son with a calm mind, dear. Maybe he did push her but is scared of getting punished. He is a child and children are bound to be scared of the consequences of their actions¡± Another spoke and I gasped in disbelief, staring at them wide- eyed. They didn¡¯t believe me. They would obviously take the Luna¡¯s side but me a child as well¡­ Seriously? I couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°He didn¡¯t do it¡± I found myself shaking my head frantically. I wanted to scream it to them but I held back for Cisco¡¯s sake. I didn¡¯t mind getting banished but that would ruin his life. Oh, goddess, I can¡¯t take this anymore. I shot Kaiden a re before looking down. I didn¡¯t miss the frown that crossed Safiya¡¯s face when she saw the look. ¡°How sure are you?¡± The question was thrown by another member of the council and my throat ran dry. Tears p**d my eyes but Gia consoled me. I had to stay strong. ¡°I didn¡¯t push Harper down,¡± My heart broke when I heard Cisco¡¯s broken voice. Gazing down at him, I gave him a tight- lipped smile and rubbed his hair ¡°Shut up kid. Stop rying the words put in your mouth by your mother and speak the truth!¡± Safiya yelled and Cisco shivered, holding tightly onto my leg like his life depended on it. I red at her. This **h was scaring my son and Kaiden was watching without saying a word. 288 Mouchers What happened to the love for his son? Did it suddenly catch a cruise ride to Nevend? Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g My temper red and I couldn¡¯t control it, ¡°Safiya, that¡¯s enough. Stop yelling at my son. He said he didn¡¯t do it, so be it!¡± ¡°That¡¯s not your call to make Freda. Your son did this to my daughter. She¡¯s currently in the hospital in a terrible condition while he¡¯s out here telling lies about what he did. What have you been teaching him all those years?¡± She asked, the rage in her eyes matching the intensity in mine, ¡°You¡¯re not leaving here till I get an apology¡± She spat ¡°What?¡± I asked, squinting my eyes. Her lip twisted to a smug smirk, ¡°You heard me right. I want an apology. Go down on your knees before the council and apologize to me for this misconduct your son has disyed!¡± Her words were like arrows piercing my chest. They were firm and authoritative. Beneath her burning gaze was the determination to make me bend. D**n her. D**n her. Making me bend has never been done before and it won¡¯t happen even now. Staring at her with rage, I dered, ¡°Never!¡± It seemed like a standoff between Safiya and me. Seeing that there wasn¡¯t going to be any headway with the matter at hand, the elders turned to Kaiden calling his attention to the matter. And for whatever reason, I wished that for once, he would choose me. Mates 68 Mates 68 Chapter 68 FREDA WHITLOCK My eyes were fixed on Kaiden. He looked like he was in as fix, a very tight one. The regret on his face and the way he clenched his jaw told me that he did not want to do this, that he did not want to make me apologize in front of everyone. I pressed my lips together as I felt coldness, pain and anger fill my blood. I knew he was going to have to make me do it. He did not care about me enough to give up his Alpha title. He was going to have to give it up if he did not make me apologize to Safiya. He clenched his teeth together harder and an impassive, unreadable expression filled his eyes before his expression. wentpletely nk. ¡°Freda Whitlock, you are to kneel and apologize to the Luna now,¡± he said, looking me straight in my eyes. I clenched my teeth together and blinked rapidly, hating the fact that disappointment rushed through my blood despite the fact that I had been expecting him to make me apologize. He blinked and I saw the regret sh in his eyes despite the hard front he was trying so hard to put up in front of everyone. I took a deep breath. All eyes in the room were in me now. They were looking at me expectantly, probably expecting that I would hesitate orpletely refuse to do it. 13:30 288 Vouchers Tears welled up in my eyes as I lowered myself to my knees. This was so wrong and it hurt so much. I should not havee back here. I was not supposed to havee back to the cursed, hateful ce. Francisco was not supposed to see this. He was not supposed to witness us being punished for something he had not done. He was not supposed to encounter any unfairness. I had failed. I had failed woefully to protect him as his mother and it pained me soo much. I managed to blink back the tears and looked back up at Kaiden, Safiya and the members of the council. Safiya had a big smirk. on her face and hatred sizzled through me like boiling oil. I had tried not to hate her. I had tried to keep us together, to keep away from arguments with her and she would always find the littlest means to get me in trouble. Embarrassment, anger, pain and sadness burnt mercilessly through my chest and my hatred for the world and the way it was treating me unfairly grew exponentially. ¡°I am sorry for my son¡¯s misconduct, Luna.¡± I said much to the displeasure of my wolf. She was the Luna. That did not really matter now, but it annoyed her that I, the Luna, had to apologize to someone who was not the Luna while calling her the Luna. After I said the words, wanting this to be over as quickly as possible so I could take my son and leave, I hurried to my feet with my eyes locked in Safiya¡¯s. I hated her. The goddess knew I hated her to the very core of my soul. Not only did she hate me, she hated my son. And that was something I could never forgive. I grasped Francisco¡¯s hand in mine and looked down at him. 280 Mouchers Tears are running down his face and it broke my heart. ¡°It¡¯s okay, baby,¡± I whispered, leaving down to kiss his cheek and wipe his eyes. ¡°I love you. Let¡¯s go,¡± I whispered again and he sniffled tearfully before nodding It broke my heart that he was involved in this and I was the reason he was in the pack in the first ce. I walked towards the entrance, moving at Francisco¡¯s pace. He was mostly recovered, but I did not want to cause him any pain in the ces he was still healing. ¡°You and your son needs to stay away from my husband. Stoping between us,¡± I heard Safiya speak from behind me and I froze. I knew I should not have, but my wolf and I were filled with so much fury at the same time that we had to stop. I was angry that she had the guts to assume I was the one going after Kaiden. I wanted nothing to do with him. He was the oneing after my son and I! My wolf was angry at the fact that she wasying ims to her mate as her husband. The pressure from my wolf releasing her anger burst from me in the form of an aura and it seemed to reach everyone in the room. I turned around to look at Safiya. The smile I had heard in her voice was no longer there but she was ring at me. The other people in the room, including Kaiden seemed to be stunned by the anger of my wolf, Gia. I was sure that my eyes werepletely golden now and the members of the werewolf council seems intimidated. I chuckled before I allowed my wolf to speak. ¡°I hate to remind you, but you seem to have forgotten that Kaiden was mine first. I am his mate, the one chosen by the moon goddess. He has Chapin 65. 228 vouchers always been mine. He is still mine now and that is why he ising after me,¡± I said through gritted teeth. Her lips pressed together tightly as anger filled her facial features. Kaiden and the members of the werewolf council seemed ufortable at the words I had spoken but none of them dared to mention anything about punishment, not when I was in this state. ¡°If you can not handle this truth, Safiya, then I am not surprised. You have always been vain and foolish. But if you offend me again, you will have to face my anger.¡± I said in the most calmly lethal tone I had ever spoken. Embarrassment and pure fury were etched on her face but she did not say a word. Seemed like she did have a bit of sense, because if she had said. something that offended Gia, I was not going to hold her back from attacking her. I let out a small breath, picked up Francisco¡¯s hand and headed out of the meeting room with a small smile on my face. Despite the pain and anger I was still feeling, it was good to let some of it out.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Mates 69 Mates 69 Chapter 69 288 Vouchers KAIDEN STIRLING ¡°Freda¡­ Freda wait!¡± I called after her as I watched her storm off with Francisco. I hated the whole of this. I hated having to do this to her, I hated having to make her kneel in front of her younger sister who was always disrespecting her. I hated having to make Francisco suffer watching his mother be humiliated. ¡°Freda,¡± I called again but the door mmed shut loudly, echoing through the room. I looked down at the floor in front of me, letting out a sigh. My hands clenched into fists and a feeling of defeat, pain and utter exhaustion hit me. I felt like the worst person to walk the earth. I was horrible. I had chosen my position in the pack over my own mate. If there was anything worse than that, that would probably be murder. I hated myself. I hated the monster I was to myself, to my son, and worst of all, to my mate. I looked over at Safiya and she had a look of anger in her eyes. ¡°Tell them,¡± I said to her with an expressionless face. She nced back at the members of the council that were now looking us expectantly. She gave them a small smile before she looked back at me with a frown and grabbed my hand. She pulled me a few steps away from them and then crossed her hands as she stood in front of me. The only reason I followed her was because I was exhausted of this whole b*t. I **was exhausted with her b**t and if she tested me a little bit, if she pushed what was left of my patience, I would 1331 258 mouchers lose it in front of the council members. I did not want that. So I followed her. She was so controlling. So painfully toxic. It was so exhausting and yet I could do very little about it. She had me so wrapped up in the web of her selfish, twisted games and I could note out. I was in too deep, and it was all as a result of my foolishness. The sheer foolishness of not knowing what I truly wanted. ¡°What was that just now?¡± She asked. ¡°What are you talking about? Aren¡¯t you supposed to be fulfilling your end of the deal?¡± I went straight to the point. ¡°Why did you try calling her back?¡± The look of betrayal and anger in her eyes had me questioning both her humanity and her sanity. She was crazy. Far more crazy that I had ever thought. She was not concerned about the pain her sister was feeling, the shame, and the embarrassment. She was not concerned about how her nephew was being traumatized because of her. All she wanted was to satisfy her insane selfishness and now she was trying to start a d**n argument with me. I did not know what was crazier. Herck ofmon sense of herck of basic human empathy. F**g hell¡­ ¡°That¡¯s none of your business,¡± I said the words angrily. ¡°Now do what you¡¯re supposed to do or I¡¯ll make you regret it,¡± I said the words angrily and watched her bristle with a mixture of fear and fury. ¡°Are you threatening me right now?¡± She asked the question through clenched teeth. Chapter 69 288 (Vouchers ¡°I¡¯m not sure you want to find out,¡± I shook my head, looking away from her. I could not stand to look at her anymore. It killed me. She was the worst thing that ever happened to me. I could not believe that I was ever infatuated with her. Hell, back then, I could have killed for her, died for her even. It was when I was blissfully unaware of the fact that she was the bane of my existence. She red at me before taking a deep breath, lifting her chin. and turning away to head towards where the members of the council sat. They seemed very curious as to what had been whispering. ¡°Luna Safiya,¡± one of the council members called her name the way a person would touch a delicate flower. A**icking mother**ck**r. Everyone currently in this room made me want to f** gag my d**n guts out. I listen to Safiya let out a gentleugh. D**n, she really had no empathy in her. Absolutely none. How was sheughing after all that had happened here¡­ Which also happened to be her fault? ¡°We will like to receive your testimony now, Luna,¡± I heard Gorden say in a business-like tone. I was d for that. If her had kissed her a**, I was not sure I would not haveunched across the room in my wolf form and shed all of them to f**g pieces. ¡°He has never abused me before and he has never attempted it. Tprovoked him but he stopped himself from hitting me in time. I am sorry for all the trouble I have caused,¡± she said quietly and even though my back was turned to her, I knew that she was saying all of those things with a frown on her face. Chapter 69 288 Voucher The council had no choice but to believe her. Because it was the truth. ¡°We believe you. You can report anything to us of this situation is to repeat itself. Your safety and your daughter¡¯s is our greatest concern,¡± the a** licking council member said. I turned around and looked at them, specifically Gorden. ¡°Are we done here?¡± I asked coldly. Gorden let out a sigh. ¡°I suppose we are. I just want to tell you to exercise a little more self-control over your emotions,¡± he said and I resisted the urge to snap at him. ¡°Screw that f**g s**t,¡± I bitterly muttered and stormed towards the door. ¡°Wee back, Alpha,¡± one of the council members said and I bit my tongue hard so I would not tell him to go and f**k himself the way I wanted to. I mmed the door behind me and left the room.Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Mates 70 Mates 70 Chapter 70 FREDA WHITLOCK I pulled the car up in the driveway and climbed right out of the car, mming my door s**t and heading for Francisco¡¯s seat. Throughout the drive, he had been silent and I did not know how to feel about that. I had been lost in my thoughts but now I am worried. I did not want him thinking about what he had witnessed. It would kill me. He gave me a small smile as I brought him out of the car. My heart clenched in my chest and I bit my lip, blinking back tears. Goddess¡­ I hated this. I hated this whole thing so much. As soon as I shut the door and took off Francisco¡¯s jacket, he grabbed my hand. I looked down at him. He looked sad and panicked, with tears in his eyes. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, baby?¡± | immediately asked and he motioned for me to kneel down. I immediately did and ran my hand over his head. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, sweetie?¡± I asked, looking at his face. Tears filled is eyes and my heart shattered to pieces in my chest. He looked down at the floor and then looked at me. ¡°I didn¡¯t push Harper. I was trying to help her. Please believe me,¡± he said in a teary voice and my heart broke. ¡°Of course baby I do.¡± I said as tears filled my own eyes. Oh goddess, why was this happening to my sweet, innocent boy? 1331 Chapter 70 H 17288 Vouche I pulled him into a tight hug and his little s**bs crushed my already shattered heart. ¡°I believe you, sweetie,¡± I said, pulling back to wipe the tears off his gorgeous face. ¡°Then why did you kneel and apologize?¡± He asked. I smiled a small smile as pain tore through my chest. He was so pure. So so pure. Too pure for this d** world. ¡°I did it because I had to.¡± I exined. His head c**d to the side and I could almost hear his next question before he asked it. ¡°Why did you have to?¡± He asked and I smiled, d that his attention was off the sadness he had been feeling. ¡°The Alpha asked me to. I had to do it.¡± I answered. ¡°Alpha?¡± He asked and I took his hand, rising to my feet and taking him towards the living room. Once we were bothfortably seated on one of the couches and he was looking at me, I started to exin. ¡°Remember the story I told you about the wolves?¡± I asked and he thought before he nodded vigorously. ¡°The wolves are just like us. We are just like the wolves. The Alpha is the leader. The beta is the Alpha¡¯s assistant. We also have the Delta. He directs the warriors,¡± I said and he absorbed the information I was giving him. ¡°Can I be a Delta?¡± He asked and smiled before nodding. ¡°You can be anything, baby,¡± I said even though the number of times parents and movie characters had used that line made me cringe really hard. ¡°I¡¯ll use all the guns and armor,¡± he said with an excited look in his eyes and Iughed before shaking my head. ¡°No talking about guns, sweetie.¡± Chapter 70 He was about to say something when the front door was shoved open and and someone stormed in. My head 11 288 Vouchers immediately turned in the direction of the door and I found Lyra standing there furiously. She took off her jacket and hung it up before locking the door and then taking her shoes off. ¡°Go to your room, Baby. You can take the iPad,¡± I said to Francisco absentmindedly and he grinned at me as he took the iPad and headed towards the rooms. ¡°Hey, Aunt Lyra,¡± he said in Lyra¡¯s direction and she responded to him kindly despite the fury that seemed to consume her ¡°Hi baby.¡± She said, ncing in his direction before looking at me. ¡°Tell me if isn¡¯t true,¡± she said, pulling her hair up in a ponytail. ¡°What?¡± I asked, walking towards the kitchen to fetch her a ss of water. ¡°The d** rumors¡­ About you apologizing to f**g Safiya,¡± she fumed, crossing her hands and ringAll content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. at me from across the counter. I handed her the ss and she took the water down in two gulps. Okay¡­ She was really mad. Probably even more mad about the whole thing than I was. I sighed regretfully because I was about to add to her fury by confirming it. ¡°I did. I had to,¡± I said. ¡°F**k!¡± She exploded and I was surprised the ss did not shatter in her grip. ¡°Language, Lyra.¡± I said in a low voice. 268 Mouchers ¡°Why the **k did you do it?¡± She asked and I shook my head. ¡°I did not have much of a choice, Lyra. The Alpha asked me to. If I had refused, it would have put Francisco and I in danger,¡± I told her with a shake of my head, walking round the counter towards her. ¡°What?¡± She fumed, looking like she would breathe fire any second. Her wolf was mad as hell and it showed in her eyes. My guess was that she had not heard that it was Kaiden that asked me to. D**n it, I was digging the hole for both of us. ¡°Why the hell did he ask you to do that??¡± She questioned and I shook my head. ¡°Lyra, you seem to forget that I am nothing to him. I mean nothing, and if not for Francisco, he would not even be trying to talk to me. He is the alpha. That and his marriage to my sister are far more important to him,¡± I told her she shook her head. She ced the ss on the counter angrily and headed for the. door. ¡°I¡¯m going to speak some sense into his dumb, empty head,¡± she said through gritted teeth and I was immediately filled with panic. ¡°Lyra,¡± I called. I ran after her and grabbed her from behind, wrapping my hands around her. ¡°No. You¡¯re not doing that!¡± F held her tight. ¡°Let me go!¡± She yelled and I feared that Francisco would come out and see us like this. ¡°Stop this, g**n it!¡± I yelled at her. ¡°Going to talk to him will get you in trouble. Safiya is willing to ruin anything that so much as breathes the same air as Kaiden. I will not let that happen to you,¡± I told her as tears filled my eyes. She turned around and looked at me. Chapter 70 The fire in her eyes had calmed but it was still burning. ¡°Please. don¡¯t go,¡± I pleaded and she hesitated before she nodded. ¡°Okay,¡± she whispered and pulled me into a hug. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for being a b**h.¡± She said. I smiled against her shoulder and nodded. ¡°I understand. You were mad.¡± ¡°I¡¯m still mad that you had to go through that. I¡¯m sorry about it too,¡± she whispered and I smiled. Goddess knew I loved this woman. So much. Mates 71 Mates 71 Chapter 71 288 ?Vouchers Chapter 71 FREDA WHITLOCK During lunch, the atmosphere was still a bit tense so I decided to lighten up the mood. ¡°Why don¡¯t we go visit grandpa in the evening Cisco?¡± And Cisco who had been pickingzily at his sd brightened up immediately and even Lyra smiled a little. ¡°Really?¡± he asked with big doe eyes. ¡°Yes honey, really. We would go in the evening. You, me and aunty Lyra would spend some time with grandpa. How¡¯d you like that?¡± ¡°I love it mummy, I¡¯ve missed grandpa soo much. I have to go and choose my outfit¡± he yelled as he scrambled out of his chair and ran to his room, making me chuckle at his antics. ¡°You¡¯re a good mother¡± Lyra who sat at the other end of the table said to me with eyes filled with emotion. It¡¯s a pity, that blockhead doesn¡¯t see it. ¡°Lyra¡± I warned. ¡°Fine, fine, fine¡± she said as she raised her hands in surrender. *I won¡¯t speak of him again only because he gives me a headache too¡±. ¡°I better go get Cisco ready for the evening¡±. She stated and I hummed in response and watched her head for Cisco¡¯s room. Heaving a deep sigh, I cleared the tes on the table and headed for the kitchen. My dad liked apples and strawberries, so I washed a few and packed them along with some porridge I had made earlier. 09:16 Chapter 71 1288 Vouchers I thought about how my father¡¯s sickness was the reason I came back. If he had not fallen ill I probably would never have r¨¦turned back here. But he would have been so lonely. I had run away and left him behind. The thought of that brought tears to my eyes but I willed it back. I shook my head in an attempt to clear my thoughts and went to get ready for the evening. WeUpstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g arrived at the hospital just in time to see father eating dinner. ¡°Grandpa¡± Cisco yelled, unable to hide his excitement and rushed forward to hug him. Father hugged him back, obviously pleased to see him. It was only when he released Cisco that I realized how much father had aged over the past few months, he had lost a lot of weight and he looked so tired. Tears sprung to my eyes once again at the sight of seeing my father in such a helpless condition. He always had his hands busy doing one thing or the other. But now he was just stuck to his bed. ¡°Freda¡± my father called weakly drawing me from my thoughts and I quickly masked my expression with a bright smile and walked over to him. ¡°I see you¡¯re already eating father but I brought your favorite fruits and some porridge you can have as a midnight snack¡±. I stated and dropped the box of food at a table nearby, looking at everything but my father¡¯s face. I was afraid of what ¡®d see there. I was afraid I wouldn¡¯t be strong enough for him or even myself. Just as I was about to break down, I felt a warm assuring hand grip mine. 23.78% 09:16 Chapter 71 288 (Vouchers ¡°Freda¡± he uttered softly and that single word broke every resolve I had and I rushed into his arms as I hugged him gently, careful not to crush him. ¡°Father¡± I croaked out. ¡°I missed you so much¡± I sobbed into his chest. He rubbed my hair gently and maybe it was all my pent up emotions about thest few days and with my humiliation at the council,l hugged him a little more tightly and we stayed like that for a few more minutes before I reluctantly pulled away. I looked to my side to see if Cisco had seen my outburst but he was engaged in a serious conversation with Lyra. She must be telling him something absurd again I thought as a little smile crept towards my lips. passed a grateful smile to Lyra who nodded in acknowledgement. I could always count on her to have my back. ¡°How are you doing dear?¡± My father asked, drawing me away from Lyra and Cisco¡¯s banter. ¡°I¡¯m fine, father¡± I replied and squeezed his hand. I filled him in on all the recent happenings. I didn¡¯t tell him about Cisco¡¯s ident with Harper or how I was publicly humiliated at the council as I was brought to my knees, he didn¡¯t need to know all of that. Instead, I engaged him in small talks, recent gossip in town that he had missed out on. Along the line, Cisco and Lyra hade to join us and Cisco did most of the talking. He talked animatedly about the things he had seen, what he had heard and my father listened on with a smile on his face. He looked more rxed with us around as we cracked jokes, Lyra and Cisco mostly cracking us up while I and my fatherughed. This moment was one of my cherished moments, it 09:17 ! Chapter 71 was bliss. 1 288 Vouchers An hour had gone by prior to our notice, and just then. Georgina, my step mother walked in. She looked surprised that we hade to visit but she quickly masked it up. ¡°My, my, isn¡¯t it a lovely evening for a family reunion?¡± She asked in a sarcastic tone and my father narrowed his eyes while Lyra tucked Cisco closer to herself and watched her warily. ¡°You have no shame, Freda and it¡¯s disgusting¡±. She clicked her tongue and walked into the room invading and destroying the amiable atmosphere. She walked directly in front of me and she was a bit taller due to the heels she wore but I wasn¡¯t intimidated. Every ounce of fear had been killed when I was brought to my knees at the council. I wasn¡¯t going to let anyone walk over me again. Just as I was upied by my thoughts she began to speak ¡°Well, Freda are you here to kill your own father just like your vile son tried to kill your sister¡¯s daughter?¡± She asked and I saw red. Mates 72 Mates 72 Chapter 72 FREDA WHITLOCK Georgina had gone too far with that statement. Why did she have to bring that up here when father wasn¡¯t feeling well? This woman clearly wanted to destroy my life. We red at each other hard. Just then Lyra spoke up, breaking the silence as she stepped between us. ¡°What do you mean by that statement?¡± ¡°We all here know very well that Cisco wasn¡¯t responsible for Harper¡¯s ident. How many times do you need us to recite it?¡± She spat. ¡°Oh please, keep your suggestions to yourself. I wasn¡¯t speaking to you. Besides you aren¡¯t part of this family, so what gives you the right to speak back at me?¡± Georgina asked venomously. Cisco by this time was already crying. I had tried so very hard to make him feel at ease all day. Things were finally okay only for my stepmom toe here and ruin everything. ¡°Georgina, that¡¯s enough, stop causing a scene. This is the hospital¡±. Fathermanded. He still had that authoritative voice despite him being weak. ¡°I¡¯m not causing a scene that¡¯s exactly what happened. This child here pushed Harper down the stairs now the poor child is fighting for her life at the hospital¡± she stated as she spilled a few tears. 09:17 1 288 Vouchers We both knew those tears were fake. But I had to give it to Georgina, she was a great actress. But lies weren¡¯t good enough to beat the truth. ¡°I-I didn¡¯t push Harper down the stairs¡± Cisco croaked out as he choked on a s**b. He wiped his eyes with the back of his hands as he stated more firmly. ¡°I didn¡¯t push Harper¡±. ¡°Oh, of course you didn¡¯t,¡± Georgina replied sarcastically. ¡°You just tickled her and she fell right?¡± ¡°Georgina, that¡¯s enough?¡± Father bellowed and for a minute everyone went still. ¡°Stop using the poor kid. He clearly stated he didn¡¯t do it. Why don¡¯t you believe him? He¡¯s also your grandson for crying out loud¡±. ¡°Why do you only show love towards Safiya and not Freda?¡± he asked and for a minute I was surprised. So father had noticed Georgina only cared for Safiya. I mean who wouldn¡¯t notice,it was as clear as day but, the fact that he voiced out had me loving him more. Georgina appeared shocked for a minute at father¡¯s usation but she quickly masked it up. ¡°I don¡¯t only show love towards Safiya, I¡¯m only telling Freda to have more control over her son or he might turn into a murderer¡±. ¡°Enough¡± I bellowed in a loud tone. ¡°That¡¯s enough Georgina. I have had enough of you using my son, Cisco and I will not stand here and watch you do it anymore. You have crossed the line. I know you hate me but keep my son out of it¡±. I warned as I channeled my anger into every single word I spoke. Georgina appeared shocked. She even flinched back a little. My father and Lyra looked shocked as they had never seen me use 0017 Chapter 72 288 iVouchers that tone before. I was surprised myself but I was no longer the naive, gentle girl they knew. I was a mother. And I was a mother who was tired of seeing her son being used of something he didn¡¯t do. I was a mother who was tired of seeing her son look helpless and unable to defend himself. I was a mother who was ready to defend and destroy anyone who dared toy a finger on her child. Georgina, Safiya, Kaiden, I was tired of their emotional ckmail, I wasn¡¯t going to do this anymore. Kaiden who couldn¡¯t decide whether he should stand up for his wife or his mate. Who wasn¡¯t ready to sacrifice anything for me? Yet he wanted to be close to his son? Safiya, who reveled in the sight of me being humiliated. Who watched me being stripped of every honor I ever had with a big smile on her face? Someone who loathed the fact that she was rted to me? Georgina, my so called stepmom, trying to act like she had any right over my life after ruining it? To hell with all of them! And here I was thinking we could make amends and act like a big happy family. We were never going to be a happy family! I was still seething in anger as all these thoughts ran through my mind, just at the tip of my tongue. All I just had to do was utter them. But one nce at my father had me shutting my mouth. He was already very stressed as it was. I wasn¡¯t going to be a child that added to her father¡¯s worries. Chapter 72 288 Vouchers ¡°You¡¯re a really good actress Freda¡±, Georgina stated as she closed the distance between us again. ¡°A seductress at day but a good daughter at night¡± she mocked and that was when she broke the camel¡¯s back. ¡°Look who¡¯s talking. You¡¯re only a s-t-e-p mother¡±. I spelt it out so she could feel every ounce of hatred I had for her in her bones. I knew I was being a jerk and I had maybe crossed the line but she deserved it. She tried to speak but I cut her off. ¡°Since you aren¡¯t even my biological mother, stop meddling in my family¡¯s business. It shouldn¡¯t concern you whether I decide to be a seductress, w**e or a murderer. So you have no right to use my son and I would tolerate such action from you¡±. Georgina stared at me all wide eyed with a red face that could burst any minute from anger. A nce to my side and Lyra stood proud with a big smirk on her face. She had always wanted to bring out the b**s in me. I would have smiled a little but I was too angry to do so. I grabbed Cisco and muttered a quick goodbye to Father and stormed out of the room leaving a stunned stepmom behind. Now she had just been given a taste of her own medicine. She should relish it!Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Mates 73 Mates 73 Chapter 73 FREDA WHITLOCK I couldn¡¯t stop myself from brewing in anger as I navigated the car through traffic. After Georgina¡¯s usation in Dad¡¯s ward, I chose to leave and Lyra came along. I couldn¡¯t stand it. It had been days since this ident happened and for whatever reason, me and my son were taking the brunt. On my knees, I apologized. Word would soon be out there about my assumed wrongdoing. People would re at me and look at my son with disdain. They would think I brought him up as a troublesome boy whereas he was not close to that. All this was because of a baseless usation made by the Luna. The thought left a bitter taste in my mouth and my grip on the steering wheel tightened. Safiya¡¯s ploy to defame me had finally pulled through. That sick woman! The hatred toward her steamed in my chest leaving a painful tug. I had never hated someone before and the feeling was more like holding tightly onto thorns and I wasn¡¯tfortable with it one bit. But she had iting. She deserved it for all her interference in my life. wore My mind wandered to the string of past events. Things happening so fast and not in my favor even though I was in the right. The weight of the situation on my shoulders was causing me to have a m**l breakdown. I was worried for my son. He was my top priority and I failed him. Tears stung my eyes and I gulped down the painful lump in my 09.1700 Chapter 73 288 Vouchers throat as I blinked them back. I didn¡¯t want to break down before Francisco. There was a lot that had happened before him already that shouldn¡¯t have. He was a child but I knew he was traumatized by the myriad of events. First, he had been involved in a life-threatening ident and then was med for it at every single chance. How much more would he witness? There was more, my heart knew it and it worried me. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Returning to this ce was the worst decision I had ever made in my life even though I did so for Dad¡¯s sake. Now, I felt like a terrible daughter for thinking that way. Goddess, I¡¯m a mess! My hands were trembling slightly against the steering wheel as tears welled up in my eyes. I sniffled silently and blinked them back yet again quite aware of Cisco¡¯s gaze boring holes at the side of my face. My eyes caught Lyra¡¯s through the rearview mirror and she nodded at me, motioning me to smile. She had seen through my facade of keeping it together I gulped down with difficulty and forced a smile. She leaned forward and rubbed my shoulder. Her touch left warmth in my chest. I couldn¡¯t say anything because I knew if I let my mouth open, I would be bawling my eyes out. She leaned back against the chair, seething with anger. Cisco was in the passenger¡¯s seat in front. Initially, ying games on my cell but now, he was staring at me with all concentration. N pulled the car over when we caught up with traffic and forced a cheery expression before looking at him. Chapter 73 288 ?Vouchers ¡°What level are you on?¡± I was making small talk to distract him from whatever he was thinking that was making him worried. Lyra and I exchanged nces and she nodded. She knew I was trying to distract myself. She knows everything and I couldn¡¯t love her more. ¡°Fifteen? That¡¯s impressive!¡± I was wowed when I peeked into my cell to see the level he was at in the game Lyra had downloaded for him. ¡°That was fast, kiddo. I¡¯m at twenty¡± Lyra chimed in, gasping dramatically as she pulled out her phone. Cisco didn¡¯t seem phased by the talk, his eyes were still on me. ¡°Mom, my teacher says it¡¯s not good to hold back one¡¯s tears¡± He stated, the worry wiped away, reced with a rxed smile. My breath caught in my chest and my lips parted. There was a brief exchange of nces between Lyra and I before I spoke ¡°Well, your teacher is right but why did you suddenly bring it up?¡± Surely, he hadn¡¯t seen me trying hard to contain myself, right? ¡°You look like you want to cry Mom¡± His voice was quiet but his smile unwavering. The tears I had pushed back resurfaced and threatened to spill. Howe? Howe he saw through me with that much uracy? My hands shook as I moved them from the steering wheel to myp. I shook my head and wore a huge smile, ¡°I don¡¯t want to cry dear. Something just got into my eyes¡± A faux smile apanied by a lie. ssic tales for a child, except my big boy didn¡¯t buy it. He grinned, ¡°Mom, there¡¯s nothing in your eyes. If something got Chapter 73 288 Vouchers in there, you would ask Aunt Lyra to check but you didn¡¯t ¨C If you want to cry¡­¡± He paused, ¡°Cry. It¡¯s not a bad thing. I do that a lot¡± He frowned as though he remembered something unpleasant and I knew what. In the past few days, he had cried a lot, I feared he¡¯d fall ill but here he was, healthy, giving me the one advice I never thought I¡¯d need. My tears dropped in torrents as I nodded frantically. I would do anything for my son including letting my tears out if he wanted. He was always thoughtful of me but today made me see how perceptive he was. He had the mind of a wise adult. He wanted what was best for me and everyone. My thoughtful boy. One of the best things I had in life. Fransisco. ¡°Aww¡­ Kiddo¡± Lyra also seemed to catch on to the emotions and she wiped a stray tear from her face as she rubbed my shoulder. ¡°You¡¯re the best son ever. I envy you, Freeds¡± Her remark made me chuckle through the tears and sheughed. Traffic began to move and I quickly returned my attention to driving. Now, moreposed than before. No more thoughts were racking my brain. I felt better, free even. Cisco suddenly spoke, ¡°Mom, I promise I didn¡¯t push Harper. It was an ident. And when she¡¯s awake, I¡¯ll ask her to tell the truth so her mother will say sorry to you¡± His words were a warm pat to my heart but at the same time, made me recall something and I hit the brakes, bringing the car to an abrupt halt by the road. Mates 74 Mates 74 Chapter 74 FREIDA WHITLOCK The sudden impact of the rough halt, made them jerk forward. Thank the goddess that I never forget to strap Cisco with the seatbelt else¡­ He moved forward pretty swiftly. Lyra groaned, ¡°Driving like a movie star now, aren¡¯t we Freda?¡± I could feel the apprehension in her tone and I almost scoffed. She drove like that all the time and never yielded to myints but I did it one time and she¡¯s grumpy already? But it was abrupt so¡­ ¡°Sorry about that, guys,¡± I said sheepishly. ¡°So why did we stop?