Rejection and Redeemed

Chapter 6

CHAPTER 6

F ran had driven the roads for hours, he ignored his phone and all the calls and messages he had received to focus on finding Jacob. He pulled off the road at a garage to fill his car up and grab some water. He leant against the side of his car and thought about where Jacob could be. If he was kicked out of his pack, made a lone wolf and an outcast, where would he go? Not somewhere that was pack held. He stood up straighter. Jacob would be looking for somewhere safe to stay.

Fran wracked his brains. Yes, there was a village not far away that was just outside of the Pullman pack lands. He would go there and have a look and see if he could find Jacob.

The tank was now full, so putting the toggle back and closing the petrol cap, he walked into the station. He grabbed some water and sweets, then spied takeaway coffee and got one of them as well. Once everything was paid for, he swiftly walked back to his car.

It took him about forty minutes to get there and then he had to decide which of the two hotels Jacob might have booked himself into. He thought he would try the biggest one first, and if that was a bust he would try the next one.

Fran drove round to the hotel car park and parked his car. He got out, and as he did, he caught the faint scent of frankincense and mint. So Jacob had come here. He sighed in relief and leaving his car where it was, he followed the lingering scent. He found it by the reception and in the car park, but apart from that he couldn’t find it again.

Looking around in frustration, Fran saw some lodges off to one side. If he was staying here, he would want a lodge. Hoping that was Jacob’s thinking as well, Fran decided to have a walk around and see if he could find Jacob.

Luck was on his side, he picked up Jacob’s scent again, close to one of the lodges. As he got closer, he saw a car parked outside of it. He stepped close to the car and smelt Jacob all around it.

Fran sighed. Jacob was safe, he could stop worrying now. Well, not quite, he was still worried about Jacob and what had happened to him. He debated for all of a minute before he decided to knock on the lodge door.

Jacob had finished his burger and chips, and was now drinking his coffee. His laptop was open, with all the bank cards on the table and the paper containing all the bank details. He was just logging onto one of the banks when there was a knock at the lodge door.

Frowning, Jacob wondered if the waiter had forgotten something. Sighing, he got up and threw open the door, only to take a step back when he saw his blue-haired mate standing there.

“What do you want? I’m not on pack land?” Jacob demanded.

“That’s not why I was here. I heard what happened and I ...”

“Came to gloat?”

Fran shook his head. “No, I came to see if you were okay, and if there was anything I could do to help you.”

Jacob gave a rude snort. “Like you could help me. You do know I’m an Alpha heir, right? And what are you?”

That stung, but instead of allowing Jacob’s words to hurt him he replied, “No, you were an Alpha heir, now you’re a lone wolf and an outcast.”

Pain flashed in Jacob’s eyes for a moment.

Fran sighed. “I’m not here for anything, except to make sure that you’re alright. I can feel from here you’re in pain. Have you shifted, or can I have a look at your injuries?”

“I’ll shift in a bit, I have things to do first.”

“Anything I can help with?” Fran offered.

“Yeah, you can help by going away. I don’t need anything from you,” Jacob told him curtly.

“That’s debatable,” Fran said. “Look, can I come in? I’ve been driving round looking for you for hours, I could do with a coffee.”

Jacob scowled. “Fine, but don’t touch anything.”

Fran walked in. “Like I would want to touch anything of yours.”

Jacob slammed the door behind him. “And what’s wrong with my stuff?”

“Well, it’s yours, that should be enough for anyone not to want to touch it,” Fran shot back. He looked around and saw the laptop opened on a banking app and all the cards. “If you’re planning to steal money from your father’s accounts, that could land you in more problems.”

Jacob snorted. “I’m a lone wolf and an outcast. How much worse can it get?”

“Death seems worse,” Fran pointed out, walking to the kitchen and making himself a coffee.

“I’m not on any pack lands, no wolf can hurt me here,” Jacob pointed out.

Now it was Fran’s turn to snort. “Sure, keep telling yourself that. Any wolf that comes across you anywhere can hurt you or potentially kill you.”

“Look, just drink your coffee and go, I have things to do,” Jacob said, sitting back down at the table, but making no move to log in.

