Page 138 of Rejection and Redeemed

They had been back to Fran’s house, had collected up all his clothes and had moved over all the furniture Fran wanted to keep. The rooms weren’t completed yet, as the builder was still working on Frank and Joe’s suite, but they had picked out the colours they wanted, both agreeing on natural tones, pretty much like Fran’s house.

Fran laughed. “Me too. I’m glad we can mix the two together.”

Robbie led them up two more staircases before they reached the final one, a stone spiral staircase.

Jacob leant against the wall, catching his breath.

“Do you need your puffer, Jake?” Joe asked him in concern.

Robbie had prescribed an asthma puffer for Jacob, hoping it would help, and it did a bit.

“Not yet, but I might need it when I’ve climbed these stairs.”

“We’ll go last so you can take your time,” Fran said.

Joe grinned. “Want to take my hand and I can pull you up behind me?”

Jacob laughed. “Possibly, I’ll let you know.”

It took a while for everyone to get to the battlements. Jacob used his puffer once he reached the top. While he was resting, he texted Berni, then made his way to join the others, standing on the battlements overlooking the drawbridge.

“The view up here is amazing,” Morty said in awe.

“It really is. I don’t come out here nearly enough,” Robbie said.

They heard a creaking sound and the drawbridge started to rise.

“Mum’s going to kill us when she finds out,” Ezzy said. He had his phone out and was videoing the bridge ascending.

Jacob noticed that those who had been working on the grounds had stopped what they were doing to watch. No one had seen the bridge raised before.

Clairmont came and looked over the side, grinning. “I’m glad I came up here to watch this.”

“It is something,” Robbie said. “Truthfully, I wasn’t sure the bridge could be raised.”

“His Grace had the mechanism checked to make sure it worked after you told him it was going to be raised.”

“Gotta love Dad,” Ezzy said, leaning against Emory.

“So amazing,” Joe said. “This tops finding that secret passage from the long gallery to the music room.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Robbie griped.

Everyone laughed. Robbie and Fran had been working the night shift, when after dinner one evening, Ezzy, Joe, Morty, Annfield, Christine, Finn, and Jacob had searched the larger pictures for the secret passageway. Indeed, it was Christine who found it, behind a large portrait of the 7thDuke of Avon. They had to pull themselves up to get into the passage as the picture was halfway up the wall.

“There is literally no way anyone would have found that passage. I mean who puts ones up that high?” Robbie commented.

“The builders of the tunnel, obviously, babe,” Finn said grinning.

They heard a clang as the drawbridge fully closed, and they cheered. Robbie and Ezzy high-fived each other.

“I never thought I would see a drawbridge raised. I’m glad you boys found your mates and now live here,” Morty said.

“Us too, Dad,” Joe replied.

Jacob lifted Fran’s hand and kissed the back, looking at Fran. “Me too.”

And he was. Here he could be his true self, a second heir to the stronger Alpha heir. A ghost wolf who could protect the pack and his family. He was surrounded by proper friends and family, and he had Fran, the most perfect mate imaginable. They would grow together, build their best life together and know that they were loved forever.

The end