The defiant mate by Fennifer Francis novel Chapter 28

He was sitting in what could only be a sitting room, in a large white brick mansion in a gated community, about 40 minutes outside the city. He had noted the coded gate and the 10-foot high brick fencing around the property, the security camera’s at the gate and along the driveway covering the front door.

He was willing to bet this was where she was when he couldn’t track her down after she had run from his pack.

They had been met at the front door, both Tony and Lauren waiting for him. He had not smiled at them and neither of them had smiled at him. A basic greeting and introduction had been given by his father.

And they had all pretty much just nodded at each other.

He had been led inside.

The place exuded wealth, there was white marble everywhere, with floor-to-ceiling columns off to the side of the entry way, a wrought iron railing with a redwood handrail going up the curved stair case to the second floor, with matching stairs, a deep red carpet runner that was held in place with small thin golden rods at each tread.

It was more luxurious than even his pack house. His pack members wanted for nothing and the ground floor was all for them, a massive home theatre, games room with entertainment tailored to their needs, multiple gaming consoles and TVs, table tennis, pinball machines, pool tables, air hockey, everything they wanted, they just had to ask.

There was a gym, an indoor heated swimming pool, spa’s and a sauna. The library that hosted multiple sitting areas’s where all the teenagers liked to hang out with each other and listen to music or just sit and chat. He could only imagine this house had many of the same things within its walls, it was extremely large and though it was just Tony, Lauren and Rae-Rae, it was clear they did not want for anything.

His mother and father were sitting next to him on the very plush couch, and both Tony and Lauren were sitting opposite him, an antique coffee table between them. Micheal and Rae-Rae were standing across the other side of the room. Micheal had had the sense to step well away from him the minute he had walked into the room.

Nathan had locked eyes with him and Havoc had looked out from his eyes right at him as well. His wolf may not yet understand, why Nathan was angry with his little brother, but he was letting himself be known to Micheal, that he was back and the boy had better bow down and do as he was told by his Alpha.

Micheal had clutched at Rae-Rae’s hand and pulled her away to the other end of the room. She had looked more than confused, but had gone with him. Nathan guessed this family unit did not know what Micheal had done to Jay-la with her triples just meters away.

He supposed that would not go down so well and would hinder the Mate Bond proces, so his parents and Micheal had probably not told them.

Tony and Lauren had watched the interaction between the two brothers with interest. He did not know what to expect from this visit, all he knew was that Jay-la had been here and taken away by Jackson and his unit at roughly 8am this morning. It was already 3pm.

He had been unconscious until almost 2pm out cold for a day and a half, annoyed him to no end, but he finally did feel well rested for the first time in weeks.

Seeing as he had barely been sleeping since Jay-la had run away from him, defying him at every turn. ‘we’ll su**ck her good; Havoc chortled, happy knowing that they would be with their mate tonight.

It would be late at night, after midnight likely, but still his mate and pups were there. They were finally going to be able to sort out everything that had happened between them, which had lead to this goddess awful situation. Hopefully, she wouldn’t blame him for the current situation she found herself in at the pack.

He had taken his mother’s advice, showered, shaved and styled his hair, pulled on a black suit, but removed the jacket he didn’t want to appear too formal. He was wearing a light grey dress shirt, left the top button undone, he had decided in the shower he would at least try to placate this family, seeing as these were the people who had taken in Jay-la and helped her with the triplets because he had not been around to do so, he had also recalled how Jackson had report her reaction to the man when he had gone to her office.

Jay-la appeared to really love these people, which meant he was going to have to get along with them, so he had to be polite and give them what they wanted, well to a degree anyhow.

He would show respect to them. He sat across from them, there was still no smile on his face, as he wanted to appear neutral at this point.

“Where is Jay-la? I recognised your men. They were the ones who came and took her this morning as well as the children?”

