Chosen By My Mate's Father-in-law
Chapter 31: Something New

Chapter 31: Chapter 31: Something New

“Get him out of my sight,” Gareth snarled as two of his guards dragged away a scowling Bryson.

His hands clenched into tight fists and rage flooded through his body. All of his anger was directed toward the former Alpha who didn’t understand the meaning of consent. He waited until the door was shut behind them and took a deep breath. He had to stay calm to help Jasmine and Mindie.

Gareth looked at two of his female guards. “Cover them up, please.” He gestured toward Jasmine and Mindie. “We’ll take them to one of my pack’s hospitals.”

Once at the hospital, the doctors took them to separate rooms. Gareth stood in the waiting room, his arms crossed tightly against his strong chest as he stared at the closed doors. When one of his guards offered to wait for news so that he could go home, he simply shook his head. This was where he wanted to be right now.

Where he needed to be.

Mindie was discharged after a quick examination. She walked into the small waiting room looking disheveled and shaken, but otherwise, she seemed alright.

“One of my guards can take you home,” Gareth said kindly and nodded to one of his female guards. He knew that she would be more comfortable in another woman’s presence right now.

“Thank you.” Mindie bowed her head. “When Jasmine wakes up, have her call me, please.”

After another anxious thirty minutes, the lead doctor on Jasmine’s case found Gareth. She was a formidable-looking woman with gray streaks in her tight bun and a no-nonsense attitude. Gareth trusted her immediately.

“Jasmine is going to have to stay the night. She has alcohol poisoning, and we need to observe her and give her fluids,” the doctor informed him. “The drug she ingested also needs time to leave her system naturally. She should be fine in a few days.”

“I’m going to sit with her until her mother arrives,” he said.

The doctor nodded.

Gareth sent the rest of his guards home, then followed the doctor to Jasmine’s room.

A wave of fierce protectiveness washed over him when he saw her lying in the hospital bed. Jasmine’s long hair was spilled over the white pillow and an IV was attached to her left arm. Her eyes were tightly shut, and she was fidgeting slightly, as if she was having a nightmare.

Fury made his muscles tense. If he ever saw Bryson again, he was going to make him pay for what he’d done tonight. He would wish he’d never been born.

Gareth paused at Jasmine’s bedside and couldn’t help but gently stroke her hair before he sat in one of the black chairs. He watched her chest rise and fall, slightly comforted by the small movement. His body relaxed just from being by her side.

His phone vibrated in his pocket, and he answered it, lowering his voice so he didn’t wake up Jasmine.

“Hello,” he said, realizing too late that he didn’t even look at who was calling him.

“Hi, honey! Where are you? Why don’t you ever come over to visit me?” His mother, Meredith Laken, exclaimed through the phone, causing him to sigh. She didn’t let him answer the question but steamrolled ahead. “I have a bone to pick with you for rejecting a meeting with Delilah. She’s a lovely woman as you very well know.”

Gareth sighed and scrubbed a hand over his face. Before he could respond, his mother kept talking.

“Delilah told me about your lunch with that young girl,” Meredith muttered in a judgmental tone. Gareth knew his mother was referring to Jasmine. “Why don’t you give Delilah a chance? She would make such a good wife. You two would be perfect together.”

He had never stopped to truly consider Delilah as a potential mate. If he were being honest, he might have given her a chance if the circumstances were different, but she reminded him too much of his ex-mate for him to really give something with her a shot.

His eyes fell on Jasmine. “I’m not interested in starting anything new right now.”

Meredith let out a dramatic sigh but thankfully dropped the subject. “Make sure you’re here tonight for family dinner.”

Gareth hesitated. He had nearly forgotten about his prior schedule.

“Gareth?” his mom called impatiently.

“Yes, I’ll be there soon,” he agreed.

After hanging up the phone, he tucked a stray piece of hair behind Jasmine’s ear, and pulled her blanket higher so she wouldn’t grow cold.

With one last lingering glance, he left her room. At the desk, he made sure that Jasmine’s mother would be here to keep her company soon. He also paid for the hospital fee, but he instructed the receptionist to keep that news quiet. If Jasmine knew about it, she would feel pressured to pay him back.

Thirty minutes later, he picked up Michelle and his Beta and drove up the hill that led to his mother’s house.

Michelle turned to her father, her voice hopeful. “Will Jasmine be there tonight?”

“No, I’m sorry. Jasmine’s sick,” Gareth replied as he parked the car. He didn’t want to reveal what happened to her tonight to anyone. That was her story to tell if she wanted to.

“Is it serious? Should I call her and see if I can bring her anything?” Michelle asked worriedly, her usually sharp green eyes brimming with concern.

Gareth gently patted his daughter’s knee. “That’s kind of you, but I would wait until Jasmine reaches out to you. I’m sure she could use some space to get better.”

“I hope she gets better soon,” Michelle said with a dejected expression.

“Me too,” Gareth muttered with more emotion than he meant to.

The three walked past Meredith’s well-kept garden and Gareth opened the front door without knocking. In the formal dining room, Elliot and Isabella were seated at the table chatting and holding hands. They looked like happy newlyweds.

“Gareth! I’m so glad you’re here,” Meredith cried as she walked out of the kitchen carrying an impressive-looking roast chicken.

She carefully set down the dish, took off her oven mitts, and rushed over to hug her son. Meredith greeted his Beta but completely ignored Michelle, not even offering her a simple hello or a nod of acknowledgement. Michelle, already used to such coldness, simply moved further away from her.

This treatment of his daughter made Gareth frown at his mother. He wouldn’t allow his mother to continue blaming Michelle for her parents’ mistakes. Just as he was about to confront her on her rude behavior, a high-pitched voice came through the kitchen.

“Is Gareth here?”

Great.

Gareth knew exactly who that was. He shot an annoyed look at his mother for her meddling.

Delilah strutted toward him, swaying her hips. She was carrying a plate of his mom’s famous homemade mashed potatoes.

“Hope you don’t mind me crashing your family dinner, Gareth.” Delilah set the dish down and beamed at him.

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