His Redemption (Complete His Series)

LACEY

Miss Marci came rushing into the room with an icepack. “Here, put this on it. We should elevate that too!” she fussed.

“I am okay!” I tried to tell her. I tripped coming down the stairs and landed on my ankle wrong. Miss Marci was coming down the hall when it happened, so she came to help me. She helped me hobble back to Felix and I’s room before she rushed back to the kitchen to get ice. She was really making a big deal over nothing as the pain was already beginning to subside.

“I told Austin to go ahead and call your mate. I think he is with Miss Lea over at the clinic,” she said, trying to put pillows under my leg.

“No? Please tell me you didn’t….” I sighed. “Miss Marci, I really appreciate the concern, but I promise I am okay. It definitely isn’t broken; it will feel better in a couple of hours!”

“It would make me feel so much better,” she argued. “Plus, Felix will want to know. You are his mate, and you’re carrying his pup!”

My shoulders slumped in defeat. Miss Marci had to be the kindest woman I had ever met next to my own mother. I didn’t have to let her fuss over me long, though, because I heard thunderous footsteps, and Felix appeared in the doorway with wide eyes. He looked at Miss Marci fussing over my leg and me sitting helplessly on the bed before crossing the room in just a couple of strides and scooping me up in his arms.

He turned around to head back out the door when I stopped him. “Felix!” I snapped. “Put me down, for Goddess sake. I tripped!” He stopped in his tracks and looked at me. “I’m okay. Please, this is too much.”

He looked at Miss Marci, who was blushing slightly. “I’ll just leave this icepack for you two. You should be in good hands now, Lacey,” she said as she exited the room quickly. I sighed and looked back at my mate.

He stepped backward until he hit the bed and slid down to sit on it. “Are you hurt?” he asked.

“I think I just rolled my ankle. It already hurts far less. I promise, I’m okay,” I told him.

“Let me look,” he said. He placed me on the bed next to him and pulled my leg onto his lap. He knew right away which leg it was because Miss Marci had rolled up my pant leg. He picked it up carefully and started gently moving it and feeling along the joint. It hurt a little as he moved it around, but it wasn’t anything unmanageable.

He frowned at me when his inspection was done. “Don’t look at me like that. I didn’t tell anyone to call you!” I said quickly. He just nodded and started gently rubbing my calf.

“Now that feels amazing,” I smiled, earning me a smile from him. I leaned forward and placed a k**s on his cheek. “Do you need to go back to Azalea?” I asked. He shook his head.

“Azeron was sent,” he clarified. His gaze was a bit intense, and it was stirring up my wolf inside me.

“So, we have some time to ourselves….” I inquired. He just nodded as his fingers moved down to my foot. My eyes fluttered closed, and a whisper of a m**n escaped my lips at his heavenly caress. When I opened them, he had a cocky smirk on his face, and his eyes were growing dark. He picked my leg up carefully. He gently pressed his lips to my ankle before dragging them down my foot all the way to my toes. He punctuated this with a k**s on the pad of each toe, sending shivers up my body.

He set my leg down, and his hands traveled upward as my arms snaked around his neck. He shifted, his body coming over top of mine as I laid back on the bed. His hands kneaded and massaged their way up my sides as I let out little m***s of happiness from his touch.

“That feels good,” I whispered. He bent over, burying his nose in my neck before leaving pedal soft k****s below my ear. “Felix,” I breathed out. Every nerve ending in my body was lighting up for him; he knew how I would react to his touch and used that information to get what he wanted.

Felix’s k****s deepened as he moved along my jawline. Everything was escalating until my phone began to ring in my back pocket. “Ugh,” I grumbled, but Felix continued. “Felix, I should get that.”

“Uh-uh,” he huffed as he continued to k**s over my shoulder. I just giggled at him as I tried to wiggle away.

“I should answer it,” I told him through my laughter. He rolled his eyes and pushed himself up, hovering above me. I leaned forward and pecked his lips as I reached into my pocket to fetch my phone.

Felix kept his gaze trained on me as I answered the call. “Hello?” I said a bit breathlessly.

“Lacey bug, were you running?” my mom’s voice came from the other end.

“No, no, just didn’t want to miss your call. What’s up?”

“Oh, bug, your father and I just wanted to know if we could come to visit next week? We really want to see you before the baby is born, and we would love to meet your mate!” My mother was too nice sometimes. She was the epitome of those sweet old grandmas always baking cookies and singing happy songs.

“Uh…” I trailed off. Felix’s eyebrow raised as he listened to the conversation. “I am right in the middle of something super important, Momma. Do you think I can call you back in a little bit?”

