Mates 83

Chapter 83

FREDA WHITLOCK

“Lyra” I called out again as I nudged her a little and she seemed to have come back from whatever trance she was in.

She looked at me, her gaze seemed unfocused and her expression was blank. Before I could ask her what was wrong, she rushed out of the house.

“Lyra” I called after her but she was already gone. I would have run after her but a glance towards Cole and the others told me it wasn’t the right time. I just hoped Lyra was okay and would come around soon.

I took a deep breath and walked towards Cole and the others. Elle and Gina were looking around the living room fawning over the antiques we had. Cole was scrolling through his phone.

They noticed my presence in the room and turned to face me with a broad smile on their faces.

“Umm, let me take you guys to a room where you can freshen up, and rest till dinner”.

“Oh okay, thank you so much Freda for having us here”. Ginal gushed out excitedly and I smiled. I guess bringing them here wasn’t such a bad idea if we remove Kaiden and detaining them out of it.

The thought of him alone almost made me roll my eyes but I stopped myself as everyone looked at me expectantly.

I laughed. “Please follow me”. I stated as I gestured to the front. I showed Elle and Gina to a guest room down the hall while I

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showed Cole to another.

Just as I was about to walk out of the room after showing Cole in, he held my hand halting my movement. I turned back to face him.

“Freda, thank you for letting us visit you. You don’t know how worried we all were. We missed you. I missed you”. He stated with so much emotion.

“You’re welcome Cole, thank you for checking on me and

bringing the others here” I stated as I gently pushed his hands away: A pang of hurt flashed through his face but he quickly masked it with a smile.

“Of course Freda,” he said with a light smile. “Umm, I have to prepare for dinner” I stated and he nodded.

I gently closed the door behind me as I exhaled a breath of relief. ‘Okay that was awkward’ I thought as I went to look for Lyra.

I searched all over and finally found her in the backyard staring at the flowers with a forlorn expression on her face. I walked over and observed her. She didn’t turn around, maybe she hadn’t noticed me yet or she just didn’t want to talk.

“Lyra” I called softly as I reached forward and put a hand on her shoulder and turned her to me. Her eyes were a bit red,almost as if she had been crying? But I wasn’t so sure. All I knew was that something was wrong.

“What’s wrong Lyra? Ever since you saw Cole and the others you’ve been acting strange. Why did you rush out like that?”

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Lyra let out a nervous laugh. “Me? No way. I just needed some fresh air and I just wanted to give you and your friends privacy to speak” she said as she turned around and rubbed her shoe against the soft grass.

Something wasn’t right. “Lyra” I called again as I turned her to me but she avoided my gaze. “Look at me. What’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing Freda, I’m just a bit tired”. She replied and looked away. “Are you sure?” I asked again as I narrowed my eyes. “Yes Freda, really, that’s all there is to it” she stated as she gave me a smile I knew didn’t reach her eyes.

One thing I knew was I would never force Lyra to tell me something she wasn’t ready to share. I trusted her. I knew she would tell me when she was ready.

“Let’s go back inside then, we have a lot to do” I stated as I put a big smile on my face, one I knew Lyra couldn’t resist smiling too. When she smiled her ‘Lyra smile’ I was a bit relieved. But the anxiety didn’t leave her eyes.

I took a deep breath. We would take this one step at a time. I took her hand and we walked back into the house, heading straight for the kitchen.

“What should we make for dinner?”I asked as a distraction I knew Lyra needed. She seemed to take the bait as she responded.

“Let’s make fried chicken, mashed potatoes and veggies”. She stated with a light smile and I smiled.

We were getting there slowly.

Just then, Elle and Gina walked in. “Do you guys need help?”,

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Elle asked as she rolled her sleeves in an attempt to help us.

“No, no you guys are my guests, so act like one, go rest up, dinner would be ready soon”. I stated with a smile.

“Are you sure?*, Gina asked and I nodded. If wanted any headway with whatever was bugging Lyra I couldn’t do so with these two around. Besides, the kitchen would be cramped if four of us were here together.

“I’ve got it, I promise and Lyra is here anyway”. They nodded and walked out. I heaved a breath of relief and turned to face Lyra who had withdrawn to herself once more. Something was definitely wrong.

I decided to hold on a little and wait for the right time to ask Lyra again. We started the preparations for dinner. Lyra was chopping vegetables and I was dressing the chicken. We worked in silence which was unusual.

I glanced at Lyra who was chopping carrots and just when I thought the atmosphere was amiable enough for me to ask Lyral again, a scream erupted in the kitchen.

Lyra had cut her finger and the blood dripped unto the carrots. “Lyra” I screamed as I rushed towards her. Her face was contorted in pain and just when I was about to help her attend to the wound, Cole came rushing into the kitchen.

“Freda”, he called frantically as he scanned me with his eyes for any injuries, when he saw there was none, the worry in his eyes ceased a little.

“I thought you were injured” he stated with a sigh and I shook my head in the negative and gestured towards Lyra. “Oh” he

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Jon then are muted suneteg under Her Breath and froze

as my eyes widened and the nted to my spot was very

sure i heard the word mate formfly’s

“What the heck did Lyra just say?