“Pleasant chap, aren’t you? I can’t believe the fates thought we would be a good match,” Fran said, taking a sip of his drink.

“Like I want to be mated to you.”

Fran could feel the hostility coming off Jacob towards him.

“I’m still holding out hope that Fintan comes to his senses and comes back to me.”

Fran laughed, to hide the hurt he felt inside. “You do understand that Finn is true mated to Robert? Nothing short of death can separate those two, and even with that, I’m pretty sure they’ll find each other in the afterlife. You broke your mating with him, there’s nothing you can do that could undo that. And just so you know, I’m pretty sure I’m it for you. You can say the words to me and break our mating bond, but the fates won’t give you a third one. You’ll be alone forever, with your bad ‘I need no one’ attitude.” Fran put his cup down. “Now I know you’re safe, I’ll leave you. Try to stay off any pack lands.” And with that, without looking at Jacob, Fran walked out of the lodge, closing the door behind him.

He didn’t want to leave Jacob alone and unprotected, but he couldn’t stay in a room where it was obvious he wasn’t wanted. He would shift into his wolf and sit in the woods and watch over Jacob tonight, then think about what he needed to do tomorrow. He could take time off work and just stalk Jacob, or he could leave him alone and hope that one day soon Jacob came to his senses.

Jacob watched his mate walk out of the lodge. On the one hand he was glad that he had gone and on the other he wasn’t. He was so confused. He loved Fintan, he wanted him back, didn’t he? Dammit, he was an Alpha heir and what was his supposed mate? An enforcer at best, was he supposed to spend his life with an enforcer? Where would they even live? He was an outcast, he couldn’t join a pack, and his mate looked like he needed one.

His eyes dropped to the bank accounts he was about to take money from. A lot of the money came from his mother’s family, not his father. Surely that would mean he was more entitled to it than Cresswell. He wished he could ask someone, but there was no one he could ask.

And what if Cresswell was right about how an Alpha does behave? That would mean that his whole training from his father was wrong. Could it be possible? He thought of what his father made him do to Fintan. Would another Alpha have asked him to do that? He slumped down in the chair. He was confused and had no one to talk to about it.

Just then his phone pinged. He didn’t know who would be messaging him, as far as he knew no one from his old pack was allowed to contact him.

He pulled his phone towards him and looked to see a message from Joe.

Hope you’re safe. If you need anything, message me. I don’t care what the new Alpha says, you’re my friend.

Jacob was touched, but he worried about Joe.

Thanks, I’m safe. Make sure no one knows about you contacting me, I don’t want you to be kicked out as well.

He paused for a moment, then sent another message .

Watch out for Nidal, he’ll do anything to get in with the new Alpha.

He didn’t have to wait long for a reply.

I’ll be careful. I saw Nidal heading towards the pack house earlier.

Jacob snorted to himself. Nidal was a wolf that latched onto whomever he thought would help him later in life. That was the only reason he hung out with Jacob, because he was the heir apparent.

Delete all these messages so no-one can read them.

Will do. Be safe.

And you.

Jacob put his phone down and looked back at his laptop, still open on the banking app. Sighing, he closed the app down, annoyed with himself for not taking what he was owed. Still, he had the credit cards he could use instead.

Fran walked back to his car so he could grab his phone — he wasn’t leaving, he would sleep in his car if necessary. He opened the car door and sat down sideways, grabbing a handful of sweets to eat before he picked his phone up. As he had ignored all calls and messages since he left the castle, he had lots. He was just about to open the first one when his phone rang. It was Ezzy.

He was in two minds about answering it. His finger hovered over the accept button, but then at the last moment he decided to ignore it. He also didn’t read any of the messages but sent one to the HR director at the hospital, saying that something had come up and he needed to take a leave of absence immediately and didn’t know how long for, but he would be back as soon as he could.

That done, Fran rested his head on the back of his seat, looking towards the lodge where Jacob was staying. He would wait until he saw the lights go off in Jacob’s lodge and then shift into his wolf. There were trees close by and he could hide in them, watching over his mate. He wouldn’t get much sleep, but that couldn’t be helped. Protecting his mate was more important than sleep.