Chapter 10
CHAPTER 10
“ I love that colour blue,” Finn said. He was sat on the side of the bath, watching Fran colour his hair.
“I was thinking of changing the blue to red.”
Finn screwed his nose up. “I can’t imagine you as a redhead. When I think of you, I don’t think of you having red hair. Did you know your wolf has blue tufts of hair?”
“I didn’t until Jacob told me this morning.”
“Noticed that, did he?” Finn said smiling.
“It was probably hard to miss. It didn’t mean anything,” Fran said, as he finished putting the colour on. “He probably doesn’t like my blue hair anyway.”
“Then he’s an idiot,” Finn said.
“Yeah, but maybe I am as well,” Fran combed the colour through.
“What do you mean?”
Fran finished combing his hair and put it down before he turned to look at his friend and sighed. “Maybe I could have been more understanding. I should have insisted on looking at his wounds, made sure he really was alright.”
“I seriously doubt there was any more you could have done. You know Ezzy is pissed off with you, don’t you?”
“I didn’t choose Jacob, the fates did,” Fran protested.
Finn shook his head. “Not because of Jacob, because you found your mate and didn’t tell him.”
Fran slumped down on the closed toilet lid. “I wasn’t sure how anyone, especially you, would take the announcement that Jacob was my mate. I thought I would have to leave you all behind to be with him, but there’s no way I would leave any of you or my job, so I was just going to ignore the mating pull as much as I could. But when I realised what had happened to him, I had to find him and make sure he was safe.” His shoulders slumped. “In all the dreams I had about meeting my mate, never once was there any scenario where my mate would be in love with someone else, be a lone wolf, an outcast, or even hate me.” He felt his eyes well.
Finn jumped up and rushed to his side, kneeling next to him and pulling him into a hug. “He doesn’t hate you, he just doesn’t know you yet. As for being in love with me, I really don’t think he is. I think he’s trying to latch on to me because I’m something familiar. And as for being an outcast and lone wolf, your uncle will sort all that out, you’ll see.”
Fran sagged against Finn. “This is all such a mess.”
Finn pulled back. “And not just my top that’s now covered in hair dye,” he said looking down and laughing.
Fran looked at Finn’s top. “Oops, sorry about that.”
Finn shrugged. “It’s just a top. I can buy a new one on our next shopping trip.”
“You can. We’ll have fun, just like the last one.”
Jacob needed air. He had showered, dressed and re-bandaged his arm. He was still sore and now hungry.
Not wanting to be alone with his thoughts anymore, Jacob left his lodge and walked to the main hotel, hoping the restaurant was still open.
He was in luck and was now sat at a table, waiting for his brunch to arrive, nursing a large coffee.
He thought back over his childhood, which while his mother had been alive had been good, but as soon as she died, it was like a switch had been flipped in his father. He would never have won father of the year even back then, but he got so much worse after she died.
He had to deal with the beatings his father gave him to toughen him up, the mental abuse, the anger, and yes at times, the hatred spewed his way. And his Alpha lessons, of how to be exactly like his father and how to lead the pack in the same way his father had, with fear and an iron fist.
Jacob wasn’t sure what to believe anymore. He was just plain confused over everything.
On the one hand he was judged and found lacking, but if he judged anyone, he was wrong. On the other, apparently Alphas didn’t kick people out of their homes, but then that is what Cresswell had done. See, confusing thoughts.
He was brought out of his thoughts by the waitress bringing his food over.
“Here you go, sir. Can I get you anything?”
Jacob shook his head. “No thanks.”
“Enjoy your meal then,” she said with a smile, walking off.
Jacob tucked into his food and tried not to think about anything. Of course that didn’t work, he kept laughing internally at the thought of a wolf with blue tufts of hair. But still, his new mate was a Pullman.
Jacob stopped eating with a sigh, suddenly no longer hungry. He put his cutlery down and pushed his plate away. As he pulled his mug closer, he stared at the dark brown liquid. He needed a way to clear his head. The only way he knew to do that was to shift into his wolf and have a run, but it was broad daylight so that wouldn’t work. He thought about calling Joe, but he’d be in college now.
He didn’t even consider contacting Nidel. He knew Nidel was only hanging round with him because Jacob was Alpha heir. His only true friend was Joe. And how sad was that? Nineteen years old and all he had left in the world was one friend. He purposely didn’t think about his potential mate. He sat there for a moment before getting to his feet and leaving the restaurant.
Finn walked out of the bathroom, leaving Fran to wash his hair, and joined Robbie and Frank at the table.
“Franny all right?” Frank asked.
Finn sighed. “Yes and no.” He looked at Robbie. “How did you get on?”
Robbie grabbed his hand. “Same as you.”
“Oh dear. Maybe I should go and talk to him again.”
Frank shook his head. “Let’s leave him for a bit, I doubt he wants to see anyone for a while.”
“That’s true. We need to stock up on food. How about Robbie and I go food shopping?”
“That sounds like a good plan,” Frank said.
Robbie stood up. “Come on then, sweetheart, let’s go and buy lots of unhealthy things.”
Finn laughed and stood up. “Can we get you anything specific, Frank?”
“No thanks, Finn. And while you’re shopping, I’ll ring Berni and get an update.”
“Okay, see you later,” Robbie said, dragging Finn out of the lodge with him.
As soon as the lodge door closed behind them, Frank grabbed his phone and called his brother.
“Hey Frank, did you find Franny?”
“I did, we also found Jacob Bishop, he’s staying in a lodge next door to ours, in Codsford. He’s angry and won’t even talk to Franny, because his surname is Pullman.”
Berni sighed. “I can imagine that.”
“Jacob also said that a lot of the furniture in the pack house came down from his mother’s family as family heirlooms and that a lot of the money came from his mother’s family.”
“That’s as maybe but you know under Alpha challenge rules, everything goes to the winning Alpha or nominated parties.”
“I always thought that rule was wrong.”
“I know, but the rules are the rules.”
“What did Cresswell say?” Frank asked him.
“He’s thinking about withdrawing the outcasting.”
“Just thinking about it?” Frank queried.
“Well, Jacob did hit him with a frying pan.”
Frank snorted. “Please, he’s an Alpha wolf. A hit with a frying pan wouldn’t have hurt him, just angered him. He’s already admitted he went about things the wrong way.”
“I’ve told him I want his answer by tonight. If he doesn’t withdraw it, I’ll get it sorted.”
“I’ll keep an eye on Jacob until I hear from you.”
“Thanks, Frank. Make sure Franny does his roots, it’ll help wile away the time.”
Frank laughed. “He’s in the bathroom doing that as we speak.”
“Good. Chat later,” Berni said and hung up.