Rejection and Redeemed

Chapter 57

CHAPTER 57

D inner that evening was, as always, lively. Jacob was surprised when he saw all his favourite dishes on the table, but didn’t think anything of it, as it was a normal roast, but the stuffing tasted like Annfield’s, which was his absolute favourite.

Once everyone finished eating, the plates and dishes were cleared away, and Clairmont walked in carrying a birthday cake and beaming.

Jacob was panicked, thinking he had missed someone’s birthday.

“It’s a cake for you,” Fran told him, taking his hand.

“But it’s not my birthday,” Jacob pointed out.

“No, but only Morty, Joe, and I celebrated your day,” Annfield said.

“So, we wanted to celebrate your day with all of us,” Fran said, as a footman walked in carrying presents that were placed in front of him.

Clairmont put the cake on the table and everyone broke into “Happy Birthday”.

Jacob beamed. “Oh wow, thank you all so much.” He looked at the butler. “Will you thank Laura for me?”

Clairmont nodded. “I will indeed.”

“Thanks.” Jacob looked at the pile of presents. “Thank you,” he said, looking around the table.

“Open your presents, babe.” Fran grinned at him.

“Why don’t I?” Jacob said, standing up. He looked at the labels before opening his presents, thanking everyone.

He had everything from books he knew would help with his training, to a new laptop. The last present he opened was from the Cresswells. It was a stunning glass block with a picture of Jacob and his mother inside.

“Oh wow, thank you so much,” he said, stroking it as he smiled at the Cresswells.

“You’re welcome, Jacob,” Romsey replied.

After all the presents were opened and the cake eaten, talk turned to everything that had been found.

“So Nidal told us everything he knew. It would seem the plan to take over all packs was Darren Hartington’s idea, and Harrington got several wolf Council members involved, and then Bishop, Mortimer, and Mabbitt. Harrington was paying Bishop to help facilitate everything,” Berni told them. “But Mortimer and Mabbitt were the main ones funding things. They created MM Wolf Ltd to hide what was happening.”

“We’ve been through pretty much everything and found a list of wolf packs involved. There are about fifteen packs, all small with twenty or less pack members,” Morty added.

“That would make sense, small pack leaders always want bigger packs,” Cresswell said.

“Excellent work. We can nip this in the bud before anything comes of it,” Berni said. “We can out everyone at the dinner.”

Jacob was listening to the chatter, but his mind was spinning. He saw the dinner, all the Alpha’s, their mates, the Beta’s and their mates, and the dining hall exploding, killing everyone.

He came out of his head and heard Aubrey talking about the lavish dinner, to be held in the large banqueting hall.

“No,” Jacob shouted.

Aubrey stopped talking and everyone looked at Jacob.

“Sorry,” he said quickly and a lot quieter. “They’re somehow going to blow the banqueting hall up while the dinner is happening, everyone will die.”

“An outdoor banquet is then,” Aubrey said, not missing a beat. “I’m not having anyone blow my home up. Is an outdoor banquet better?”

Jacob nodded. “Yes, I don’t see any issues with an outdoor event, just in the hall.”

“Do we need to wait for the dinner before anything is done?” Christine asked. “I mean, you have the names of those involved, money trails, can you not have everyone arrested now? They’re probably running scared at the moment with Bishop now dead and Nidal in custody.”

“That’s if they know he’s in custody,” Frank said. “But Christine’s right, why not arrest them now? We have friends in the Council offices, we can have some Council guards go to these packs and arrest those involved and stop this thing now.”

“The only problem is the rogues that are out there causing problems,” Romsey said.

“I’m sure if they stop getting paid they’ll stop their attacks,” Robbie replied.

“That would make sense,” Annfield said.

“Then that is what we shall do. Frankie, Robbie, Romsey, and Morty, join me in my study and we can start putting our plan into action. Good work everyone.”

Jacob sighed as Fran closed the bedroom door behind him. Both their arms were full of Jacob’s presents. They put them on the nearest chair.

“You okay, babe?” Fran asked, pulling Jacob into his arms.

Jacob wrapped his arms around Fran and leant against him. “Yeah, just a slight headache.”

“Let’s sit on the sofa and you can rest,” Fran said, giving Jacob a quick kiss.

Well, he tried to, but Jacob wasn’t having that. He’d missed Fran today and there was no way he was happy with a quick kiss.

Finally, they drew back.

“I love you,” Jacob said, overcome with emotion. “You, Francis Pullman, are the heartbeat of my life. The essence of my very happiness. With you I have found true joy. Your caring nature, your humour, your hair, everything about you is perfect and I thank the fates that you are my mate, my heart, my soul.”