¡± Lyra asked mirroring Cisco¡¯s questioning gaze at me. They looked adorable this way, suitable for a picture of the moment. We would have done that if time was on our side. Sighing, I started the car again aiming for a U-turn as I replied, ¡°We¡¯re going back to the hospital ¡°Why?¡± Lyra grimaced, obviously the least in love with that idea. With Georgina around there, she would lose her mind all over again and so would I but it was thest try to get things back on the right track. I had to get to Harper. I had to be by her side when she woke up to hear from her about the whole incident. ¡°I want to be by Harper¡¯s side when she wakes up to hear her words before anyone else¡¯s¡± I exined, my jaw clenching, Chapter 74 288 (Vouchers ¡°Safiya has proven to be sly. She might brainwash the child if she¡¯s there before me¡± I had seen hunger in Safiya¡¯s eyes to attain control of everything including Kaiden. She would go to any length to get her will done even if it meant trapping me in her schemes forever no matter the means. She had tried intimidating Cisco and she hated him. I could only imagine her using her love for her daughter to her advantage. I could imagine her brainwashing the poor girl into telling a lie. Safiya loved her daughter but with that heart full of evil, she wouldn¡¯t mind crossing the boundaries. It was sad to know or even think about. It felt like she had be deranged all of a sudden. I felt a tug in my chest but pushed it down the depths of my heart. She didn¡¯t deserve my pity. The little bond we shared had withered at her attempt to corner my son. ¡°True. Drive faster¡± A smile crept on my lips and I nodded loving Lyra all over again. My one true cheerleader in the better and the worse times. I made the U-turn swiftly, swaying us to the side and Cisco cheered, excitedly. To him, this was like an adventure with mommy in charge. ¡°I never imagined in my life that you had it in you to drive this recklessly. It feels so surreal and I¡¯m proud¡± Lyramented as I sped down the road. ¡°Seriously?¡± I whined with an eye roll and sheughed. The rest of the drive to the hospital was infortable silence. When we got there, we hurried to Harper¡¯s ward like it was an emergency. It was. This involved mine and Cisco¡¯s wounded dignity and Harper was the cure. Chapter 74 288 Vouchers Upon reaching her ward, I was surprised to see that no one was by her side. Yes, I nned to be here before anyone but I didn¡¯t actually expect no one to be around. I felt sad for her. Her parents might currently be at their huge house, screaming at each other for whatever reason, I felt it. The thought made Gia snicker. She lived for their disagreement much to my dismay. Sometimes, wondered why my wolf was this troublesome. While, Lyra and Francisco perched on the other bed, ying games on their cells trying to outy each other¡¯s winning streak, I sat on the stool by Harper¡¯s bed watching her. She was alive, and her breathing was normal but she was yet to wake up. 1 worried for her and prayed to the goddess to keep her in good health. This was too much for a child to endure. Her bruises were healing but not as fast as Cisco¡¯s since hers were deeper. I could imagine how badly it hurt her delicate skin. The door suddenly swung open and Gia seemed toe to life at the sight of Kaiden entering the room. I don¡¯t get it. Why was she still this giddy for him? Why was it so hard for her to ept that he didn¡¯t care for us? My eyes furrowed into harsh slits and my nose scrunched when our eyes met. Surprisingly, there was a hint of resignation and longing in them that made Gia purr hurtfully, hissed and looked away. Our interaction may not havested over two seconds because Lyra was on her feet throwing words at him already. Heck, why did it seem like thirty minutes then? Chapter 74 288 iVouchers My attention was drawn back to Lyra attacking him verbally and calling him all names that screamed ¡°ipetent and depraved man¡± At this rate, Lyra would one day end up in his clutches if she didn¡¯t stop attacking him at any chance she got. Even now, I could feel his wolf¡¯s anger simmering beneath the hard face he wore. His hands were balled into fists and he was doing everything he could not to grasp her neck and snap it. to stop I gasp, ambling forward to stop Lyra. ¡°Lyra, that¡¯s enough!¡± I scolded, pushing her down to the bed. Fransisco was seated, staring nkly at us. ¡°Just keep shut, okay?¡± She huffed and picked up her phone angrily, staring at it like she would stare at him. It was taking everything in her not to throw the device across the room. D**n! The tension in the room was palpable. When I looked at Kaiden again, there seemed to be a spark of rage within me. This man had caused me so much pain that I hated the sight of him despite being my son¡¯s father. I hated myself for not making sure he epted the rejection before leaving. Gia was still tied to him and it angered me how the dynamic was every time she saw him. It f**g disgusted me Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± His smooth voice snapped me out of my thoughts. I red at him as she stepped forward, standing two feet away from me. I heard Lyra¡¯s low grunt of disapproval behind me. I Chapter 74 288 Vouchers understand bestie, he would not get any closer. ¡°Don¡¯t ask me s**d questions, Kaiden. I can be here if I want. It shouldn¡¯t be your cup of tea¡± His eyes flickered hearing the amount of hate in my voice and he sighed, his shoulders slumped as he stared at me with gleaming eyes ¡°I¡¯m sorry Freda¡± He started, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for making you-¡± He paused and stared over my shoulder to stare at Fransisco who I was sure was looking away from him with an attitude. A pained look shed across his face. A look that seemed to break Gia¡¯s reigns. We felt the same thing course through us. Anger and pain. She growled in my head and before I knew it, my hand flew to his face. The sound of the action echoed across the room sharply. The air seemed to be still as my hand dropped to my side. Kaiden¡¯s head had tilted to the side from the impact. His lips parted and he stared at me, utterly speechless. Mates 75 Mates 75 Chapter 75 KAIDEN STIRLING I stared at Freda with wide eyes filled with regret and resignation. She had pped me and it hurt but I knew I deserved it. The sting of the action lingered. It felt like that would be an evesting pain. ¡®Deserved, punk!¡¯ Kai was grumpy as he mulled over the fact that his mate was mad at us. My lips parted but not a word came out seeing how angry she was. She was heaving as she tried to get herself together. Even without looking toward them, I could feel Lyra grinning with mischief and Cisco staring, gob-smacked. The effect of his mother. She¡¯s full of surprises. And perfect. Kai chuckled with mock sweetness as he noted my thoughts. Even without saying anything, I knew what he meant. I threw away all this perfection because I was f**g infatuated with someone who would never match up. I was so s***d. Freda looked away from me and took a deep breath, lips parting like she had some to say but before she could, the door burst open and Safiya walked in looking like an angry bull. My mood dampened instantly and I frowned. Why on earth was she always on my tail? Last Next 18 758 8699*** used, ¡°How dare you p my husband and the Alpha of this pack?!¡± Her shrill voice echoed across the room. I f**g loathed that voice, it gave me a headache. ¡°Shut up Safiya. You have no right toe between mates who are having a conversation. You should¡¯ve known that if you had an actual mate and didn¡¯t im others as yours, Freda spat with equal venom seeping from her words and I saw Safiya bing red as hot iron as she brewed in anger. However, my attention zeroed on Freda. She looked furious as she stared at Safiya. She had said that to spite her and it worked quite well for both of us. It hurt me because I was the one who hadMaterial ? of N?velDrama.Org. chosen Safiya despite having a mate and Safiya had to dedicate herself to me. ¡°What did you just say?¡± Safiya yelled, enraged, she took a step forward and the next minute, her hand was swinging to hit Freda, ¡°How dare you?¡± Instinctively, at an insanely fast move, I caught her hand in midair. The room c**d with tension at the action. Freda had flinched when she noticed Safiya¡¯s advances but now, she was staring at us with a hint of anger beneath the shock in her eyes. My grip on Safiya¡¯s hand tightened as anger coursed through me like a swaggering wave. What was she about to do, hit my mate? The guts of this woman! She had been doing a lottely and I was sick and **g exhausted of her troubles. She turned to me with shock evident in her eyes as she struggled to break free of my unyielding hold. The more she struggled, the more fny hold on her arm tightened. My fingers had begun digging into her skin already but I was too angry to get a hold of myself. Chapter 76 28% 176545 I was too angry to think of anything other than the image of her almost hitting my mate. ¡°K.. Kaiden¡­¡± Tears stung her eyes, ¡°You¡¯re hurting me¡± She managed to say, her voice low, filled with pain. I released my grip and tossed her hand harshly, causing her to stumble backward, Harper¡¯s bed right there for support. She p**s me off and makes me rash things to her. I know she¡¯s carrying my child but for heaven¡¯s sake! ¡°You better stop interfering when I¡¯m speaking with Freda, Safiya. Next time, I won¡¯t be this lenient¡± I warned and she shuddered under my dark gaze. Her lips quivered and she turned to Freda who stood, unimpressed by the whole thing. ¡°What do you mean, I shouldn¡¯t interfere when this woman keeps crossing all the lines with you. She¡¯s doing everything in her will to take you away from Harper and me, can¡¯t you see that?¡± She yelled and Freda¡¯s eyes shed. I sighed, ruffling my hair in exasperation. The only way to keep my hands to myself and not use them on her. My patience with her had been long overdue, something she was oblivious to. ¡°I¡¯ve said it time and again, Luna¡± The sarcasm in Freda¡¯s words was not missed, ¡°I don¡¯t want to be on you or your husband¡¯s radar. If he¡¯s always after me then it¡¯s not my fault. You should probably direct all this energy to him and keep my name out of your mouth!¡± She spat, breathing heavily ¡°Kaiden, can you ** see that attitude?¡± She eyed Freda, ¡°If you¡¯re that self-righteous then what are you doing here in my 49.95% 10:38) Chapter 75 288 iVouchers daughter¡¯s ward and why were you so keen on getting your hands on my husband?¡± Her hands waved dramatically as she spoke, ¡°What else to prove the fact that you¡¯re a cheap-¡± ¡°You know better than letting that statement slip out of your mouth Safiya. Complete it and I¡¯ll f***g skin you alive¡± Freda¡¯s wolf was raging, the color of her eyes had darkened and there was a flicker between her normal shades and gold. She was furious and my wolf was getting agitated. Lyra and Francisco were now on their feet, watching the scene unfold with keen eyes. I could feel Lyra¡¯s wolf surfacing as well. Both women were ready to gang on Safiya and the fool was not ready to back down. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare, b**h!¡± Safiya challenged and my wolf took over my system in a whiff. This was the height of her insults to his mate. In a swift motion, she was pulled from the bed and tossed aside. She s**d and it took every bit of composure in her not to lose her footing. ¡°Shut the hell up, Safiya!¡± My voice was a growl with a dominating rage that forced everyone in the room to submission. Even Freda, though her wolf was not having it. Safiya made to speak but stopped when Harper¡¯s tiny, almost inaudible voice spoke. ¡°Mommy¡± All eyes fell on her in a second and for the first time in days, I felt myself rx. 76.72% Mates 76 Mates 76 Chapter 76 FREDA WHITLOCK Kaiden was furious and it was palpable. Even though Gia was feeling the same, she wouldn¡¯t stop swooning whenever he snapped at Safiya. Today, I lost it, her sharp tongue grated on my nerves so badly that if skinning her alive was thest resort, I¡¯d take it. I hated her. Every atom that made her what she was, I detested with every fiber of mine. This wasn¡¯t a route I wanted to follow but she pushed me too much and there was noing back from it now. She was insecure. F**k her insecurities. She should have known better but she just kept b**g around a man who wasn¡¯t hers in the first ce. What was I thinking? These were Gia¡¯s thoughts, never mine! Kaiden had asked her to shut up, his aura filling the whole room forcing all the morphed-up energies of our wolves to flee. Gial was furious that he would do that to us. I could feel her whimpering in my head that he would silence us in that way. That was none of my business but because she was hurting for him, I felt a pang of pain as well. Safiya made to speak again, seemingly unyielding. I had seen. her go through different stages of shock today and was still 0.00% 10:38 Chapter 76 280 Moucharis unwilling to stop opening her vain mouth. The f**g mouth that I start off ripping if we ever would be in a situation that warranted. G***d, I hated her. However, before words could fall out of her mouth, we heard a soft, tiny voice call out to her. ¡°Mommy¡± It was Harper. Her voice was pure, filled with trust and love and I felt pain jolt through me as I thought how unfair itCcontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. was that Safiya had birthed her. ¡®Should I be thinking this way?¡¯ I thought and shook my head. She was a mother in her own right despite being a terrible, person. We all turned to her on the bed and she stirred gently. Kaiden¡¯s aura seemed to subside and all that was left was an air of relief around him. We scrambled toward Harper with Safiya the first to get to her. ¡°Harper¡­baby,¡± She cooed and looked back, shooting us res, ¡°Get away from my daughter. All of you, stay back!¡± Angered by her deration, I pushed her aside and upied her spot beside Harper. I didn¡¯t want her influencing the girl even before she spoke a word. ¡°Freda-¡± She made to lunge forward again but this time, Lyra pushed her and I heard a thud. Oh Lyra, she actually pushed her Luna to the floor. But that was the least of my concerns for the moment, Safiya would be dealt withter. I faced Harper who seemed confused by the happenings. It was written all over her face as to why her 20.08% 10 38 < 288 Vouchers mother had been pushed away from her. Guilt gripped me but I pushed it to the back of my mind. ¡°Harper, dear,¡± I called pushing her hair gently away from her face. Her heavy eyelids flickered to my face away from her father¡¯s and she blinked ¡°How do you feel, my dear?¡± I asked and she hesitated before speaking, ¡°I feel fine¡± She croaked out. Her voice was h** and I guessed she must¡¯ve been thirsty. Kaiden got to the ss of water beside the bed first and made her drink, lovingly. He looked relieved as he made her drink up. When she was okay, he shifted back, hesitant to leave his daughter¡¯s side but he did and I was left to face her again. ¨C or not. There was still a hint of unsureness in her eyes whether to speak to me ¨C the woman who just pushed her mom Her eyes darted to Cisco who was now beside me and she smiled lightly. Cisco acted indifferent but I could see the lingering excitement of seeing his friend awake in his eyes. Such a baby bear! I looked back at Harper, still stroking her hair. She seemed to rx a bit to my touch. I smiled, she was smart. ¡°Harper, I¡¯m d you¡¯re alright. Everyone was worried about you¡± I told her softly, ¡°Dear, can you tell me what had happened? Do you remember who pushed you off the stairs?¡± I chose my words carefully in order not to scare her or make her feel wary. She nodded and I blinked. She did? My heart thumped in my chest in anticipation of her response. I trusted Cisco would never harm anyone but I couldn¡¯t help the thought that he 43.58% | r 10:39 might¡¯ve done it -Mistakenly from creeping into my mind ¡°Was it Cisco I probed further and her eyes wandered to Cisco again, her gaze lingering on his frame beside me. The two shared gazes and seemed to be in some sort of telepathic communication that only their eyes were ing out their reactions. It was cute but at the same time testing. Tension had filed the room once again as the question was left hanging for about a minute ¡°Stop questioning my daughter, fedal Harper dorst- Safiya! screeching voice was cut short by Kaiden¡¯s neverberating voice His tone was hard and cold. Stop taiking Safya Hearing her father speak like that margen jerked fearfully and gulped. I turmed to shoot Kanden re and he let out a sigh ¡°Calm down Harper and tell me everything that happened. Please¡± I pleaded and she whimpered before starting to speak. She spoke slowly exining how she had gone out to y with a group of friends and to the port of the ident, *. And I fell off the stars¡¯ She was trembling as she spoke Speaking of the incident had left her traumatic. I knew and I felt bad for making her speak of it night after she regained consciousness but I had to My baby had suffered enough for this reason. I patted her har in d she drew in a deep breath. ¡°So you weren¡¯t pushed by Cisco I asked again, loudly for everyone in the roorg to hear She shook her head, her eyes misty with tears, ¡°He didnt push Chapter 76 288 Vouchers me. I fell off by myself and he came to save me but fell too¡± Upon hearing her confession, it felt like aden had been lifted off my chest and I breathed a sigh of relief, feeling ted. Holding onto her trembling hands, I smiled at her, ¡°Thanks Sweetie, for telling the truth¡± Mates 77 Mates 77 Chapter 77 FREDA WHITLOCK Immediately Harper confessed that Cisco wasn¡¯t the one that pushed her, I immediately heaved a breath of relief. It wasn¡¯t like I didn¡¯t trust my son but kids could be confused at times and who knows, Harper could have been influenced by Safiya¡¯s yelling and me Cisco in the midst of her fear. I turned back to see a crawling Safiya on the floor. Serves her right! I thought, then shifted my gaze to Kaiden. He looked ashamed as he tried to avoid my stare. I couldn¡¯t care less if he wanted the ground to open up and swallow him. I was going to make him regret his actions. I should have felt guilty for pping him but I did not. I was tired of their games. Narrowing my eyes, I began to speak, breaking the tense silence in the room. ¡°I hope the both of you heard clearly what Harper just said. In case you didn¡¯t, I¡¯d like to rify it for you all. Cisco didn¡¯t push Harper¡±. I tried to hide the hurt in my voice as I finished. ¡°Freda, I¡¯m sorry¡­¡­..¡±. ¡°Enough Kaiden I don¡¯t want to hear it¡± I stated as I waved my hand in the air to brush his apology off. ¡®Did he think that a mere apology would solve everything?¡¯ ¡®A mere apology would restore my dignity?¡¯ My tarnished image? ¡®Did he think a mere apology would heal the trauma that Cisco faced?¡¯ If he thought so he was clearly a big joker and should 0.00% ||| O 10:40 r 1 casouchers join the circus Images of me kneeling down in front of the pack council for a crime I didn¡¯tmit as my dignity was ripped off me shed through my mind and I saw red. I wasn¡¯t going to let this go so easily. All I ever wanted since I came back here was just peace and quiet but clearly Safiya didn¡¯t wish that for me and Kaiden wasn¡¯t helping matters either. He couldn¡¯t stand up for me,yet he could apologize? No way! The only way this was going to end was me giving them a taste of their own medicine¡±. With that thought in mind, I smirked as I turned to face Safiya and I crossed my arms. ¡°The only way I¡¯ll ept your apology is if Safiya kneels in front of the pack council and apologizes sincerely for wrongly using me and my son for attempted murder¡±. ¡°Only then will I ept your apology,¡± I stated and Safiya was red with fury and embarrassment. She probably never thought I¡¯d ask her to do the same thing she did to me. ¡°Hell no, I¡¯m never going to do that¡±. Safiya yelled angrily as she moved to face Kaiden. ¡°Kaiden, say something, she¡¯s being absurd,¡± she yelled as she tugged on his shirt. But Kaiden remained silent. I sneered inwardly, what a coward! He couldn¡¯t stand up for his wife, he couldn¡¯t stand up for me. ¡°Then the only thing left is for you to be arrested by the pack police,¡± I stated in a firm tone. using someone wrongly is a crime and could lead to a few Chapter 77 288 Vouchers years in prison¡±. I stated as I flicked some imaginary dirt off my nails with a bored expression. ¡°You¡­¡± she growled as she attempted to lurch forward to attack me but Lyra pushed her off sending her s***g back. ¡°Don¡¯t you have any shame? You should feel guilty right now yet you still have the nerve to fight? Your way of thinking appalls me¡± Lyra stated as she scrunched her nose in disgust. ¡°And you Mr Alpha, you knew your wife was clearly using Freda wrongly yet you watched and said nothing when Freda was forced to kneel and apologize in front of the council for something she didn¡¯t do? And you call yourself a leader?¡± She mocked and Kaiden clenched his jaw but remained mute. I knew Lyra had been waiting for her turn to hurl insults at Kaiden but he was still an Alpha and judging from the way he was clenching his jaw tightly his tolerance was close to snapping but I did enjoy the way Lyra put them both in their ce. It took every ounce of self control not to burst out laughing at the facial expressions of Kaiden and Safiya. But she had to stop now. I didn¡¯t want to put her in danger. ¡°Lyra, it¡¯s enough¡± I stated as I held her hand and drew her close to me. I still didn¡¯t trust Kaiden¡¯s anger. I gave Lyra a look that said ¡®this is my fight, I want to do it alone¡¯ and she nodded and stopped talking. ¡°I hope I have made my point clear, it¡¯s either you kneel in front of the pack council and apologize or you get arrested by the pack police. There are no two ways about it¡±. I stated and gave Safiya and Kaiden onest re and walked out with Lyra and Cisco by my side. 49.21% 10-400 Chapter 77 A 288 Vouchers Immediately we got outside I heaved a breath of relief and my tensed shoulders rxed a little. Having to face Safiya and Kaiden always drained my energy. It was a constant headache dealing with both of them. ¡°So, were you satisfied with Harper¡¯s answer?¡± Lyra asked, interrupting my thoughts. Yes I am, I replied with a light smile. ¡°Honestly, I was a bit afraid she might not speak the truth maybe due to fear or Safiya¡¯s maniption but she didn¡¯t cave in. She¡¯s a good kid¡±. ¡°Mummy¡±, came Cisco¡¯s sweet voice that always melted my heart. ¡°Didn¡¯t you believe me before when I told you I didn¡¯t push Harper?¡± He asked with tears in his eyes. ¡°Of course honey, I would always believe you. No matter what anyone says, it¡¯s just sometimes people like Safiya and Kaiden need to hear things from the horse¡¯s mouth¡±. ¡°Now that Harper confirmed that you didn¡¯t push her, they have no reason to go around spreading rumors that you did it. Do you understand?¡± I asked him as I crouched down and ruffled his Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. hair. ¡°Yes mummy¡±, he stated with a big smile on his face. ¡°Good, now let¡¯s leave this forsaken ce¡± Lyra stated in an exhausted tone and we allughed. Safiya might have humiliated me first but I was getting thestugh. Mates 78 Mates 78 Chapter 78 KAIDEN STIRLING After Freda left, I sat down beside a silent Harper as many thoughts rushed through my mind. I knew that I had hurt Freda deeply by making her kneel in front of the pack council and apologize for something she didn¡¯t do. Even when she pped me I didn¡¯t feel any rage towards her, I could only feel the hurt and betrayal she felt against me. I had chosen my reputation over her. And I was a jerk for doing that, nothing I would do or say would ever change that. I nced at Harper, grateful that she said the truth. I took her hand in mine as I stroked it lovingly. ¡°How are you feeling sweetheart?¡± I asked tenderly. ¡°I¡¯m fine daddy¡± came her soft barely audible reply and I gave her a genuine smile. She had been through a lot thesest few days and she was just a kid but she still managed to stay strong through all of it and I was so proud of her. We were still having our little moment when the doctor walked in. ¡°Hello everyone I¡¯m Dr Sanders, I¡¯m here to check Harper¡± she stated and I nodded and moved over to let her check Harper. The next few minutes were spent with her checking Harper¡¯s vitals. After series of medical checks here and there, she kept her stethoscope around her neck and turned to face me and Safiya. ?????? ORAN ¡°Good news, Harper is medically fit enough to be dische ed today¡± she stated with a smile on her face. ¡°Thank you so much Dr Sanders¡± I replied returning her smile. ¡°Just don¡¯t forget to get the vitamins and supplements we prescribed before you leave, excuse me¡±, She stated and left the room, ¡°Oh honey, you had me so worried¡± Safiya stated as she made to touch Harper but I pushed her back and she staggered back with a shocked expression on her face. I hadn¡¯t even noticed she was still in the room. After the stunt she had pulled a few days ago, and after Freda had called her out, she still had the guts to touch Harper She was supposed to be somewhere begging for forgiveness. If Harper had not confessed the truth, she would have continued to humiliate Freda, Safiya tried to touch me but one hard re from me had her drawing back. She had gone too far with this one and if she thought I was going to stand by her side or talk Freda out of making her apologize then she was so wrong. ¡°Kalden, why are you doing this? Why are you trying to separate me from my daughter?¡± She choked as she held back a sob but I was already familiar with her antics now. They no longer had any effect on me. If she wanted us to do this here with our daughter watching then I had no issues with it. She started all this, she might as well see the end of it. I was about to put a stop to her emotional drama when Harper called out to me. ¡°Daddy?¡± Harper tugged on my arm and I put on a strained smile on my face masking my fury as I turned to face her. ¡°Yes, sweetheart?¡± ¡°Why did you push mummy away from me?¡± she asked curiously and I turned to face Safiya who smirked at me and crossed her arms as she looked at me with eyes that challenged me. She seemed to be asking me, ¡®can you do this? Do you think you¡¯ll be able to ruin the bond between a mother and her daughter?, Do you think she would believe you?¡¯ Well it¡¯s for her to decide¡¯ Imunicated back to her through our eyes. A wave of shock passed through her for a minute before she masked it up. She didn¡¯t think I would do it and she was wrong for underestimating me. Enough of her maniption. Our daughter deserved to know what her mother had been doing. How she had been ruining other people¡¯s lives. Maybe I was a messed up father for bringing our daughter into our personal conflicts. But this wasn¡¯t a personal conflict anymore. It involved the whole family now because I and Safiya were on the edge of falling out. Harper was old enough to decide which side she¡¯d choose. I turned to Harper as I began to speak. ¡°Sweetheart you asked why I pushed your mother away right?¡± And she nodded. ¡°while you were sleeping peacefully your mother here has been doing some very bad things¡±. Then I began to speak, I told Harper about how Safiya had gone around telling everyone I was aCcontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. woman beater and how I had been called on by the pack council and was almost removed 148 Vilnefer from my position and Harper¡¯s eyes widened. I knew I shouldn¡¯t be telling our kid about our personal problems but she deserved to know and since I¡¯d already started, I decided to go all the way and break the camel¡¯s back. ¡°She even used Cisco of pushing you down the stairs and made his mum kneel down in front of the pack council and apologize for attempted Murder ¡°No way¡±, Harper gasped as she shook her head violently. ¡°Mummy, did you really do all these things? Did you make Cisco¡¯ s mum kneel down to apologize?¡± ¡°I¡­.¡±. ¡°Yes she did¡±, I stated as I cut her off. I wasn¡¯t going to let her try to manipte Harper anymore. ¡°Harper honey, it¡¯s not true I didn¡¯t¡­¡­¡± ¡°No mummy, I don¡¯t want to speak to you. Not until you apologize to Cisco and his Mother for your behavior¡± she finished and removed her gaze from Safiya as she turned towards me. ¡°I¡¯m tired daddy, I want to sleep¡±. She stated and sheid down and turned her back against Safiya. I kissed her cheek and stood up to face a horror stricken Safiya. Blood had drained from her cheeks and she looked disoriented. I was almost sorry for her but she deserved it. I might have caused a wedge between mother and daughter but at least the truth was out and I had never felt more relieved. Mates 79 Mates 79 Chapter 79 FREDA WHITLOCK I climbed into the car after Lyra and Francisco entered. I had stood outside the car for five minutes pacing so that the fury in my system would leave me. I was so upset. So upset that Safiya had done all she had done for no reason, because even Harper had said that Francisco did not try to harm her in any way. Goddess, I was so tired of this whole situation. I was so tired of her. ¡°Mommy, can I y with the iPad?¡± Francisco asked from the backseat while Lyra looked me over. She understood that I was upset and I needed time to calm down. ¡°Of course Francisco. Go ahead.¡± She looked back towards the back seat and smiled at him. ¡°Thanks,¡± he said with a grateful smile and unlocked the device. He was so adorable. The iPad had been sitting right beside him and he had not touched it until he received permission. How could Safiya think my son would want to hurt her daughter? I did not understand her thought logic I was about to start the engine of the car when my phone started ringing. I took my hand off the key and reached into my purse for my phone. It was Cole. My heart thumped in my chest and I looked over at Lyra. My anger had melted immediately I saw his name and I was sure my face had turned beet red by the smirk she gave me. 0.00% de? She asked quietly and I nodded. Her smirk gw and then she gave me a soft tap on my thighs before she climbed out of the car she headed to the backseat and pulled the door dden ¡°Come on, Cisca. I have something to show you. Your mom is not exacly feeling fun right now,¡± she said and I gave here grateful smile as she walked away with Francisco. The call was definitely at it¡¯s third to fourth ring now and if I didn¡¯t did it, the line would go deed. I took a deep breath and sounded to reseve the call before raising the phone to my ear. Hey I said into the mouthpiece, trying to make my voice sound less exited than I actually felt. Freda he called my name in his deep, soothing voice and butterflies fluttered wildly in my stomach. ¡°H-hey¡± I said again, derating myself for stammering. How are you?¡± He asked and I Wes about to answer but I sensed stress in his voice. ¡°I¡¯m okay. Are you?sked, running my hand through my hair. I was not feeling okay, but I did not have to tell him that. It would be shameful to tell someone I barely knew that my sister was fighting me and my six year old son over a man. Um, yeah, I suppose I made it to Brookback county and I drove a few miles before I got to a signboard with a full moon and a Wolf on it. There are some militants here and they¡¯ve held us here for a while now, he exined and I blinked before swallowing He had made it to the pack territory. I had not been expecting that it made me kind of anxious and worried. I had not expected that he would actuallye up to the pack territory. I had been expecting that he would stop at the first motel he would see when he got to Brookback county. Werewolves, especially the ones in this pack were very wary of humans and I did not want him to be in any danger or trouble because of me. I was supposed to have informed the Alpha if at all I was expecting a human friend or I was bringing a human to our territory. Which led me to this once again. I had not been expecting that he would actuallye! ¡°Are you hurt, is everything okay? Are you under any pressure?¡± I rushed the questions because they could have been aggressive towards him. ¡°Should we be?¡± He asked and let out a wary chuckle. We? What did he mean ¡®we¡¯? I decided to ignore it. ¡°I¡¯ll be right there. In about thirty minutes.¡± I said. ¡°Okay. See you soon,¡± he said softly and a smile touched my face and then I hung up. My smile instantly died because I knew that if I did not take care of the situation on time by going to meet them and tell them that he was here to see me and he did not know about werewolves, the guards were definitely going to call the Alpha and that was going to be a very messy situation. I wanted nothing, absolutely nothing to do with Kaiden. I especially did not want him anywhere near Cole. ¡°Lyra,¡± I lowered the window and called her name. She was just walking out of the cafeteria with Francisco and I could not help but think about how perfect her timing was. She was always so good with being at the right ce at the right time. ¡°Come on,¡± I waved her over and she said something to Francisco before they started walking faster. She was carrying a paper bag of what seemed to be food and Francisco was holding his iPad. She opened the door to the backseat and made sure he was bucked in before jumping into the car. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± She asked because immediately she was buckled in, I started the car and hurriedly pulled out of the driveway, driving faster than I usually did, I nced into the backseat to make sure Francisco was not listening to us before I told her what was going on. He seemed to be engrossed in the word arrangement game he was ying so I nced over at her, Her face clearly had a question written on it and I bit my lip anxiously before I started speaking. ¡°Cole is in the pack territory and he¡¯s been held by the guards I said. Her eyes grew wide and I could tell she was about to yell. I red at her and she piped down her exmation to a whispered yell. ¡°What?!¡± She eximed quietly. ¡°I know, I don¡¯t want him to be in danger or to get involved in anything messy so I¡¯ll drop you both off and go to get him,¡± I said and she nodded. ¡°Will you be okay, though?¡± She asked and I smiled before I have her a nod. ¡°Of course, Lyra. If I need help, you¡¯ll be on the phone with me before I can even blink,¡± I muttered and she gave me a satisfied smirk. Ten minutester, I pulled into the driveway of our home. ¡°Good luck,¡± she whispered and climbed out of the car and then went to pick Francisco from the back seat. ¡°Your mom has something to take care of¡± she told him and he looked at me. ¡°Besides she was not going to get of our food anyway¡± she said and Iughed. ¡°I¡¯ll see you soon, sweetie,¡± I told Francisco and Chapter 74 he nodded. 1288 Vouchers I drove off immediately in the direction of the pack borders. I pulled up in the parking space of the building that housed the guards when they were not on duty and looked around. My eyes spotted a red car. I had a vague memory of Cole telling me his car was a red Ford explorer truck. He was a car enthusiast. I killed the engine, grabbed my keys, climbed out of the car and locked the door. By the time I got into the building and met someone who seemed to be the head of the guards, I was breathless and sweaty. ¡°Hey, do you, by any chance know where the owner of the red Ford truck is?¡± I asked, going straight to the point. He looked outside and recognition filled his eyes on sighting the truck. ¡°He is a human that was driving into the pack territory without a werewolf chaperone or supervision. He¡¯s currently in the dungeon,¡± he said and my heart sank to the very base of my stomach. This was bad. This was really bad and so damn embarrassing.Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Mates 80 Mates 80 Chapter 80 FREDA WHITLOCK Dear goddess¡­ I was on the verge of losing it. The head guard started to walk away and I raced after him. ¡°He came to see me. I told him where I am. I didn¡¯t expect him toe all the way to the pack territory and that¡¯s why I wasn¡¯t with him. He came to see me,¡± I said and he nced at me before looking away as he stated walking again. What? My blood began to boil. ¡°Hey! I¡¯m talking to you. You have absolutely no grounds to be holding him. He is my friend. He came to see me.¡± I fumed and he turned around to look at me. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, ma¡¯am. We have strict orders and those orders are what help us protect the pack. They are human. They came here without a werewolf chaperone and he was driving unsupervised. They could have been sent here to harm us,¡± he said and I let out a tired groan, wondering why he kept using ¡®they¡¯ pronouns. ¡°But I¡¯m telling you he came to see me. He surprised me. He means no harm,¡± I pleaded. ¡°Rules are rules, ma¡¯am. You have to excuse me,¡± he stated mechanically, attempting to walk away again. My blood boiled hotter. ¡°Excuse me, you are not excused. I demand you release him now!