Rejected Mate's Redemption (Freda and James) novel Chapter 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 I laugh.
“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 explained 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.
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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 plagued with for years?
I let out a small sigh and reached for a butterfly that landed on a blade 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, come on. Let’s go make a sandwich,” I called out to Francisco before I glanced at Lyra who had laid 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 uncomfortable.
“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.”
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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 villain 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 in laughter.
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 he laughed, 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 place 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,
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because for some odd reason, unlike other children, Francisco absolutely loved vegetables. Well, any vegetable that was not broccoli.
I smiled at the thought and carried out the three sandwiches with cold pineapple juice and a chocolate 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 glared 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.
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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–” 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.