Fran sniffed and smiled. “You caught feelings again, didn’t you?”

Jacob nodded. “I really did. Thank you for arranging the dinner, cake, presents, everything.”

“You’re welcome, babe. And just so you know, I love you as well. The day we met, I never imagined that this was where we would be. Standing here, wrapped in each other’s arms, you loving me and me loving you. Everything about you makes me happy. Well, maybe not you being injured, but everything else,” Fran said, grinning. “I was made to love you. I was created for you and you alone.”

Jacob pulled Fran into a kiss because how could he not after that declaration? Screw having a headache, Fran needed to be naked so Jacob started stripping him.

Fran pulled back a moment. “Babe, your head,” he cautioned.

“We’ll be on the bed, I’ll be fine, but I need to love on you or you love on me, whichever way we want it, until we have both made love to each other.”

Fran nodded. “Yes to all that,” he said, taking Jacob’s hand and leading him to the bed.

Fran woke up early the next morning. He should go back to sleep, but he was too happy. His heart was so full of love for his Jacob.

“You should be sleeping,” Jacob said softly.

“So should you. But I’m too happy to sleep.”

“The same,” he replied, dropping a kiss on Fran’s head.

“So your seeing thing is different if you saw further into the future,” Fran said.

“Yeah, Ryan said it would develop over time. I just wasn’t expecting it this quickly.”

Fran lifted his head. “Ryan the shaman?”

Jacob nodded and told Fran everything the shaman told him.

“Maybe it happened so it could be stopped. I mean, with Finn and Aunt Aubrey it was just them. The dinner would be way more people than that. Seeing something then, seconds before the hall blew, no one would escape.”

“Huh, that makes total sense actually.” Jacob dropped another kiss on Fran’s head.

“Did I tell you, your mother’s furniture has been put in our other rooms?”

“No, you didn’t. Have you seen them?”

Fran shook his head. “Not yet, no.”

“Then come and see it. I want to show you something,” Jacob said, sitting up and pulling Fran up.

“Really? Now?” Fran complained.

“Yep, come on, sweetheart,” Jacob said, getting out of the bed and pulling Fran with him. Jacob pulled him to the bedroom door.

“Wait, babe,” Fran said, stopping.

Jacob looked at Fran. “What? Don’t you want to see the furniture?”

“Yeah, but babe, we need to put sweatpants or PJ bottoms on first.”

Jacob looked at Fran, then himself. “Oh yeah, we really should.”

They both went into the wardrobe and pulled on sweatpants before Jacob took Fran’s hand again.

They walked into the first room and Fran gasped. “Oh babe, this furniture is stunning,” he said looking around. All the furniture was antique mahogany pieces.

Jacob pulled Fran over to the writing bureau.

“Oh, Jacob, this is stunning.” Fran ran his hand over it.

The writing bureau was also made out of mahogany. It had three draws, with a cupboard on top. Fran pulled the door down and saw it had green leather on the inside.

“Here,” Jacob said, pulling out two pieces of wood as far as they would go, on either side of the bureau, creating the writing desk. Further back were smaller draws and trays.

“This is amazing.”

“I’m glad you like it, sweetheart because it’s yours.”

Fran looked at Jacob. “What?”

“This bureau is for you. As soon as you said you wanted one, I knew this was yours and that you would love it. I meant to put a bow on it for you, but?—”

He didn’t get a chance to finish the sentence as his arms were suddenly filled with a very happy Fran who was kissing the stuffing out of him.

Finally, they pulled back.

“Thank you, babe. It’s just perfect.”

“We’ll find the best place for it. And anything here you don’t like we can get rid of, but I think your furniture will mix nicely with these ones.”

“It really will. Let’s look next door,” Fran said, taking Jacob’s hand and pulling him quickly into what was to be their kitchen and dining room.

This room was stacked with boxes as well as furniture.

Fran let go of Jacob’s hand to look round.

Jacob sunk onto a dining room chair, his breathing laboured.

Fran spun around, the smile on his face dropping. “Oh, babe, sorry,” he said, rushing back to his side and dropping to his knees in front of him, his hand on Jacob’s thighs.

“Not your fault sweetheart. I’m trying to be normal, walk normally, but sometimes I forget.”

“Babe, it hasn’t been that long and look at what you can achieve already. Plus, you got shot in the head the other day. I forgot. Now, do you know what’s in all the boxes?”

“Everything from home. Samantha said she packed up everything for me. So I’m guessing it’s everything I didn’t have time to pack.”

“Then we’ll have fun unpacking and discovering what’s in there.”