“I didn’t know anything about that until just over an hour ago,” Nathan answered honestly, “but I believe her mother was seriously injured, on the verge of dying. I just found out myself. My men acted on their own..they were friends with Jay-la growing up. They probably just wanted to help her in a time of need, I imagine”.

“The woman in the video.” Lauren frowned is her mother? We didn’t think she had a family.”

“What video, and she still has both parents and a brother” Lauren produced a phone from a pocket of her jacket, and accessed it. Showed him the video of Vera on the hospital bed, bloody wound dressings covering her arms, chest, part of her face, her abdomen and down her legs ‘bloody Abbey, how stupid could she be’ he thought. He sighed heavily, it was no wonder she was pouring out distress.

He turned the phone off, having seen enough, “her phone?” he enquired and at Lauren’s nod, he simply put it in his shirt pocket, he would give it back to her once he was back, at the pack.

“Looks like it was an animal attack.” Lauren pointed out.

“It was a wolf, I believe,” his mother spoke. “We live quite close to a forest and there is a natural wolf population there. Both Tony and Lauren’s eyes moved to their only child. He could see worry written on both of them “She will be safe”‘ Nathan assured them “Wolf attacks don’t happen often and when they do we deal with them quickly and put the blood-thirsty ones out of their misery… As for Jay-la and the triplets” he avoided calling them his children he didn’t think that would go over well with them just yet. they are perfectly safe, and completely unharmed.”

“I’d like to know of your intentions where our dear Jay-la is involved? I’m sure you can see why we are troubled about her, where you are concerned.” Tony’s attention was returned to Nathan as he spoke, his brown eyes boring into him, just like a good dad trying to be threatening and authoritative.

Nathan was not currently giving off any alpha aura, Havoc was sitting at the back of his mind listening but not participating, he wanted to appear human and of no threat to this family. “Marriage.” he stated simply “l know we have some issues to work out. But we will work them out.”

“Some?” Tony frowned at him, shaking his head slightly.

“Yes…l assure you it is all just a misunderstanding, Jay-la has read things wrongly, and we will work them out”

“Your wife, Sophia?”

Now that did surprise him. Just how much did they know.

“Divorced, 2 and half years. Didn’t work out,” he shrugged.

“Do you think she’ll marry you? Just because the two of you share children. Because I don’t” Tony said, being very direct.

“love her, always have.” Nathan replied calmly. He had in fact thoroughly enjoyed being in a relationship with her, he had not actually had s*x with anyone else while he was sleeping with her, not even thought about it actually, so he could suppose that somewhere deep down inside, a part of him felt that very real connection to her, a bond, that is now the Mate Bond. Once she scented him out everything would be able to be worked out.

“Then why tell her to leave and marry someone else?” Rae-Rae shot at him from across the room, anger lacing her words.

His eyes moved to her, she had some guts. He thought to himself “extenuating circumstances.” He shrugged, he couldn’t answer that question truthfully, none of them would understand. Rae-Rae would eventually understand it. Once marked and mated by Micheal.

“That’s bullshit. She told me herself, you loved your wife.” She called him on it, right away.

He watched as Micheal tried to get her to stop and just be quiet.

To his complete surprise, she shoved his hands away from her and stomped right over to him, right next to him and pointed a finger right in his face, anger still coming from her. So much like his mother, he thought absently, very ballsy.

“lf you loved her, how could you send her away and tell her never to come back?” she demanded.

“Again” extenuating circumstances, perhaps one day you will understand Rae-Rae” he replied calmly. He quite liked the little human and he could see why Jay-la did, she had a fierceness about her. Probably reminded Jay-la of a wolf.

“I should beat you,” she snapped, “like she was,” Nathan frowned at her. “I have never wished harm on her Rae-Rae, I assure you. I just wanted her to come home. I missed her… had no idea about the triplets at all. I’m sorry for that. You have no idea how sorry.”

She stood there glaring down at him, completely unaware that she would never be allowed to do it again, never get away with this behaviour and attitude towards him in the future..