Page 184 of The Alpha's Second Chance Mate

Pocketing my phone, I stepped back into the lounge. “Hey, Aves? Do you have a second?”

“Yeah, what’s up?”

I tilted my head to the kitchen where we’d have more privacy, though I doubted Zayde would even hear a word we said because he was so enthralled with whatever he was doing.

When we were in the kitchen, I said, “I need to ask you something, and whatever your answer, I’ll take that as the end of it. Okay? You’re in charge.”

Her eyes narrowed. “What are you talking about?”

Sighing, I said, “I just got off the phone with Langston, and he had an idea. Do you know that shifters can challenge for pack leadership?”

She nodded slowly. “It’s pretty rare for that to happen, isn’t it?”

“Rarer now than in the past, yeah.” I told her about the conversation with Chris, as well as Langston’s plan for Avery. “I know I told you that you wouldn’t have to play-act with Kyle again, but Langston thinks you might be able to convince Kyle to challenge instead of the other way around. If you say no, then that’s it, I won’t say anything else about it. But I knew if I didn’t tell you, you’d be pissed at me.”

“Hell yes, I’d be pissed,” she said.

“Does that mean you want to do it?” I asked, incredulous.

“Want to? No. Will I? Yes. I don’t like the thought of this challenge, though. It means you’ll be putting yourself in more danger, and that freaks me out. But I don’t see any other way. We’re starting to run out of options.”

“That’s true,” I admitted.

“But…” She bit her lower lip. “Are you sure about this? I know you shifters all get taught how to fight when you’re kids, especially heirs to the pack, but have you kept up that training?” She rolled her eyes. “I don’t want this to sound like I’m questioning your manhood or something, but I assume you didn’t really keep up that training when you were gone.”

I grimaced. “You’re assuming right. I spent so much time building my life that I let that slide. I guarantee you, I’m going to change that as soon as possible.”

“I just wish this was all over,” Avery hissed. “Kyle keeps dragging this out, and I hate it.”

I framed her face in my hands. “Are you sure you can do this? It’ll truly be the last time you have to talk to him.”

She nodded slightly. “It’s fine. I can do it. I swear. I can do anything for my boy.”

Ashton had no idea how lucky he was to have this woman as his mother.

An image flashed across my mind. Avery, eight months pregnant, off by herself somewhere alone, rubbing her stomach lovingly. My wolf growled, an unconscious sound I didn’t even have time to think about suppressing. A growl of desire.

“Hey, what’s going on?” Avery asked, studying me with concern.

The thought of her carrying my child sent an overwhelming pang of need through me. My wolf and I craved the idea. We’d missed so much, had never even seen Avery pregnant. It was something me and the beast inside me regretted, and we wanted to see it.

Hands trembling, I touched her stomach.

Her frown deepened for a moment, then the wrinkles on her forehead smoothed and she blinked up at me.

“Cole? What?—”

I leaned forward—lunged, really—and crushed my lips to hers. Her hands roved up my chest and into my hair. After several seconds, she pulled away, gasping for breath.

“What’s gotten into you?” she asked.

“I need you,” I said, my voice low and gravelly, more wolf than man. I glanced over my shoulder at Zayde, his eyes glued to his screen like a man possessed. Looking at her again, I said, “I want you, and whatever happens, I promise I’ll be there for it.”

The unspoken implication was obvious to both of us. I wanted to put a baby into her, wanted to see her stomach grow as our child formed inside her. It would be the greatest thing I’d ever experienced. I couldn’t go back in time, but I could ensure I was there for the next one.

Avery nodded vehemently. Taking her hand, I led her up the stairs. The strange swirling in my stomach made me recall the butterflies from all those years ago, the first time I was with Avery. Sixteen years old, unsure of what we were doing, but knowing we wanted whatever magical thing was about to happen. Now, all these years later, I felt like a teenager again.

Pulling her into the bedroom, I kicked the door shut behind us and dragged her against me, our lips meeting in a fervent kiss. The deep ache inside me swelled as her tongue slipped across my lips. Without breaking our embrace, we shuffled toward the bed, falling onto it in a tangle of limbs and suppressed laughter.

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