“We will. Now, how about we go back to our room and have fun in the shower?”

“Babe, we can have a shower, but I’ll be looking after you and there will be time for you to sit and rest before breakfast.”

“So romantic.”

Fran laughed. “I know right?”

Jacob snorted out a small laugh as Fran helped him up.

Breakfast was a quiet affair that morning. Fran dashed off to the hospital so he wasn’t late, promising Jacob he would eat there. In fact, the only people currently at the breakfast table were Joe, Finn, and Jacob.

“Where is everyone?” Jacob asked.

“Robbie and Emory are both at the hospital,” Finn said.

“Frank, Berni, Romsey, and my dad are still in Berni’s office. They’ve been there all night. Mum, Christine, Aubrey, and Samantha are food planning with Laura, and I’ve not seen Ezzy yet,” Joe added.

“Do you guys have time to shift with me today?” Jacob asked them.

“Yep, just let us know when,” Finn said.

Before Joe could answer, the door opened and the men walked in. Joe smiled widely when he saw Frank and jumped up.

Frank rounded the table and pulled Joe into a kiss. They kept it short because others were around.

“Miss you,” Joe said softly.

“Just as I missed you. After breakfast I have some free time, spend it with me?”

Joe nodded. “Totally, yes, like you even have to ask.”

Frank grinned down at him and touched his cheek.

“Come have breakfast,” Joe said, pulling Frank down next to him.

“How did everything go?” Finn asked.

“Everyone involved has been arrested. That’s why we were up all night. We wanted everyone arrested at the same time, so we had to wait for the Council guards to arrive at each location. They were all arrested about ten minutes ago,” Berni said.

“So what happens now? Especially with Council members involved,” Jacob asked. “Do you need to go to the Council building and crack some heads?”

Berni laughed. “I might need to go later today and take all the evidence with me.” He sobered and carried on. “Thankfully, the main wolf minister isn’t involved, but he should have known what was happening. As the strongest Alpha, I can disband the Council and arrange elections for new ministers to be appointed.” He sighed. “It’s a lot of work and not something I really have time for, but needs must and all that.”

“It's a good job you’re friendly with a lot of Alphas then, you can appoint someone to arrange everything for you,” Joe helpfully pointed out.

Berni grinned again. “That is an excellent idea, Joe, thank you.” Berni turned to Romsey.

“Don’t look at me. I’ve only just taken over a new pack,” he protested.

“Yeah, but Samantha can help with the pack while you help Berni,” Jacob said grinning.

“Jacob, hush and eat your breakfast,” Romsey muttered.

Everyone burst out laughing.

Romsey looked at Berni and sighed. “I will if you want me to.”

“Thank you, Romsey. I knew I could count on you.”

“I’m sure Morty wouldn’t mind helping me, would you?” Romsey asked.

Morty looked shocked for a moment. “I offer you any assistance you need.”

“Thanks,” Cresswell said.

“Perfect. Also, Morty, as you’re family, both you and Annfield are invited to our banquet.”

“Thank you, Berni. I can answer for both of us, we will be happy to attend. Indeed, Annfield will want to buy a new dress.”

“Pretty sure Mum will need a fancy dress as well,” Finn added.

“I can guarantee the women will be discussing clothes as well as food,” Frank said. “Just like we need to make sure everyone has a dinner jacket.”

“It will be a splendid affair,” Ezzy said, walking in.

“Morning, sleepyhead,” Finn teased.

“I wasn’t asleep. I’ve been outside, measuring out the area I want to dig,” he said, sitting down.

“You’re actually doing it then?” Finn asked.

“I am. I can do it for my final assignment.”

“A dig?” Jacob queried.

“Yeah. I’m studying archaeology and there is an area of the grounds I want to dig up as I’m sure there was a Roman settlement there. I can do the dig for my final paper. Dad finally said I could dig it up.”

“Will you have a team helping?” Morty asked.

Ezzy shakes his head. “Nope, I want to try and do it myself.”

“That’s a big undertaking,” Joe said.

Ezzy nodded. “It is. We’ll see how I get on. I want to do it myself, but I may need help.”

“If we can help you, let us know,” Finn said.

“Thanks. I need to pop into college Tuesday if you guys want to come with me.”

“Yep, we could do that,” Jacob said. “It sounds mad, but I miss studying.”

“That’s not mad. I miss it as well,” Finn said.

“Me too,” Joe added.

“And just think, we have an uber cool library to study in,” Finn added.

“Hopefully, all that knowledge will seep into us the more we study in there,” Joe said grinning.

“I’m sure it will,” Jacob agreed.