¡± I yelled and people around looked at both of us, especially me like I was crazy. 0.00% 10:43 200 (Vouchers Maybe I was. Just a little bit. This whole thing was driving me nuts. ¡°It doesn¡¯t even make sense to hold him hostage. That makes humans aware and wary of the Werewolves,¡± I growled. He looked at me with boredom. ¡°You can¡¯te in here and make demands. There is a due process to be followed,¡± he said, just confirming what I had been fearing. ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked carefully and he sighed before turning fully to me and then crossing his hands with a tired look on his face. ¡°We cannot release them except the Alpha sees them and determines they are not dangerous,¡± he said and I resisted the urge to pull my hair and scream, What the hell? What on f**g earth? ¡°We have contacted him since the man arrived here two hours ago. He is busy and can note to us. In your situation, you will either have to wait, or get a letter of permission from the Alpha himself,¡± he said and I saw what seemed to be the hint of a smirk touch his face. I clenched my hands into fists furiously and said nothing in return. Cole had been here for two hours, locked up and facing whatever questioning or s**t was going on down there. I did not know whether to be embarrassed or furious or disappointed in our pack system. Maybe I was all three. I said nothing as I stormed out of the building and into my car. I hated this. I hated that I was going to have to ask Kaiden to free Cole and then Kaiden was going to find out about him. As much as possible, I had been hoping that I would be able to -keep Cole out of the mess of my life, but here he was, already 21.41% 1043) Chapter 80. 1 288 Vouchers sinking into the worsts parts of it. I started my car and clenched my hands around the steering wheel, hoping it would alleviate my fury and I would not break the material in the process. I drove out of the parking space and headed for the pack house. I arrived within five minutes at the illegal speed I was driving. Driving that fast helped calm my anger just a bit. I needed to get Cole out of there as soon as possible and if it meant swallowing my pride, I was going to have to do it. I walked into the pack house and headed for Kaiden¡¯s office. I knocked and he permitted me to enter. He looked up from the paperwork he was doing and I could tell he was surprised to see me. In fact, I was thest person he had expected to see. I could tell that much from his expression. A small smile broke out on his face and I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. He dropped his pen and was about to speak but I beat him to it. ¡°I need you to do something for me,¡± I said and he pressed his lips together as he looked at me thoughtfully. ¡°What might that be?¡± He asked and I took a deep breath as I structured the words I was going to tell him in my head. ¡°I have a problem. Someone came all the way from where I was living in another state to see me. Well he tried to surprise me but he came to the pack territory. I did not know about it. I was not expecting him toe so far The guards have him in the dungeon at the pack boundary and they need your permission before they let him go,¡± I rushed my words and I was almost breathless by the time I finished talking. ¡°It¡¯s a he, huh?¡± He said and resisted the urge to smash my fist 48.47% O 10:43 Chapter 80 288 Vouchers him his face. That was not the d**n point. Cole needed to get out of there! ¡°Is he your boyfriend?¡± He tantly asked and I was pped across the face with both embarrassment and shock at his audacity. ¡°What??¡± My voice was shrill. ¡°You heard me. Is he your boyfriend?¡± He asked, leaning back in his seat, clearly enjoying my difort. ¡°That¡¯s not the issue here, Kaiden and it sure as hell isn¡¯t your business. I need to get him out of there.¡± I said through clenched teeth. He looked down at his papers. ¡°I can¡¯t release him until I determine whether he is dangerous or not¡­¡± I was about to interrupt and tell him that Cole wasn¡¯t, or at least he didn¡¯t seem to be but Kaiden raised his hand and spoke the next words. ¡°By myself. I need to make that determination by myself. Humans can¡¯t walk around our pack territory and definitely not unsupervised.¡± He said. ¡°He is going to be supervised. This is my fault. I should have known he¡¯lle the whole way to see me. Can you please pin this on me and not on my friend?¡± I asked with exhaustion, wondering why everyone was deciding to give me such a hard time. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g THE ¡°Oh he¡¯s just your friend, huh?¡± He asked with a small smile, leaning forward and sping his hands together with interest. I rolled my eyes and for the second time wanted to yell that that was not the point. 76.86% Mates 81 Mates 81 Chapter 81 FRED WHITLOCK ¡°Whatever rtionship stars with fire warned p business Karden All you have to doing host of t took great control to reap my woke byelled on ope 7 cart do that when have to des more endre opplying here. I am the Aphs, festead gett mes tje for the safety of this car hold my eyes of his set Now, he was the rational Acha who could sense what was wrong but when I was involved, he couldnt of Sharing at his face rete my chest outbe with sorge My bes warmed as the orching emotion roses tog mywy ¡°Yean, right lentes, amoyed at his reared deery and th grin on his handsome face, Gia pired and notes & sey, fet ***d Canon, that wolf Now, it looked like was checking him out the still looked the sme only the youthfull fare had been but the called the alle smile and- Stop¡¯ I snapped at Gia and she seed before shutting hersel off Feeling that way was thest thing I had on my mind for alll I know, he wasn¡¯t worth swooning for hes a pathetic man and I hated firm even though Gia fert otherwise For a minute or two, I had fair hideyes on my face and when out eyes met. Kaiden raised a brow, amusement swimming in his eyes, he opened his mouth to say something but didn¡¯t Silence hung in the air til he spoke. ¡°You still haven¡¯t told me who he is to you, Freda¡± There was an edge to his voice that almost had me rolling my eyes again. He sounded jealous. Well Suck him ¡°He¡¯s just a friend who cared enough toe in search of me when I suddenly left and haven¡¯t been calling as promised. He probably thought it was strange, maybe something might ve happened to me, and so took the risk toe and see me¡± The words slipped out of my mouth before I knew it and it left me confused as hell Why did it sound like I was scolding him for his negligence in the past? I sounded pained, furious like the girl I was years ago who cried herself to sleep with questions on my mind ¨C why hadn¡¯t hee? Gosh, this was infuriating. Guit flickered in his eyes and his face softened. He looked away from me with a tight smile before nodding. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll ask for them to be brought out¡± I let out a sigh of relief then choked out a reluctant. ¡°Thank you, Alpha¡± With that, I spun on my heels and practically dashed to the door. I could feel his gaze burning through my soul, making me feel giddy. F**k! ¡°Freda-¡°I heard him call but the door had been mmed shut behind me already. I waited before the cell house for the release of Cole and whoever he came with, tapping my feet, as a means of distraction from Gia¡¯s grumbles. ¡°Freda!!¡± Soon, there was a squeal behind me and my ears. perked at the voice and I twirled quickly. My eyes widened in astonishment as theynded on Elle and Gina. Both were my coworkers when I was in the human world but what were they doing here? Excitement washed over me as they approached and when they were close, they enclosed me in a big hug. ¡°Elle, Gina¡­¡± I called, excitedly as we hugged ourselves like our lives depended on it. ¡°Oh my gosh, we missed you!¡± Gina squealed as we pulled away. ¡°Me too Gina. I¡¯m sorry about the lock-up thing¡± I apologized and they hushed me by pulling me into a hug again and I giggled. I had missed them so much, I just realized it. God, I should have called, I thought as they recounted about their journey to this ce. ¡°Well, I¡¯m d you¡¯re here and safe. I had no idea you guys would tag along¡± I told them after listening to their exnation, we were still holding hands, our smiles still in ce. ¡°We couldn¡¯t resist when he offered us a ride¡± Elle replied, looking over to Cole who had just been watching us squeal and jump about. He seemed to be amused by the scene. There was a small smile on his lips as he stared at us. Excusing myself from the girls, I went over to him, beaming ¡°Cole, I didn¡¯t think you woulde,¡± I started, shaking my head. 43 14% 111 4 17288 (V I was grateful and happy that he dide. I couldn¡¯t even express how I felt. This meant a lot to me, so much more than I might¡¯ve thought. Cole smiled. The man was handsome, he posed an athletic build and had unique yet captivating azure eyes that glimmered with tenderness as he stared at me. ¡°But I did, I had to¡± He responded and I blushed. His voice was deep and smooth. Damn! ¡®Pfft¡¯ Gia scoffed, yapping something about her mate being better. Ignoring her, I offered a hug and he pulled me in but was quick to release me from the embrace. His gesture made me blush again, he was such a gentleman. I felt Gina and Elle behind us and I turned to them, ¡°Okay, guys. Let¡¯s go home. It¡¯s been a long day¡± They nodded in sync and for some reason, we burst outughing. This was probably the most excitement I had felt since the incident that took ce in the past few days. It was just great. When we got to my home, I noticed the house was empty. Lyra and Francisco were not home which made me wonder where they had gone. Maybe Lyra had the bright idea to give me and the guests Cole especially some space. That sly wolf. They probably might¡¯ve gone out to the park. ¨C As everyone settled down, I rushed to the kitchen to get them some juice and from the kitchen, I could hear Elle and Gina gushing over the interior designs. ¡°Freda, I knew you had great taste but this is just ssic. I love it, I love you!¡± Elle screamed and giggled as I walked out with three sses of orange juice on a tray ¡®I love you too¡± They picked their drinks from the tray when I offered, both chorusing thank you¡¯s Cole was seated across from them so I turned to him but there was a distant look in his eyes. His brows were furrowed as though he was in deep thought. He didn¡¯t even notice me standing before firm, ¡°Hey I called and he looked up at me, snapping out of the trance he was in, ¡°What are you thinkingMaterial ? of N?velDrama.Org. about?¡± He sighed, picking up his ss and raising it to the girls before taking it to his lips slowly. I was just wondering Freda, are the people here different from humans?¡± felt my breath hitch and I becarte numb. I wasn¡¯t expecting that question, at all Mates 82 Mates 82 Chapter 82 FREIDA WHITLOCK My heart thumped in my chest as I thought of what to say to him that would cease his worries. I had a feeling this had something to do with them being put in the cell. While werewolves were stern about entry into their packs and borders, humans could travel to any ce in the world as long as they had the appropriate IDs and what just happened must¡¯ve left them reeling with numerous thoughts. I smiled quickly to cover up my worry, ¡°Don¡¯t bother about that, Cole. Just rx and have your drink, alright?¡± This was a weak response but to my surprise, he just nodded and sipped the drink. I breathed out in relief but then tensed again wondering if he had noticed my worried demeanor and decided to let the notion. slide. ¡®Maybe, Freda, maybe, he trusts you that much to adhere¡¯ I hope. so. I set the tray down and sat down next to him on the couch, leaving a reasonable distance between us. ¡°This is amazing, better than the one we have back home. I would move here for the sake of this delicious orange juice¡± He humored me after a few sips of his juice and I chuckled, now feeling completely at ease. ¡°He¡¯s not lying,¡± Gina agreed with Cole and I could only smile in appreciation. ||| 1045 Chapter 82 1218 Vouchers ¡°Um Freda, what about Mr. Whitlock, is he home?¡± Elle asked and I shook my head. She and Gina were now looking at me with worry. They knew about Dad¡¯s health condition since I had told them before leaving. It ddened my heart to know that they still had it in mind. ¡°He¡¯s at the hospital since the doctors rmended he stayed. closer to the facilities in case of any emergencies¡± I tried to sound as crisp as possible but the tremble toward the end of my statement failed me. I flinched a bit when I felt Cole¡¯s cold hand against mine. He squeezed it softly before letting go. I smiled at him. ¡°So sorry about that Freda¡± Elle said, she seemed to be beating herself up for asking. ¡°No, no, it¡¯s okay. Thanks for asking. It means a lot to me¡± I said and she smiled, nodding. ¡°Can we go see him?¡± Gina suddenly asked and I was quick to shake my head. They were here after a very long time on the road, going out again was just going to leave them more exhausted. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea. You guys need to cool off at least¡± ¡°We¡¯re energetic enough for another ride. It could be like a tour of the city on our way. I speak for us when I say we don¡¯t mind¡± Cole clipped and the girls nodded eagerly, giving me big round eyes. I was hesitant about taking them to see Dad. Of course, I ??? wanted Dad to meet my very loving friends but¡­. ¡°C¡¯mon Freeds,¡± Cole¡¯s voice broke into my thought and I sighed, ¡°Okay, but I¡¯ll drive, you guys just rx ¡°Sure ma¡¯am Gina and Elle teased, reminding me of those days we worked at the coffee shop together. It was an issue to get them to drop the formalities with me. The memory brought a small smile to my face. I shook my head at them and cleared the empty sses, washed them as well before we headed out to my car. On our way, despite my refusal, they had me stop by a fruit store so they could get some for Dad. And they got too much. The rest of the drive continued with me scolding them for getting too much but they would just brush me off. We finally got to the hospital and headed to Dad¡¯s ward with the washed fruits Upon reaching there. Dad who was fast asleep stirred awake at the sound of the door being opened. Even in his current condition, his sharp sense of hearing hadn¡¯t diminished. ¡°Freda?¡± He called, squinting his eyes to look at us. I smiled as I walked toward his bed, ¡°Dad, did we disturb you?¡± Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g He shook his head, trying to sit up and I hurried to set the bed to his preference before sitting by his side. His eyes traveled from me to the persons who were still standing by the door and his brows furrowed. ¡°Oh, Dad, meet my fgends, Gina and Elle. We worked together at the coffee store¡± I introduced gesturing to them as they stepped forward. He nodded knowingly I had told him about the coffee store and the workers there so I guessed he recalled. ¡°Hello, Mr. Whitlock¡± Elle bent slightly in a respectful manner while Gina waved cheerily. Cole cleared his throat as he stood beside the girls and I gasped, ¡°And this is Cole¡­¡± ¡°A very good friend of Freda¡¯s. It¡¯s nice to meet to sir¡± It¡¯s great he cut me off because I didn¡¯t know what to introduce him as. I mean from our little interaction we could be called friends but was what Cole wanted us to be? ¡°I¡¯m overwhelmed, it¡¯s nice to finally meet the nice people who cared for my daughter while she was away from me,¡± Dad said with emotions in his voice and I smiled. They finally took a seat on the couch avable in the ward and within minutes, they clicked. We had conversations while having the fruits. Cole cracked lots of jokes that had usughing our lungs out. He made Dadugh so much that I began to feel jealous of his sense of humor. Dadughed around me but that much within a few minutes? Damn! This man had a natural gift. I had noticed Dad staring at me at intervals and I believed he had questions as to who Cole was. I was d he didn¡¯t ask any via mind link or even aloud. An hour passed in a jiffy. We only took notice of the time when the doctor came around and asked for Dad to rest. So we got ready to leave and bade Dad our goodbyes. Dad had asked Cole to come visit again if he could. Dad was smitten with the man alright. left the hospital, surprisingly with just a few fruits left over from our little pic with Dad. I guess they knew exactly what they were up to, especially Cole. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect it would be so much fun with you guys around. Thank you so much for that moment with my Dad¡¯ I said to them as I drove us back to the apartment. ¡°I mean your Dad is f**g intelligent. I wouldn¡¯t mind spending the whole day with him, Freda, Gina chipped, ever so cheerful. ¡°And funny too, you¡¯re so lucky¡¯ Elle added and my cheeks pinked. I know, my Dad is the best. I cast Cole a nce, he was seated in the front seat. He caught my gaze and nodded with a smile making me smile back ¡°I haven¡¯t seen Francisco since we got here though,¡± He said and I nodded, recalling Cisco and Lyra had been out earlier. ¡°He¡¯s okay. He just went out with my friend. You¡¯d meet him soon¡± I had a feeling Lyra and Cisco were back when I pulled over in the driveway and my thoughts were confirmed when Cisco came running to us the moment we stepped into the house. ¡°Oh my G**d. Fransisco!¡± ¡°Is it just me or has this little cutie grown bigger!¡± ¡°Champ!¡± The three gasped upon seeing him and I couldn¡¯t help the feeling of pride that spread within me. After hugging me, he 11288 Vouchers Chapter 82 MON rushed into Gina¡¯s arms, giggling. My eyes moved from them to find Lyra only to see her seemingly frozen in a spot with her eyes fixated on us. I waved but she didn¡¯t budge, she didn¡¯t even bat a lid as she stared at someone behind me and when I looked back, it was Cole who was now with Cisco in his arms. I returned my gaze to her, my eyes squinted as I wondered what was going on in her mind. Mates 83 Mates 83 Chapter 83 FREDA WHITLOCK ¡°Lyra¡± I called out again as I nudged her a little and she seemed to havee back from whatever trance she was in. She looked at me, her gaze seemed unfocused and her expression was nk. Before I could ask her what was wrong, she rushed out of the house. ¡°Lyra¡± I called after her but she was already gone. I would have run after her but a nce towards Cole and the others told me it wasn¡¯t the right time. I just hoped Lyra was okay and woulde around soon. I took a deep breath and walked towards Cole and the others. Elle and Gina were looking around the living room fawning over the antiques we had. Cole was scrolling through his phone. They noticed my presence in the room and turned to face me with a broad smile on their faces. ¡°Umm, let me take you guys to a room where you can freshen up, and rest till dinner¡±. ¡°Oh okay, thank you so much Freda for having us here¡±. Ginal gushed out excitedly and I smiled. I guess bringing them here wasn¡¯t such a bad idea if we remove Kaiden and detaining them out of it. The thought of him alone almost made me roll my eyes but I stopped myself as everyone looked at me expectantly. Iughed. ¡°Please follow me¡±. I stated as I gestured to the front. I showed Elle and Gina to a guest room down the hall while I 11 showed Cole to another. Just as I was about to walk out of the room after showing Cole in, he held my hand halting my movement. I turned back to face him. ¡°Freda, thank you for letting us visit you. You don¡¯t know how worried we all were. We missed you. I missed you¡±. He stated with so much emotion. ¡°You¡¯re wee Cole, thank you for checking on me and bringing the others here¡± I stated as I gently pushed his hands away: A pang of hurt shed through his face but he quickly masked it with a smile. ¡°Of course Freda,¡± he said with a light smile. ¡°Umm, I have to prepare for dinner¡± I stated and he nodded. I gently closed the door behind me as I exhaled a breath of relief. ¡®Okay that was awkward¡¯ I thought as I went to look for Lyra. I searched all over and finally found her in the backyard staring at the flowers with a forlorn expression on her face. I walked over and observed her. She didn¡¯t turn around, maybe she hadn¡¯t noticed me yet or she just didn¡¯t want to talk. ¡°Lyra¡± I called softly as I reached forward and put a hand on her shoulder and turned her to me. Her eyes were a bit red,almost as if she had been crying? But I wasn¡¯t so sure. All I knew was that something was wrong. ¡°What¡¯s wrong Lyra? Ever since you saw Cole and the others you¡¯ve been acting strange. Why did you rush out like that?¡± 22.665 10 45 m) ¸Ê Lyra let out a nervousugh. ¡°Me? No way. I just needed some fresh air and I just wanted to give you and your friends privacy to speak¡± she said as she turned around and rubbed her shoe against the soft grass. Something wasn¡¯t right. ¡°Lyra¡± I called again as I turned her to me but she avoided my gaze. ¡°Look at me. What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing Freda, I¡¯m just a bit tired¡±. She replied and looked away. ¡°Are you sure?¡± I asked again as I narrowed my eyes. ¡°Yes Freda, really, that¡¯s all there is to it¡± she stated as she gave me a smile I knew didn¡¯t reach her eyes. One thing I knew was I would never force Lyra to tell me something she wasn¡¯t ready to share. I trusted her. I knew she would tell me when she was ready. ¡°Let¡¯s go back inside then, we have a lot to do¡± I stated as I put a big smile on my face, one I knew Lyra couldn¡¯t resist smiling too. When she smiled her ¡®Lyra smile¡¯ I was a bit relieved. But theUpstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g anxiety didn¡¯t leave her eyes. I took a deep breath. We would take this one step at a time. I took her hand and we walked back into the house, heading straight for the kitchen. ¡°What should we make for dinner?¡±I asked as a distraction I knew Lyra needed. She seemed to take the bait as she responded. ¡°Let¡¯s make fried chicken, mashed potatoes and veggies¡±. She stated with a light smile and I smiled. We were getting there slowly. Just then, Elle and Gina walked in. ¡°Do you guys need help?¡±, ´¨ Elle asked as she rolled her sleeves in an attempt to help us. ¡°No, no you guys are my guests, so act like one, go rest up, dinner would be ready soon¡±. I stated with a smile. ¡°Are you sure?*, Gina asked and I nodded. If wanted any headway with whatever was bugging Lyra I couldn¡¯t do so with these two around. Besides, the kitchen would be cramped if four of us were here together. ¡°I¡¯ve got it, I promise and Lyra is here anyway¡±. They nodded and walked out. I heaved a breath of relief and turned to face Lyra who had withdrawn to herself once more. Something was definitely wrong. I decided to hold on a little and wait for the right time to ask Lyra again. We started the preparations for dinner. Lyra was chopping vegetables and I was dressing the chicken. We worked in silence which was unusual. I nced at Lyra who was chopping carrots and just when I thought the atmosphere was amiable enough for me to ask Lyral again, a scream erupted in the kitchen. Lyra had cut her finger and the blood dripped unto the carrots. ¡°Lyra¡± I screamed as I rushed towards her. Her face was contorted in pain and just when I was about to help her attend to the wound, Cole came rushing into the kitchen. ¡°Freda¡±, he called frantically as he scanned me with his eyes for any injuries, when he saw there was none, the worry in his eyes ceased a little. ¡°I thought you were injured¡± he stated with a sigh and I shook my head in the negative and gestured towards Lyra. ¡°Oh¡± he 72.661. 111 Jon then are muted seg under Her Breath and froze as my eyes widened and the nted to my spot was very sure i heard the word mate formfly¡¯s ¡°What the heck did Lyra just say? Mates 84 Mates 84 Chapter 84 KAIDEN STIRLING I smiled for the umpteenth time as I thought of Freda¡¯s words. ¡®He¡¯s just a friend¡¯. Iughed as I swirled in my chair. Fredal hadn¡¯t hooked up with anyone since she rejected me. But the fact that she wasn¡¯t interested in the man didn¡¯t mean he wasn¡¯t interested in her. I saw the way he looked at her. That wasn¡¯t the way a friend looked at another friend. I clenched my jaw as my mood immediately soured. Coming to a decision, I called one of my guards over. ¡°Keep a close eye on Freda and her¡­new friend. I want you to report every single thing to me, and make sure you do it discreetly. They mustn¡¯t be aware. Understood?¡± ¡°Yes, Alpha¡± he stated and bowed and left. It was clear that new friend of hers couldn¡¯t be trusted. I would never be at ease with the thought that he stayed in the same ce as Freda. I I pushed the unpleasant thoughts behind me as I was beginning to seeth in anger and¡­..jealousy. I remembered the way Freda smiled brightly at him. She never smiled that way when she was with me. But then I¡¯d never really given her a reason to smile. I ignored my thoughts as I tried to focus on work, but I couldn¡¯t¡­ concentrate. I finally gave up on working and I checked the time. Working hours were over. I sighed and grabbed my bag and headed home to face the biggest mistake of my life. 0.00% I walked into the house and Harper rushed to meet me. She had probably been waiting at the door. Iughed at the thought. She was the only reason i didn¡¯t loatheing home after work so much.. ¡°Daddy you¡¯re back¡± she gushed out excitedly as she hugged. me. ¡°Yes, sweetheart, you¡¯re daddy is back¡±. I crouched down to her eye level and rubbed her hair affectionately and she smiled so brightly. ¡°How was your day?¡± I asked as I carried her into the house. ¡°It was great, I did a lot of things¡±. I smiled as I dropped her on the couch close to her toys she had sprawled all over the floor. ¡°That¡¯s good¡± I replied heartily and I nced at Safiya who was seating opposite Harper with a nk expression on her face. She didn¡¯t even offer any greetings to her husband who was home after a long day. Not like I expected her to anyway, I didn¡¯t regard her either. Two people could y this game. ¡°Sweetheart, daddy needs to shower, when I¡¯m done we would catch up about all you¡¯ve done today. Okay?¡± ¡°Okay daddy¡± she replied smiling. If she noticed the strange rtionship between myself and Safiya she didn¡¯t mention it. She was also angry with her mother. I sighed deeply and headed towards the direction of my room. Just as I turned, Safiya stopped me. ¡°Kaiden we need to talk¡±. I sighed in frustration. I turned around. ¡°What?¡± I spat harshly. Safiya looked a bit pale and she had lost weight a little but I couldn¡¯t care less. I already knew what was bothering her and I wasn¡¯t about to find a 1924.79% souson for it. Just as I thought her next words confirmed it. am not apoloosing to Freda¡¯ she stated with such confidence Talmostughed. I nced at Harper hoping st wasn¡¯t going to witness another argument between her parents but she was too focused in her dolls to care Good Okay you shoveled as looked at Safiya with a bored epressor Kelly Youre going to support me?¡± She asked happy as her shoulders rxed a little. I nodded. ¡°Just get ready to get arrested by the pack police, just know I¡¯m not going to meddle with it. Color drained from her face once again. If she thought I was going to support her,then she was so She had gone too far, she had hurt all of us. I could have even overlooked what she did to me when she went around spreading rumors that I was a woman beater, but she had to drag Freda into it and make her kneel in front of the pack council for a crime she didn¡¯tmit just because of her jealousy So someone call me a devil for deciding not to support my wife who was bent on making my life hell. She had crossed her limits this time, she should be ready to face the consequences. I turned to head to my room when Safiya screamed out gaining the attention of Harper. I red at her. ¡°Control yourself woman, unless you want to sleep outside for the night¡± I warned in my Alpha tone. I was fed up of her tantrums. All I wanted was a home I coulde back to in peace. ¡°Oh, so you¡¯re going to throw me out because of Freda? You¡¯re going to take Freda¡¯s side instead of your wife who is pregnant? 1 m How many of you!¡± She scoffed and I groaned as I rubbed my temples in frustration. If she thought she was going to ckmail me with my child then she was clearly fighting a lost cause, Just as I was about to speak she cut me off. ¡°You know¡± she drawled out as she picked at imaginary dirt in her fingers. ¡°Rumors have been flying around that Freda brought a man home. I even saw them together earlier today. They looked soo good together. She stated. ¡°I wonder what people would say about her rejecting her mate and going for another man. But again, it¡¯s not like you did any better either. I clenched my jaw. I knew this game she was ying. She wanted to rille me up so I would turn against Freda ande to her side. She wanted to hurt me by saying it. But I wasn¡¯t going to stoop to her level I smirked and turned towards her as I looked directly into her eyes. ¡°You would have to try harder¡±, Safiya I drawled. ¡°Because I know more about that man than you do¡±.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Mates 85 Mates 85 Chapter 85 FREDA WHITLOCK Dinner was ready. ¡°Cisco, Elle, Gina dinner¡¯s ready¡±. I called out as I ced the food on the table. They all came downstairs, it seemed Elle and Gina were ying with Cisco as they all came giggling down the stairs. Cole was already seated while everyone else took their seats carefully. I nced at Lyra who had been quiet the whole time. I wondered what she said by mate. ¡®Who was her mate?¡¯ What had happened to her today?. ¡°Freda thank you for the meal. It¡¯s tastes so good¡±. Cole said with a smiling face as he drew me from my thoughts. I shook my head as I cleared my thoughts. I would ask Lyra.ter. ¡°You don¡¯t need to thank me. It¡¯s the least I could do for you guys¡±. ¡°But it¡¯s really good¡± Gina gushed out between mouthfuls of chicken. Iughed at her actions. ¡°Okay, thank you everyone. I couldn¡¯t have done it without Lyra¡¯s help¡± I stated as I passed a smile to Lyra. She gave me a quick smile in return which was unlike Lyra. She was always talking about something or the other. Something was definitely wrong. Now wasn¡¯t the time to ask her. I shifted my gaze back to everyone and we began to dig into the food silently. Unable to bear the allende anymore I began to speak. ¡°So Elle, how are things at thepany?¡± I asked curiously. Since I hade back. There was little I could do, I could only trust my employees to do well. I was only able to monitor their progress from far away. But I trusted Elle and her next words confirmed my thoughts. ¡°Things are great, we are following the n you gave us before. you left and it has attracted a lot of customers¡±. ¡°The profit we are getting is double that of what we used to receive before¡±. She said happily and I smiled, ¡°I am so happy. you guys are doing well without me even being there to guide. you¡±. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ¡°I¡¯m so proud of you guys, thank you for not letting me down. Thank you for coordinating yourselves and maintaining that professionalism in my absence¡±. said with a voice filled with so much emotion. ¡°It¡¯s all because you¡¯re a good boss. You always treat others. around you with love and respect. It¡¯s only natural they do the same¡±. Cole stated as he looked tenderly at me. ¡°Thank you, Cole, I mean it¡±. I replied softly. ¡°Mummy¡¯s the best¡± Cisco yelled and we allughed and resumed eating. All through dinner, Lyra was so quiet. I tried to engage her in small talks but her answers were vague. I gave up after a while. and focused on the others. Elle and Gina were talking animatedly about some gossip at thepany. Apparently some people where dating each other. I listened half heartedly. 11 238 After a while, we finished dinner. Elle and Gina offered to do the dishes and I dly obliged. I was about to go see Lyra when Cisco came to meet me. ¡°Mummy, I¡¯m feeling sleepy¡±. ¡°Okay honey, let¡¯s get you tucked in¡± I replied softly as I ruffled his hair. I picked him up and we headed to his room. ¡°Mummy is something wrong with aunty Lyra? Cisco asked innocently when Iid him on his bed and I was speechless. ¡°Why do you ask honey?¡±, I asked as I recovered from my shock. ¡°It¡¯s just aunty Lyra was just so quiet during dinner and when I asked her to tuck me in bed she said she was tired. Is aunty Lyra ill?¡± If even Cisco could notice that Lyra was acting strange then the issue was deeper than I thought. I had to find Lyra as soon as possible and ask her before she did anything stupid to herself. I turned to Cisco who was still looking at me expectantly. ¡°Well, aunty Lyra has had a long day, she¡¯s tired, that¡¯s why she couldn¡¯t tuck you in bed. Don¡¯t think much about it. She would be much better tomorrow¡± I assured. ¡°Okay mummy¡± Cisco stated and closed his eyes as I sang him his favorite luby, ¡®you are my sunshine¡¯. I just hoped Lyra would be back to herself by tomorrow or else Cisco wouldn¡¯t stop asking questions. Minutester, Cisco was fast asleep and I tiptoed gently out of the room and put out the lights. Okay, it was time to find Lyra. I walked back to the dining room where I left everyone. Elle and Gina were already done cleaning the table as well as taking care 4606% Chapter 85 17 288 Wouchers of the dishes. Cole must have helped out as well as there was a damp cloth in his hand. ¡°Is he asleep?¡±Gina asked and I nodded. Thank you guys for helping out with the dishes, I¡¯m deeply grateful. ¡°Oh it¡¯s nothing, you made a delicious meal for us, it¡¯s the least we could do¡±. Elle stated happily. levert. ¡°Have about opening your own restaurant Freda? Trust me I¡¯ll be your first customer¡± Cole joked and we allughed. I looked around and noticed Lyra wasn¡¯t in the room. ¡°Umm, where¡¯s Lyra?¡± I asked curiously as I scanned the room wit my eyes. ¡°Oh she went outside earlier¡±. Elle replied. ¡°Umm, is she okay? She seemed a bit off during dinner, like so quiet?¡± Gina asked and Elle nudged her. ¡°What? I was only concerned¡± she stated as she made a pouting face. Oh goddess, everyone was beginning to notice that something was off with Lyra. ¡°Oh it¡¯s nothing, it¡¯s probably girl issues. I¡¯ll go find her¡±. I assured with a light smile and everyone nodded. I went outside to the backyard where I found her earlier. She sat down on the soft grass with her back against me as she looked forward with a nk expression on her face. It was a bit dark out here, we were only illuminated by the soft glow which shown on her face as it reflected the sadness there. 72 531 Chapter BS 11211 Nouchers I walked slowly to her and sat down. ¡°Lyra¡± I called out softly but there was no reply. ¡°Lyra¡± I called out a bit louder this time and she turned to me. ¡°I heard what you said earlier when we were in the kitchen. What did you mean by ¡®mate¡¯?¡± I asked and she stiffened beside me. 11 Mates 86 Mates 86 Chapter 86 FREDA WHITLOCK ¡°Lyra¡± I called out a bit louder. Her reaction to my question was clearly a confirmation to my thoughts. The ¡®mate¡¯ she muttered earlier must have had something to do with her sour mood. She turned away from me and looked towards the grass beneath her feet and I could see tears pooling in her eyes. I hated seeing my best friend in pain like this. Lyra had always been there for me so why couldn¡¯t I be there when she needed me?. ¡®Why couldn¡¯t she trust me enough to share what was bothering her?. Why didn¡¯t she want me to be there for her as well?¡± My heart twisted a little in pain at the thought that Lyra was pushing me away. But I wasn¡¯t going to back down. She was going to have to tell me what was wrong with her whether she liked it or not. ¡°Lyra¡± I called out a bit more fiercely this time. ¡°What¡¯s going on with you?,I asked you a question and you kept mute. What are you hiding from me Lyra that you¡¯re unwilling to share?¡± ¡°What¡¯s eating you up so bad that you are slowly bing a shadow of your former self?. I¡¯m your friend, Lyra, and it hurts. me to think that you don¡¯t trust me enough to share what¡¯s bothering you, when I¡¯ve alwayse clean with you¡±. ¡°So I¡¯m going to ask you one more time Lyra, what the hell is 1289 Vouchers going on?¡± I was panting heavily by now and my eyes glistened. with unshed tears. I was already frustrated with all that was going on in my life. I didn¡¯t want Lyra to make things difficult for both of us. I looked at Lyra expectantly as I waited for her reply but all I got was a heart breaking silence. My heart dropped to my stomach and I was hurt. One lone tear ran down my cheek but I wiped it off quickly. I ¡°Fine, if you¡¯re not going to tell me what¡¯s wrong I won¡¯t push. But at leaste back inside,it¡¯s ufortable out here¡±. I stated as I helped Lyra up to her feet. We both dusted grass off ourselves as we headed back in. Before Lyra was able to open the door I pulled her back and gave her a tight hug. ¡°I don¡¯t know what is eating you up Lyra but I want you to know that I¡¯ll always be there for you. I¡¯d never judge you. You know that¡±. ¡°All I¡¯m asking is that you trust me. Trust me enough to tell me what¡¯s wrong. What are friends for if we can¡¯t share our problems with each other. Okay?