Mated To My Boyfriend's Dad

Chapter 65: _ Given You Your Freedom

The gasp that escaped my lips echoed in the silence. "Liam! You can’t say that!" I scolded.

I was both horrified and disappointed. How could Liam say someone– a person, a teacher in his school deserved to die cruelly like that?

"No matter how bad Mr. Fenrir might have been, he was still a person." I firmly supplied. _{𝔫𝖔𝖛𝖕𝖚𝔟.𝖈𝖔𝔪}

Kylo narrowed his eyes and looked at me and then back at Liam. "What do you mean, ’bad’?"

Liam fidgeted in his seat, avoiding Kylo’s gaze. "He... he was trying to bully Ms.Isleen— I mean, Mum. Even harass her a little bit, if I wasn’t there."

Liam just called me ’Mum’. That just melted my heart regardless of how mad at him I was. My heart had just softened.

However, Kylo’s jaw clenched tight, and I could practically see the anger radiating off him. "Why didn’t you tell me about this, Isleen?" he demanded.

"It was nothing, Kylo," I mumbled, feeling a wave of guilt wash over me.

I hadn’t wanted to worry him with something I could handle. It wasn’t like Kylo could take on the whole pack for me. He was already doing enough as it was.

But Liam continued, "Even Mrs. Morrigan talked down on her, and the rest of the school..." His voice trailed off, but the message was clear.

Geez!

Kylo stood up abruptly, leaving his unfinished food forgotten on the table. "Come with me inside, Isleen. We need to talk."

"I’d come with you if she doesn’t." Cullen chirped in and I was about to send him a spank on the head when his hand held me mid/motion.

I was quite stunned by that and I turned a questioning brow at him. "Don’t let anyone bully you, Isleen. It’s high time that stopped."

Tears welled up in my eyes, and I couldn’t stop the quiver in my voice. "I know, Cullen. It’s high time I step up my character. It’s better now that I’m not alone anymore. I have my son... he follows me everywhere," I managed to say.

Truth be told that I had no idea what to say anymore, and that was why I brought up Liam. But it’s true, I felt a lot better now that I had him around me always.

Liam piped up from across the table. "Do you want me to protect you, Mum?"

What the?

Cullen burst out laughing, and even Kylo cracked a small smile. I couldn’t help but join in. That made me feel a momentary sense of relief. Liam sure does take his role as the son seriously.

"Yes, Liam," I replied with playful sincerity, "I need you to protect me with your strong little muscles."

Cullen’s laughter intensified, while Kylo simply shook his head. They knew I was messing around with him. However, Liam didn’t smile. He didn’t seem to get the joke.

With a seriousness that belied his age, he declared, "Noted. I will protect you, Mum."

"Ah— I feel so protected and safe now." I grinned from ear to ear.

Liam was hilarious. It should be the other way around rather.

Kylo, however, had returned to his somber state. "Cut the crap," he grumbled, then reached for my hand. "Isleen, come with me."

He led me back to my bedroom, and the second we were inside, he pulled me into a tight embrace. I felt him tremble ever so slightly. "Why didn’t you tell me, Isleen? Why didn’t you tell me what those bastards were doing to you?"

A lump formed in my throat. It was a question I anticipated. "It’s nothing, Kylo," I murmured, "truly. Stuff like that... it happens to all the time. You know it too. It’s not a big deal." I didn’t want to burden him with these worries.

Kylo fell silent, and the hug seemed to suffocate me with its sudden intensity. I pulled back slightly and met his eyes. "Kylo?"

Without a single reply to me, he retreated to my bed. He sank down onto the edge, his gaze fixed on a spot on the floor.

A sense of dread washed over me as I knelt beside him. "What’s wrong, babe?"

It was rare for me to use such pet words for him even though he used them on me all the time. Yet, he never complained. Not for once.

After an uncomfortably long silence, he finally spoke. "Isleen, this is mostly because of me. They pick on you because you’re with me... because we dared to be the first to break the mating rule. You’re an easy target than I am, so they go for you. And then– you’re an Omega. You are vulnerable, Isleen. I can’t keep acting like this isn’t happening. I can’t keep letting this happen."

I could replay us having this kind of conversation over and over again in the past. There really was nothing we could do about it. Kylo could be so annoying at times.

"Stop that, Kylo," I said sharply. "We’ve been over this a thousand times. I told you, I’d endure anything for love."

"There’s no point in enduring love if it hurts you!" Kylo’s voice rose. "I shouldn’t have let this go on for so long. I’ve been a coward, Isleen, and I should have just... given you your freedom a long time ago."

A gasp escaped my lips. "What are you talking about?"

I knew what he was talking about. We’ve been here before. I shouldn’t be so worried, but that look in his eyes... it told me he was goddamn serious.

He stood up abruptly, avoiding my eyes. Where the hell did he think he was going?!

"Kylo, look at me!"

He turned to me, and the despair in his gaze was like a cold blade. I felt its cut. "Isleen, I want to give you your freedom."

This wasn’t happening. This wasn’t supposed to be happening. I never knew I’d hurt so much at the mention of being apart from Kylo. Being with him had become a pattern— one that I was used to.

"You want to give me my freedom or yours?" I spat back, disbelief and fury coursing through my veins. "Are you thinking for me or for yourself? If you truly love me, Kylo, you wouldn’t dream of leaving me, no matter what anyone says or does. You’re going to let them tear us apart after all these times? Bullshit, man!"

"Love is sacrifice," he retorted, albeit, calmer than me. "And this— this sacrifice is going to break me. I’ll spend every day miserable, I’ll regret it but I’d rather go through all of that than allow for some bastard to hurt you. In the end, if this continues without being checked, it would get to a point where you’d be framed for something you didn’t do just because you are an easy target. It would get to a point where you’d be manipulated– be used. It won’t just end at the bullying alone, Isleen. Should... when that happens, I’d never be able to live with myself. I have to finally choose between you and the pack. I choose you, Isleen. Not the pack and if you don’t see that... well..."

At that moment, I realized just how deeply I’d come to rely on him. My own circle was so small, and the thought of losing Kylo... it meant sinking back into loneliness.

Now, I’d only have Cullen and Liam.

But more than that, I knew I didn’t want him to leave. Without him, my determination to resist his father would likely crumble.

Would my wolf be strong enough to fight those urges if he wasn’t here? I thought to myself as a chilling dread crept up my spine. Would I be left as some vulnerable she-wolf who’d end up accepting Gamma Rhett, just because I had no one else?

No, I couldn’t let that happen.

As if that wasn’t enough, "Go find your mate. Find someone who can give you the life you deserve without this burden." Kylo added.

"Kylo, please..." my voice cracked, pain twisting my insides. "Don’t leave me. I won’t survive if you leave."

"Don’t make me wait until you get hurt by one of these people before I do the right thing!"

He left.