Mates 25

Chapter 25

KAIDEN STIRLING

We were sitting at the dining table in the house I had been to two nights before. Well, it wasn’t all of at the table.

Lyra was standing on the island, feeding Freda’s son his waffles. Freda’s eyes flicked over to them every two seconds and the table was awkwardly silent.

Georgina cleared her throat and dropped her fork as she wiped her mouth. Freda’s eyes went over to her and then to her father who was at her side.

“Are you alright?” She asked him and he nodded. He ate his food silently.

“Freda dear, how have you been? We have barely spoken since you returned,” Georgina said and Freda tensed. I listened to her pulse as it quickened. She let out a slow breath and looked up from her waffles that she had managed to eat halfway.

“Yes,” she smiled politely. “I’ve been busy,” she calmly said. “In between moving into my house and staying here, it’s been too busy for reunions and talks,” she said.

Georgina nodded and took another bite of her waffles. Safiya watched Georgina. She had barely looked at Freda since we arrived. I had initially thought it had been because she had been trying to make Harper eat, but I was convinced now that it was because she hated her presence.

Chapter 25

I sighed quietly and Freda’s eyes touched me momentarily. Shel had also barely looked at it. It was like I was a bug, something she hated to see but could not get rid of, so she just had to endure my presence.

It hurt my chest. It hurt me more than I would have liked to admit.

And the guilt from what I had done with Safiya earlier at our quarters made everything worse.

wondered if Freda knew. If she had guessed that we had done that. I wondered if she hated me more than she did before because I came to see her. I wondered if she would hate me even more if she found out what I had done with Safiya.

Harper whimpered from where she sat and eyes went over to her. My eyes met Safiya’s blue ones because she was the one cradling Harper. Of course, the short look I had exchanged with Freda had not gone unnoticed.

I almost rolled my eyes.

“Do you want to tell us why you left in the first place?” Georgina asked and I saw the tic in Freda’s jaw. What was Georgina trying to do? Make her uncomfortable? Send her away again?

“You’re out of line, Georgina,” Freda’s father finally said something. Georgina looked both angry and betrayed. “You still take her side after all this time? After all she’s done?” She fumed.

Freda flinched at Georgina’s words and I clenched my hand that was beneath the table. Safiya was hiding a smile and across from where I sat, behind the counter, Lyra was fuming.

Chapter 25

208 Wouchers

“That’s enough, Georgina. Drop it, or leave,” Freda’s father said and Freda wiped her mouth.

Getting up from her seat.

“Excuse me,” she said, walking away from the table hurriedly. I tried to stop myself because I knew she wanted to be anywhere but near me, but I couldn’t help going after her.

She was standing under a small tree that was in the backyard, close to a pool.

She had taken her hair out of its ponytail and she was running her hand through it. The other hand was on her trim, perfect waist.

“Hey,” I said, pulling both of us out of our thoughts. I did not want to sexualize her. Especially not after having sex with her sister.

“What are you doing here?” She asked without turning around to look at me. “Are you okay?” I asked, allowing the concern I felt for her into my voice.

“What makes you think I’m not?” She asked, still not looking at me. She didn’t wait for a reply. “I’m fine. Now leave me alone,” she said.

“I need to talk to you,” I told her.

“I have nothing to say to you. I can swear that have told you that before.”

“Freda…”

“Please, Kaiden. Leave me alone. Are you crazy? You want to talk to me and you choose now at all times? How are you Alpha

when you make all these s**d decisions?” She spat.

1

I flinched at her words. My wolf was filled with both anger which was directed at me, and unease at the whole situation.

“You’re right. Some other time, then.” I said, hoping she would at least nod in her exasperation, so could hold her to it.

She-turned to look at me with liquid fire in her eyes. “There will be no next time, Kaiden. If you think you can make me come to bed with you again while you’re married to my sister, you are sorely mistaken.” She said and stormed off, leaving me too stunned to say a word.

Was that what she thought this was?

She thought I was trying to get her to sleep with me.

I ran my hands through my hair as frustration and disgust for myself filled my veins.

I was going about this whole situation the wrong way. I was doing so bad with this whole thing and I did not know how to correct my wrongs. I was so s**id and I was completely lost. And I just could not help it.

I took a deep breath and walked back into the house. No one was at the dining table anymore.

I guess breakfast was over.

Harper was sitting on one of the couches and the child Freda had called ‘Francisco’ stared at her curiously. It was like he had never seen anything like her.

I took that as the perfect chance to find out who he really was.

A part of me would rather accept the fact that he was adopted, than him being Freda’s biological son with another man.

I would not be able to take it.