¡± She pulled away gently from the hug as she gave me a small smile. ¡°Thanks Freda, but everything is okay. Just tired¡±. I shook my head as I gave up on trying to probe her for answers. and we walked back into the house.. Cole and the rest were still at the table as they talked in hushed tones. Gina and Elle mostly, while Cole was texting on his phone. Cole looked up when he noticed our presence in the room. ¡°You 20.87% 1047 Chapter 80 guys are back¡±. He stated as he nced from me to Lyra. ¡°Thank God, you guys took an awfully long time. Everything. okay?¡± Gina asked as she scanned my face. I wondered if she noticed I was close to tears. ¡°Yeah,it was a really long girl¡¯s talk. Right Lyra?¡± Iughed nervously as I nudged Lyra in the ribs. ¡°Yeah¡± she stated with ack of enthusiasm. ¡°Okay¡± Elle said awkwardly. ¡°We were just waiting for you guys. toe back before we went to bed¡±. ¡°Oh you didn¡¯t have to wait up¡± I said. ¡°It¡¯s already sote. You guys should go to sleep¡±. ¡°Okay, Goodnight Freda¡± Elle and Gina said in unison as they spared onest nce at Lyra and went to the room I showed them earlier. Cole, who had been observing the interaction between us girls, stood up too. ¡°Good night, Freda¡± he said softly as he let out a yawn. ¡°Goodnight Cole¡±. I replied and he headed to his room. I nced at Lyra who followed him with her eyes. ¡°Lyra, you should head to bed too, you¡¯ve had a long day¡± I stated softly as I ced a hand on her shoulder. ¡°Good night, Freda¡°, she stated softly and went to her room. I sighed at the new version of my best friend. I shook my head. and turned out all the lights. I checked on Cisco, and seeing he was still fast asleep, I headed for my room. I slept off thinking of possible causes of Lyra¡¯s 1047 change of mood. The next morning, I dragged myzy body out bed as I headed for the bathroom to wash my face. I still hadn¡¯te up with a possible cause for Lyra¡¯s strange behaviour. I decided to try again today. Maybe she¡¯d have calmed down. enough to tell me what was bothering her. I washed my face quickly and headed for Lyra¡¯s room. ¡°Lyra I knocked softly then entered into the room. ¡®Strange¡¯, Lyra wasn¡¯t in the room. I decided to check around the house. maybe she was in the kitchen or something. ¡°Lyra¡± I called out as I searched around the house. Just then Elle and Gina whereing out of their room. ¡°Have you guys seen. Lyra?, she isn¡¯t anywhere around the house¡±. I asked worriedly. ¡°No, we haven¡¯t, but I heard some cryingst night, I¡¯m very sure the sounds wereing from her room¡±. Gina disclosed and I frowned. I was about to ask more questions when Cisco showed up. ¡°Mummy, can you help me shower?¡±, he asked, his voice still groggy from sleep. ¡°Of course, honey¡± I replied softly as I scopped him up and we headed to the bathroom. As I was washing him up, he began to speak. ¡°Mummy, where is aunty Lyra?, she¡¯s wasn¡¯t in her room when I checked her¡±. Cisco asked curiously as he peered at me with a face filled with soapther. 1288 Wouchers Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. I would haveughed at his state of apperance if I wasn¡¯t already so upset about the whole Lyra situation, everyone in the house now had an idea that something was up with Lyra. ¡°Yes, sweetheart, she went out to do a few things¡± I lied smoothly and Cisco nodded and didn¡¯t ask any more questions which I was grateful for. I hated lying but I had no idea what was up with Lyra. Soon, I had him showered and dressed and left him in the care of Gina and Elle and left for the kitchen where I was about to dial Lyra¡¯s number to ask her where she was when she walked into the kitchen sweating. ¡°Where have you been Lyra? You just left the house without. telling anyone, we were worried, what happened?¡± ¡°Umm, I went jogging¡± she replied slowly and my mouth opened in shock. What the hell! Mates 87 Mates 87 Chapter 87 FREDA WHITLOCK ¡®When the hell did Lyra start jogging?¡±. She wasn¡¯t even a morning person but here she was covered in sweat as she panted softly in front of me. I watched her as she walked to the fridge and grabbed a bottle of water and drank deeply. I crossed my arms as I narrowed my eyes on her. ¡°So when did you start jogging Lyra? I don¡¯t recall you ever waking up this. early to go for a run¡±. ¡°Well, a new day for a new hobby right?¡± She stated and I raised my eyebrow. ¡°Ohe on Freda, because I¡¯ve decided I like jogging, shouldn¡¯t make you go all interrogative on me¡±. ¡°I told you I just felt like it okay?. I¡¯m tired, I¡¯d like to wash up¡±. She said as she avoided my scrutinizing gaze and walked out of the kitchen. I sighed in frustration. ¡®What happened to Lyra. Where the hell was my best friend and who was the person that had reced my sweet, funny Lyra and gave me a snobby, withdrawn Lyra in return¡¯. ¡®Oh goddess help me, for my strength was failing¡¯. I walked to the kitchen counter and rested my weight on it as I took deep breaths. My wolf, Gia tried to console me but I would hear nothing of it. I wanted my best friend Lyra and I hated that she was pushing me away. I released another shaky breath and decided to make breakfast, pushing every thought of Lyra away from my mind. She usually helped out with breakfast but I guess I was on my own today. I quickly whipped up a quick breakfast of sandwiches, pancakes and oatmeal. I wiped the sweat off my forehead with the back of my hand as I examined the work I had done and I smiled in satisfaction. Just then Elle and Gina walked into the kitchen. ¡°Hmmm, I knew I smelt something great¡±,Gina gushed out excitedly as she quickly swiped a pancake into her mouth while Elle jabbed her in the ribs. ¡°It¡¯s bad manners to take food in that manner¡±. Elle stated as she red disapprovingly at her. ¡°But it¡¯s soo good, Freda. I wish I could eat the food you make everyday¡±. She stated with a mouth full of pancakes and Iughed. ¡°It¡¯s okay Elle, let her have the pancake, I made a lot anyway¡±. Elle nodded, she and Gina helped carry the food to the dining. table while I cleaned the kitchen. Soon we were all seated at the table but I noticed Lyra wasn¡¯t present at the table. ¡°Where¡¯s Lyra? Cisco didn¡¯t you call her for breakfast?¡± I asked as I nced at him. ¡°I did mummy but she said she wasn¡¯t hungry. That she would heat up her breakfastter¡±. Cisco said softly as tears welled up in his eyes, I must have overwhelmed him with the tone I used. ¡°It¡¯s okay honey, mummy was only worried¡±. I stated as I picked him up from his chair and ced him on myp. ¡°Why don¡¯t you let mummy feed you huh?¡± I asked as I tickled him softly and he ¦¥ screamed out in delight. I took that as a yes and began to feed him. ¡°I just hope your friend feels better soon¡±. Elle whispered softly and I nodded. ¡°I hope so too¡±. We finished breakfast soon and I headed to the kitchen to heat up Lyra¡¯s food and drop it in her room. I was still thinking about how I was going to approach Lyra again concerning her strange behavior when Cole walked in. ¡°Thank you Freda for breakfast. It was amazing as always¡± he stated and I smiled. ¡°You¡¯re wee¡±. I went back to cing Lyra¡¯s food on a tray as I prepared to carry it to her room when he began to speak again. ¡°I was hoping you could take us on a tour around?¡± He asked and my spine stiffened. ¡®A tour?¡¯ Most werewolves here were uneasy around humans. But if I said no, Cole and the others might get suspicious especially after what Kaiden did to themst time. But I wasn¡¯t scared of Kaiden and these were my friends. They deserved to at least have a tour around. I just hoped we didn¡¯t run into any trouble along the way. ¡°Of course, just let me drop this for Lyra and we can all go in an hour¡±. I stated with a light smile on my face and Cole smiled. ¡°Okay then, I¡¯ll tell the others, they will be so happy¡± he stated with a wide grin and I nodded and he left. I grabbed the tray and headed for Lyra¡¯s room. I didn¡¯t bother knocking and just walked in. I saw her curled on the bed and I sighed and sat down beside her and dropped the tray on the bed. ¡°Eat breakfast, we¡¯re taking Cole and the others on a tour, we leave in an hour and Lyra don¡¯t make up another excuse that you¡¯re not going because you are going toe with us whether you like it or not. Do you understand?¡± I asked in a stern voice and she nodded. I exhaled a breath of relief that she didn¡¯t argue and I got up. I gave her onst nce and walked out shutting the door gently behind me. I I had just walked few paced away when Cisco rushed to me and hugged my leg. ¡°Mummy I heard we are going out for a pic¡± he yelled excitedly as he looked up at me and I smiled. ¡°Yes, honey, now let¡¯s get you ready¡± I stated and we went to his room to change his clothes. Soon, Cisco was ready and I had packed the leftover sandwiches and some other snacks into a basket with the help of Elle and Gina who wouldn¡¯t stop talking excitedly about the pic and the tour we were about to have. I was just about to go find Lyra again when she walked in with the tray of food in her hand. I nced at the tray and exhaled a breath relief when I saw it was empty. ¡°Okay¡± let¡¯s go everyone¡± I stated and we all filed out of the house. We decided to walk as the forest wasn¡¯t so far from the house. I decided to take them to the woods that wasn¡¯t really used by the werewolves around. We arrived at a small clearing in the woods that had a spring nearby and dropped the basket of food down as we set out the nket on the grass. ¡°Wow¡± Elle and Gina gushed out. This ce is amazing, I wonder why this hasn¡¯t be a popr touris. center. It looks quite deserted¡±. Gina stated as she looked around. ¡°Yeah, people don¡¯t reallye out here that much. It¡¯s more of like a secret spot for me¡±. I lied. I hoped they didn¡¯t get suspicious and ask more questions. Luckily they didn¡¯t and soon enough, our little pic started. Elle and Gina made jokes and weughed. They even yed in the spring with Cisco and took a lot of pictures. Iughed along with them and tried to get Lyra to join in the fun but she declined andN?velDrama.Org owns ? this. watched us from afar. Soon, we decided to call it a day and we packed up the pic. Just as we were finishing up Kaiden stepped into the clearing and red at us. What the hell was this man¡¯s problem?. My wolf howled in delight at the sight of my mate but I shut her down. ¡°This is a restricted area. Why did you bring these people here?¡±, he asked as he red usingly at my friends. ¡°It seems the arrest earlier wasn¡¯t enough for you guys he growled as he approached them. Why do you keep following Freda around?¡± He asked as he nced at Cole. ¡°What the hell is wrong with you Kaiden? These are my friends, so back off¡±. I growled as I took a menacing step towards him. ¡°Intimidate my friends one more time and you¡¯ll regret it. Trust me¡± I stated as I stared him down and his eyes widened. Mates 88 Mates 88 Chapter 88 KAIDEN STIRLING I was still in my office when the man I asked to watch after Freda walked in. ¡°Alpha¡± he greeted and I nodded. ¡°I¡¯m guessing you have news¡± I stated as I dropped the documents I was looking at aside and nced at him. ¡°Yes, Alpha¡± he replied and I motioned for him to go on. ¡°Freda and her friends left the house today¡± he stated and I immediately sat up straight. ¡°Where did they go to?¡± I asked as I tapped my hands impatiently on the desk. ¡°They seemed to be heading for the woods, our men are tailing them from a distance¡± he replied. ¡®The woods? What the hell were they looking for in the woods?¡¯. I thought as I pushed all rational thoughts of staying behind away and grabbed my suit. from the chair. ¡°Lead me there¡± I growled. The thought of Freda and that useless human friend of hers alone in the woods unsettled me and I saw red. A quick image of him asking Freda out and Freda blushing to his request shed through my mind and I clenched my jaw so hard till I saw white. We were just about to leave the office when Safiya appeared at the doorway. ¡®For goddess¡¯s sake why did this woman have to show up now of all times. What the hell was her problem?¡¯ ¡°Where are you going Kaiden?. I need to talk to you¡± She asked 600% | de naked into the room Imationed for my man to give us some way and he nodded and let There¡¯s nothing we need to speak about. I nced at her and was about to walk away when she held my shoulder. Tim guessing woute running off to meet Freda?¡± She mocked and shoved her hand away and walked out. 1st over any exploration for my actions, after all she had core recently to me and Reds. Yes, I was her husband but I washed up of the steres fonly she could reflect on her actors but it, she was soCcontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. corn stubbor The man had sent away earlier stood by my car and opened The tax set for me and we drove off to see what Freda was We arrived at the entrance of the woods and I got out, my men atened to follow me but I stopped them. Till take it up from TERE. YOU OWNS can stay back and keep watch. I stated and they I waker qucky through the woods.my wolf gnawed at me to charge my form and gallop through the woods and for a moment fet tempted when I thought of the wind blowing thoven my fur and the smell of the woods wafting through my rose buriemed it in. I dont need to appear in front of Freda as a freaking wolf! I¡¯d rater just watch her from afar. I just wanted to see if these fiends of hers were going to pose as a threat to her, especially when they were alone in the woods! Or you just want to see if she¡¯s dose to a certain someone¡¯, my wolf mocked and I shut him down. ¡®So what if I wanted to see if she was close to a certain someone? So what if I wanted to see if she had moved on?¡± I was only checking to be sure the person she decided to be with was worthy of her. That¡¯s why I was tailing her. I assured myself and my wolf just scoffed and kept quiet. I easily picked their scent as I made my way through the woods and it took me further into the woods. When I was about getting worried about why Freda would venture so far into the woods, I burst into a small clearing but I was quick to hide myself between the trees as I slowly peeked out trying to make small, unnoticeable movements. And right there in the middle of the clearing where Freda and her friends along with Cisco as they yed and joked around. They even ventured close to the spring as they yed with the water and I was immediately filled with jealousy. I studied the man Freda was with. He stood beside Freda and I could see him asionally cast a nce at Freda. I studied Freda to see if she had any affection towards him but she seemed neutral and I calmed down a bit. It was a good thing she didn¡¯t feel any attraction towards the man because he didn¡¯t deserve her. I watched them some more and used my wolf senses to listen in to their conversation. I didn¡¯t find anything strange as I listened on but I was so mesmerized by Freda¡¯sughter that I didn¡¯t realize I hade out of my hiding. I was about to move away when Freda¡¯s best friend Lyra, locked gazes with me and I froze. If I walked away now she would think I was stalking Freda and would immediately tell Freda. She narrowed her eyes at me and I cursed. ¡®That vile vixen!¡¯ I had no choice but to walk into their midst as I yed the words I was going to say in my head. I red at them. ¡°This is a restricted area¡± I growled. ¡°Why did you bring these people here?. It seems the arrest earlier wasn¡¯t enough warning for you¡± I stated as I narrowed my eyes directly at the man who had not moved from Freda¡¯s side since they arrived here. I had been watching him and I wasn¡¯t happy with the way he was always hovering around Freda. ¡°Last time I checked, Kaiden, this wasn¡¯t a restricted area and I can bring my friends wherever I want so what the hell is your problem?¡±Freda yelled as she stared daggers at me. ¡°It¡¯s against the rules¡± I stated through gritted teeth. ¡°Rules that you don¡¯t even follow Kaiden. I hope you remember that your wife still has an apology to make at the council or is she not a**g by the rules?¡±, she scoffed and I kept mute. ¡°I thought so¡± she stated as she walked closer to me till I could smell her scent so much that I was intoxicated. ¡°Intimidate me and my friends one more time and you¡¯ll regret it¡± she finished as she gave me onest re and stormed off, her friends trailing behind her. I stood rooted to the ground as Freda¡¯s harsh words reyed in my mind. I knew she hated me for what I did and the incident at the council was thest straw. She might never trust me again and the thought of that hurt me deeply. But the good thing is that human friend of hers doesn¡¯t have a chance either and I smiled. Mates 89 Mates 89 Chapter 89 KAIDEN STIRLING The day went by quickly and before I knew it, it was evening. Time to go home. The reality left a stinging sensation in my chest. Again, I would return home to the misery I brought upon myself. However, knowing Harper was there, my mood brightened and a small smile formed on my face. Upon reaching home, I was left disappointed when instead of Harper¡¯s beaming face, Safiya was the one in the living room. My face became neutral instantly as she approached me. ¡°Kaiden, where have you been all day?¡± She asked, a frown. crossing her features as she stared at me. I ignored her and walked up the stairs to my room. From the tone she used, I could tell she was seething with envy as she might¡¯ve had a hunch about where I went to. That woman is just unbelievable and unbearable! As I peeled off my clothes, I heard a knock on my door. It wasn¡¯t Safiya as she never knocks, she just barges in. ¡°Dinner is ready, Alpha¡± The maid informed and I grunted in response. Hastily, she turned and left the ce. I sighed, I didn¡¯t mean to scare her. I guess due to all that had been happening I was bing too stern and snappy with the **ts and even my employees at work. I had to cool off else one of these days, I would harm someone unintendedly. I took a quick shower and threw on a shirt and sweets before leaving my room and heading downstairs for dinner. On getting there, my brows furrowed, Harper wasn¡¯t here. Sefiya had made it a habit to note down for dinner and it was fine by me but Harper¡­ My heart **a beat, did something happen to her? Did she fall ill? ¡°Where is Harper?¡± I asked the maid who was serving me and she bowed slightly before responding, ¡°I called her down but she refused to pay heed to me. I think she is angry, Alpha¡± She chose her words carefully so as not to offend me. I nodded and dismissed her with a wave of my hand. She dropped the dish and scurried off while I sat there in deep thought. After a while, I got up and headed to Harper¡¯s room. If the maid was right then I wonder what must¡¯ve gotten her angry. I hope Safiya didn¡¯t say or do anything to her. I balled my fists and my jaw clenched, if she did, I wouldn¡¯t spare her this time. When I got to Harper¡¯s room, I knocked gently before opening the door. ¡°Harper?¡± I called, poking my head in. She was curled in her bed, holding her stuffed bunny tightly. Upon hearing my voice, she turned and smiled at me. Her smile wasn¡¯t as bright as usual and I got worried. A ¡°Daddy, you¡¯re back, I missed you!¡± She eximed and I entered, closing the door behind me. She sat up and I engulfed her in a hug. ¡°I missed you too, my princess¡± She giggled when I ced kisses on her hair, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, princess, why are you here on your own? Why didn¡¯t youe down for dinner?¡± I asked worriedly and she pouted ¡°I don¡¯t want to eat¡± I was taken aback, ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t eat till mom says sorry to Cisco¡¯s mother,¡± She said and my heart dropped seeing the determination in her eyes. That look was one I was familiar with and for some reason, I disliked it because of where the trait came from. Safiya. With this same look, she had vowed not to apologize to Freda, and now¡­**k! ¡°Princess, your mom will apologize okay, till then,e down, and let¡¯s have dinner together¡± I cajoled but she huffed and dropped on her bed, looking away from me ¡°No, I won¡¯t. She has to say sorry first!¡± ¡°C¡¯mon princess, you¡¯re making Daddy feel sad¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be sad Daddy, you can go and eat without me¡± She nced at me with a forced smile then looked away ¡°But I want to eat with you, dear¡± I patted her hair and she shook her head. Her stomach grumbled at the same time and the both of us paused. She was hungry but because of her mother¡¯s stubbornness, she nned to starve herself. My temper red, I leaned down and pecked her hair gently before storming out of her room. I headed to Safiya¡¯s room immediately. I didn¡¯t bother knocking and barged in and it was almost funny to see her in the same position as Harper was when I went to her room. She was also hugging a stuffed bear. Instead of finding it cute, I felt irritated. My daughter was starving because of her insensitivity, stubbornness, and whatnot. She cast me a bored nce as she slowly sat up. She was trying hard to mask her excitement at seeing me in her room. What did she think? That I was here to speak with her? We had gone past that line now and I didn¡¯t even see us returning to normal again if she didn¡¯t step up. ¡°Why are you here?¡± She asked ¡°Do you even have any idea if Harper has had her meal or not?¡± I shot at her and she jumped off the bed in a beat. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Now, she wasn¡¯t acting, she was actually worried and I appreciated that she did have a heart when it came to our daughter. ¡°She has refused to have her meal till you apologize to Freda. What will you do about that, Safiya?¡± I gritted, ring at her. She heaved, confusion and anger shed through her face as she thought of what to do. She wore her flip-flops and then stormed towards the door, ¡°I¡¯ll talk to her I stopped her before she could leave, ¡°Do you think that will work? I tried but she wouldn¡¯t listen!¡± 17:571 ¡°She might listen to me, Kaiden¡± She shot back and walked off. I followed closely till we got to Harper¡¯s room. Harper was now ying with some of her Barbie toys when we got there, she stopped when she saw us andid back on the bed, facing away. Safiya ced some of the toys away before sitting beside her. She-flinched when Harper evaded her touch. I felt sorry for her. She looked genuinely shocked and pained. The feeling soon washed away when I recalled that she brought this upon herself. ¡°Baby, why won¡¯t youe for dinner? I asked the maids to prepare your favorite today¡± Her voice was cracked a bit but she tried to sound normal. ¡°Have you said sorry to Cisco¡¯s mother?¡± Harper asked, getting out of the bed. She walked around Safiya like she was some gue and stood before me. Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Safiya blinked, frowning as she thought of what to say. She was obviously not going to apologize to Freda because she didn¡¯t want to hurt her huge ego and in as much as she cared for our daughter, her ego was first. Her face softened and just when I thought she would do the right thing, she chose the wrong words, ¡°Harper, that woman. wants to divide-¡± ¡°Safiya, enough!¡± I cut her off, ¡°Don¡¯t get our daughter involved in this feud you brought about.¡± I warned her, my tone domineering causing her to shudder. ¡°Come with me, princess¡± I took Harper¡¯s hand, and with onest re at Safiya, I stormed out C Mates 90 Mates 90 hapter 90 288 Wescher Chapter 90 KAIDEN STIRLING I helped Harper put on her boots with different thoughts running through my mind. Mostly revolving around Safiya¡¯s growing hatred toward Freda. At this point, was it even safe to leave Safiya around Harper anymore? She could start brainwashing the innocent girl if she got a chance. I drew in a deep breath, I shouldn¡¯t be thinking that way but I couldn¡¯t help it. Knowing that Safiya was harboring so much hate and envy toward Freda didn¡¯t sit well with me and just a moment ago, she almost tried convincing Harper to see reasons with her. F***k! I paid close attention to Harper who was s**g beside me as we walked toward my car in the driveway. She was ted and seemed to have forgotten that she was hungry. I smiled, she was such a bubbly soul and innocent-as well. ¡°Where are we going to, daddy?¡± She asked, her r**d eyes peering into mine -opened the car door and ced her in, securing the seatbelt around her before responding, ¡°We¡¯re going to a restaurant. Today, you and I will have dinner outside¡± 000% 10:49 ¡°Really?! Yay!! She pped gleefully and I chuckled. I tapped her nose before closing the door and rounding the car. I could feel Safiya staring at me from the balcony of her room but I ignored her gaze and got into the car. Harper was still excited, listing out all she wanted to have when we got to the restaurant. I smiled in relief, d that she had forgotten about her condition of Safiya apologizing. My daughter, starving, was thest thing I wanted to witness or even add to the list of my failures. I started the engine and soon we hit the road, heading to the restaurant closest to home. I didn¡¯t n for us to stay out for long since she had to go to school the next day. ¡°Daddy,¡± She called, her smile turning downwards ¡°What is it, sweetheart?¡± I asked, ncing briefly at her the back at the road. ¡°Will mom apologize to Cisco¡¯s mother soon?¡± She asked and I sighed not knowing what to say. I guess she hadn¡¯t forgotten about that yet and she probably was going to eat because it would be at a restaurant. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about that now, princess, okay?¡± I cooed and she frowned ¡°Why won¡¯t Mom say sorry? Didn¡¯t she make Cisco¡¯s mom do the same? Mom is just being mean. I don¡¯t like her-¡± ¡°Harper!¡± I chided almost hitting the brakes. She blinked pushing herself into the chair in an attempt to make herself smaller. I sighed and shook my head. I didn¡¯t even know whether to scold 16.65% = 1049 1288 Vouchers her for saying such about her mother or be mad at Safiya for making her see the need to feel that way. The rest of the drive was in silence. ¡°Look, princess,¡± I started as I brought the car to a halt in the parking lot of a restaurant. She sat up and stared at me with her lips pressed into a thin line. I reached over and held her hands in mine. Iughed inwardly at the turn of events, I was going to give my daughter a pep talk about not hating her mother for any reason but the woman in question was on a raging war with her sister for absolutely no reason at all. ¡®Really?¡¯ My wolf questioned slyly and immediately went quiet, leaving me to ponder. My attention returned to Harper who was staring at me. ¡°Don¡¯t say such things about your mother okay?¡± I told her and she nodded, ¡°No matter what she does, she will always be your mother. Always¡± Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Daddy,¡± She said solemnly and I smiled, ¡°Good, now. cheer up. We¡¯re here!¡± I hopped out of the car and helped her out as well. As we made our way to the building, she kept listing all she would love to eat and I was happy to keep my listening ear. When we entered the restaurant, the sounds of familiarughter attracted my attention. At the end of the room, were Freda and her friends. As we walked further into the room, Freda¡¯s eyes suddenly met 10:49 Chapter mine and my heart s**d a beat. She looked away and smiled at something the man said. Yes, he was there as well and was seated right next to her. Anger surged through my veins and it took a lot including Harper¡¯s soft voice to break me free from it. She was suggesting the unupied table beside theirs and before I could refuse, she s*d o**ver. ¡°Harper?¡± Fransisco grinned when he saw her. He got up to meet her. Freda and the humans looked up and even if they recognized me, none of them acted like they did. They continued with their meals and conversation. Freda seemed invested in whatever the man was saying. She was smiling for f**k¡¯s sake and it was making me feel annoyed. I should have sent them away the moment they were brought in by the guards. I Realising, how bizarre my thoughts were bing, I decided to pay attention to my children. ¡°How are you feeling now?¡± Cisco asked Harper and she giggled. ¡°I feel much better. It doesn¡¯t hurt anymore, see?¡± She showed him her head and he inspected it before nodding ¡°True. There is no wound or blood anymore¡± He beamed. At smile subconsciously made its way to my face as I listened and watched their interaction. ¡°Cisco, I promise I¡¯ll make my mom say sorry to your mother, okay?¡± Harper said and Cisco nodded with a grateful smile on his face. Sighing, I looked away from them, Harper had made a resolve. ||| 203 Mouchers and it was up to Safiya if she would not let her daughter down. I decided to order our meals while they conversed and once I was done, I was stuck with listening to the human¡¯s s**d jokes and talks. Freda,ughing at them made me more enraged. She hadn¡¯t even cast me a nce since we sat down. I felt agitated. We should have gone to another restaurant. Thoughts of snapping his neck crossed my mind within just a few minutes of sitting there. I seemed to have lost it. I didn¡¯t even realize our meal had been brought until Harper eximed about her fries being yummy. ¡°Harper, let¡¯s go outside¡± I suggested when I noticed there were a few seats outside the restaurant. I couldn¡¯t bear to stay and watch Freda being this happy with another man. I hated to admit but it hurt my ego and my wolf. Though I knew why, I kept asking myself why it had to be someone else. It should have been me making her smile and giggle. The thought made my heart constrict painfully ¡°No, Daddy. Let¡¯s stay here, I want to eat with Cisco¡± Harper refused, looking at Cisco who appeared to be telling his mother the same thing. My lips parted but I was at a loss of words. Mates 91 Mates 91 Chapter 91 KAIDEN STIRLING Freda saw how I wanted to take Harper outside to eat and she stopped me. ¡°Where are you going? Didn¡¯t youe out to eat here?¡± She asked as her eyes narrowed in suspicion. ¡°Yeah, but something came up so we have to leave¡±, 1 lied through gritted teeth. I just couldn¡¯t bear to be in the same ce with Freda when I knew she was out with another man. ¡°Or you¡¯re leaving because of me? Because Harper wants to eat with Cisco. I don¡¯t see the reason why you must deny her that or why your ¡®business meeting¡¯ can¡¯t wait, unless you¡¯re trying to avoid me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not avoiding you, there¡¯s no reason for me to do that. Infact, Harper honey you can eat with Cisco¡± I stated in a loud tone. ¡°Good¡± Freda said with a raised brow as she guided Cisco and the man to a table while I stood rooted to my spot as I watched them take a seat at the far end of the room close to the window. I was still frozen in my spot when Harper tugged me. ¡°Daddy, let¡¯s go join them¡± she said with a big grin on her face that I couldn¡¯t resist. Sighing, I let her tug me in their direction as we took a seat in front of them. It was a booth table, so Freda sat in the middle of Cisco and Cole while Harper sat beside Cisco as they chatted happily. Seeing Harper¡¯s happy face, I was a bit relieved that her sour ww mood from earlier had been erased. I was happy that I and Freda were sitting this close to each other though it wouldn¡¯t have been possible with ut our kids but I was going to savor every moment of it. 1 could see her up close and d*** me if I didn¡¯t notice that she had be more beautiful. She glowed. The way sheughed at something Cisco said and the way she was at ease with the kids filled me with emotion. Then I thought of how Safiya behaved at home and my mood soured. These two were theplete opposite of each other. ¡°Freda, here, looks like you need more ketchup¡±. Cole stated as he passed Freda the ketchup bottle and deliberately brushed his fingers with hers. Freda didn¡¯t seem to notice but I did, and I almost growled at him.. This guy was clearly passing his boundaries. He needed to be kept under control but now was not the time. I continued to stare daggers at him but he was to engrossed with his conversation with Freda to notice. There was nothing I could do, so just directed my anger to the te of fries as I stabbed the fries with my fork angrily. I listened in on their conversation. Freda just seemed to be making small talks but the guy wouldn¡¯t stop staring at her. He could listen without looking at Freda in the eye like she was his everything! ¡®What was his problem?¡¯. ¡°So, Cole¡± I stated unable to control myself any longer. ¡°How long are you staying?¡± I asked with a strained smile. He nced Chapter 01 warily at me. ¡°A while¡± he replied. ¡°Do you have a problem with me being here?¡±he asked. D**n, he was very direct with words,the n***a must have noticed I didn¡¯t like him. ¡°No, just asking¡± I replied with a smile as I resumed eating, Freda just shook her head at my behavior and they continued. their conversation. Soon, we finished eating and I was filled with two emotions. The first one was happiness that at least Cole would stop looking at Freda while the second was sadness that my time with Freda was over. But I saw the way she sneaked peeks at me from other hershes when she thought I wasn¡¯t looking. Our eyes met a few times during the meal and I smiled at the thought. Freda gave Harper a big hug. ¡°Be a good girl, honey¡± she stated. as she rubbed her hair affectionately and Harper smiled in return and Cisco hugged her too. I smiled at their adorableness. ¡°Bye-bye, Cisco¡± Harper waved happily as they left and soon. after I and and Harper also exited the returned home. We arrived at the house and before we could settle down Safiya rushed in. ¡°So you¡¯re both finally back?¡± She scoffed. ¡°After refusing to eat the food I made?¡± She yelled and I was immediately filled with anger. ¡°Take it easy woman, it¡¯s alreadyte. Harper honey, please go to your room, daddy and mommy have something to discuss okay?¡± I stated with a smile and Harper nodded and casted a nce at her mother before going to her room. ||| 1050) ¡°You better learn to control yourself around your daughter, don¡¯t push your daughter away because of your behavior¡±, I warned. ¡°And whose fault is it?¡± she yelled angrily. ¡°You¡¯re the one who¡¯s trying cause a rift between my daughter and 1¡±. She stated as she sobbed hysterically. ¡°I don¡¯t have the time for this Safiya, all I can say is that your prepare yourself, we are going to the pack council tomorrow and you will apologize to Freda¡±. I disclosed and her eyes bulged in shock as she wiped her tears quickly. ¡°No way, I¡¯m not apologizing to that home wrecker¡±. She said. ¡°You will, you must. Tommorow, we¡¯ll go to the pack council and you will apologize nicely to Freda for using her wrongly¡±. I stated in my Alpha tone and walked out before she could form a reply. I walked to Harper¡¯s room and saw her sitting quietly on the bed. I knew she couldn¡¯t fall asleep unless we read her a bedtime story. Safiya used to do that before but¡­ ¡°Sweetheart¡±, I stated softly. ¡°Let¡¯s get you tucked in¡±. Iid her gently on the bed and picked up her favorite book and was about to start reading it to her when her next words stopped me. ¡°Daddy where you and mummy arguing again?¡± She asked innocently. I knew she was angry with her mother but deep down I knew Harper still loved Safiya greatly and I wasn¡¯t going to destroy that. ¡°No honey, daddy and mummy were just sorting out some things. Now don¡¯t you worry and go to sleep¡± I assured as I -stroked her head and she nodded. 6245% I read her favorite book for her and halfway through the book, she fell asleep. I dropped the book on the nightstand and gave her a light kiss on the cheek. I adjusted the duvet properly on her body and turned out the lights and closed the door gently behind me. I walked to my room and found Safiya waiting there for me. I was not surprised for Safiya never gave up on anything. ¡°Please, Kaiden don¡¯t make me apologize to Freda, it¡¯s not fair¡±. She begged as tears fell from her eyes. I was almost sorry for her but I stopped myself. ¡°Not fair? Safiya you say it¡¯s not fair? Let me tell you what¡¯s not fair. What¡¯s not fair was you making a mother kneel down and beg in front of a council for something she didn¡¯t do¡±. ¡°And when you¡¯re asked to do the same, you say it¡¯s not fair?. Safiya, get one thing straight. Tomorrow we are going to the pack council and you will apologize. Even if it means me dragging you there. Do you understand?¡± I growled and color drained from her cheeks. Now she could have a taste of her own medicine!Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Mates 92 Mates 92 Chapter 92 FREDA WHITLOCK We arrived home after dinner at the restaurant where Kaiden unexpectedly showed up with Harper. That man certainly had a bad timing for things. I nced at Lyra as we all walked into the house. She was still acting strange but I wasn¡¯t even bothered. If she couldn¡¯t tell me what was eating her up, I shouldn¡¯t care either. All she was just conveying to me was that she didn¡¯t trust me and that hurt me. I brushed all thoughts of Lyra aside as my mind reyed the dinner at the restaurant. I noticed how Kaiden was looking at me when he thought I wasn¡¯t looking. To be honest, I only listened half heartedly to all the conversations Cole was trying to engage me in. My wolf wasn¡¯t helping either. All through the dinner, she was just purring in delight at the sight of having her mate so near and it took every ounce of self control not to scream in frustration. She was really being unbelievable these days. Either way, I wasn¡¯t going to act on impulse or let myself be deceived by Kaiden again. Gone was the trusting Freda,right here was a strong, independent woman who wasn¡¯t going to bow down to any man. Who knows, maybe all this was all part of Kaiden¡¯s n, if not 600% ||| Chapter 92 for the fact that he brought Harper along, I would have used him of stalking me because he was always showing up wherever I was. Especially since Cole and the others showed up. He must be up to something and if he thought he could convince me to drop the idea of Safiya apologizing to me, then he was so wrong. Safiya had hurt me badly and I wasn¡¯t going to consider the fact that we¡¯re rted because she clearly didn¡¯t think of that before she ordered me to kneel down in front of the whole pack! In the presence of Kaiden who watched and did nothing. A**hole! ¡°Wow, that was the best dinner I¡¯ve ever had¡±, Gina gushed out excitedly and I had almost forgotten they had followed us. Thanks to Kaiden distracting me the whole time. ¡°Freda, I think we would visit you often, I¡¯m falling in love with this ce, it¡¯s so beautiful and serene here, I wonder why it hasn¡¯t be a popr tourist attraction¡±. Elle said as she plopped down on the couch and patted her belly as she sighed in contentment. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s quite hidden most people usually pass this ce by without knowing that people live here,¡± I stated as Iughed. nervously. I just hoped Elle and Gina didn¡¯t post pictures of this ce to attract more humans here because that would get me in trouble with the council. ¡°Freda, thank you for taking us out for dinner, we had a great time¡±. Cole said with a grin and I couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°It¡¯s okay, I loved showing you guys around and it¡¯s good to eat out sometimes¡± I stated and everyone nodded in agreement. ??? O ¡°Okay, we are going to retire for the night. Good night Freda¡± Gina stated as she dragged a sleepy Elle to their room and Iughed at their actions. ¡°Good night, Freda¡± Cole said as he gazed deeply into my eyes. didn¡¯t know why but Cole had been looking at me a lot these days. I shook my head and smiled at him. ¡°Gord night¡± He left the room too. I looked around the living room, Lyra had somehow disappeared from the room and I wasn¡¯t surprised. I was getting used to her new behaviour. ¡°Come on Cisco, let¡¯s get you ready for bed¡± I stated as I grabbed Cisco and headed for the bathroom. Halfway through his bath, Cisco started to speak, again with the soapther all over his adorable body. ¡°Mummy, can I ask you a question?¡± Cisco asked as I applied shampoo on his hair. ¡°Yes, go ahead honey¡± I replied absentmindedly as I was quite focused on what I was doing. ¡°Are you going to forgive Harper¡¯s mom?¡± He asked and I stiffened. ¡®Safiya? Forgive Safiya Why did Cisco have to bring that up now. Then I remembered how Harper had promised him earlier at the restaurant that Safiya would apologize. But if I knew Safiya well, she would do anything but apologize. Safiya had done a lot of things to hurt me. Ever since I came back she had been looking for every possible way to taunt and shame me. Forgiveness couldn¡¯te easily. Especially when she wasn¡¯t willing to repent for her actions. 47.45% Chapter ¡°Mummy, did you hear what I asked?¡±, Cisco stated as he peered up at me drawing me from my thoughts. ¡°Oh, sorry sweetheart, I was engrossed in my thoughts¡±. ¡°As for your question, I will forgive Harper¡¯s mom if she apologizes for her wrongdoings¡±. I replied. ¡°Okay mummy¡±. Cisco replied and didn¡¯t ask more questions which I was grateful for. Soon we were done and I tucked Cisco gently in his bed. After singing him his favorite luby and I was sure he had fallen asleep, I kissed his forehead and walked out, closing the door with a soft click. I showered quickly and headed to my room where I picked my phone from the nightstand to check for any messages. I sat down on the bed and I scrolled through my phone. I had a missed call from an unknown number. Curious, I dialed the number. ¡°Hello, you called this number?¡± I stated when the like got connected. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me¡± the person on the other side replied and I froze. I knew that voice, it was Kaiden. I was about to hang up when he stopped me. ¡°Wait Freda, I know you want to hang up but please hear what I have to say¡±. He pleaded. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear what you have to say Kaiden. I don¡¯t want to hear anymore of your lies¡±. I spat harshly. ¡°I know, I have done terrible things and I don¡¯t deserve your forgiveness but at least give me a chance to right my wrongs¡±. ¡°And how do you n to do that? How can you correct the 10 51 Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. 11 283 Vouchers havoc that you¡¯ve caused?. What¡¯s the right thing you think you can do Kaiden? Please enlighten me¡±. I scoffed. ¡°Safiya is going to apologize to you at the pack council, tommorow morning¡± he stated and I froze. ¡®Safiya was going to do what?¡±! Mates 93 Mates 93 FREDA WHITLOCK I ended the call after that bizarre statement Kaiden made. ¡°Safiya was going to apologize? Why did I find it unlikely?¡± Something was definitely going on. Safiya wasn¡¯t one to apologize. She never apologized. I wondered what happened to her now. Iid back in my bed as I pulled the duvet to my shoulders and stared nkly at the ceiling. ¡®How did I find myself in this mess?¡® If only Kaiden had epted me as his mate, if only Safiya wasn¡¯t in the picture, maybe I could have had my own happy ending, but the goddess had other ns. ¡®Was everything going to turn out alright?¡® ¡®Even if Safiya apologized, was it going to solve everything? Will my Cisco never know his father? How long was I going to keep on staying here?¡® ¡®Could I keep on staying here and bear the pain of seeing my mate with someone else?¡® Even though I acted like I didn¡¯t care, it still hurt me. I could still feel pain. I had be aughing stock. People thought I didn¡¯t hear them gossip when I passed by. ¡®The rejected mate¡® they called. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. 1. me. So even if Safiya¡¯s apology didn¡¯t solve everything it would at least appease my hurt pride. I wanted her to feel the shame and anger I felt I was forced to my knees in front of the council, I just hoped Kaiden kept his promise because he never kept his promises, Just then, the door to my room creaked open and Lyra walked in. I was surprised as I quickly adjusted myself to at sitting position. ¡°Lyra¡± I called out softly. ¡°Hey, umm I noticed the lights in your room were still on so I wanted to check if everything was okay¡°, She stated sheepishly and I was dumbfounded. Lyra hade to check on me?. The same Lyra who had. withdrawn to herself for the past few days, took the initiative toe to ask me if I was okay? Thank you goddess. Even Gial purred in delight. She had missed Lyra. Everyone had.. I wasted no time as I quickly patted the bed for her to join me. which she did happily. ¡°So what¡¯s wrong?¡°she asked as she made herselffortable on the bed and I sighed. ¡°It¡¯s Kaiden, he called me a few minutes ago¡°. ¡°Kaiden called. you?¡°, she asked in disbelief and shook my head in affirmation. ¡°I didn¡¯t know he was the one otherwise I wouldn¡¯t have picked. the call¡± I stated. ¡°So what did he pay?¡± She asked curiously. ¡°He said Safiya was going to apologize to me in front of everyone at the pack council tomorrow and I should be there¡± I stated. ¡°Wow, for real. I¡¯m so happy for Freda. Finally, Safiya would be kept in her ce. I am going to follow you tomorrow to witness. the drama¡°. She gushed excitedly and I sighed. ¡°I just hope he really does what he says, because you know how Kalden is. 11 What if he doesn¡¯t keep his promise this time?¡°. ¡°He better keep his promise if he still cherishes his balls¡± Lyra growled and Iughed. I missed this side of Lyra ¡°Okay I¡¯ll leave you now, it¡¯s quitete¡± she stated as she came down from the bed and walked towards the door. ¡°Lyra¡± I called out before she could open the door and she turned to me with a bright smile. ¡°Thank you for checking up on me. I missed this. Thank you Lyra¡°. I said with a voice filled with so much emotion.. ¡°Anytime Freda you¡¯d do the same thing for me* she stated. ¡®But then why can¡¯t you tell me what¡¯s been bothering you?¡® These words were at the tip of my tongue just waiting for me to utter them but I just shook my head. ¡°Good night Lyra¡± I said instead and she nodded and walked out. Baby steps Freda, baby steps. We would take this one day at a time. It was already a great thing Lyra took the initiative to seek me out tonight. Everything would be alright I thought as I settled back in bed and turned out the lights. Each day for it¡¯s own troubles. I closed my eyes and dozed off. The next morning. I woke up a bit groggy from sleep and checked the time. I let out a loud yawn as my eyesnded on the clock on the nightstand. ¡®Oh my days¡®! I had woken up a bitte today and I had to prepare Cisco for school. I jumped off the bed and headed for the bathroom to wash myself up quickly. Chapter da I ran downstairs only to find Cisco already ready and dressed. I was surprised. ¡°I noticed you slept in today so I decided to get Cisco ready¡°. Lyra muttered sheepishly as she tucked her hair. behind her ear. ¡°Oh thank you so much Lyra I couldn¡¯t have managed it without. you. Cisco did you say, thank you to your aunty Lyra for getting. you ready on time?¡°. I asked and he shook his head as he turned. to face Lyra. ¡°Thank you aunty Lyra¡± he cooed adorably and she smiled and. rubbed his hair affectionately. I quickly went to the kitchen and whipped up a quick breakfast and also packed Cisco¡¯s lunch. and rushed to my room to get ready. Soon we were ready about to leave when Cole walked into the room. ¡°Good morningdies, gentleman¡± he chirped and Cisco giggled. ¡°Hey Freda I can offer to take Cisco to school if you don¡¯t mind¡± Cole stated. ¡°No thank you Cole for the offer but I¡¯m also heading somewhere after dropping Cisco off so it¡¯s no trouble¡°. Lyra and I were going to head to the pack council after dropping Cisco off at school. Thest thing I wanted was Cole tagging along. Thankfully he nodded. ¡°Umm, breakfast is in the kitchen¡± I hollered as we left the house. We arrived at the school shortly after and I walked Cisco to the school gate where I spotted Kaiden waiting right there.. ¡®What did he want?¡® As if sensing my thoughts he walked to Cisco and held his hand as Cisco smiled brightly at him. ¡°Good morning uncle¡± he greeted and Kaiden smiled. ¡°Good morning ¨C champ¡°. He said with simr enthusiasm and I narrowed my 21.04% 11 28thers eyes at him. ¡°Cisco has to be present when Safiya apologizes to you¡°. He disclosed and my eyes widened in surprise. Mates 94 Mates 94 Chapter 94 FREDA WHITLOCK ¡°Hell no¡± I roared recovering from my shock. ¡°Cisco isn¡¯t going anywhere. He¡¯s supposed to be in school and that¡¯s where he¡¯ll be¡±. I stated in a firm tone and Kalden just shook his head in disapproval. ¡°Cisco is at the center of it all, it is essential he is there as he was the one Safiya used first¡±, Kaiden stated and I shook my head in disagreement. ¡°I¡¯m not taking my son to that ce after what happened thest time. We were insulted¡±. ¡°Yeah, and what right do you think you have to order us around when all this was your fault from the very beginning. If only your had controlled your wife properly then wouldn¡¯t have been need for all this¡±. Lyra stated in a loud tone. ¡°Lyra it¡¯s enough¡± I butt in when I noticed the way Kalden. clenched his jaw. I didn¡¯t want Lyra to experience Kaiden¡¯s wrath. He was still an Alpha. ¡°You guys areing with me and you are bringing Cisco along¡± Kaiden stated firmly and I knew he wasn¡¯t going to budge unless I gave in to his demand, what a stubborn man! ¡°Fine, but you better keep your word, Kaiden¡± I warned in a stern. voice and I drew Cisto away from him. ¡°We can go in my car¡± he offered and I shook my head. ¡°I have my own car, thank you¡± I took Cisco back to the car along with Lyra and headed for the pack conoll with Kaiden leading the way. The ride in the car was silent as each of us were upied by our own thoughts, ¡®Would everything turn out alright? What if t was setting a trap for my own self? These thoughts buzzed through my mind. Kaiden ded his horn in front of us alerting us that we had arrived at the pack council. I stopped the car and came down and walked to the pack council. As we walked along I could feel the stares of people, I could taste their disapproval of me in the air. ¡°Breathe in, breathe out¡± Freda my wolf stated and I did as told and I felt much better. ¡°Just say the word and we¡¯ll transform and eat everyone who gives you the disapproving eye¡± she growled. ¡°That¡¯s not necessary¡± I replied as I reined her in andughed out earning stares from Lyra and Kaiden. Lyra raised her eyebrow in question and I just shrugged as I muttered ¡®wolf¡¯ and she nodded in understanding and we continued on. Soon we were right in front of the council of elders and I exchanged nces with Kalden. ¡°So what now Mr know it all?¡± I mocked in a low tone. And he just shook his head and turned to the council of elders. Safiya was standing at a corner with a sullen expression on her face. She didn¡¯t look a bit repentful at all and that convinced me that 20-30% |||| this was all Kalden¡¯s idea, I knew Safiya would never willingly apologize. He better make this meeting worth it or unless I would do it myself. Enough of the all the crazy mind games. I and Safiya stared daggers at each other,challenging each other. to look away first but Kaiden¡¯s booming voice drew us away. from our silent war as we turned to listen to what he had to say. ¡°Good morning elders of the council. I have called this urgent meeting with you all to address an issue that has been going on for some time¡±. He stated as he paused and took a deep breath. ¡°What issue is that Alpha?¡± One of the elders asked as he nced from me to Safiya. ¡°What issue has caused you to bring your wife and a former offender to the council Alpha?¡±he asked curiously. ¡°Yes Elder, the reason I am here today is to rify a misunderstanding that has been caused by the council and my unfair judgement¡±. ¡°I hope we can recall that few weeks ago, Freda and her son were brought to the council and used for causing an incident towards my daughter Harper¡±. Kaiden stated and the elders nodded. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct, so why is she here again, did shemit another offence?¡± One of the elders asked as they nced at me warily and I was almost tempted to knock them off their seats. Old men! ¡°No, in fact I havee to rify that neither Freda nor her son Cisco were responsible for that incident. In fact Cisco had tried to save Harper from falling down the stairs but failed hence his own minor injury¡±. 4337%2 ||| 10:52 218 Vouchers. ¡°But my wife here, Safiya, wrongly used Freda and made her kneel down on her son¡¯s behalf for a crime they didn¡¯tmit¡±. ¡°So the reason why I have assembled us here is that my wife is willing to apologize for her wrong doings. Safiya, please step forward and apologize genuinely to Freda¡±. Kaiden stated in his. alpha tone and the room erupted in murmurs. The elders murmured amist themselves and Kaiden growled in an intimidating Alpha way and everyone became still in a pin drop silence. ¡°Safiya¡± he called more firmly this time when she didn¡¯t budge and she grudgingly stepped forward. ¡°Apologize¡± he growled and Safiya c**d her chin and spoke through gritted teeth. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Freda for using you for trying to kill my daughter and building a barrier between my husband and I¡±. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for trying to stop you from seducing my husband¡±. She yelled as tears rushed down her eyes. ¡°Safiya! Watch yourself¡±Kaiden growled and I just scoffed. Safiya would never change, so much for coming here for an apology. ¡°Alpha¡± one of the elders warned in a low tone. ¡°We understand that your wife might have been wrong in her behavior but that shouldn¡¯t cause you to disrespect your luna in public because of this woman¡±. He stated and the rest of the elders grunted in approval. ¡°Well that¡¯s because this ¡®woman you speak so lowly of is my mate. She was my mate in the past,and she is still my mate presently as I still feel the mate bond between us. Kaiden said in a loud booming voice that the sound of his confession echoed through the whole space My heart **d a bit as I nced at Kaiden but he didn¡¯t se to regret his confession as he still stood proud and tall like a true Alpha. Safiya ** backwards in shock as she didn¡¯t expect Kaiden to dere that openly and I smirked. ¡®Serves you right honey. The meeting had just begun!N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Mates 95 Mates 95 Chapter 95 KAIDEN STIRLING There, I said it. The hall fell silent for a moment with everyone¡¯s gazes falling on me. There were questions, apprehension, and anger mixed in their looks. That didn¡¯t matter, I had kept this within me and watched enough of my mate being hurt. This was thest straw. breathed a sigh of relief. This was the first time in years that I felt liberated. Speaking out the truth had lifted a weight off my shoulders. A burden, perhaps guilt or pain seemed to ease off my chest as well. I didn¡¯t give a s**t anymore and this meeting was over! My eyes darted around leisurely and stopped on Freda who was staring at me with disappointment on her features yet something within me made me feel like she wasn¡¯t really feeling that way. I shrugged the thought off. It might have been Kaiforting. me. My eyes fell on Safiya briefly and as usual, she was frowning, eyes zing with anger, hurt, and envy. I rolled my eyes. One of the council members cleared their throat very awkwardly. cutting through the eerie silence that had filled the room. ¡°What¡­¡± He looked in my direction but paused when he saw my hardened expression. He turned to Freda instead and I Chapter 95 narrowed my eyes at him. We should be done here right? ¡°Youngdy, do you affirm with what the Alpha just revealed?¡± His question made me itch to get my hand wrapped around his neck but a part of me wanted to know what Freda hought so that was his luck. All eyes fell on Freda. She heaved and with her chin held high, she cast each of us indifferent nces before responding, ¡°I don¡¯t think the Alpha would have a reason to lie. Do you?¡± The man appeared taken aback by the question. Indeed, as the Alpha I would never lie about anything and he knew. She then made her way toward the door but halted just before the exit and turned, a death re in her eyes directed to Safiyal who was silently fuming. ¡°I believe after this you learn to dig deep into issues for proof before bringing them up, Luna¡± She mocked, ¡°Also, stay away from me and my son¡± She warned, her tone fierce. With a defiant look, she walked out of the hall. Murmurs broke out amongst the council members after she left and I knew after today, there would be a lot of gossip flying around but I didn¡¯t care at least not for Safiya. She brought this upon herself. ¡°I believe we¡¯re done here?¡± I asked and they agreed. After bidding their farewells, they left. I returned to the pack house with Safiya trailing behind quietly. She was in shock at the turnout of events. I prayed she would remain that way all the or maybe forever but the moment we reached the living room, she let out an angry scream and 21:98% 1053 grabbed me by the arm. I s**d my arm out of her grip and red at her. Her eyes. were brimming with tears making her look pitiful but I won¡¯t fall for that trick. Beneath all that joke was a shallow woman filled. with anger, hatred, and envy. ¡°Kaiden, why did you say that to the council? Did you do that to make a fool of me? Disgrace me?¡± She sniffled, ¡°Well, it worked!¡± She yelled, angrily wiping her tears with the back of her palms. I looked at her without interest, Safiya was one hell of a pathetic. woman. Till this moment, she was still thinking about herself despite being the one in the wrong. ¡°Instead of putting on this act Safiya, you should be grateful I didn¡¯t mention to the council that you sent that pupil to testify against Cisco that day at the hospital¡± I stated and her eyes. widened as shock shed through them. A smirk tugged my lips as I watched her perturbed state. What did she think? That I hadn¡¯t investigated the incident? Cisco is my son and if he was getting used of something that outrageous, I would act on it the best way I could. And for this, it turned out that Safiya was the one behind the testimony. I must admit however that she was fast with executing everything. Very pathetic! ¡°That¡¯s absurd Kaiden¡­ I didn¡¯t¡­¡± She wanted to deny it but stopped when I took a step forward. ¡°I¡¯m not a fool, woman. You better shut it!¡± One moment, she was scared and seemed to submit but the next, she was back to her adamant and unrepentant self 18 20 s ¡°How did you know?¡± She asked, pretending to not be bothered but I knew better. She was wing her arms with her manicured fingers and her breath was ragged. She was nervous and disturbed as hell and it was a sight worth savoring. ¡°I don¡¯t think that should be your concern right now, you should be worried about what the council will do to you when they find out about it,¡± I said and she blinked, taking a step back. ¡°They won¡¯t¡± She mumbled under her breath but thanks to my sharp senses, I heard her. Anger sizzled beneath my skin as I red at her. ¡°If I did, they can too and will also get to know how much you offered for the job to be done¡± She looked up quickly, her shoulders fell in resignation. She peered at me as her lips moved desperate to utter a word but my overwhelming aura wouldn¡¯t let her. My wolf and I felt offended and disgusted just by the sight of her. ¡°What do you think they¡¯d do when they find out that the Luna of the pack has been scheming against a pack member?¡± I growled and she shuddered. Her lips quivered as she tried to speak but not a word came out. Good. ¡°You know what? Since you¡¯re so sure you won¡¯t be caught, I think I should just let them know about it myself¡± I stated and blood drained from her face.Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Mates 96 Mates 96 Chapter 96 FREIDA WHITLOCK ¡°Mom, what did Harper¡¯s Mom mean when she said you were taking her family away?¡± Cisco asked when we left the hall. I halted for a second then continued walking. His question came from an innocent ce and even though it hurt to know that his brain had that registered. I would never break anyone¡¯s family. Never in my life had I seen myself being. the third person in one¡¯s rtionship but Safiya had managed to create that situation as well. ¡°She was just saying things out of anger, dear. I would never take away Harper¡¯s family¡± I heard myself saying and strangely, I felt downcast. ¡°Okay, have you forgiven her?¡± He asked brightly and I forced a smile. Children. So naive and pure. How could I forgive Safiya so easily for the things she had done to me, all just to take me down even though she was in the wrong? She was the one who s**d my mate and if he had been drifting away from hertely then it was her fault, not mine. She deserved it. ¡°You look happy, what happened in there?¡± Lyra asked once we got to the car ¡°Harper¡¯s Mom apologized!¡± Cisco squealed as I buckled him up with the seatbelt. He was ecstatic about the turnout of events. I shook my head if only he knew how malicious that apology was. My son was still so young there were many things he would lean about life as she grew I sighed and got into the seat next to Lyra and she drove off. Through the drive to Osco¡¯s school, neither of us spoke. I could feel Lyra¡¯s subtle nces at me asionally but she didn¡¯t ask questions and I was d she didn¡¯t. The morning had been hectic enough with Safes hysterical actions. ¡°We¡¯re here!¡± Lyra eximed as she pulled over by the roadside. ¡°I misseding to school Csce mumbled as he stared at his school with wice, jordleves. youre back, right? Cimon baby, let¡¯s go I said as I helped him out of the car. Lyra chose to stay back while I took Cisco to his ss. My baby was all smiles as he arrived at his dess and ram over to meet his friends. Watching him left me swelling with jow and price. As I tumed to leave, the schools headmaster caught up with me. The woman smiled at me apologetically as she spoke, ¡®Ms Whitlock, we heard about everything and we¡¯re so sorry that you and Cisco had to go through all that¡± ¡°It¡¯s not your fault ma¡¯am¡¯ I smiled ¡°It is, the ident happened because we weren¡¯t paying attention to the kids. We should have been more watchful Once again, on behalf of the school, I apologize¡¯ She said and I nodded. We parted ways afterward. Lyra drove us back home in a jiffy. Though for a moment during the unsupported drift ride, I almost Chapter 96 ¨C lost my mind, I enjoyed it I enjoyed hearing my best friend. tease me about being a weak one because I screamed when she almost brushed a truck. ¡°I should be a professional racer¡± She smirked w..en we alighted the car in the driveway. ¡°You call that racing? You almost killed us!¡± I snapped as we made our way to the door. Lyra laughed and pushed the door open. ¡°Woah!¡± We exchanged nces, sniffing the air to inhale more of the scent of freshly baked cakes and brewed coffee that filled the air. My eyes rolled to the back of my head. I hadn¡¯t smelled coffee that heavenly in a while and this had Gina and Elle written all over it. We padded through the living room to the kitchen where the baking and brewing were going on. My jaw dropped when I saw the cakes they had baked. There were chocte, vani, and banana vors in different shapes. The kitchen looked like the one back in the States where we used to work. A feeling of nostalgia rushed through me and I stepped in further. ¡°What have you guys done,¡± I stated and they turned, beaming with smiles. ¡°You¡¯re back!¡± Gina eximed, ¡°So, what do you think about this?¡± She asked, gesturing to the cakes and coffee Elle was serving into some fancy mugs. 30.01% Cole was in front of the sink washing the utensils they used for the process. It looked busy in here. ¡°It looks great but why are you guys doing too much? You should have just waited till I got back then I would have made it¡± Iined, ¡°You guys are my guests after all¡± ¡°Oh Freda, forget all that guest c**p! We didn¡¯te here to be your guests, we came here to see our friend and friends do this much for one another¡± Elle said and my chest warmed ¡°And this is all for you. We figured that you might¡¯ve missed the scent of Coffee and cake all over the ce so we did this¡± Gina exined ¡°It isn¡¯t the real thing but it gives the feels, right?¡± Elle asked and I nodded. Excitement bubbled in my chest and unable to control it, I jumped into their arms. This might be my home but out there, I had a life of my own that revolved around giving people little doses of happiness from a small kitchen. They were right, I missed the smell of coffee, hot dough, and cake. I missed getting myself messy with flour. I missed my little shop. ¡°This is more than enough for the feels, guys. Thank you so much!¡± ¡°We¡¯re d you love it, Freda¡± Elle giggled as we disengaged from the embrace, I cast Cole and thankful nce and he nodded. After much insistenge, they allowed me to help in cleaning up the kitchen. When we were done, we settled down to watch a movie with the snacks served. The coffee and cake were just IMES excellent, as I always remembere. Elle still had those maglo hands. However, as everyone became immersed in the movie, I was deep in thought, recalling Kaiden¡¯ words earlier at the meeting I hadn¡¯t dwelt on it when he called me his mate but now for some reason, I was thinking about it. He had told me about still feeling the mate bond a month before but I took it lightly however now, after that confession, I didn¡¯t know what to think. Was he lying just to spite his Safiya? Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. But he looked dead serious, I groaned silently urging Gia to say something since she was being too quiet. Usually, she would jump upon hearing his name. but she wasn¡¯t now. ¡®Gia, don¡¯t go silent on me now, I¡¯m talking to you¡¯ ¡®Can you just concentrate on the TV, I¡¯m trying to watch this movie¡¯ She snapped ¡®When did you start having an interest in movies? I asked, smirking as I took a bite from my cake. ¡®Now. Because this one is enjoyable¡± I smiled at her response, ¡°Okay, I won¡¯t distract you anymore¡± I heard myself blurting aloud and the taste of the cake became sour in my mouth. S**! I could feel the eyes of the others at me, filled with shock and concern. Lyra was giving a look that stated, ¡®Wolf, again?¡± 298 Vou I nodded stiffly and forced a smile at them. ¡°Freda, are you alright?¡± Gina was the one who spoke after a while of scrutinizing me. ¡°I¡­ Yes, of course!¡± ¡°Are you sure, you were speaking to yourself just now, are you okay?¡± Cole asked and my throat ran dry. How on earth would I exin this one? Mates 97 Mates 97 Chapter 97 1288 Mouchers FREDA WHITLOCK ¡°Umm¡­I..¡± I was lost for words! I couldn¡¯t exin to them that I was talking to my wolf! ¡°See what you¡¯ve caused¡± I yelled internally to my wolf and sheughed. This was all Kaiden¡¯s fault, if he didn¡¯t confess that I was his mate at the pack council, I wouldn¡¯t have been so distracted. ¡®What could I do now?¡¯ I suddenly couldn¡¯t form a coherent reply. Everyone looked expectantly at me and I couldn¡¯t figure out an excuse. ¡°Oh why is everyone so serious? She was probably just talking to herself¡±. Lyra chipped in. ¡°Right Freda?¡± ¡°Of course, silly me I was so engrossed in the movie, I didn¡¯t realize I had started talking to myself¡±. I said as Iughed nervously. ¡°Oh, thank goodness, for a minute I thought you were talking to a hidden person we can¡¯t see¡± Gina stated as she chuckled. ¡°You watch too many dramas¡± Elle said as she shook her head at Gina¡¯s statement and they all laughed. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay Freda? That was quite a scare you gave us earlier¡± Cole stated worriedly. ¡°Yeah Cole, like I said I was too engrossed in the movie. I didn¡¯t realize I had been speaking my thoughts out loud¡±. I stated as I 11 289 Vouchers gave a nervousugh and he nodded. ¡°Well I can¡¯t me Freda, this movie is c***p. How could the male lead do that to the sweet female lead? Some men are just a**les¡±. Gina hissed and I couldn¡¯t help but nod in agreement. ¡°Yeah, men are not to be trusted,girls¡±. I said as I leaned back into the couch. ¡°Now, now easy ladies, you¡¯re all forgetting there¡¯s a man in the room¡± Cole stated with a nervousugh. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ¡°Oh please, like you¡¯ve never broken a woman¡¯s heart before¡±. Elle muttered and Cole ced a hand over his chest as he feigned being hurt by Elle¡¯s words. ¡°What? I have no idea of what you speak of¡±. He stated and we all scoffed. ¡°You know, speaking of heartbreaks the man I liked once stood me up¡± Elle muttered sadly and we sighed ¡°That¡¯s his loss, girl, don¡¯t think too much about it. You¡¯re too good for him¡±, I assured her and she nodded. ¡°Freda, what¡¯s the worst thing a man has ever done to you?¡± She asked and everyone turned to look at me and I sighed. Cisco wasn¡¯t here so I could at least say it out. ¡°Marrying my sister¡± I disclosed after a long time and everyone went silent. Cole was the first to recover. ¡°Wow, that¡¯s messed up. I didn¡¯t know you went through that Freda¡± he stated in a soft tone. ¡°Yes Freda¡± Elle and Gina said in unison as they walked to me and wrapped me in their arms. ¡°That¡¯s the true definition of an a**hole¡±. Elle said and I nodded. 1054 12 NOVETHES ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s okay I¡¯m over it¡± I lied. I wasn¡¯t over it, I mean I thought was but after what happened at the council. I wasn¡¯t so sure. After a while of silence Elle spoke first. ¡°Hey this movie is. boring, let¡¯s watch something else¡±, she stated and we all nodded in agreement. She changed the channel and we watched aedy. It was funny and weughed. Soon the tense atmosphere in the room. had changed to one filled withughter as everyone returned back to their normal selves. When I noticed that they were all engrossed in the movie I turned to face Lyra who sat beside me. ¡°Thanks for saving my a**earlier, I couldn¡¯t have gotten out of the situation myself¡±. ¡°How could I have exined to them that I was talking to a wolf!¡¯ ¡°No pressure girl, anytime, trouble in paradise with Gia?¡± She asked softly and I nodded. ¡°She¡¯s being a handful today¡±. I grumbled and sheughed. ¡°I can rte¡±. I smiled, everything was finally coming together. We turned back to the movie and we allughed at the funny scenes. A whileter Cole nudged me gently. ¡°Freda, can I have a minute?, I need to speak with you¡±, he -stated and I nodded. ¡°Sure¡± I replied as he led the way outside. I wondered what Cole wanted to speak to me so urgently about but I followed him nevertheless. 48.441 10543 ¡°Umm, Freda l¡¯know you¡¯re probably wondering why I asked you out here¡± he stated and I nodded, ¡°The thing is I was wondering if you could tell me more about. your best friend Lyra¡± he stated and I was surprised. ¡°Okay¡­ Well as you know, Lyra is my childhood friend. She has. been there for me through the good times and bad times. I couldn¡¯t have managed all these years without Lyra by my side¡±. ¡°She¡¯s the best friend everyone wishes to have and I¡¯m happy I got a best friend like her on my side. But why are you suddenly asking about Lyra?¡± I asked and he sighed. ¡°Nothing really, it¡¯s just since we arrived here she has just been staring at me weirdly like she hates me or something and it¡¯s quite ufortable¡±. ¡°I know she¡¯s your best friend and all but I don¡¯t know if you can talk to her if there was something I did that she wasn¡¯t cool with, so I can apologize¡± he said as he scratched his head ufortably. I wondered what issue Lyra had with Cole, he was a nice guy. I had to talk to her about it. ¡°So sorry Cole. It¡¯s just that Lyra has been going through some stuff recently that has put her in a bad mood so she probably didn¡¯t mean to react strangely to you¡±. ¡°I¡¯ll talk to her¡±. I assured and he nodded. ¡°Thanks, I feel much. better after sharing this with you¡± he said with augh and I smiled. ¡°Let¡¯s go back in¡± I stated and he nodded and we went back in ??? 1054) to jom the cutters. I had to speak wit Mates 98 Mates 98 Chapter 98 KAIDEN STIRLING ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare do that¡± Safiya screeched as color drained from her cheeks at my deration. She obviously didn¡¯t think I would find out about her actions. ¡°No I won¡¯t, but don¡¯t push me woman. The only reason I¡¯m not telling the council that you were the one that convinced that kid to lie against Cisco is because of my reputation¡±. ¡°You have disgraced me too much, I don¡¯t want to add another to the chart, so don¡¯t think I¡¯m showing you mercy. Let this be a warning, because I can change my mind any day¡±. I growled. ¡°All this because of Freda?¡± She scoffed. ¡°What¡¯s so special about Freda that you are neglecting your own Luna, Kaiden? You¡¯re ready to throw your wife under the bus because of Freda?¡±, she asked in disbelief. ¡°Mind you woman. Freda would have been my real Luna if I wasn¡¯t blinded by your schemes. Trust me I regret my actions till this day¡±.I disclosed firmly and Safiya¡¯s face was red with anger as she began to speak.. ¡°I hate the day Freda was brought into this life and if you think I would stop tormenting Freda then you are so wrong Kaiden¡±. ¡°I am going to find ways to ruin and destroy Freda that she¡¯d wish she was dead. That kid I used against Cisco was just the beginning. Trust me¡± she yelled. 10541 ¡°Mummy did you really do that?¡± A tiny voice stated as the little figure walked into the room. ¡°Harper? What are you doing here sweetheart? You should be downstairs. Mummy and daddy are having a discussion honey¡±. ¡°I was downstairs daddy¡± she stated as she clutched her teddy bear. ¡°But I heard noisesing from here and you and mummy were fighting¡±. She stated with tears in her eyes and I was filled with guilt. Harper was a good kid. She didn¡¯t deserve to see her parents act this way. ¡°No honey, mummy and daddy were merely just sorting things out¡±, I said as I gave her a light smile. ¡°Yes honey¡± Safiya stated as she made to touch Harper but Harper moved away. ¡°Stop it, both of you. I heard mummy say that she was the one who told that kid to lie against Cisco for something he didn¡¯t do¡±. She yelled and I and Safiya froze. ¡°Umm, Harper what else did you hear?