Page 8 of Breathe Again

Cole

Chapter 5

My wolf was a traitor, ready to forgive and forget everything that woman had put us through, but fortunately for me, my dominant side was man and I knew better. As nice as it would be to go back and erase the years of agony and torment I’d suffered through alone, I knew logically it was too late. We could never get those years back, and I could never unfeel the pain she’d caused.

Still, hearing she’d never mated had thrown me for a loop. I didn’t know how to process that information. The bitch of it all was that I still loved her. If there had ever been any doubt in my mind, it was laid to rest now just seeing her, but I wouldn’t allow myself to be vulnerable to her again because I knew exactly the full extent of hurt she was capable of inflicting.

I’d turned off that part of me, and I hated that seeing her again was ripping open those old scars. At times like this, I channeled my creative side. It’s what had gotten me into tattoo design to begin with; it was an art with a hint of pain to dull the nerves of my heartbreak.

I shouldn’t have given into my wolf. I shouldn’t have allowed that contact with her. I would not make that mistake again. Taking back control, I pulled away from Elizabeth and ran all the way back to the house. No one was there, so I didn’t bother to dress as I headed straight for the shower to wash away her scent. The last thing I needed was the smell of her on me.

Feeling more refreshed, I headed back out to the Tavern to grab a beer and something to eat. When I walked in, the place was largely empty. It was past the lunch crowd, but not yet time for dinner.

“Hello, handsome. Welcome back,” Milly said when she came to take my order. I chose the largest steak on the menu and told her to keep the beers coming.

She let me get through my second beer before the grilling began. “So, you’re from Westin Pack? You in town with Madelyn?” she asked.

“Yup,” I said.

“It’s Cole Anderson, right?”

“Yup.”

“What do you do for a living, Mr. Anderson?” Milly asked.

I flashed her a grin. “I’m a tattoo artist,” I said, omitting the fact I was also a Beta and Pack Councilman, though the way packs gossiped I knew word of my status in Westin Pack would spread soon, on the off chance it hadn’t already.

Milly gave me an appreciative look and ran her hand down my arm, checking out my tattoo sleeve. My wolf growled in my head, but I was accustomed to ignoring him after years of practice.

“Is there a story behind every one of them?”

“Yes,” I admitted, but I sure as hell wasn’t about to share those stories with anyone, least of all an unmated she-wolf sniffing around.

“Cole!” A squeal came from the entrance. I turned to look and saw Ruby and Peyton walking in. “Look at you. I can’t even believe it. What happened to that sweet, handsome young man that stayed with us that one summer, Peyton?” Ruby asked her sister.

I genuinely smiled. “Ruby. Peyton. Wow, look at you two squirts all grown up.” I rose and pulled them each into a giant bear hug. Again, my wolf tried to rebel.

Milly’s interest piqued even more seeing me with the Collier girls. “So, how do you know each other?”

“Gosh, it’s been a really long time. Cole came to stay with us for an entire summer and shadow Dad when I was what? Ten or eleven, I think?” Peyton asked.

“Yeah, that sounds about right,” Ruby confirmed.

“Just a tattoo artist?” Milly asked as I gave her a sheepish grin.

“You look real good, in a badass-boy-from-the-wrong-side-of-the-tracks covered in tattoos sorta way,” Ruby observed. “Bet you’d still take a second and patch up a skinned knee or give a kind word to a devastated young girl who just broke up with the love of her life.”

“You’re still grieving over what’s his name? AJ was it?” I asked.

“When did you have a thing with AJ?” Peyton asked.

“AJ Michaels?” Milly asked, causing Ruby to blush.

She punched me in the arm, shaking out her hand afterwards. “Good Lord, are you made of steel?” she grumbled. “You swore you’d never tell anyone about that.”

“And I never have, but damn girl, it’s been like fifteen years or more and you brought it up,” I said, chuckling.

Peyton grabbed her phone and started to dial a number. “This is too good. I’m calling Lizzy.”

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