Rejected By My Mate; Claimed By Lycan Quadruplets Chapter 20

Lisa's pov

I sat on the edge of the bed, knees tucked under my chin, staring out the window like it held the secrets to a life I used to know. The sun was out, birds were chirping, and somewhere in the distance, I heard the faint clash of weapons—training, maybe. For a pack so clean and polished, they didn’t slack on discipline. Not like back at the old pack, where the only time Omegas heard weapons was when they were being used on us.

I sighed and rubbed my arms lightly. The bandages had been changed; the pain was dull now, like the last echo of a scream.

Just as I leaned back on the pillows, there was a knock.

Soft. Familiar.

I straightened, brushing down my gown.

“Come in,” I said quickly, praying it wasn’t someone coming to say I’d broken a rule I didn’t know about.

The door opened, and Calla stepped in, balancing a tray with one hand and a small smile on her face.

“Good morning,” she said cheerfully, walking in like we’d been friends forever. “I brought fries and orange juice. Thought you might want something light but fun.”

My eyes widened just a little. “Fries?”

She laughed. “Yes. Fried potatoes. Cut into beautiful, golden strips. Dipped in just the right amount of salt and sin.”

I gave her a smile that I didn’t know I had in me. “You sound like you’re in love with them.”

“I am,” she said with a grin, placing the tray on the small table by the window. “But don’t worry. I’m good at sharing.”

I scooted closer, eyeing the fries like they might vanish if I didn’t grab them fast enough. I picked one up, took a bite, and sighed.

“I haven’t had this in—honestly, I don’t even remember.”

Calla watched me for a moment, sitting down across from me. “You look better today. Colour’s returned to your face. And you’re sitting straighter.”

“I feel better,” I admitted, swallowing another fry. “Not perfect. But… not like I’m dying either.”

“Well, progress is still progress,” she said, pouring the juice into a cup for me. “Mira said your wounds are healing faster than expected, but she still wants you to take it slow.”

I nodded, wrapping my hands around the cup. “I wasn’t planning to run a marathon. But I’m getting bored just lying around. This room is nice, but after two days of staring at the same wall, I feel like I’m losing pieces of myself.”

Calla tilted her head thoughtfully. “You know... if you want, I could take you over to the maid quarters for a bit. Introduce you to the others. Nothing serious. Just to help you loosen up and get used to people. Most of them are kind. Some are shy. One or two are a little too nosy, but harmless.”

I blinked. “You’d really do that?”

She nodded. “Of course. I think it’ll be good for you. Staying locked up in a room isn’t healing—it’s just hiding.”

I bit my lip. “I… yeah. I think I’d like that.”

Truth was, I was terrified. Not of meeting people—well, maybe a little—but more of being seen. I wasn’t proud of how I’d come here. Bloodied, bruised, humiliated. But part of me also craved normalcy. Even a sliver of it.

“I won’t make you do anything,” Calla said gently. “Just meet a few faces. Sit around. Talk if you want. Or don’t. But at least you’ll know who shares your space.”

I nodded again, slower this time. “Okay. Yeah. Let’s try it.”

“Good,” she said, clapping once. “You finish those fries, and then we’ll go.”

I glanced down at the tray. “They’re already gone.”

Her mouth dropped open. “I was going to ask for one!”

“You said you were good at sharing,” I teased, feeling a strange lightness bubble up in my chest.

She shook her head dramatically. “Next time, I’m bringing two trays.”

Getting dressed didn’t take long. Calla insisted I wear something casual—comfortable. She handed me a soft grey dress that fell just below my knees. It was simple, but the fabric felt like a dream against my skin. I checked my reflection. The bruises were fading, the swelling in my cheek finally gone. My hair was tied up neatly, and my eyes, though still tired, didn’t look so hollow.

Maybe I looked… okay.

Calla led the way out, and I followed her like a duckling, keeping my hands close to my sides. Every guard we passed nodded politely. No sneers. No glares. It was unnerving how different things were here.

We exited the main house and took a smaller side path, lined with trimmed hedges and lanterns. The maid’s quarters weren’t too far—just tucked behind a row of trees and a low brick wall. The building was cosy, with vines creeping up the side and fresh flowers blooming near the entrance.

“This is it,” Calla said, pushing the door open.

Warm air greeted us, filled with the scent of baking bread and lemon soap. The sound of chatter and light laughter spilt out as we stepped inside.

A few heads turned.

And for a moment, I froze.

Calla touched my elbow lightly. “You’re fine. Just breathe.”

A girl with curly black hair stood up from one of the couches. “Calla!”

“Hey, Nia!” Calla greeted. “Got someone I want you to meet.”

All eyes were on me now.

I gave a small, awkward wave. “Uh… hi.”

“This is Lisa,” Calla introduced. “She’s new. Alpha Enzo and Beta Ash brought her in.”

“She’s the one from—?” another girl started, but Calla shot her a look, and the girl quickly shut her mouth.

“Welcome,” Nia said instead, walking over and offering me a smile. “Nice to have another girl around. Especially one that doesn’t snore like a dying goat.”

“You’re never going to let that go, are you?” someone groaned from the kitchen.

“Never,” Nia replied proudly. “Come sit. We were just talking about who’s sneaking food from the kitchen at midnight.”

I hesitated but followed her to the couch, Calla trailing behind me.

Soon, I was surrounded by laughter, half-finished stories, and the kind of teasing that felt oddly safe. No one asked too many questions. No one stared at my healing wounds. They just… included me.

A cup of tea was handed to me. Someone wrapped a blanket over my shoulder when they noticed I shivered. The warmth here was different. Not forced. Not conditional. It was just… normal.

At one point, Nia leaned closer and whispered, “If you ever need to sneak out for midnight cake, come find me.”

I smiled. Genuinely.

A few hours later, Calla nudged me gently. “Ready to go?”

I nodded, reluctant but grateful. “Yeah. Thanks for bringing me.”

“You did great,” she said as we stepped out into the fading light. “Proud of you.”

The walk back was quiet and peaceful. I caught myself humming without realising it.

When we reached my door, she turned to me. “Tomorrow, we’ll do something different. Maybe the garden. I hear Atlas sometimes leaves snacks on the training benches.”

I grinned. “Snacks? Really?”

“He’s predictable like that.”

I nodded. “Okay. Sounds good.”

She gave me a wink. “Rest well, Lisa.”

I closed the door behind me and leaned against it, breathing in slowly.

Today wasn’t so bad.

Maybe tomorrow won't either.