¡±I asked sweetly, I just hoped she didn¡¯t hear the other derations I and Safiya said. ¡°I only heard when mummy said just now that she was the one who told that boy to lie against Cisco¡± she sobbed and I heaved a sign of relief. ¡®Thank you goddess¡¯! ¡°Honey,i¡­ It¡¯s not true¡± Safiya stuttered as she tried to hold Harper but Harper pushed her away. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me, you¡¯re a liar¡± Harper yelled as tears rolled down her cheeks and I was too stunned to think of anything to say. ¡°I¡¯m going to tell Cisco¡¯s mum everything¡± Harper disclosed and Safiya¡¯s eyes widened. 21 14% ¡°No, Harper sweetie don¡¯t do that honey, Cisco¡¯s mum is a bad woman, she¡¯s trying to destroy our family. All I did was for your own good¡±. Safiya stated and I scoffed. ¡°Safiya? Can you even hear yourself right now? After everything you¡¯re still ming Freda?¡± I asked and she red at me hatefully. ¡°Harper honey don¡¯t listen to anything anyone says, you should only believe your mother. Mummy knows best okay?¡± She asked as she made to touch Harper again. ¡°I said don¡¯t touch me¡±. Harper yelled angrily. ¡°Why would you do that to Cisco¡¯s mummy? You know Cisco is my best friend yet you made his mother apologize and still disgraced her in front of everyone¡±. ¡°I hate you mummy, I hate you¡± Harper yelled as she cried harder and I was dumbfounded. I couldn¡¯t believe that Safiya would go so low to try and manipte her daughter emotionally. If only she had said sorry Harper would have forgiven her but she thought she could manipte everyone to her side. If only she could realize that she wasn¡¯t right all the time. ¡°Daddy are you going to take mummy¡¯s side?¡±, Harper asked as she peered up at me with teary eyes. I nced at Safiya and she looked at me expectantly as she gave me a small smile and I almost scoffed. Safiya would never learn. I had given her many chances. While I wasn¡¯t going to take Harper away from Safiya, I wasn¡¯t going to influence her decision either. 1288 Vouchers ¡°No Harper sweetie, mummy was wrong for what she did. So you can do whatever you please¡± stated as I gave her a small smile and Harper nodded and wiped her eyes slowly. ¡°Noo¡± Safiya screamed. ¡°Kaiden, how could you say that to your own daughter? How could you willingly separate my daughter for me?¡± ¡°Hold it right there Safiya¡± I stated firmly. ¡°Harper is quite old enough to decide what she wants and unlike you I realize that. I¡¯m not going to manipte my daughter to satisfy my own ims¡±. I stated and Safiya stumbled backwards in shock. I turned to Harper. ¡°Harper honey please give mummy and daddy some privacy¡±. I stated with a smile and Harper nodded and walked out. I used my wolf senses to check if she was truly gone and when I was certain I turned to Safiya. ¡°Kaiden please talk to Harper, she can¡¯t do this to me, I¡¯m her mother¡± she croaked out as she sobbed softly. ¡°There¡¯s nothing I can do Safiya. This is where your terrible behavior leads you. You pushed your daughter away with your own hands¡±. ¡°I can¡¯t and I will not do anything to influence Harper because that would make me a maniptor. That¡¯s the difference between you and me¡±. ¡°If only you weren¡¯t so blinded by your so-called revenge. You would have seen that you were hurting the people around you that loved you¡±. 10:51 1288 Vouchers ¡°I have always tolerated you Safiya but this time you have gone too far¡±. ¡°Kaiden, please¡± she sobbed and I shook my head. ¡°It¡¯s toote Safiya, our rtionship is too broken to be mended and I know you can never repent. You have proved that to me countlessly and your act at the pack council proved it all¡±. ¡°What I didn¡¯t think was that you would stoop so low to use your own daughter in your own games. That was so despicable, even for you¡± I stated. I gave her onest nce and walked away. One thing was clear: Safiya and I could never have a happy marriage.N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Mates 99 Mates 99 Chapter 99 FREDA WHITLOCK Soon, it was time to pick Cisco from school. I nced at everyone still watching the movie as I stood up to get ready. ¡°I have to pick Cisco up from school¡± I stated as I stood up. ¡°Oh okay¡±, Elle and Gina replied without looking away from the TV and I shook my head. Theedy we were watching was really funny but if I didn¡¯t leave now, I¡¯d bete and Cisco wouldn¡¯t like that. ¡°Do you want me to tag along?¡± Cole asked as he nced at me with a light smile. I heard Lyra give a small snort and I red at her. ¡°Did she really have a grudge against Cole?¡± I sighed as I shook my head. I would revisit the matterter. Cole was still looking at me, expecting a reply. ¡°There¡¯s no need Cole, it¡¯s not that far anyway¡±. I said quickly as I gave him a smile. The guy was just too kind. ¡°Oh okay then¡± he stated a little dejectedly as he leaned back on the couch to watch theedy and I sighed as I headed to my room to get dressed. I grabbed my car keys from the table and was about to head out when Lyra stopped me. ¡°Stay safe¡± she muttered softly and I nodded and gave her a smile and left the house. I headed straight to Cisco¡¯s school and was just in time to see the kids filing out. I scanned the swarm of heads for Cisco and spotted him in aer as another kid tried to engage him in a conversation and he nodded shyly I chuckled at his adorableness as I hurried over. ¡°Cisco sweetheart¡¯ I called out as I crouched down and opened my arms wide for him to hug me. ¡°Mummy¡± he yelled as he ran as fast as his little legs could carry him: His shy face transformed into a bright smiling face as he rushed into my arms, the impact of it almost sending me to the ground. Woah, my boy had gained some weight. ¡°Mummy, I¡¯ve been waiting for you¡± he stated as he drew back and I smiled. ¡°Oh honey I came as soon as I got the chance¡± I rubbed his hair affectionately and kissed him on the cheek and he smiled cutely. I nced around. Strange! Harper was usually hovering around Cisco, they were inseparable. ¡°Cisco honey, did Harper note to school today?¡± I asked curiously and he shook his head. ¡°No mummy, Harper was absent today¡± he muttered sadly and 1 was a bit worried. I just hoped she was okay. There was no way I could call to check on her as I wasn¡¯t on speaking terms with her parents. ¡°Okay let¡¯s get going¡± I stated as I took his school bag from him and held his hand. ¡°We can¡¯t go yet mummy¡± he disclosed and I stopped in my tracks. ¡°Why?¡± I asked curiously. ¡°Because my teacher said she wants to see you¡± he disclosed and I was puzzled. ¡®Why did Cisco¡¯s teacher want to see me?¡± ¡°Cisco honey you didn¡¯t do anything right?¡± I asked and he shook his head. ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything bad mummy I promise¡±. Okay I believe you¡±. I held his hand and walked back to his ssroom where I met his ss teacher Miss Campbell, sorting some notes ¡°Good day Miss Campbell I greeted cheerfully and she looked up from what she was doing as she acknowledged me ¡°Good day to you too Mrs Whitlock¡± and smiled. ¡°Cisco here informed me that you wanted to see me?¡± I asked and she nodded. ¡°That¡¯s true ma¡¯am, I wanted to remind you again of the uing award ceremony that Cisco was chosen for ¡°I remember I told you that the attendance of both parents is important as well as mandatory or Cisco would be disqualified. I hope Cisco¡¯s father has been informed and would be present on the said day?¡± She asked and I sighed. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m aware. He¡¯ll be there, I stated even though I knew I was threading on thin ice. ¡°Okay then, that¡¯s all I wanted to ask you mm, because Cisco is a really bright kid, I¡¯d hate for him to be disqualified¡±. She stated softly and I nodded. We said our goodbyes and left the school premises. In the car, Cisco wouldn¡¯t stop talking excitedly. ¡°Mummy is my daddy really going toe?¡± He asked for like the umpteenth time. ¡°Yes honey, your father would be there¡±. I said through gritted teeth as I offered him a strained smile. I just made a promise I wasn¡¯t sure I would be able to fulfill. I had no idea how I was going to tell Kaiden about it. We arrived home and I helped Cisco out of the car as walked to the front porch and opened the door. Cole and the others except 291 Vouchers Lyra were still were I left them as they stated fixatedly on the screen. I almostughed at their expression. ¡°Hello everyone¡± he greeted and they all drew their eyes away. from the screen as the nced at him. ¡°Sweetheart you¡¯re back from school¡± Elle stated as she gave him a small smile. ¡°How was school today?¡± ¡°It was fine,¡±, Cisco replied with a big smile. He was still ecstatic about the uing event. ¡°Cisco honey go change your clothes¡± I stated as I gave him gentle push in the direction of his room. I walked to the kitchen to make dinner.I made spaghetti and meatballs and served it on the dining table. a ¡°Dinner¡¯s ready¡± I called out and it seemed that was the magic. word they needed to hear because everyone came out of wherever they glued their bottoms to, as they came in a single file and I laughed. ¡°Wash your hands first¡± I ordered and they willingly obliged and soon we were all seated. ¡°Oh my days¡± Gina moaned in delight. as she chewed on a meatball. ¡°Freda has sessfully surprised us again with her cooking skills¡± she stated as she closed her eyes and dramatically chewed on the food and Iughed. ¡°Don¡¯t be so dramatic¡± Elle stated as she rolled her eyes. ¡°Though the food¡¯s amazing¡± she admitted and I smiled. ¡°This is really great Freda, just like always¡± Cole stated as he devoured another meatball. Lyra smiled sheepishly at me she she reached for another meatball and Iughed out loud. 12 11 288 Vouchers ¡°Mummy¡¯s the best cook ever¡± Cisco muttered with the meatball in his mouth and everyone nodded in agreement. ¡°True¡± Gina stated as she continued eating. I watched everyone eating with a smile on my face as I had barely touched mine. It was times like this I cherished the most. Warm moments spent with family. It made me happy,but I still couldn¡¯t ignore Miss Campbell¡¯s words as it yed over and over in my head. ¡®The attendance of both parents is mandatory¡¯. ¡®What the hell was i going to do now?¡¯Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Mates 100 Mates 100 Chapter 100 FREDA WAHITLOCK | paced around the room for the fort time. How on earth was i going to tell Kauden that he had attend the function for s Would he agree? Comsuturing on and how hard tergenarently, fodte him to get out of joy the and my son. Fore by would agree to such a thing hur that wrong in my mme ¡°Just walk up the hum and an hong to your night on the mana¡± ward lintly and soffiet ? dur? have any amandmatigalia to grions aitasin kang quet¡± | warned au i resumed majang ¡°Things dark wooh that way i caft just walk up to Kaschen, and taye with me to the Cane ward sarung tim anking you because it¡¯s my night as you? in wout Bak ¡°Besides them, nonger my matted outly t? he Cu ut te sad he will fex e mais onde clearly and cenjenelia yetu au fuva muta¡±. Cia engnded me gently he i My mind fasted back to Kader & tertanaman at the pack council wiek i apneat suited my lies in delight so i winded Suy thery ¡°Focus, Fred¡± i smapsed as I tapped my forehead a Balbay i e couldn¡¯t be thinking about that right now. I was supposed to hate Kaiden. Besides his confession meant nothing, it didn¡¯t change anything. ¡°Stop giving me bad advice, Gia¡± snapped as I continued thinking of ways to make Kaiden attend the ceremony. ¡°Suit yourself then¡± she grumbled and left me alone. The teacher had made it mandatory that Cisco¡¯s father must attend, there was no way I could avoidCcontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. it. Cisco was already very happy that he was chosen among the sessful candidates, I couldn¡¯t withdraw that right I knew he clearly deserved. But I couldn¡¯t ask Kaiden either. I was stuck between a rock and a hard ce. Frustrated, I let out a loud groan as I walked to the kitchen to get a cup of coffee and returned to the living room as I plopped down on the couch and rubbed my temples slowly. I had to think of something quickly. Could I hire someone to act as Cisco¡¯s father? No, it would be obvious and I probably won¡¯t find anyone on such short notice. No werewolf would want to act on my behalf,not to mention humans, they were barely allowed in the pack territory. ¡®Cole? No, I couldn¡¯t ask that of Cole,it would be too much. That would mean me taking advantage of his kindness and I didn¡¯t want any weird rumors to start going around. I already had enough on my te. I wasn¡¯t willing to add more to it. ¡®So why did the teacher have to make itpulsory that the two parents must attend. What if a kid didn¡¯t have parents?¡¯ §º Chapter 100 1288 Wouchers I groaned, I was being ridiculous but why did things have to be so difficult. Thest few days had been stringed with bad luck. It was always from one problem to another, each one moreplex than thest. If only everything was okay. If only Kaiden epted me, we would have been living a happy, peaceful life. He didn¡¯t ept me then, he wouldn¡¯t ept me now so there was no way I could make him attend the ceremony. ¡°Freda¡± Lyra called, disrupting me from my thoughts as I quickly sat up straight on the couch. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, you look distressed?¡± She asked and I sighed. ¡°That¡¯s because I¡¯m confused¡± I stated. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do anymore¡± I stated with teary eyes. Lyra upon seeing my reaction rushed to join me on the couch. ¡°Talk to me, Freda, what happened?¡± Sniffling back my tears I started to speak. ¡°It¡¯s the award. ceremony. The teacher said Cisco would be removed from the list of awardees if his two parents don¡¯t show up for the ceremony¡±. ¡°How can I invite Kaiden?, he obviously won¡¯t show up especially with Safiya around but I don¡¯t want Cisco to be disqualified either¡±. ¡°What do I do Lyra? Why does everything have to be so difficult for me? I¡¯m tired,¡± I stated as the reality of things dawned on me. Lyra hugged me as she rubbed my shoulders in aforting manner. ¡°Don¡¯t fret, we would figure it out¡±. She stated and I looked up at her. ¡°How?¡±, I sniffed. ¡°We can talk to Kaiden together, we should be able to convince him¡±. Lyra suggested. ¡°Do you think he¡¯ll ept? Lyra, I know Kaiden, he¡¯ll never ept because he knows I despise him and he despises me too¡± I stated ¡°Well I don¡¯t think so. As much as I hate to admit, I¡¯ve seen the way he looks at you Freda. The man is clearly trying to get into your good books¡±. ¡°If that¡¯s not enough to convince you, the deration he made at the pack council is enough evidence, not that I support you twoing back together, I¡¯m just stating the facts¡± she said as she sighed. ¡°You think so?¡±, I asked doubtfully. ¡°Well, even if it¡¯s not true, I think he would do it for Cisco, at least he would want to fulfill his fatherly duties to him¡±, Lyra disclosed and I saw the reason for what she said. ¡°You¡¯re right! I could use that to my advantage¡±, I said as I wiped the tears away from my face. ¡°The thing is how do we go about it?¡±. ¡°Simple, you¡¯ll just send the invitation letter to his office then you can call himter. That¡¯s more formal, that way he¡¯ll know there¡¯s no emotion attached to it, just formality¡±. Lyra stated and I nodded in agreement. ¡°Yeah, we can do that. Thank you Lyra I don¡¯t know what I¡¯d 1 1 288 Vouchers have done without you¡± I said with a voice filled with emotion. Lyra would always be there for me no matter the situation. ¡°Ohe on now, don¡¯t shed any more tears, it¡¯s making me ufortable¡±, she joked and we laughed. ¡°Let¡¯s send it quickly,¡± she said and I nodded. We drafted up the invitation letter in a professional manner and sent it to Kaiden¡¯s office and I silently prayed to the goddess that he would acknowledge it. Mates 101 Mates 101 Chapter 101 258 Vouchers Chapter 101 KAIDEN STIRLING I was in the office going through some documents. After everything, I decided to immerse myself with work at the office to take my mind off things. One thing was clear, I couldn¡¯t stay in the same ce with Safiya. A stack of documents were in front of me and I sighed as I took the next batch of documents that needed my signature. This was better than being at home. I was still immersed in my work when I heard a knock on the door. ¡°Come in¡± I stated without looking up. ¡°Good day Alpha. I have a letter for you¡± my secretary said and I looked up from the documents I was signing. ¡°A letter?¡±I asked curiously and he nodded. I motioned for him toe closer and he did and dropped the letter on my desk. ¡°You may leave¡±, I stated, as my attention was on the letter. ¡°Yes Alpha¡± he replied as he bowed and left. I picked the letter and scanned it for any details of the sender. And right there at the far end of the letter was a small writing. Trecognized that writing anywhere. ¡®FREDA WHITLOCK¡¯ was all that was written there but that was enough to send me sitting upright in my chair as I quickly ripped the envelope open, curious of the contents inside. 09 04 Chapter 101 288 Vouchers Inside was just an invitation card and I read it curiously and my eyes widened in surprise as I digested the details of it. In it was a invitation to parents to witness an award ceremony for their kids and on the list of awardees, Cisco¡¯s name was among and I shifted in my chair anxiously. If what I was reading was correct, it means that Cisco would be given an award. My son woudl be awarded for being among the intelligent students in his ss. I couldn¡¯t be more proud. This was my offspring. My son, I always knew he was a bright child but this exceeded my expectations. Freda had once again surprised me by raising a genius like Cisco all my herself. I smiled brightly but my smile faded quickly as realization dawned on me. It was stated here that it was mandatory for both parents of the awardees to be present, failure to do so would lead to disqualification of chosen candidates,it was clearly stated in bold letters. I checked the letter again. ¡®Was it really Freda that sent it?¡¯ I mean there was no other letter stating it was her asides her writing on the envelope. But then no one would dare to prank an Alpha. Freda must have sent me the letter because she wanted me to attend. The presence of both parents was required. She obviously didn¡¯t want her son to be disqualified. If I knew Freda very well,she¡¯d have hated to do this, she hated anything that had to do with me. 09:04 Chapter 101 1208 Voucher But I was Cisco¡¯s father, I couldn¡¯t let him miss this great opportunity. I was in a state of dilemma and I didn¡¯t realize that Safiya had walked in. ¡°What letter is that?¡± She asked as she nced curiously at the letter in my hand, her voice bringing me back to reality. Safiya mustn¡¯t find out about this, she would ruin everything. was! ¡°Nothing you should be concerned about¡± I spat harshly as I discreetly put the letter in my drawer. ¡°Well it concerns me, I am your wife, your luna¡± she stated as she crossed her arms. ¡°What do you want woman?¡±, I growled. Safiya was always testing my self control. ¡°I asked you about the letter. Is it Freda? Is she sending you letters now?¡± She asked as she raised her eyebrows. ¡°It¡¯s clear you just want to waste my time but I¡¯m not going to let you test my patience today. So leave while I¡¯m asking you nicely¡± I growled. ¡°Or what Kaiden?¡±, she yelled as she rushed forward towards me as she made to reach for the drawer but I pushed her back. ¡°Be grateful I¡¯m considerate of my unborn child or else no one would spare you from my wrath¡±. I warned. ¡°It¡¯s obvious it¡¯s from Freda seeing how you quickly hid it when I asked, if its just any letter why can¡¯t you let me see?¡± She asked suspiciously. ¡°Because it doesn¡¯t concern you. Instead of wasting your time meddling in issues that don¡¯t concern you,why don¡¯t you use the time to win Harper¡¯s favour back?¡±. I stated as I stood up and closed the distance between us. 09 041 Chapter 101 288 Vouchers ¡°With that being said, Security¡± I yelled and two of my guards walked in. ¡°Alpha¡± they greeted. ¡°Please escort my wife out and she is not to be allowed here without my permission in the future. Do you understand?¡± I asked in my alpha tone. ¡°Yes Alpha¡± they stated as the made to drag Safiya away. ¡°Kaiden¡± she screeched in disbelief. ¡°You can¡¯t do this to me, I¡¯m your luna, don¡¯t you dare touch me¡± she warned to the guards and they stood frozen for a minute. ¡°What are you doing? Take her away¡± I growled and they nodded and dragged Safiya away and her screams faded in the distance. I sighed as I walked back to my seat and retrieved the letter from the drawer. ¡®Should I attend this function?¡¯ I thought. Considering I and Freda¡¯s history together, this was clearly a bad idea as she despised me. She had clearly stated that that she wanted nothing to do with me and I should stay far away. from her and Cisco. And with all what Safiya did and the incident at the pack council, I had no right to speak to Freda anymore. But I couldn¡¯t neglect that this now involved Cisco. I couldn¡¯t hurt his feelings or deny him the right he deserved. I was so confused. So at this time I did the only thing I did when I needed advice. I picked my phone and dialed a number and the line connected. ¡°Oh Alpha, to what do I own the pleasure of hearing your voice Chapter 101 288 Woucher today?¡± The yful voice of my beta, Nichs Brown was heard at the other side of the line. ¡°Now listen to me carefully¡± I replied ignoring hisment and I began to narrate my dilemma to him.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Mates 102 Mates 102 FREDA WHITLOCK I watched Francisco bounce around the room with great excitement. He was gathering his books into his bag. He had woken up before I came to wake him so he had started to draw images from his school books. The drawings were slightly sloppy but I could tell that he was going to be an amazing artist someday. He looked up at me with a wide smile. ¡°Do you want me to run a bath, mom?¡± He asked and I shook my head with a smile. ¡°No, love. I will.¡± He nodded and went over to his dresser, pulling out. a set of newt clothes he would wear after his bath. He was obviously excited for the party that was happening in his school and I could not me him. His teacher had built up his and his ssmates¡® expectations to the highest point it could ever be. She had promised fun of all sorts and he said he was going to show his talent. At first, I had been worried that his fellow children would make fun of his art, but then Iforted myself with the thought that I would be there and I would not let that happen. I started running the bath, making sure to start with the hot water before shutting it off and then turning on the cold water. When it was just the temperature that Francisco liked, I called him in. ¡°Cisco,e on,¡± I called and his small voice replied from the room. ¡°Okay,¡± he said. 0.05) 11 A few secondster, I heard his footsteps thudding around the room and they drew closer to the bathroom door. I dropped in his favorite bath bomb and watched as it bubbled. He loved bubbles. He loved them so much and I loved making him happy. I looked towards the door and he was standing there, shuffling out of his pyjama pants. He had already taken the shirt off. Knowing him, it was already in the hamper. I d he was not a messy boy. Francisco was perfect, in every sense of the damn word and I could not help how much I loved that. ¡°Lavender, mom?¡± He asked as he walked into the bathroom after 1 waved him in. ¡°Yes, love,¡± I responded and he gave me a satisfied nod. ¡°I lovevender,¡± he said, climbing into the bath tub. ¡°I know, baby,¡± I said, nodding with a smile. He lowered himself and sat in the water, letting out a satisfied sigh. Iughed and he smiled at me. I had gotten the perfect water temperature for him once again and even though I had gotten it a thousand times before, it still made me so happy. He fiddled around in the water, as of he was swimming. I grabbed the loofah and gently ran it over his skin, washing off any dirt. ¡°Mommy?¡± He called as I washed him. ¡°Yeah?¡± I replied, not looking away from what I was doing. ¡°You don¡¯t like Harper¡¯s dad,¡± he tentatively said, as though he knew he was touching a delicate spot for me. I stopped and looked at him. ¡°Why do you think that?¡± I asked, smiling softly and going back to my work. ¡°You¡¯re always like bubbles andvender, but when hees, it goes away. You don¡¯t look happy anymore. Sometimes you even look upset or sad,¡± he said and I bit the inside of my cheek, wondering how I 1288 Whuchers could distract him from this. It was not going to be easy because he was not speaking from a one time observation. My smart boy had noticed this happening over time and I could not deny the fact that it was true. If I did that, he would most likely begin to doubt himself and his observation skills, and I certainly did not want that for him, especially at this age. ¡°Sweetie, not everyone feelsfortable around everyone,¡± I told him, hoping I would find a way to sessfully filter the words to be appropriate for a six year old child. ¡°Why don¡¯t you feel comfortable around him?¡± He asked and his head tilted to the side as he watched me. That was a little habit of his whenever he was trying to figure out something that was confusing him. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ¡°Well, he made me very sad sometime ago, when you were still a tiny, teeny weeny dot inside of me,¡± I said and he smiled at my choice of thest few words. ¡°Did you fight?¡± He asked, turning his back to me, so I could scrub it. ¡°You could say that,¡± I said and he nodded. ¡°With words. Of course we didn¡¯t hit each other. It¡¯s not okay to fight, Cisco. With words or with your hands,¡± I told him carefully and he turned to smile at me. ¡°I know, mom,¡± he replied and I smiled. I heard someonee into the room. ¡°Breakfast is ready, you two. You wanna eat in the bathroom?¡± Lyra asked and Francisco giggled. ¡°Oh you think that¡¯s funny?¡± Lyra asked in her yfully predatory tone she used whenever she was about tounch a yful attack on Francisco. He giggled harder when she appeared through the door. 1289 (Vouchers ¡°I¡¯ming for you,¡± she roared and he squealed, sshing around in the tub. ¡°No, no!¡± He screamed as she gripped his sides and tickled him. Heughed and tried to fight her off, but she was careful to make sure he did not slip or hurt himself while she held him. She nodded towards the door, signaling that I should go. She had probably heard my conversation with him and she had thought I was upset. I smiled at her. ¡°Thanks,¡± I mouthed and she nodded, giving Francisco a break to breath and plead with her to stop her attack on his sides. I pointed out towards his toothbrush on the ind where it was sitting, signaling for her to brush his teeth when she was done. and she nodded, even though her expression was telling me she was probably wondering who takes a bath before brushing their teeth. Francisco apparently. 09 osh Chapter 102 FREDA WHITLOCK I watched Francisco bounce around the room with great excitement. He was gathering his books into his bag. He had woken up before I came to wake him so he had started to draw images from his school books. The drawings were slightly s**y but I could tell that he was going to be an amazing artist someday. He looked up at me with a wide smile. ¡°Do you want me to run a bath, mom?¡± He asked and I shook my head with a smile. ¡°No, love. I will.¡± He nodded and went over to his dresser, pulling out. a set of newt clothes he would wear after his bath. He was obviously excited for the party that was happening in his school and I could not me him. His teacher had built up his and his ssmates¡¯ expectations to the highest point it could ever be. She had promised fun of all sorts and he sai Mates 103 Mates 103 Chapter 103 FREDA WHITLOCK I stared at the pile of pancakes that Lyra had served in portions and sighed. For whatever reason, I could not see myself eating it. I was suddenly drained and I was feeling down from the question that Cisco had asked. I was being so obvious with my hatred for Kaiden that Francisco had noticed and had felt the need to ask. That made me feel horrible. Kaiden was Francisco¡¯s father and even though I hated him, I did not want Francisco hating him just because I did. He barely knew Kaiden, and he did not have a father figure. That had been my fault. It would also be horrible for me to be the reason Francisco sided with me out of loyalty and hated his father. I sighed and headed towards the cab. I wanted a good loaf of bread and since it was not avable, I decided to while away my time by baking one. I pulled out all of he ingredients I needed and proceeded to start mixing. I wanted some blueberries in the bread so I fetched them from the fridge. I washed them and set them to the side. I mixed all of my ingredients into a dough and after kneading, I set it to the side to rise. I washed my hands and let out a sigh. I turned around Lyra and Francisco emerged from the stac bedroom area. ¡°Well you guys wanted to take forever in there,¡± I said, trying my best to make my smile look genuine. I really wanted to smile, because Francisco always loved it when I smiled. Chapter 103 288 Vouchers ¡°What¡¯s going on? What are you doing?¡± Lyra asked, raising Fransisco unto a stool and then sliding into one herself. ¡°Blueberry bread,¡± I said, turning away from her. ¡°You¡¯re not having pancakes?¡± She asked and I could tell from her voice that there was definitely a confused frown on her face. D**n, we knew each other so well, almost like the back of our hands. ¡°Ohhh, blueberries,¡± Francisco said, sliding out of his seat and walking towards where I was. ¡°You want some?¡± I asked, ignoring Lyra¡¯s question. She was going to be annoyed but I was not sure I was up to answering questions. ¡°Yeah,¡± he nodded. I lowered the bowl to his reach and he scooped two palm fulls and then headed back to the ind. Lyra raised him into his seat once again and he poured the blueberries in his hand unto the side of his pancakes. Lyra poured honey on top of his pancakes, just as he liked but her eyes were still on me. ¡°You love pancakes. Didn¡¯t I make them well?¡± She asked,pletely confused as to what was going on with me. ¡°The pancakes are fine, Lyra. I just¡­ I want bread,¡± I said, finally giving her a look that told her that I would exinter. I needed to do that of not she would keep pestering me. She sighed and nodded, looking down at Cisco as he ate his food almost like he was rushing. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t rush your food. We have enough time to y the word game. It¡¯s not running away,¡± she said with a chuckle. He looked at her and then me before he smiled with a mouthful. I smiled too. I could not help it. He was the most adorable of all the adorable children in the world I heard my phone ringing in the room. ¡°Excuse me,¡± I said, 0905 walking out of the kitchen area and to my bedroom so I could get it. It was Cole calling. A small smile touched my lip as I swiped the receive icon and raised the phone to my ear. ¡°Isn¡¯t it too early in the morning to be calling?¡± I said with a small smile. ¡°Hello to you too, Ma¡¯am,¡± he said sarcastically and I could almost see him rolling his eyes. ¡°How are you?¡± I chuckled, walking out of the room and heading towards the kitchen. I picked up a blueberry and ced it in my mouth. Cisco was guzzling down his food and I could see that Lyra was looking concentrated, but it was not at the food. It was at my call. If she concentrated well enough, she would be able to hear what the person on the other line was saying. I threw a blueberry at her forehead and she sucked in air through her teeth, ring at me. I smirked at her and shook my head. She rolled her eyes and went back to eating. ¡°Actually, I¡¯m great,¡± he said and I smiled in response. ¡°What might the reason for that be?¡± I asked. ¡°Because I¡¯m talking to you,¡± he said and my blood catch on fire and then rush from every part of my body to my face. I knew I would be crimson if I looked in the mirror. I did not want Lyra to see that. ¡°I heard about the party at the Francisco¡¯s school. Wanna tell me about it?¡± he asked and I thought about it for a second. ¡°It¡¯s nothing much. It¡¯s just the school trying to make the children appreciate school and look forward to it next session. The parents are invited too. If they need to speak to teachers,they can use the party as an opportunity to, not that they can¡¯t do that outside of the party,¡± I exined he went silent for a second. 04 05 Chapter 103 1120chers ¡°You¡¯re going, yeah?¡± He asked and I smiled. ¡°Of course,¡± I responded and he went silent again. ¡°Would it be alright if Ie as Francisco¡¯s father?¡± He asked and the smile fell of my face. I nced at Lyra. She had been looking at me but she was not looking at me in this moment. I headed out to the backyard. through the door. ¡°What?¡± I finally spoke. ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked with great confusion. ¡°I want toe as his dad. I don¡¯t want him to feel bad about everyone else having their dad there and he would be left out,¡± he said. I bit my lip, mulling over the thought. ¡°I¡­I have already invited his biological father and he¡¯s more than happy toe. I didn¡¯t know you wild have wanted toe,¡± I said, not exactly knowing the right words to say to him. ¡°I know¡­¡± He said and I knew he was taking a pause. ¡°You know¡­what?¡± I asked, almost growing impatient. He let out a small sigh. ¡°I know about you and Kaiden¡¯s situation.¡± He dropped the bomb. Chapter 104Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Mates 104 Mates 104 Chapter 104 FREIDA WHITLOCK Cole seemed determined to attend Cisco¡¯s function. If it were a year ago when I wasn¡¯t back here, I would have appreciated the zeal but now, when I was so close to Kaiden and basically under his leadership, I couldn¡¯t help but feel hunted by dread. This was a bad idea, I knew it. I felt it. But I didn¡¯t know what to do. I didn¡¯t want to fail Cisco¡¯s hopes. What if Kaiden failed to attend? My mind wandered to Safiya for a split second and I shrugged. Over the past weeks, she had proven to be on an agenda that involved ruining my and Cisco¡¯s life. If she found out whose son he was, I was afraid things would go from bad to worse. My thoughts were a mess. Thinking a lot these past few days has caused my head to ache badly. Now, it seemed to have gotten worse. I heaved as I took a pain-relieving pill. I dropped it back in the kitchen cab and turned only to see Lyra standing by the door, watching me. I hadn¡¯t sensed her around so it startled me a bit. ¡°Jeez!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry I startled you¡± She apologized, staring at me with a concerned look. She knew I should feel her presence around considering how sensitive my wolf always was. Gia had Chapter 104 1288 Vouchers suddenly shut me out the moment Cole offered to attend Cisco¡¯s function. Sometimes I wonder why she was always so dramatic. I didn¡¯t even agree to his offer yet and she was sulking, gosh! ¡®You are considering the offer!¡¯ She snapped out of nowhere and I rolled my eyes ¡®I thought we were no longer speaking with each other?¡¯ ¡®I wish, it¡¯s unfortunate that I¡¯m stuck with you¡¯ I felt her roll her eyes in my head and scoff. ¡®I don¡¯t think you should be saying that to me right now¡¯ ¡®Well, you¡¯re being insensitive so¡­ ¡®I¡¯m only thinking about what would be best for Cisco, you know it, can¡¯t you be supportive at least?¡± ¡®I am being supportive and I know that our mate will attend the function because he is Cisco¡¯s father¡¯ ¡®Will he?¡¯ I argued but the thought left a h**k on my chest, Can he? ¡°Freda, are you listening to me?¡± Lyra¡¯s voice was loud bringing me back to earth. I blinked, staring at her in a daze. How serious had I looked when arguing with Gia? ¡°Honestly, no¡± I shook my head ¡°Figured. Come,¡± She said leading the way out of the kitchen. Gina and Elle had gone to bed earlier so no one was present in the living room. I had a hunch that Cole, however, was still CLOS awake. When we got to Lyra¡¯s room, she closed the door behind her and turned to give me an apprehensive look ¡°You should seriously control the way you zone out these days, especially with those people out there around¡± She scolded, ¡°You should see the way you looked stuck in your head¡± I sighed and sat on her bed, ¡°Gia and I were having a small argument¡± Her eyes narrowed at me and she moved forward then sat down beside me. ¡°Is this something to do with Cisco¡¯s school function?