“Oh, of course, bug! But don’t keep me waiting too long! We are just so excited after everything with Harry,” she said.

“I know,” I told her. “I’ll call you in a bit. Love you.” I hung up the phone before my mother could word vomit anything else. I hadn’t even mentioned my parents wanting to meet him yet because I was afraid he would be against it, not to mention that I was worried about the war going on in general.

Felix was giving me an expectant look like he was waiting for my explanation. “So, that was my mom….” I said hesitantly. He nodded, telling me to continue. “My parents want to come visit and meet you. They are pretty excited for a grandpup, and with everything going on, we haven’t exactly done the whole family thing yet.”

Felix got up now and sat on the bed next to me. I sat up, struggling a bit until Felix supported me from behind. “I didn’t…” he said quietly.

“Didn’t what?” I asked.

“Parents,” he said, looking down at the floor. His face was screwed up like he was thinking about something.

“Didn’t know I had them?” I questioned. He nodded his head slightly. “Felix, everyone has parents. Even you. I would also love to meet them.” He shook his head. “Wait, you don’t have any parents? Is that why you assumed I didn’t have any?” Felix shrugged.

I sighed and ran my hands through my hair. I was used to his limited communication, but I wished I could just read his mind in times like this. “Do you want to meet them?” I asked.

I watched his face for his reaction but his eyebrows just furrowed further. I couldn’t tell what he was feeling or thinking at all. “Are you upset?” I asked. He still didn’t give me an answer.

My mind started spinning even though I knew he just needed a minute to collect his own thoughts. “Are you mad that I haven’t said anything about my family?” I couldn’t help the outpouring that immediately followed. “I haven’t been the best daughter since Harry died, and yea, I left the pack to get away from everything, but they are still my family, Felix. I wouldn’t have ever thought my mate would be unhappy about that fact. I have never pushed this issue, but you can’t be upset that they want to meet you. We’re having a child, and we are mates!” My breathing quickened; there were too many emotions swirling through me.

Felix looked up, a bit wide-eyed. He grabbed my arms and shook his head. “I’ll meet them,” he said quietly. It was my turn to nod. I couldn’t figure out why but my eyes were starting to water. “I don’t do family,” he told me.

“What does that mean?” I exclaimed. “We are starting a family!”

His eyes grew wider at my words like I startled him. “No…” he trailed off.

“No? Felix, I am carrying your pup! Me, mom. You, dad. This,” I said, pointing to my stomach, “baby. Family.” He just stared at me with the same wide-eyed expression. “Felix, you said you wanted this. You said you wanted pups; I thought that meant you wanted a family.” I paused, waiting for him to say anything. Then a crushing thought struck me. “You aren’t changing your mind, are you?” my voice broke.

He quickly shook his head and pulled me into him. He wrapped me in his arms and planted k****s on the top of my head. “Never,” he murmured. I tried to calm down by listening to his heartbeat, but this sinking feeling wouldn’t leave my gut.

“Felix, I need you to explain. With words. I don’t understand. I need to understand, please,” I pleaded with him. He was quiet for a moment but didn’t release his hold on me.

Finally, he spoke. “My mother was human. She died when I was six. My father was….” he trailed off, looking for the words. “Strict. He did not act like a father. He was a commander. We trained, we fought. When I reached mating age, he kicked me out for having no interest in fighting for our Alpha. I walked away and never looked back.”

My heart lurched at his words. So, he didn’t do family because he couldn’t remember having one. I leaned away from him, looking into his face. He looked vulnerable for once; I cupped his cheek gently. “You don’t do family because you didn’t have one?” I asked. He nodded his head. “Are you afraid you’ll be like your father?”

He turned his head and looked away for a moment before shaking his head. “I know what not to do.”

“I am sorry that happened to you,” I told him. I placed my hand on his chest. “But this heart is too big to be afraid of family. Felix, you are an amazing man, and you will be the perfect father. My family will love you just as much as I do because anyone who spends even an hour with you can see how wonderful you are.”

He looked back at me. There was something in his eyes I wasn’t sure I had seen before. Fear. He was scared about this. I leaned forward and kissed him gently. “I promise, you have nothing to worry about,” I told him. He nodded his head. He reached up, cupping my face. His thumb swiped away a tear I didn’t know had escaped my eyes. His gaze turned to a questioning one like he wanted to make sure I was okay.

I let out a shallow laugh. “Damn hormones,” I said. He smiled gently at me. “I will call my mom back later. But right now, I would like to revisit our alone time. I believe your lips were….” I pointed to my neck right next to his mark. He smirked, and his whole body relaxed slightly. He gently turned us and laid me on the bed. I pushed my fingers through his short hair as his lips resumed their journey over my skin.