Rejected Mate's Redemption (Freda and James)
Mates 167

Chapter 167

288 Vouchers Chapter 167

KAIDEN STIRLING

I walked into the pack house. As soon as I walked in, all the adrenaline and energy that had been coursing through my veins evaporated and I was weighed down by the magnitude of exhaustion my body had been enduring. I made it to the Alpha's quarters by some magic. I headed straight for my room. As soon as I shut the door, I took off the jacket, tossing my phone and the keys to the bed. I headed to the bathroom, taking off my clothes on the way.

I set the temperature of the water I wanted. I stared I'm the mirror as I waited for the water to heat up.

I groaned and ran my hand down my face as I looked at myself in the mirror. There were a lot of things wrong with me; with the man in my reflection. I could see the pain in his eyes, the exhaustion in his posture, the torture that was underneath his skin, damaging him beyond repair.

I couldn't complain. I couldn't cry. I had done this to myself; he had done it to himself.

I stepped into the shower cubicle, turning on the water. It was scalding. Just like I liked it. It helped to soothe my strained and tired muscles. I was exhausted. Goddess, I was tired. I felt myself melt into a puddle, and before I knew it, I was on my knees.

I wanted to cry. I needed something to relieve the effect of the

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agony I was going through. I needed to breathe. I needed air around me.

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It was like there was nothing. No air, no one, no light, no future. I was in the dark. The place I had put myself. "F**k," I muttered under my breath, feeling the air get stuck in my lungs.

I started to**b, surprising myself. This was not the usual. I could not get my cries out. No tears, no air. Just pain. F**k.

"F***," I choked. Freda. I felt like the worst piece of s** for depending on someone I had completely shattered, but her voice was the one thing I wanted to hear. She was the only one who could save me from this pit of self-hatred, self-pity, and hell I had dug for myself.

I wanted to scream, but I feared that the glass around me would shatter and hurt me. Kill me even. I had promised Freda. I could not die. I was going to keep her alive. I had made enough bad choices and she had suffered for them. I was not going to hurt her more.

I gathered myself to my feet, shutting off the water, and then headed out of the shower cubicle, covered in steam.

I toweled myself dry and as I pulled on a shirt, my body reminded me of how hungry I was. I pulled on a pair of grey sweatpants and headed towards the door, holding a towel to my hair. It was dripping wet and I did not want water dripping everywhere. I took my phone.from the bedside table as I headed out of the room, just in case Freda or Lyra wanted to reach out to me.

I suddenly remembered that I lived in this place with Safiya. I let out a sigh, running my free hand down, hoping and praying that

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she was not there. I hoped that by some magic she had decided to leave this place so that I would have some peace for myself.

That was too much to hope for, apparently. Because as I walked into the kitchen, I found Safiya sitting on a barstool in front of the island. I let out a sigh, not sure if I could deal with whatever drama she would want to bring.

Maybe it would be the perfect excuse to go back to the hospital. I had taken a bath Luke Lyra wanted. I had not 'rested' as she instructed, but she didn't have to know that.

I could sleep in a different room from Freda's ward, as long as I was close to Freda. I sighed again and walked into the kitchen. She looked up when she heard my footsteps. She was looking at some papers that she had strewn across the island. I pressed my lips together. I was going to act like she was there. It was simple. I did not care about her. It was easy to ignore her.

"Kaiden," she uttered my name, shattering the decision I had made earlier. "You're home?" She asked. I acted like I heard nothing. "What are these?" She asked and I ignored her. If it wasn't for how hungry I was, I would have turned around, gone back upstairs, locked my door, and buried myself in the bedsheets.