¡± I nodded, ¡°Yes, and Cole offered to attend in ce of Kaiden¡± might have imagined it but I thought I saw hurt sh through her face for a second. Blinking, I realized that she was staring back at me with intent. I definitely imagined that. ¡°Okay, so what is the problem?¡± She asked, shrugging. My eyes dropped to her hands which clutched the bed tightly and I squinted ¡°Lyra, are you okay?¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m mad but not at you, I¡¯m mad at Kaiden for putting you in this position. I just want to blow something off¡± She heaved and looked away from me, ¡°His head especially¡± A chuckle slipped out of my lips and she looked back in my direction. ¡°I think you should let him-¡± She swallowed, ¡°Um, Cole attend Chapter 104 the function, Kaiden is no good anyway¡± ¡°I¡¯m considering¡­¡± 1288 Vouchers ¡®I knew you were!¡¯ Gia huffed, pacing about in my head causing my headache to be worse than before. ¡°Gia isn¡¯t happy¡± Lyra stated with a knowing look and I nodded, ¡°I also feel it¡¯s not a good idea even though letting Colee is promising¡± A beat passed, ¡°He even knows about mine and Kaiden¡¯s past¡± ¡°How?¡± Lyra¡¯s voice was almost above an octave, her eyes were widened. Her overall expression was mortified and an unmistakable hint of anger. I didn¡¯t even know what to think about her reactions anymore. Before, I could read her from her afar without second guessing myself but she had been off and ontely that I didn¡¯t even know what exactly to attribute to her reaction now. ¡°I think he still remembers when I made mention of my love getting married to my sister¡± Ignoring the thought to just leave her, I exined. She appeared to rx a bit, ¡°Oh. I thought he went out and did some snooping¡± Oh, was that why she was mad? Lyra had always been protective of me, I should have known. ¡°Despite knowing that he still offered to be there for Cisco¡± I exined. Our eyes met for a while and I was left conflicted. Something was surely going on in Lyra¡¯s head and it was messing up with her emotions pretty bad. Her eyes had a lot to Chapter 104 288 Nouchers say but she wasn¡¯t letting me pick one out. ¡°And you said you¡¯d think about it?¡± She broke the eye contact. ¡°Yes¡± ¡°What have you decided? Because I think you should let him be there. Cisco will be happy, you know that¡± ¡°But he¡¯s not Cisco¡¯s father¡± ¡°Does that matter? Kaiden is worse even though he is the father in question. What has he ever done for you both other than being a jerk and a coward?¡± She spat, her voiceced with spite. Thad always felt this way about Kaiden but for some reason, hearing her say it made my heart clench painfully. It hurt to know that my mate was that terrible. He had never been on my side and now, I felt he would never be. A shaky breath escaped my lips and I gulped down a painful. lump that had formed in my throat. ¡°I¡¯m not concerned about anything but Cisco¡¯s feelings and Cole¡¯s safety. If Kaiden learns that Cole took his ce, I¡¯m afraid he might do something out of hand¡± I exined, ¡°This is Kaiden¡¯s pack after all, Lyra and I don¡¯t want to endanger Cole¡¯s life¡± Chapter 105Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Mates 105 Mates 105 Chapter 105 FRIEDA WHITLOCK ¡°So, you are worried about him. Cole?¡± A beat passed and this is all Lyra could ask. Really? ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I be? He¡¯s a nice guy and all he would do is stand in but I can¡¯t help but feel like something bad will happen if-¡± ¡°That day is not even here yet you feel this way. What if your hunch turns out wrong and Cisco has no one for him, what will happen then?¡± She asked cutting me off, ¡°Freda, you know how excited Cisco is about this school party. He has been speaking about it nonstop, I bet he is dreaming about it right now so why do you want to take chances with such hopes, huh?¡± ¡°I know but I¡¯m stuck, why do I do Lyra?¡± ¡°Let Colee with you¡± She shrugged as though doing that was the easiest thing in the world. It would have been if the circumstances were different but things were deeper than they appeared. ¡°He just needs to be there to grant Cisco the moment and one of the best memories of his life¡± ¡°And after that?¡± What will happen when Cole leaves the pack and returns to the States and Cisco asks me about his father? I could tell him, Kaiden is his real father but how would he feel about it then? 0905 Chapter 105 1288 Wou This was a gamble involving fire and I wasn¡¯t ready to y with it. There was a silence thatsted well over a minute. ¡°We¡¯ll figure that out when the timees¡± Lyra finally spoke and the uncertainty in her voice made me tremble on the inside. I didn¡¯t have to do this. ¡°No Lyra, I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll figure anything out then not at the cost of Cisco getting hurt. It¡¯s like giving him a lollipop and s**g it away¡± I reasoned ¡°Okay, do whatever you deem right,¡± She said dismissively, shaking her head, seemingly tired of my way of thinking. I mean, I was tired of my thoughts as well but I couldn¡¯t help it. The feeling of dread kept tailing me. ¡°Hey, you can¡¯t just let me sort this out on my own¡± Iined pulling a sad face and she rolled her eyes in exasperation. ¡°We did send Kaiden a letter, didn¡¯t we?¡± She asked and I nodded, wondering how we went from Cole to a letter. ¡°Where is the response? Has he called back?¡± Okay, we were still bashing Kaiden. ¡°No, he hasn¡¯t¡± My heart dropped. Had he seen the letter and chosen not to respond or was he too busy to go through it? A brief frown crossed my face, how busy was he that he couldn¡¯t go through a letter from his mate? Didn¡¯t-he say he still felt the bond? Then should be first in his heart, right? And this involved his son as well¡­ Chapter 105 11 288 Vouchers Did he choose to ignore me? Numerous thoughts ran through my mind and all left strained. feelings in my chest. I wanted to deny that he¡¯d do such to me but he had done so before. Within a few seconds, thinking about his actions made. me disoriented, stressed, and annoyed. F**k you, Kaiden! ¡°I thought he was trying but it¡¯s obvious he¡¯s not trying hard enough to be on good terms with you¡± She gritted and seemed to be regrettingplimenting his efforts earlier, ¡°Are we really going to rely on such a man?¡± ¡°Lyra, I don¡¯t know,¡± ¡°Then you better gear up to exin to Cisco if you choose to be so indecisive¡± She snapped and let out a sigh ¡°And Cole? What happens if Kaiden shows up?¡± I winced at my words. ¡°Then it¡¯ll be a win for Cisco. I seriously don¡¯t care about anyone else other than my cute little prince right now, not even you¡± She said and I gasped, holding my chest as I feigned being hurt. How dare she not care about me? She smirked at me as she nodded and I smacked her lightly on the arm causing her to giggle. The sound was refreshing to hear, my lips stretched to a smile as I watched her,pletely fascinated. Without Lyra, I knew I would be toast. Thank the moon goddess 29 05. Chapter 105 283 Vouchers for getting this straight and sending her to me. ¡°So, I¡¯m saying yes to Cole¡¯s offer?¡± I asked when her giggles died down to be sure this was what she meant after our discussion. She nodded with a reassuring smile and pulled me in for an embrace. We broke the hug shortly and I stood up, ready to leave as it waste and we both needed some rest. ¡°This is a surprise¡± I eximed wrapping my hands around myself as I missed the feeling of comfort I got from hers. She raised a brow, ¡°What?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d fancy the idea of Cole being there since you don¡¯t seem to like him¡± I wiggled my brows as she stood up. She smirked and held my arm leading me to the door ¡°Oh, I like him more than you think, Freeds¡± ¡°What? Really?¡± I gasped, staring at her with wide eyes. ¡°Yes, goodnight,¡± She said and that¡¯s when I realized, she had pushed me out of her room. ¡°Wait-¡°The door was shut to my face before I could say anymore. I stood there contemting whether to knock till she opened up but I knew better so I left wondering what she meant by she liked Cole. Did she have a crush on him? If she did, she wouldn¡¯t be indifferent to him, right? Chapter 105 Or maybe she did and didn¡¯t know how to go about it? 788 Vouchers ¡®Or maybe she was just pulling my legs¡¯ I thought as I recalled that she promised to wait for her mate. She couldn¡¯t possibly have a crush on Cole. I shook my head, chuckling silently as I padded across the room. The door to Cole¡¯s room opened as I passed by prompting me to stop and turn. He was holding an empty jug. He was going to refill it, I guess. I felt a weight resting on my shoulders as me and Lyra¡¯s discussion shed through my mind. I had decided to ept his offer so why wait for tomorrow when I could get over some things at the moment? ¡°Freda, why are you still up?¡± He asked, concerned ¡°It¡¯s nothing Cole, but I¡¯ve been thinking¡± I shook my head and he stared intently at me. ¡°Okay,¡± He said and I nodded. He stepped out of his room fully. I heaved a sigh, finding it difficult to speak up. Was I doing the right thing? ¡°The award party means a lot to Cisco and I want him to be happy,¡± I stated, ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay with being his representative for a day?¡± I couldn¡¯t get myself to say the word father. Cole wasn¡¯t his father, Kaiden was but he had proven to be unreliable otherwise I wouldn¡¯t be here, asking this of Cole. ¡°I¡¯m more than delighted to do that for Cisco, Freda, you don¡¯t 09.06 Chapter 105 need to be troubled,¡± He said as a smile crossed his face.Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Mates 106 Mates 106 Chapter 106 FREIDA WHITLOCK ¡°Thank you, Cole,¡± I managed to say as I felt chills run down my spine. It wasn¡¯t the good chills. Had I made a mistake? I gazed at Cole as we headed to the kitchen so he would make a refill. He was in good spirits and I could tell it was because of what I had told him. I couldn¡¯t help but wonder how Kaiden would have felt that¡¯s if he had seen the letter. ¡°I should be thankful to you for letting me do this, Freda. I¡¯m d you trust me this much¡± He looked at me and then continued what he was doing ¡°The award party is in a few days so we should go over some things,¡± I said and he looked away from the jug he was filling, paying attention to me. ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious, I just hope you follow my lead. There should be no room for awkward interactions that would raise suspicions. The teachers of that school are quite smart¡± He nodded ¡°It should be natural for Cisco. He shouldn¡¯t be able to see through our act¡± I added, inwardly laughing at myself. This was such a lowly thing to do yet I had to because my mate, Cisco¡¯s father had his family to worry about and I doubted he could make it. ¡°I understand your point,¡± Cole said and I heaved. Chapter 106 1208 Vouchers ¡°Thanks and I¡¯m sorry I am acting paranoid¡± I sighed, running a hand through my hair. This was a difficult choice to make and the fact that I was feeling bad about it made it ten times worse so much so that I wished there was nothing like such a ceremony in existence. Argh! As though he could sense my turmoil, Cole rounded the counter and stood beside me. He held my hand and squeezed it softly ¡°You don¡¯t have to be sorry Freeds, I know you¡¯re worried about Cisco, and I truly get your point. I¡¯ll do all I can to make the day worth it for you and Cisco, I promise¡± He said, his voice soft, filled with concern. The proximity made my stomach flutter. He is such a charm. Gia snarled in my head and I subconsciously took my hand out of his. ¡°I called him. Um, Kaiden,¡± I said, awkwardly and his brows shot. up ¡°What did he say?¡± ¡°He hasn¡¯t responded yet¡± Cole gave me a confused look, ¡°He missed the call¡± I exined quickly to rid him of any skepticism. ¡°I can¡¯t believe that man,¡± He said through gritted teeth, whilst shaking his head. As I watched him, I couldn¡¯t help but think how simr his actions were to Lyra¡¯s. My eyes narrowed on him and I wondered if Lyra was serious about being into him. It could be a crush. Cole is a handsome and very likable person so it¡¯s not surprising if she feels that way. 09.061 I shook my head to get rid of the thought of them together. There was something else weighing on my mind. Kaiden. How would he react if he saw Cole there in his ce? What I did know was how mad he would be about it. Very. But then what would he do to Cole who would be hovering around his pup? ¡®Now, you feel he will attend the party¡¯ Gia¡¯s mocking voice rang through my head and I huffed looking at Cole who was going on about how less of a man Kaiden was. I cut him off. ¡°But that is not the problem though. I¡¯m worried about what might happen if he does attend the function¡± ¡°If he hasn¡¯t returned your calls then I don¡¯t think he¡¯d have any idea about it,¡± Cole shrugged. ¡°No, he will,¡± I said quickly and even if he had questions as to how I was sure, he didn¡¯t inquire, he only nodded thoughtfully and I was grateful for that. ¡°Even if hees around, everything will be fine, Freda. You need to stop worrying so much. We ought to be in our very best mood for Cisco¡¯s sake, we¡¯ll worry about other things when the time twirls in my head. ¡®Can you just stop, you¡¯re stressing me out¡¯ I snapped and sheughed ¡®I¡¯m not. You should¡¯ve just listened to me but no, so deal with it¡¯ ¡®I¡¯m supposed to be sleeping, not letting you instill fear in me¡¯ I shot back and cut off our link. So much for a wolf! I plopped on the bed wearily, hating the fact that her words did make sense. I had to prepare for the worst because, with Kaiden¡¯s untamed temper, anything could happen. Iid down in the bed, unable to sleep, and ended up face up staring at the ceiling, ¡®Moon goddess, why do you do this to me all the time?¡¯N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Mates 107 Mates 107 Chapter 107 KAIDEN STIRLING I woke up the next day surprisingly refreshed. It had been a while since I felt that way. With my mood lifted, I had a long warm bath and dressed up for work. As I fixed my tie while standing before the mirror, I couldn¡¯t help the smile that was stered on my face. It was a look I had on since the previous day after re-reading Freda¡¯s letter again. I had read it thrice. Nichs had encouraged me to go to the event saying it was for my son and could get a good impression of myself on Freda. It was a great idea. I would get to meet my son as his father after so long and also work on how to co-parent with Freda. I didn¡¯t like the thought of co-parenting but I had no option since I had a family already. The thought left a sour taste in my mouth, after everything Safiya had dely, I couldn¡¯t consider her family anymore. A knock came at my door, prompting me to look away from the mirror, ¡°Come in,¡± The door was pushed open and my assistant stepped into the room. ¡°Good morning, Alpha¡± He quipped with a slight bow. I hummed in response, nodding curtly while eyeing the envelope he had in his hand Chapter 107 1288 Vouchers ¡°What is the matter?¡± ¡°Sir, this came for you before sunrise,¡± He exined, handing the envelope to me. I took it from him with narrowed eyes. Who would send me a letter that early in the morning? Tearing open the envelope, my face lit up when I saw the sender¡¯s name. Freda. I looked up only to see my assistant staring at me. He cowered back fearfully when he saw my hardened gaze then scurried out, When he left, I opened the letter to read its contents. However, at each word, my smile kept dropping till the end of her write-up. In the letter, she had asked me not to bother about attending Cisco¡¯s events anymore. Why? What the f**k was this woman ying at? The school management had clearly stated that both parents should be in attendance so why was she suddenly pushing me away? I felt a snap and my temper red, did this have something to do with that male human? ¡°Freda, it better not be what I¡¯m thinking¡± I gritted angrily, grabbing my coat from the bed and storming toward the door only toe face to face with Safiya. I made to walk passed her but she blocked my path. She seemed to be in a good mood ¡°Kaiden, where you you going to in such a rush?¡± She asked, looking past my shoulder and I guess she saw the letter which I had dropped on the bed. ¡°Another letter?¡± She squinted, her jaw clenching, ¡°Freda sent Chapter 107 another letter? How much more shameless can she get?¡± ¡°You better watch what you say, Safiya, today at least¡± I growled a warning to her and mmed the door shut, locking it with my keys so she wouldn¡¯t get in even after I left. Thest thing I wanted, was her finding out about Cisco with such rage in her heart. I pushed her out of my way and hurried down the stairs. ¡°Kaiden, where are you going? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re going to that woman?!¡± She was right behind me, snapping. ¡°Where I go is none of your business, all you should worry about is getting back into Harper¡¯s good books, that¡¯s if you have it on you!¡± I yelled and she halted, horrified at the tone I used. Hissing, I left the house and got into the car. I mind-linked my assistant to take off things at the office before igniting the engine.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Mates 108 Mates 108 Chapter 108 Freda¡¯s House**** A few minutester, I was pulling over roughly by the roadside across her house. I felt annoyed to go there with her friends around especially that man but I had to do this for answers. With my fist tightened, I took long strides towards the building, banging on the door the moment I was before it. I was about to bang the door again for the third time when it suddenly opened revealing my mate¡¯s wless face. My heart. s**d a beat as my wolf purred at the sight. He had missed his mate. I had missed her too even though we saw each other barely a day ago. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± She asked, sounding surprised and annoyed at the same time. ¡°Let me in, I want to talk to you,¡± I said, keeping a straight face and she blinked as any other person would but I found it seductive as f**k. Hell no, I should be mad at her, not falling for her again. She hesitated a bit but moved away from the door and I stepped in, running a hand through my hair. ¡°What do you want to talk about? She asked and I whipped around, staring pointedly at her and she gulped. She knew why I was here. ¡°If I don¡¯t attend the event as Cisco¡¯s father, who will? Or do you 07:06 n to s**p the event? Are you nning to take him somewhere more important than his award party?¡± I cut to the chase, barely keeping my emotions in check. ¡°Kaiden, you can¡¯te to my house just to question my decisions concerning my son¡± Kai was enraged but his anger was directed at me. Ignoring his tantrums, I replied, ¡°I can because I am his father and this directly affects me as well. You¡¯re keeping me away from him. I agree we have our differences but you can¡¯t take away this moment from him because of that¡± ¡°I¡¯m not taking away his moment, Kaiden, we¡¯d attend the party but not with you. Cole will go in your stead because he doesn¡¯t have a wife and kid like you do!¡± She snapped but all my brain registered was her saying that human would be there with my son, my heir, my pup. ¡°What?¡± I saw red and if she weren¡¯t my mate, I would have sent her through the wall. She noticed my anger and took two steps back, however, struggling with her stance. ¡°How dare you, Freda!¡± She looked around shakily and in a hushed tone, she spoke, ¡°Kaiden, can you try to understand my point for once? How do you think Cisco will feel if he finds out that his father has a family already?¡± ¡°He can f** feel what he wants, Freda, I can take that but not this bull c**p, you¡¯re not giving my position in his life to some idiot,¡± I said with finality in my tone and she made to speak but stopped upon hearing her human friend speak. 20906 Chapter 108 17 288 chuchers ¡°Freda, what¡¯s going on?¡± He asked and my heart constricted at the endearing way he spoke. This man was into my woman. I wanted to be the bad wolf and end his life so bad but I had principles. She looked pleadingly at him as he approached, ¡°Cole¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on is none of your business, mister. I suggest you leave us¡± I cut in, angry at the warmth I had seen in her eyes for him. She had never looked at me that way since she returned, she didn¡¯t even want me around her. It wrecked me, I couldn¡¯t take any more of it. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t do that seeing her condition. You¡¯re scaring her¡± He said angrily, ring at me and my eyes fell on Freda who was sweating profusely. S**t! ¡°And if you don¡¯t want someone else in your position, you should have made the decision earlier before ying with her feelings¡± He added and the room temperature drastically dropped. Freda¡¯s face paled and her eyes widened. Kia was in a struggle to surface and I didn¡¯t try to stop him, this guy had gotten to thest bit of my nerve with that statement. ¡°I don¡¯t want to warn you again, you¡¯re not going to like to see my temper messed up. Leave now!¡± I gritted, my voice low and menacing. ¡°You don¡¯te to Freda¡¯s house and boss around like you own it. If anyone should leave then it¡¯s you. You¡¯re causing an unrest. Pathetic¡± He shook his head, a smug smirk ying on his lips and he touched Freda¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Okay?¡± Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Cole, you should¡­¡± Before Freda could cajole him into doing what was best for him, I grabbed his shoulder, turned him 0906 Chapter 108 288 Vouchers around, and swung a hard p across his face so hard that the smack echoed through the room. His hand flew to the spot as he s**d backward. No one gets to touch my mate. She¡¯s mine and so is my son. ¡°Kaiden!¡± Freda yelled. Mates 109 Mates 109 Chapter 109 FREDA WHITLOCK ¡°Kaiden!¡± I yelled with horror, not knowing what to do. Oh goddess¡­ Oh dear goddess¡­ Cole looked at Kaiden and his face was contorted woth rage. I did not want any more of this violence and I had better luck. asking Cole to leave than I did with Kaiden. ¡°Cole¡­Cole please, go inside. I¡¯ll take care of this. I¡¯m so sorry¡­I¡¯m so so sorry,¡± I rushed out my jumbled, panicked words and his eyes softened as he looked at me. He nodded and red at Kaiden before he walked into the kitchen and then headed out to the backyard through the door that was there. I looked at Kaiden and the expression on his face broke my heart as much as his words earlier. I understood his pain and his anger, but I was not really sure what decision to make right. now would be. ¡°Kaiden¡­¡± I whispered, taking a step towards him. ¡°Kaiden, look. at me,¡± I whispered and against all wisdom took his hand. He looked down at me and I saw tears in his eyes before he blinked them away. My heart that was in pieces broke even harder and I bit my lip. ¡°Why would you do that to me? Why are you doing this? Why are you trying so hard to take my son away from me? I care about him. I love him, why won¡¯t you believe me? I made a mistake with you¡­ That doesn¡¯t mean I don¡¯t regret it and want to make up for it in any way possible,¡± he said and I took a deep breath, not sure what to say to him. I always had all the reasons I did. not want him near my son, but now, I did not have anything to say or do in the face of his pain. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I whispered and he looked at me with tears in his eyes. He blinked rapidly and looked away from me, trying to hide his fears but I had already seen them and they were making me feel like a horrible person. I understood him. I understood his pain. And I was realizing that nothing was supposed to make me take him away from his son, just the way I would not want anyone to keep me from Francisco. I took in a deep breath. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I whispered again, with tears in my eyes now. I was sorry. I was. I really was. He stepped away from me, looking me in my eyes as he pulled his hand from mine. I did not realize I was feeling a connection and warmth to him until he disconnected our hands. It was ripped away from me and the urge I felt to cry came all the more stronger. He shook his head and walked out of the door without saying a word. Maybe he was not the bad person in this situation. I was. I definitely was. After Kaiden left, I stood in the spot he had left me, staring into space and thinking hard. Unwanted tears filled my eyes and spilled over to my cheeks. I wiped them furiously because now I was in a horrible fix. I knew I was going to have to apologize to Kaiden for the horrible thing I had done, despite the problems between us. It was the right thing to do. I took in a deep breath and as I turned around to go back into 09:06 Chapter 109 my room, I remembered that Cole had gone to the backyard. I gasped and ran out to meet him. ¡°Cole!¡± I called. He turned. around to look at me and I saw that his lip had a small cut and it was bleeding. ¡°Cole, I¡¯m so so sorry,¡± I apologized profusely and he looked at me with a small smile. ¡°It¡¯s okay. You¡¯re not the one that hit me,¡± he said, attempting to stop all of my apologies. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if I did or not. You got hit because you were defending me. I appreciate your defending me but I feel so bad that you were hit because of me,¡± I said, looking into his eyes as I pulled out a handkerchief from the back pocket of my loose pants and wiped the blood. ¡°Believe me, Freda. It¡¯s okay. He¡¯s a jerk and that¡¯s the only. reason I got hit,¡± he said and I looked away from him to blink back my tears before nodding my head. ¡°I should probably get going now,¡± he said, looking in the direction of the kitchen door that lead to the backyard. ¡°You probably have a lot to handle,¡± he said with a small smile. I turned to look where he was looking and found Lyra standing off to the side with Francisco beside her. ¡°Okay,¡± I said and nodded. He headed towards the door and greeted Lyra with a nod. He smiled at Francisco but Francisco did not respond. Not even with a smile. His expression was the same. That worried me because normally he would have smiled or responded with a wave. ¡°Bye. Please take care. And I¡¯m sorry about everything,¡± I called as Cole entered his car and drove off. I let out a small sigh and walked back into the house towards the kitchen. I looked at what was left of my breakfast. It was the same but it was probably ice cold and it was a waste now. I was starving, but at the same time. I had to exin the situation to Lyra.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Mates 110 Mates 110 Chapter 110 FREDA WHITLOCK ¡°What happened?¡± She asked, sitting across from me. I took a piece of bacon from the dish I had prepared for myself earlier. ¡°Kaiden came¡­ And he started yelling about the letter I sent to him. I knew it was s**, and I shouldn¡¯t have sent it. I wish I had listened to my intuition,¡± I said and she nodded, looking over at Francisco. ¡°He came here and he attacked Cole because Cole asked him to stop yelling at me. I¡­ I don¡¯t know how to feel, because I feel bad for him. I understand how he¡¯s feeling and I feel terrible for sending that letter, for keeping¡­¡± I paused my words and looked at Francisco, hoping that she would understand. She nodded, telling me that she did. I looked at Francisco again. He had a frown on his face. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about itter,¡± she said in a low voice and I nodded. ¡°Why?¡± Francisco said randomly and we both looked at him. He had tears in his eyes and I started to grow worried. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Lyra asked and I bit my lip, watching him with anxiety that seemed to be growing so much and so fast that it would fly out of the roof at the rate it was growing. ¡°You don¡¯t want me to hear that Harper¡¯s dad is my dad?¡± He asked in a small voice that broke towards the end and my world seemed to stop. He had heard. He had heard everything. Every single thing. How could I have been so careless. ¡°Why do you look surprised? Everyone was yelling and I heard,¡± he said and Chapter 110 288 Wouchers tears ran down his face. I stepped towards him and he took a step back. ¡°Francisco¡­¡± I called and Lyra watched both of us with a worried look on her face. ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk to you, Mom. And you too, Aunt Lyra.¡± He said and walked away towards his room, sobbing. I was falling apart. I wanted to scream. I wanted to grab Francisco and tell him I was so sorry. I wanted to tell him that I had been keeping it from him to protect him. I wanted to hate. Kaiden forCcontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. was already lukewarm, on its way to turning cold. This was the perfect temperature. After the first bite, I started to rush a couple more and I could only hope that Francisco would agree to eat. He had not evene out of his room after he went in earlier in the day. Mates 111 Mates 111 Chapter 111 KAIDEN STIRLING I walked into the house and let out an exhausted sigh. I was drained both physically and m**ly. The events of this morning had had me questioning a lot of things and the one I questioned most was my sanity and the sanity of the moon. goddess for making me Freda¡¯s mate. I brought out the worst in her. She brought out the worst in me. We always brought out the worst in each other. Why had the moon goddess made us mates? I knew I was wrong to question her and it that the moon goddess was perfect. I just could not help questioning it. I walked past the dinning area and was at the foot of the stairs when Safiya stormed out of the kitchen. ¡°Kaiden, do you wanna tell me where you¡¯reing from?¡± She asked, walking towards me. I let out a sigh and turned towards her, ready to say something that would tell her off and shut her up. I pressed my lips together on sighting the bump in her stomach. She was pregnant and cranky. I understood that, so I was going to ignore her this time. Besides, I did not have it in me to argue with her. Not this morning. I shook my head. ¡°Not now, Safiya,¡± I said in a low voice and turned away from her. I started climbing up the stairs and I could hear how heavily she was breathing from fury. ¡°When will be the right time?¡± She yelled at me. ¡°Kaiden, answer me¡± She yelled but Ipletely ignored her as I climbed up the stairs. Chapter 111 288 Voucher Once I got to the room, I shut the door and locked it. I did not want anyoneing in to bother me for any reason. I did not want to think about how sad Freda had made me or how the thought of that human male bing like a father to my son made me sick, but I knew that I could not stop myself from thinking for long before my thoughts would go beyond my control. I took off my clothes lifelessly and dropped them in the hamper at the corner of the room before walking into the bathroom. I needed a bath to help ease my body. I stood under the shower after I had turned the water to temperature that I liked. It was scalding and I liked it. The water touched my body and it helped to soothe, loosen and ease my tense muscles. Freda¡­ She was driving me nuts. That was probably the same way I drove her crazy and she could not stand me. I knew she could not stand me, but I did not think it was to the point where she wanted to take my son away from me. Why was she doing that? I had been horrible to her. I had been unfair to her, but I did not intend to do that to my son. I loved him. From the moment I had set my eyes in him, I had known he was my son and I had loved him. As much as possible, I had tried to show that I loved and cared for him to her. Why was she refusing to see it? I knew T had made it obvious but she was refusing to see it. I stood under the shower for more than thirty minutes until the water turned from scalding hot to freezing cold and I knew it was time to leave the bathroom. I wrapped a towelling robe around myself and walked out of the bathroom. I put in a loose shirt and a pair of joggers, momentarily diverting my thoughts to Chapter 111 how high the water bill on the pack house would be. I sighed and buried my face in my hands. I could not help. feeling terrible. 1 288 Vouchers There was also a sinking feeling in my stomach that I could not exin. It was like everything was slipping through my hands. I was losing everything that I had, the little things I had. While I was lost in my thoughts, I slept off. I was woken up by a knock on my door. I rubbed my eyes and climbed out of the bed. I was tired even though I had just woken up from sleep and that was telling me just how emotionally and m**y exhausted I was. I wished Freda would see what she was doing to me. She very easily assumed that I did not care about her or Francisco and that killed me on the inside more than I could exin to anyone. I unlocked the door and pulled it open. It was a maid standing there. ¡°Alpha,¡± she said and bowed her head. ¡°The Luna asked me to call you down for dinner,¡± she said and I shook my head. ¡°Tell her I said I¡¯ll pass. I¡¯m good,¡± I told her and she nodded and walked away.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Mates 112 Mates 112 Chapter 112 KAIDEN STIRLING As I was about to shut the door, a little hand stuck through and I stopped the door from closing immediately. ¡°Daddy,¡± my little girl called in her small voice and pushed the door wider for her to standfortably in the doorway. Just the sight of her gave me a mix of relief and joy. Why had I not thought of going to meet my sweet bundle of joy, Hamper? She was holding a dish with tworge cream puffs in one hand and she was trying to stop the door with her other hand. ¡°Hi baby girl,¡± I said and bet down to her height, grinning at her. ¡°Hi daddy,¡± she smiled. ¡°Can Ie in?¡± She asked in a small voice that was so innocent, it melted my heart. ¡°Of course, princess,e in,¡± I said and took the dish of cream puffs from her and then held her hand that had been upied. She as ¡°Where have you been?¡± She asked climbing into the bed with a little struggle as I sat down. She looked up at me, waiting for my answer. ¡°I¡¯ve been up here,¡± I said with a smile, refusing to let her see the sorrow I was feeling. She is giving me relief and happiness I knew was only temporary, but I was going to savour it while she was here. ¡°Why? I was looking for you,¡± she said, reaching for one of the cream puffs. She lifted it off the te and handed it to me. ¡°You didn¡¯te down for dinner. I brought this for you,¡± she said 11131 Chapter 112 1298 Voucher and tears filled my eyes. I blinked them back rapidly and looked away from her, covering my little slipup with augh. ¡°Aww thanks, princess.¡± I kissed her cheek and forced myself to take a bite of the cream puffs even though I had not appetite. She watched me as I chewed. ¡°Mmmmh, this is good,¡± I grinned at her and smiled in return. ¡°Did you make it?¡± I asked her and she shook her head. ¡°No,¡± she smiled. ¡°But I watched Catrina make it. She said she¡¯ll teach me how to make it when I learn how to use my hands properly,¡± she said and then c**d her head to the side as she thought over the words. I watched her, graduallying to enjoy the cream puff I was chewing on. ¡°That¡¯s a little weird isn¡¯t it?¡± She asked, raising her eyes to look at me before blinking. Her gorgeous eyshes brushed her cheeks as she blinked. I fell in love with her all over the again. ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked, trying to understand her thought logic. She was very smart and I loved that she questioned things that she did not understand or think were right. ¡°I can use my hands quite well. I write and draw and I do some paper craft. Why does she think I can¡¯t use my hands properly?¡± She asked. Her eyes watched my hand as I lifted the cream puff to my mouth and took a bite. I almost choked in theugh that exploded through me. ¡°You want some?¡± I asked and she hesitated before giving me a shy smile and nodding. I grinned at her and pushed the te to her. She shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m not going to have everything, daddy. I just want to take a bite,¡± she said and looked lifted the sugary cream puff off the te. ¡°Thank you,¡± she blushed and took a bite out of the cream puff. Chpter 112 288 Vouchers ¡°You like it?¡± I asked and she nodded, not wanting to talk through her mouthful. She chewed slowly, just like every other time she ate. I did not find it annoying. If anything, it was so adorable. It was part of the things that made her the cute, lovely girl she was. ¡°Another bite?¡± I asked when she was done chewing the first one and still looking longingly at the cream puff she had taken a bite out of. She nodded and I nodded. She smiled and raised it to her mouth again, taking another bite. Cream rubbed over the side of her mouth and I reached out to wipe it and then licked my finger. ¡°That¡¯s gross, daddy,¡± she had to speak her strong opinion through the mouthful and Iughed. I shrugged and she smiled at me. ¡°Daddy?