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Impossible. I’d already lost my fated. My mind worked to shove the thought away.
I saw the moment that he recognised what we were to each other and then dismissed it. He took that information and filed it away, turning and giving Deke his attention instead.
Dismissed.
Rejected.
My bear roared inside, and I flinched. Papa rubbed my arm soothingly, his eyes missing nothing. “It’ll be okay, sweetheart,” he soothed in a whisper.
“I’m sorry, Mr Hayes, but Kade’s still in heat. I’m sure you can understand that he wouldn’t want visitors in his room whilst he’s so vulnerable.” My father was just repeating what both Axel and Deke had said, but this time, Jasper deflated.
“I just want to see my son,” he wailed. “It’s been over five years!”
“Don’t be sad, Papa,” the little girl, Angelica, my mind supplied, tried to comfort her sobbing papa.
“Hey, little kit, do you want to see if your papa would like a cookie?” I directed her attention to the plate of cookies the beta cook had supplied. We had been given so many snacks because he was stress baking. The alpha being... indisposed was affecting the entire pack. They missed his strong but loving leadership.
Angelica came over to me where I sat next to the plate and sniffed me. “What are you?” she asked.
Jasper’s head snapped up. “Angel, that’s rude. I’ve told you before.” She flinched and drew back.
“It’s okay, little one.” I said softly, and she came closer as I whispered, “I’m a bear.” I pretended to think, “I can tell what you are.”
“You can?”
“Yes, you have the same pretty hair that your papa has. I bet you’re a fox shifter like him, right?” I felt Jasper shift position, looking uncomfortable from his place across the room.
“I am! You got it right! You’re a clever bear!” She looked over at Jasper with a huge grin. “Papa, can I shift?” She was so excited to show me her alter, but her papa’s answer had her golden brown eyes dimming.
“Not just now, Angel. We have to go back to the hotel after our visit. We’ll come back and you can meet your brother when he’s feeling better.”
I’d forgotten that Kade hadn’t seen Angelica since she was a tiny baby. He’d missed out on so much with her. They’d be like strangers. I felt the pain like a physical thing.
“I don’t like the hotel Papa. It smells funny, and the man is weird.” Angelica looked like she was moments from an outburst.
Axel and Deke looked between each other, obviously using the pack link to speak to each other.
“There’s plenty of room here,” Deke eventually said, “or if you don’t want to stay here, there are the omega houses. We should have one free.”
“I’d rather stay in a hotel, but thank you.” Jasper said carefully.
“But Papa —“
“No Angel.” Jasper’s tone brooked no argument and Angelica’s mouth shut with a snap. He rubbed his face, looking worn out and sad.
“There’s Kade’s house. I have a key.” Was it my imagination or had Jasper glared at me then? “He won’t mind if you stay there.” I hoped he wouldn’t. Axel had told me that Kade hadn’t wanted to go back to his house since that was the place that they had taken him from.
Jasper glanced at his daughter. There was no hiding what they were to each other. They looked too similar. “Would you like that, darling?”
“Yes, please.”
“You’ve caught us at an awkward time,” Alpha Jason said in the silence that followed. “The packs are on the verge of coming together again and Blake cannot give you pass through rights.” He looked at Axel and Deke, Blake’s family and representatives, Chase relegated to training Roan for the gate. “I don’t think I’d be out of line if I granted them in the interim.” I saw Blake’s brother give a small head shake. “Jasper Hayes.”
“Brown. I’m not using Hayes any more.” Jasper interrupted.
“Apologies. Jasper and Angelica Brown?” Jasper nodded. “I hereby grant you pass through rights to Sweetwater and the surrounding areas as one of the pack alphas in Sweetwater. You are free to come and go as you wish. The Sweetwater’s will make sure you have permission to enter at the gate so you can visit your son as soon as he can take visitors.”
I watched Jasper clench his fists and relent. “Thank you, Alpha.”
