Page 28 of Rejection and Redeemed
“Thank you. We checked you out of the lodge and all of your belongings have been placed into a bedroom here for when you can move, and your car is safely parked up outside. So now there’s no rush for you to get better.” Berni paused. “I do need to ask you a serious question, though.”
Jacob nodded. He didn’t have much choice but to answer the Alpha’s questions, he was stuck in this bed after all.
“Did you take any money out of your father’s bank accounts?”
Jacob shook his head. “No, I logged in to take everything that was my mum’s money, but Fran cautioned me against it.”
“Good,” Berni said. “I’m going to do everything I can to get your mother’s money back from Cresswell, as well as all your family heirlooms. When you’re feeling better you can give me a list of the furniture and how much money your mum had and I can tell Cresswell that I want all that for you. We can store the furniture for you, and the money can be transferred to you, when you’re older.”
Jacob was shocked, the Alpha that had basically ruined his life was offering to help him. “Is this because I tried to protect your brother?”
“Partly, and partly because I think I have been mistaken about you. I’m always ready to admit my mistakes,” Berni said to him.
“You are? My father had said that only an idiot admitted to mistakes and that a true Alpha would never admit that he had been mistaken in anything,” Jacob told him, looking and sounding confused.
“Jacob, can I be blunt?”
Jacob nodded.
“Your father’s brand of Alphaship was wrong. A pack shouldn’t be led by fear. An Alpha’s first and foremost job is to look after their pack and make sure they are all safe and well.” Berni paused and watched different emotions flitter across Jacob’s face. “But we can talk more on that later. For now, you need to rest and to start getting better. This room has been designated a medical room, so we have all the equipment you could possibly need to help you get back on your feet. Robbie and Fran will be on hand to look after you, and Emory will be around later.”
“Emory?”
“My son Ezmond's mate is also a doctor,” Berni said, smiling.
“Emory Fitzwilliams?”
“Yes,” Berni replied.
Jacob nodded, but then looked at those gathered and couldn’t believe that in all the time he had been awake, there had been no harsh words, no shouting that anyone was a failure, and no hits coming his way, or anyone else’s.
But now he didn’t know what to do. He had that secret that he was pretty sure needed to be told.
“What’s wrong?” Fran asked him. “Are you in pain?”
“No, I mean, yes, but that’s not what’s wrong,” Jacob looked at Berni, unsure what he should do.
“What’s wrong Jacob?” Berni asked gently.
Jacob took a breath. “My father was involved with something. I don’t know all the details, only things that I put together overhearing random conversations. It would seem he was involved with someone from the Council. They were into some dodgy stuff, and I know a Council member was paying my dad backhanders for something, but I have no idea what he was into.”
“Would there be any records of what your father was doing?” Berni asked him.
“I know he had a second mobile and tablet that he kept hidden somewhere in his study, he had a secret cupboard somewhere in there. If there’s any information on what he was doing it would be in there,” Jacob told him, dropping his eyes, suddenly feeling guilty. Was a son supposed to betray their father even when the man was dead?
Berni walked closer to the bed. “Thank you for telling me. I’ll have Cresswell look into finding everything.” He put his hand on Jacob’s shoulder. “I know that couldn’t have been easy for you. Thank you, Jacob.”
Jacob looked up and nodded.
“And now I really am leaving. I’ll catch up with you all later.” And with a final squeeze of Jacob’s shoulder and smiling at Robbie and Fran, Berni left.
There was silence for a moment, before Robbie broke it. “So as Dad said, this is the castle hospital room, but with a much more comfortable bed, which is just as well for you as it’s complete bed rest. You have a drip in your arm, with shifter-grade antibiotics and we’ve given you an infusion of blood to replace all you lost.”
Jacob looked at the back of his hand and realised that he did have a doohickey stuck in him. “Am I allowed coffee?” he asked hopefully.
Robbie shook his head. “I’d rather you didn’t have any today, just to be on the safe side, but you can have some tomorrow. I’d like you to stick with orange juice and water today. And I’m sorry to say, just bland food, but I’ll let Fran spoil you tomorrow.”
Jacob nodded. “Thanks,” he said, shifting again and wincing at the pain.