¡± She called, looking at the cream puff again when she was done chewing. I stifled augh and watched her. Mine had been long gone. I enjoyed watching her do her own thing. ¡°I¡¯ll make you a hundred cream puffs when Catrina thinks I can,¡± she said and Iughed. ¡°Okay princess,¡± I said and she grabbed the cream puff and took a massive bite out of it, which was really small whenpared to a massive bite I could take. ¡°When your hands are stable?¡± I asked and she nodded. I shook my head with a smile and kissed her forehead. Chapter 113N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Mates 113 Mates 113 Chapter 113 FREDA WHITLOCK I woke up feeling exhaustion that weigh me down to my bones. I had been sitting in my bed and I had not expected to fall asleep, but I had. It was still a little dark outside and I could not go back to sleep, so I fell back into thoughts. The events of the previous day rushed to my memory and I let out a sigh. My heart dropped to the base of my chest as I remembered how upset Francisco had been with me. He had avoided contact with me or anyone for the rest of the day after he stormed off. Today was the day of the event. It would probably cheer him up if I would be able to get Kaiden to go to the event as his father. I sighed and ran my hand through my hair as I climbed out of the bed and walked into the built in bathroom. I picked up my electric toothbrush and let it do the work in my mouth, only directing it to another ce when I was satisfied with the spot I was working on. I stared in the mirror. There were dark circles under my eyes, my hair was all over the ce in an frizzy manner and I looked like s*t, all in all. There was no way I was going to meet Francisco this way. After brushing my teeth, I took off my clothes, dropped them in the hamper at the corner of the bathroom and stepped under the shower. The lukewarm water poured down my skin and it helped to wake me uppletely. I was not sure if I liked that, because being a little delirious from my troublesome sleep helped to escape the reality of the s***ty life I was living. 288 Mouchers Francisco and I had never stayed without talking to each other for so long except that one time when he was really sick. Back at home, in the state where I had run to and came back from to this godforsaken pack, we were best friends. I could not wait to see him after a long day at the coffee shop and he could not wait to see me when I pulled up at his school to take him home. This- the way he was staying away from me- only told me how upset and betrayed he was feeling. I could not help hating myself more than I already did. The water had turned cold at this point and when I stepped out of the bathroom, day had fully broken. And my dread for how the day would go started to weigh me down even more. I took a deep breath to stop the tears that sprung to my eyes, mercilessly stinging my eyeballs. ¡°Freda?¡± I heard Lyra calls as she knocked quietly and pushed my door open. ¡°You¡¯re up,¡± she said. Her smile was bright until she saw the look on my face and the fact that I was wiping tears from my face. Her smile dropped to a frown, showing that she understood my pain. ¡°Freda, it¡¯s too early for this,¡± she said, slipping inside the room and s**g the door behind her. wanted to ask her to go away but I would not be being honest to myself because she was the only one that could really offer me good advice and make me feel better about this whole situation. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I said. It was the first time. I was hearing my voice that day and it was broken. It sounded pathetic. ¡°I¡¯m pathetic,¡± I said and my eyes started to tear up. ¡°Heyy, don¡¯t say that. I¡¯m 11:13 288 Mouchers the only one that gets to say that and if I¡¯m being honest, you¡¯re actually being pathetic. You can not wake up first thing in the morning and start to cry. That makes absolutely no sense,¡± she said, shaking her head. I was stunned into a silent, frozen state by her word that were brutally honest. ¡°W-wow,¡± I said, wiping my eyes and letting out augh. I put on a sports bra and then pulled a shirt over it. ¡°Yeah,¡± she said in response, ring at me in what I knew was a yful manner. ¡°You¡¯re such a b***h,¡± I said, shaking my head andughing hard. She joined in after trying hard to stifle it. Then she grabbed my shoulder and turned me around to look at her. ¡°You¡¯re supposed be strong, Freda. Being a mother is nor easy, I understand that. But you have to be stronger. You have to try harder for Francisco,¡± she said, and I nodded, biting my lip. ¡°You better actually try to be stronger. I¡¯m not ying around with you,¡± she said and I smiled. I will. I¡¯m gonna go get. Francisco ready for the party,¡± I said she nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll handle breakfast,¡± she said as I walked out if the room. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Chapter 114 288 Vouch Mates 114 Mates 114 Chapter 114 FREDA WHITLOCK I walked to Francisco¡¯s door and my heart kept sinking further and further down my stomach with each step I took that brought me closer to his room. I sighed and forced myself to knock before I would run back to the room like a coward. I could not do that. I really couldn¡¯t do that. I could not be a coward like I usually was. This was about my son and I could not let him go. There was absolutely no way I could do that. I could not run away from this. ¡°Francisco?¡± I called and pushed he door open lightly. I let out a sigh and then walked into the room. He was sitting in his bed and staring straight forward at nothing. ¡°Hey,¡± I called, confused. He looked at me and the sadness in his eyes broke my heart. ¡°Cisco,¡± I called, hurrying towards him and hugging him to myself. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I asked and he started to cry. My heart. broke to a million pieces. ¡°Oh, sweetheart, please tell me what¡¯s wrong,¡± I pleaded and he cried even harder. I held him to myself and let him cry until he was able to talk to shirt. me. He climbed into myp and buried his face in my ¡°Mom?¡± He called in his small voice. ¡°Yes sweetie?¡± I answered in a whisper, looking down at him.. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the way I acted yesterday. I was mad and upset, but I made you cry,¡± he started to cry again and I pressed my lips together, resisting tears of my own. If I cried while he was crying, it would be aplete disaster. ¡°Oh my baby, it¡¯s okay. It¡¯s really okay,¡± I said in a shaky voice that showed I was about to cry again. ¡°Are you going to cry again?¡± He asked, looking up at me with teary eyes. ¡°No,¡± I said with a smile, kissing his forehead. ¡°Of course not, my angel.¡± I said and he nodded. We stayed silent for a few minutes and he huped in my arms. ¡°I¡¯m sorry too,¡± I finally spoke and he looked up at me from his wet eyshes. He said nothing and I continued. ¡°I know you don¡¯t really understand, but I kept your daddy from you because I was trying to protect you,¡± I said and he looked like he was in thought. ¡°He hurt you,¡± he said and I could tell that he was thinking back to the conversation we had had in hist bathroom while I was bathing him. ¡°Yes,¡± I whispered and my voice broke as tears filled my eyes again. I looked away from him, takingContent is property ? N?velDrama.Org. deep breaths to keep my tears down. ¡°I didn¡¯t want him to take you away from me,¡± I could not hold back my tears and I started sobbing. I was both ashamed of myself and disappointed in my inability to control my tears and emotions, especially in front of my child. He got on his knees and hugged me. He held me tight and ran his little hands through my hair, offering all of thefort that he could give. ¡°No one is taking me from you, mommy. Not even daddy. I want to meet him and I wanted to know him but you¡¯re my mommy. You¡¯ve always been my mommy,¡± he said, cradling my cheeks and looking in my teary eyes. I felt blood rush to my face with the emotions that were swirling within me along the with embarrassment. This was going to be the first andst time he was ever going to see me cry so 11:13 Chapter 114 11 288 Wouchers openly. ¡°Okay,¡± I said and nodded. He smiled at me and kissed both of my cheeks before pecking my lip. We both giggled and I lifted him up and cradled him to my chest as I stood to my feet. ¡°Come on now, let¡¯s get you ready for the party,¡± I said. He did not seem as excited as he had been about the party in the other days, but I assumed it was because of the mood we had both been in. We were both still reeling from the outpouring of our pain and emotions and if it was affecting me this much, I could not imagine how it was for him. I set him in the ind and smiled at him. I started to run him a bath. While I did that, he brushed his teeth. Once the water was the right temperature, I moved him into the bathtub. Twenty minutester, he was out of the bath and in his small towelling robe. He left the bathroom quietly, too quietly for the bubbly kid he was. I stayed back and pulled out the plug. The water ran down the drain. When I walked out into his room, he was lying in bed. ¡°Francisco¡­¡± I called, now surprised and worried. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t want to go,¡± he said in a small voice, looking at me with big eyes. ¡°Why?¡± I asked, sitting at his feet. ¡°I¡­¡± He gulped and I hated that he seemed afraid of making a request from me. ¡°I want my daddy to be there¡­¡± He said and my heart sank. Chapter 116 Mates 115 Mates 115 Chapter 115 KAIDEN STIRLING I woke up to someone knocking on the door. I let out a groan and rolled over in my bed before I let out a huff. I opened my eyes and my pretty daughter¡¯s face was in my view. She was still asleep. Her lips were parted and strands of her blonde hair were in her face. A smile touched my face and I leant forward and kissed her forehead. I was about to attempt waking her up when the knock came again, reminding me that someone was at the door and I had been woken up by the person for a reason. I yawned and climbed out of the bed, heading for the door. I unlocked it and pulled it open. A maid was standing there and she seemed scared. She was new here, else I would have seen her face around. ¡°Yes?¡± I spoke and she winced. I was suddenly aware of my morning breath. Shit. ¡°Good morning, Alpha,¡± she said with a bowed head. ¡°I need to get Harper ready for school. The party at her school will begin soon,¡± she said and the whole reason I had been upset and locked myself up in my room the whole day came back to me. It was about this d**n party. F**k. ¡°Give me a few,¡± I said and she nodded. I left the door open and walked back to the bed. I gently lifted Harper from the middle of the bed and lifted her to the edge. ¡°Harper,¡± I called and she Chapter 115 WHE 288 Vouchers stirred, letting out a small huff of air. I smiled. She did not like her sleep being interrupted, and she had sleptte because we had talkedte into the night about her friends and her favorite teacher, the one I had met the day I first heard about the party. ¡°Princess, you need to wake up.¡± smoothed her hair and gently tapped on her cheeks. ¡°No,¡± she groaned and Iughed. ¡°You have to, princess. You¡¯ll miss the party.¡± She said and sighed in comint. She yawned and opened her pretty brown eyes. I smiled at her and she smiled back. ¡°Good morning, daddy,¡± she said, lifting her head off myrge hands. ¡°Morning princess,¡± I said, cradling her face and kissing her forehead. ¡°Morning breath!¡± She eximed andughed. Iughed too. ¡°Go get ready. She¡¯s waiting to help you get ready,¡± I said and pointed towards the door. The maid was peeping in and Harper smiled at her on sighting her. Her cheeks went red and Harper looked at me. ¡°I think she¡¯s shy,¡± Harper whispered. ¡°Yeah?¡± I asked, looking towards the maid with a thoughtful expression on my face. ¡°Uh-huh,¡± she nodded and hopped down from the bed. ¡°I¡¯ll tease her a bit,¡± Harper said with a mischievous smile in her face and I nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t do too much, princess,¡± I cautioned her and she smiled at me before attempting to wink. She ¡®winked¡¯ with both of her eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll be back, daddy,¡± she announced and walked out of the door, shutting it behind her. I stared at the door for a few minutes and let out a sigh. I felt like s***it because I was going to be disappointing my little princess. She had been excited for this party and I knew it was mostly because Francisco and I wereing. Now I was going 11:14 Chapter 115 11 288 Nouchers to take that joy from her. only hope was that Francisco would go. Of course he would, he already had his mother (who was a big pain in the f**g a**when she wanted to be) and someone who was ready to be his father, up to the point of taking a p from me. Now that I was thinking about it, me pping him was incredibly s**d. It was foolish, s*d a*nd all kinds of dumb. I had allowed my feelings to control me. I hated that Freda had affected me to that point, but I deserved it. I got up from my bed, refusing to think about how angry it made me¨Cthe thought that Freda would actually allow that human to go to the party as my son¡¯s father. I want into the bathroom and stood in front of the mirror. I did not look like s**t the way I had expected. I always seemed to forget that I was an alpha wolf, so even something as little as darkness under my eyes from a sleepless night and stress would clear overnight. ¡°F**g a**hole,¡± I said under my breath. ¡°You better not be referring to me,¡± Kai, my wolf said in return and I shut him out of my head. I was only able to finish brushing my teeth before a knock came on the door. I looked at the clock. I had taken thirty minutes. Well s**t¡­ I unlocked the door, half expecting Safiya to be standing there about to throw a tantrum. It was the maid from earlier, and my little princess dressed like a princess. She looked at me with a frown. She was wondering why I wasn¡¯t dressed yet. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you ready yet?¡± She asked and I almost smiled, knowing I had guessed right. Chapter 115 288 Vouchers ¡°I¡¯m noting, princess. I¡¯m feeling a little down, so I won¡¯t be able to make it.¡± I said and the frown on her lips deepened. Her lip quivered. She looked like she was going to cry. Oh shoot¡­ ¡°Princess¡­ Wow, all you had to do was look at me with your gorgeous eyes and I¡¯m fine now!¡± I said and grinned at her. Her teary eyes dried immediately. ¡°Yeah?¡± She smiled and I nodded. ¡°You go ahead. I¡¯ll be there soon,¡± I said. ¡°Promise?¡± She asked, holding out her pinky finger. ¡°Promise,¡± I said, linking my finger with hers.N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Mates 116 Mates 116 Chapter 116 FREDA WHITLOCK I found myself in front of the pack house, I hurried out of my car. I was breathless, scared and ashamed. But if I was going to do this to make my son happy, if was going to do it to make him feel better about the whole thing that had happened yesterday¡­ If I have to beg Kaiden Stirling to stand in as my son¡¯s father (which he actually was), Then i have to do it. Lyra had taken him to his school for the school party after I had promised him that Kaiden was going toe to the party. I was going to make hime, at any cost. I walked into the pack house and headed straight to the alpha¡¯s quarters, where I knew Kaiden was going to be. I took a deep breath and pushed open the door and the guard who seemed to be on duty looked at me warily, probably because of the determination on my face. I was not going to let him, or anyone stop me. This was for Francisco. ¡°I need to see the alpha. Don¡¯t tell him who it is, just tell him someone is here that has to see him,¡± I said and the maid close to him looked at him with amusement. ¡°Go now! please, ¡°I said to the maid and she nodded, hurrying towards the stairs. I was standing around the bottom of the stairs, waiting for him toe down. I did not expect to see Safiyaing down and I remembered that she lived here. It did not make me bitter. It only annoyed me because I knew she was going to try to make trouble. She definitely was. It was unavoidable. 11:14 285/Vouchers ¡°What are you doing here?¡± She asked and I let out a sigh. ¡°Look, Safiya. I¡¯m not trying to make trouble with you. I hate that I have to do this, but I don¡¯t have a choice and I¡¯m not going to let you stop me.¡± I said with a determination in my voice that made even her freeze. ¡°What are you even talking about? That does not answer my question,¡± she said with a voice that sounded almost hateful. I knew she hated me but I was not going to allow her ruin this day, Not today. ¡°I¡¯m here to see my son¡¯s father. My son needs to see him,¡± I said with a sigh and her face immediately turned red with fury. I had not intended to anger her further but I had. ¡°Get out of here, right now. You¡¯ve done enough,¡± she said and my eyes flew in the direction of the stairs as soon as I heard footsteps. It was Kaiden with the maiding behind him. ¡°Oh goddess,¡± he sighed on sighting me and my sister standing together a few feet away from him. ¡°What is this? What¡¯s going on?¡± He asked. He looked perfectly healthy and at the same time, he looked sickly and exhausted. It could just be that I was slowly losing my mind, or he was actually a mix of both. ¡°I need you toe to the party,¡± I said, going straight to the point. ¡°What?¡± He questioned, looking at me as if he doubted what he had just heard, as if he was wondering if he had heard right. ¡°Come to the party, please.¡± I said again, looking away from Safiya who was now ring back and forth between us. ¡°What party?¡± She asked, but she aspletely ignored when Kaiden spoke again.¡±Why? So you can rub it in my face that you¡¯re trying to rece me?¡± He asked in a voice that betrayed none of his emotions, absolutely nothing of what he was Chapter 116 feeling. 288 Wouchers ¡°Huh??¡± Safiya spoke and yet again she was ignored. ¡°I don¡¯t n to do that, Kaiden. Please just listen to me,¡± He pressed his lips together before he spoke. ¡°I¡¯m listening,¡± he said and I sighed. ¡°Francisco knows.¡± I said and his eyes widened. ¡°Knows what?¡± He asked, trying to be sure that it was what he was thinking. I rolled my eyes and that was the answer he needed. ¡°What? How?¡± He asked and I sighed. ¡°He heard our argument yesterday and he knows. He was excited for the party but after what happened yesterday, he said he¡¯s not going anymore, except it¡¯s with you,¡± I exined and his eyes widened. ¡°Can someone exin what the f**k is going on here?¡± Safiya fumed and once more, she was ignored. ¡°Please Kaiden, you can talk about how upset you are about what happened yesterday sure that Paper was going to make it out of this. She just had She was a smart adorable chic and seeing her wing frail and repless with tubes plugged to her body broke my heart. Sre don¡¯t deserve it and cont celieve Seriva ceciced to keep it away from the child¡¯s father when he could have beer there for misid I could imagine how tom Kacen must be feeing at the moment. We stayed together just enjoying each other¡¯s presence. It was notting sersial justforting Just like he had core for me the night before when I was almost falling apart. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me sooner? You know how much I adore Harper, I asked, still leaning my heed on his Crest Freda, you¡¯ve had a lot going on and right now you still do. How could I tell someone that was fighting for her life that my daughter is terminally ill?¡± He asked in a conficted tone. He was right. ¡°Can¡¯t we go inside and see her? I asked as I suddenly began to wonder why we stood outside the ward. ¡°The doctor hasn¡¯t given permission yet. He says her condition is still very sensitive. He says her chance of surviving this is just 50-50¡ã. My heart ached at the way Kaiden¡¯s voice broke. I remembered when Cisco was ill how worried I was about him but only that Harper had a heart disease which was so much worse My heart ached for the little girl. First she had to fall off the stairs and now a heart disease? Oh goddess, how could all this happen to this sweet child. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Harper had to go through the pain of seeing her parents grow further apart. That was the worst trauma any child could face. I looked through the ss and saw her condon and I couldn¡¯t hold myself together anymore. Tears trickled down my cheeks silently and I held Kaiden a little tighter. It wasn¡¯t fair. It wasn¡¯t fair how the innocent ones were getting punished. What was the goddess¡¯s n?. ¡°Some people are just shameless,¡± a nurse said, drawing my attention. I was still hugging Kaiden at the time. I was willing to give him the emotional support he needed. ¡°Tell me about it¡± another female voice joined in the conversation. ¡°His Luna is outside crying her eyes out and here he is hugging another woman¡°.. ¡°How shameful¡± the other nurse spat as they passed us by. They were clearly talking about Kaiden but I wasn¡¯t sure I heard theirst statement properly. Safiya was crying outside? Surprised, I pulled away from the hug as I looked at Kaiden questionly but he seemed to have read my mind because he held out his hand to stop me from speaking. ¡°No talk of Safiya. Not anymore. She¡¯s nothing!¡± He growled and I sighed. I would let it rest for now. We ignored thements of the nurses and watched Harper. Even when my knees ached and my head pounded, we stood outside the ward. Even when silent tears trickled down Kaiden¡¯s cheeks and I was lost on how tofort him, we still stood outside the ward. We stood outside the ward for a long time just watching Harper in silence. I held my drip stand for support. I was long due for a nap. My legs were aching but I wasn¡¯t willing to leave Kaiden¡¯s side. ¡°Let¡¯s go Freda¡± he finally said as if sensing my thoughts. He looked a bit relieved as he turned to face me and I gave him a small smile because I knew why. Because Harper wasn¡¯t alone in this. We were going to fight this¡­.. together!. Mates 166 Mates 166 KAIDEN STIRLING I stood with my arms crossed, leaning against the wall close to the window. My eyes had been on Freda most of the day after I had made here back to bed. Despite the conversation we hadst night, I could not help but feel like she had not grasped the severity of the situation she was in. The slightest mistake- walking or stressing at the wrong time- could trigger the wolfsbane that was embedded in her system. That was the absolutest thing I wanted. The detoxification drips seemed to have been taking effect on her, but they were not as fast as her body needed. With the wolfsbane in her system, she was just a human. No fast healing, no connection to her wolf, no tethering to the moon. I did not know what that felt like, but just the thought of all those abilities being taken from me made me feel a sense of hopelessness. That had to be what she was feeling. I hated it because I could not help her. Nothing I could do could help her. I could only protect her in this moment of her weakness and hope that the drips worked fast and well. I looked out of the window, thinking of the situation with the werewolf council. I sighed. The fact that she was going to have to sit through the trial infuriated me to no end. It had started on an unjust note, but I was determined to make sure she was proven innocent like she was. I had sent a message to the owners and managers of the 0.06%2 13:11700 N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. ENDAS TRE $ 288 Vouchers shopping mall. I had requested a list of the names of every single person who had transacted at the shopping mall that day, along with CCTV footage. It was not so hard for them to agree because I was the Alpha, and I could not possibly do anything to harm them or their business. The only thing that had proven a little difficult was their obligation to protect the privacy of their customers and Dane had handled that. I looked away from the window as soon as my ears registered footstepsing in my direction. It was Lyra. She tucked her hands into the pockets of her hoodie. ¡°You need to go home, Kaiden,¡± she said, giving me a straight face. I chuckled, watching her carefully. ¡°You¡¯re sending me away?¡± I asked and there was a crack in her expression. A small smile. She managed to put her act back together as she tipped her chin up. I could not hide my grin. ¡°Shut up. Go home, you stink,¡± she said, wrinkling her nose. I shook my head. ¡°I had a shower this morning before you and Francisco came. What are you talking about?¡± I asked with a teasing look and she rolled her eyes. ¡°Alright, alright. You got me,¡± she chuckled. ¡°Go home. Get some rest. You need it,¡± she said and I pressed my lips together. I was not sure I could do that. I was quite fine where I was. I shook my head and started to speak when she held up a hand and cut me off. ¡°Kaiden, seriously.¡± She started and sighed. ¡°You have to get some rest. We really appreciate this, but if you break down or start to fall sick, it¡¯s not going to be okay,¡± she said. I smiled at her. ¡°Thanks a lot for your concern, Lyra, but I¡¯m fine. I need to keep an eye on her,¡± I responded 22.13% III 13:17 Her eyebrows rose and I registered an offended looking unto her face. ¡°Shit,¡± I muttered under my breath. She had won. ¡°Are you trying to say I can¡¯t take care of my best friend?¡± She questioned, backing up a bit so I could get a proper look at the sassy expression on her face. ¡°Lyra, no¡­¡± I started to say but she stopped me from talking. ¡°Alright then. You need to go. You cane back first thing in the morning and keep guard over her, Prince Charming.¡± She said, rolling her eyes. ¡°But for tonight, you need to go home,¡± she said and smiled. She knew she had won. ¡°Fuck you,¡± I muttered under my breath, walking towards a chair at the far left of the room to get my jacket. ¡°What was that?¡± She questioned. ¡°Thank you,¡± I said, looking at her with a smile. She grinned. She knew what I had said. I returned the smile genuinely and lifted my jacket off the chair. I walked towards Freda. She seemed to be half asleep and Francisco was lying cuddled up beside her. ¡°Hey,¡± I whispered. Her eyes fluttered open and then focused on me. Her lips stretched into a tired smile. ¡°Hey,¡± she said. Her voice was much better. ¡°I¡¯ll be going home tonight, as per Lyra¡¯s instructions. I¡¯ll see you tomorrow morning,¡± I said and she chuckled at the Lyra part. She hesitated before nodding. A part of me was overjoyed at the fact that she did not want to see me go. I had to give her and her closest family space. I was going to have to leave. ¡°First thing in the morning,¡± I said and leaned forward to kiss her forehead. ¡°Hold out for me, yeah?¡± I said with a smile. ¡°Yeah,¡± she held my hand and squeezed it before letting 47.82% 13.17) 288 Vouchers it go. ¡°See you tomorrow big guy,¡± I ruffled Francisco¡¯s hair even though he was asleep. I headed for the door, resisting the urge to go back to Freda and kiss her forehead again. I wanted to take things slow with her, even though I was not sure what exactly we were doing or what she wanted. I wanted whatever she wanted. I would go as fast and as slow as she wanted. Anything. ¡°Bye lover boy,¡± Lyra teased, pushing me out the door and sliding it shut with a grin. I let out an aggravated sigh, wishing I could give her a small punch. Just a small one. I pulled my jacket over my shoulders and headed to Harper¡¯s ward. It had been two days since I had last seen her up close since I had seen her smile since I had heard her call me since I had heard herugh. She was the star in my little sr system and I was not very sure I could carry on without her. I looked away from her, feeling agony fist my heart in its grip and squeeze tight. I could not bear to see her like that anymore. It was cowardly, but I turned around and walked away. Down the hallway, down another hallway, and out of the hospital. ¡°Two of you, in front of Freda Whitlock¡¯s room till I get there. tomorrow,¡± I said to the six guards in front of the hospital. I watched them till they got their things and headed into the hospital. I took my phone and car key out of the pocket of my jacket and headed for my car. I got in and started it. I dialed Lyra¡¯s number as I drove out of the parking space. ¡°Is there a guard in front of your door?¡± I asked as soon as she picked up the call. There was a short pause followed by some 23.17% shuffling. ¡°Yeah,¡± she answered and then, after a moment, added, ¡°Thanks.¡± I smiled and hung up without another word. Mates 167 Mates 167 Chapter 167 288 Vouchers Chapter 167 KAIDEN STIRLING I walked into the pack house. As soon as I walked in, all the adrenaline and energy that had been coursing through my veins evaporated and I was weighed down by the magnitude of exhaustion my body had been enduring. I made it to the Alpha¡¯s quarters by some magic. I headed straight for my room. As soon as I shut the door, I took off the jacket, tossing my phone and the keys to the bed. I headed to the bathroom, taking off my clothes on the way. I set the temperature of the water I wanted. I stared I¡¯m the mirror as I waited for the water to heat up. I groaned and ran my hand down my face as I looked at myself in the mirror. There were a lot of things wrong with me; with the man in my reflection. I could see the pain in his eyes, the exhaustion in his posture, the torture that was underneath his skin, damaging him beyond repair. I couldn¡¯tin. I couldn¡¯t cry. I had done this to myself; he had done it to himself. I stepped into the shower cubicle, turning on the water. It was scalding. Just like I liked it. It helped to soothe my strained and tired muscles. I was exhausted. Goddess, I was tired. I felt myself melt into a puddle, and before I knew it, I was on my knees. I wanted to cry. I needed something to relieve the effect of the 0.00% ||| 14.310 Chapter 167 agony I was going through. I needed to breathe. I needed air around me. 288 IVouchers It was like there was nothing. No air, no one, no light, no future. I was in the dark. The ce I had put myself. ¡°F**k,¡± I muttered under my breath, feeling the air get stuck in my lungs. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. I started to**b, surprising myself. This was not the usual. I could not get my cries out. No tears, no air. Just pain. F**k. ¡°F***,¡± I choked. Freda. I felt like the worst piece of s** for depending on someone I hadpletely shattered, but her voice was the one thing I wanted to hear. She was the only one who could save me from this pit of self-hatred, self-pity, and hell I had dug for myself. I wanted to scream, but I feared that the ss around me would shatter and hurt me. Kill me even. I had promised Freda. I could not die. I was going to keep her alive. I had made enough bad choices and she had suffered for them. I was not going to hurt her more. I gathered myself to my feet, shutting off the water, and then headed out of the shower cubicle, covered in steam. I toweled myself dry and as I pulled on a shirt, my body reminded me of how hungry I was. I pulled on a pair of grey sweatpants and headed towards the door, holding a towel to my hair. It was dripping wet and I did not want water dripping everywhere. I took my phone.from the bedside table as I headed out of the room, just in case Freda or Lyra wanted to reach out to me. I suddenly remembered that I lived in this ce with Safiya. I let out a sigh, running my free hand down, hoping and praying that 31.75% 14:31 Chapter 167 288 iVouchers she was not there. I hoped that by some magic she had decided to leave this ce so that I would have some peace for myself. That was too much to hope for, apparently. Because as I walked into the kitchen, I found Safiya sitting on a barstool in front of the ind. I let out a sigh, not sure if I could deal with whatever drama she would want to bring. Maybe it would be the perfect excuse to go back to the hospital. I had taken a bath Luke Lyra wanted. I had not ¡®rested¡¯ as she instructed, but she didn¡¯t have to know that. I could sleep in a different room from Freda¡¯s ward, as long as I was close to Freda. I sighed again and walked into the kitchen. She looked up when she heard my footsteps. She was looking at some papers that she had strewn across the ind. I pressed my lips together. I was going to act like she was there. It was simple. I did not care about her. It was easy to ignore her. ¡°Kaiden,¡± she uttered my name, shattering the decision I had made earlier. ¡°You¡¯re home?¡± She asked. I acted like I heard nothing. ¡°What are these?¡± She asked and I ignored her. If it wasn¡¯t for how hungry I was, I would have turned around, gone back upstairs, locked my door, and buried myself in the bedsheets. Mates 168 Mates 168 Chapter 168 KAIDEN STIRLING This is a total catastrophe. I was the one who married her and now I have to bear it, this must be the reason the moon goddess did not make her my mate. Despite not wanting to talk to her and pretend she¡¯s not around she just always finds a way to wear me out and make my life a living hell. I really shouldn¡¯t havee back regardless of the persuasion from Lyra though it¡¯s for my good. If only I had chosen Freda over her but was swayed by my s**y and her iniquitous endowment. I looked at her swollen and bloodshot eyes, she looked like she just finished acting as a red-eyed ghost in a horror movie. She looked different, unlike the time we were dating, If she looked like this maybe I would have left her because one would instantly faint seeing her scary face once not brave. Not that she was so ugly but her heart was so ugly that It has clouded all the beauty in her. With how puffy her eyes were anyone could tell that she had been crying a lot. All the I looked at her rounded protruding belly and imagined my child inside swimming happily in his personal pool. My face lightened up a bit as I thought of myself holding its little hand. would have to calm her down so she looks better, her body is surely getting affected by her emotional instability and it can affect my baby and I wouldn¡¯t like that for my darling. I can¡¯t allow my baby to be a scary-eyed horror baby when it is giving birth to. 0.00% 1431 Chapter 188 288 Vouchers In her current state of mind entuating her current state of face only Goddess knows what evil she is nning and what she would do. If she can allow Harper without her medications knowing the implications of having a heart problem that has now resulted in a worsened condition even though she¡¯s her child then she can also attempt getting rid of this one too once she starts feeling vengeful, she might hurt it without thinking twice. She also hurt Freda, and her family without care so I am sure she is capable of doing any bad thing. I wish Freda was here to hold me with her soothing hand, I will dly give myself to her, she would pacify my heart and my soul. Even her presence is enough to calm me and refine my life. I would love her forever but living with Safiya is the opposite causing me one problem after another. I need to be very careful and watchful. Looks like I would have to watch her closely by sending someone to secretly go after her in case she wants to try any daft or wicked thing and I will also start watching her closely anytime I can. Suddenly, she turned to me with a fierce re, her eyes zing as if she could devour me whole. Her gaze then shifted to the paper, which only intensified her rage. She whipped her head back to me, her eyes shing with fury, leaving me dizzy. It seemed like her anger had reached a boiling point as if her brain had short-circuited or even fried. ¡°I asked you a question! What are these and why are they here?¡± She interrupted my thoughts and spilled her words like hot water on me. I sighed wondering how long this madness wouldst, I would 34.06% 14:31 have disappeared a long time ago if I could. I walked towards the minimalist luxe styled pantry admiring the high-gloss finishes giving the pantry a touch of mour and smooth and shiny surface. Allowing just a touch of Freda in my life has made my life better and she smoothened some **ks in my heart only that I couldn¡¯t do the same for her. I opened the pantry and took out a box of cereal. ¡°Hmph, grrrr¡± Safiya roared. She¡¯s turning into a lion I bet and it¡¯s none of my business then I remembered she asked me a question which I didn¡¯t reply. ¡°Oops, I forget about your question. You are the one with the papers so why don¡¯t you do the honors of telling me what is written in there¡± I answered nonchntly. I was so not in the mood for an argument or problem because of the way she looked at the paper and I was like we were a trouble to her and I just wanted to eat and off to my room to sleep. If I married Freda we would have been living together and wouldn¡¯t be afraid to enter my own kitchen. ¡°You are nning to divorce me?¡± She asked. ¡°Oh shoot¡±I whispered sadly to myself. Bye-bye to me having peace tonight. Thewyer must have stopped by and dropped the papers I requested for.Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!