Chosen By My Mate's Father-in-law
Chapter 35: The Tiny Wolf

Chapter 35: Chapter 35: The Tiny Wolf

Worry crossed Isabella’s face when she saw that I was rubbing away tears from my eyes. She stood from her seat and laid a warm, comforting hand on my shoulder.

“Thank you so much for your help back there,” I said, wiping the last of the wetness from my cheeks. “What are you doing here?”

The pack prison was no place for someone with such high status as her.

“I’m glad I could help,” Isabella replied. “I was out on an early morning run, and I saw your car driving by. I came over to check on how you’re doing.” She paused. There was sympathy shining through her warm eyes. “How’s your father? Is he alright?”

I swallowed and simply shook my head. My dad’s words kept running through my head on repeat.

‘Jasmine, I don’t think they will ever let me out of here.’

I opened my mouth to confide in her. There was a strong desire to tell someone and help release a little of the burden his words had weighed me down with.

But I closed it when Elliot’s face shot to the forefront of my mind. I couldn’t risk confiding in Isabella. I knew that she would never knowingly reveal sensitive information about me to him, but they were an engaged couple. Who knew what might come up in conversation?

“I’m sorry. I know that we had a tutoring session scheduled for this morning, but I should go home and check on my mom. She’s having a hard time with...well, with everything going on.” My phone vibrated in my pocket, and when I saw the message from Mindie, my heart dropped. “Excuse me for one moment,” I said to Isabella.

My eyes quickly scanned the text, and my shoulders slumped in relief. My mom was in bed, asleep. She had eaten some bread. I should probably just let her rest for now.

“We can postpone Michelle’s tutoring for today,” Isabella suggested when I looked at her again.

“Actually, that was my friend. She was just letting me know that my mom is resting now. So, I would love to still come over if that’s okay,” I said quickly.

Since Mindie was staying with my mom, I didn’t want to reschedule the session even though I had a rough morning. Frankly, I needed the money, and I didn’t want word to get back to Elliot that I was canceling sessions and risking him trying to use it against me.

At this point, I wouldn’t put anything past him.

“Let me give you a ride to the house,” Isabella offered. “You can leave your car in the parking lot, and I’ll drop you back off when you’re done.”

“Oh, are you sure? I don’t want to impose. I’m sure you’re really busy...” I trailed off.

Isabella waved her hand. “Nonsense, come on.”

We walked outside, and I lifted my hand to shield my eyes from the bright sun. Isabella led the way to her bright blue Maserati. Her guards slipped into a sleek back car that was parked beside hers.

“Thank you for the ride,” I said as I buckled my seatbelt.

“You’re welcome.” She started the car and pulled out of the prison parking lot. The sleek black car followed directly behind us. “It’s the least I could do," Isabella continued. “I want to thank you for being so kind to Michelle. I think that you’re really good for her...and I’m not just talking about her schoolwork. You’re the only one who seems to be able to break through that tough exterior of hers.”

My cheeks grew warm from her compliment.

“I’m thankful for this job. I enjoy spending time with Michelle and helping her learn...” A glint of silver hanging from the rearview mirror caught my eye, making me forget what I was saying.

My stomach knotted when I noticed the tiny wolf that had been carved from wood swinging from the end of the keychain.

We were stopped at a light, and Isabella saw what had caught my attention and grinned widely.

“Isn’t that just the cutest thing?” She looked at the wolf figurine with an adoring glint in her eye. “Elliot made that for me by hand!”

I smiled awkwardly. She had no idea that I’d been the one to teach Elliot how to make little wooden figurines. We would, during breaks from school in my backyard, carve small pieces of wood into different wolves.

I forced the memory out of my mind.

“Isabella, can I ask you a personal question?” I asked as we drove by the mall we’d run into each other yesterday.

“Of course.”

I shifted in my seat. “I know that you’re engaged, but...are you serious about Elliot?”

I’d been going back and forth with myself on whether to ask, but I had to know. Isabella was sweet, generous, and kind. She was way too good for a calculating narcissist like Elliot.

A warm blush spread across her cheeks, and a soft smile bloomed on her face.

Damn it.

Just from her lovestruck expression, I could tell that Isabella had truly fallen for Elliot. This wasn’t just a political marriage.

“Even though our wolves aren’t fated mates, Elliot has always made me his number one priority. I just feel...safe with him, you know?” Her voice was filled with affection. “When he looks at me, I can just tell he loves me.”

Or he’s just a good actor, I thought.

“Honestly, I can’t see myself with anyone else,” Isabella continued. “I understand that fate is important, but don’t you think choice is too?”

Even though she meant that as a rhetorical question, I nodded. Because I couldn’t agree more. But that was what made my heart pang with disappointment. More than anything, I hoped that Elliot would treat Isabella better and just leave me alone from now on. If he could just forget about me and focus on his bride-to-be, everything would be a lot less complicated. I didn’t want anyone to get hurt, least of all Isabella.

“So, have you found your fated mate?” Isabella asked after a moment. She looked at me with twinkling eyes.

A surprised, awkward laugh burst out of me before I could stop it. “Um, yes. But he rejected me.”

I was certain that she didn’t know about my past with Elliot. She didn’t hang around in the same circles as us, and our broken mating bond wasn’t common knowledge. Back at school, Elliot must have told Clarissa and her cronies about it. That was the only way they could have known.

Isabella gasped at the news that my mate rejected me.

“How could anyone turn you away? What a jerk!” she said vehemently.

I bit down on the inside of my cheek so I wouldn’t smile.

She didn’t know how right she was.