Page 208 of The Alpha's Second Chance Mate

“I do.”

Cole nodded. “We decided that the last time would be the final time. Then, instead of talking to us about it, you went behind our backs and called. What would you have thought or done if I had done the exact same thing? How would you feel if you found out I did something dangerous we’d agreed I wouldn’t do? Regardless of the reasonswhyI did it.”

Shit.

“I’d have been upset,” I admitted. “But Cole, you have to admit, we’ve got to try something new. Kyle’s got us running in circles, and every time we think we’ve done something to get the upper hand, he makes us look like fools. I didn’t go behind your back to be malicious. I just knew we needed to do something.”

“I know you aren’t trying to call me and Langston incompetent, but that’s what it feels like right now,” Cole said. “The guys and I are doing the best we can, and hearing you say that is a little like a slap in the face. It’s not that we don’t want to do more—we’re doing all we can. Do you think we aren’t?”

He looked at me, and despite his words, I had to disagree. We had to do more,neededto do more.

From the look on Cole’s face, I could see my silence was the only answer he needed.

Cole sighed and rested his elbows on his knees. “Avery, you aren’t the only one who lost Ashton. I know I wasn’t there for most of his life, and you’re his mom, but I’m his dad. It hurts me that he’s not back, and I know things aren’t happening as fast as we wanted. That’s upsetting, but there’s bigger things at play here. This isn’t about us.” Cole pointed toward the backyard, where Gabe was padding around, a man trapped in a wolf’s body. “The pack, all these innocent people? I’ve got to protect themalongwith my child and mate.”

I had no response for that. Half of me wanted to argue and tell him Ashton was the most important thing, that everyone else didn’t matter. The other side of my mind recoiled from that sort of selfish thinking. What if we weren’t mixed up in this and Ashton had been attacked while he was walking across the street? What if he was stuck in the body of a wolf? How would I feel if some woman somewhere told me he didn’t matter?

“I’m glad he’s safe,” Cole said. “I’m happy you got to talk to him, and that you found out a bit more about Kyle’s plans.”

He looked over at me, and there was no anger in his eyes, nothing but sadness. “Though, that was a conversation we could have all heard if you’d just told us you were doing it. I wouldn’t have been able to talk to Ashton, but I could have at least heard his voice. Langston and I might have been able to figure out more from what they said. We’re a team, Avery. You doing that without telling us is not what someone who’s on a team does.”

Without another word, he rose. Shaking his head sadly, he left me alone in the bedroom.

For a few seconds, I stared after him, my head spinning, trying to find some argument that made it seem less like I’d fucked up. Yet, there was nothing. He was right. If I’d asked, he and Langston would have let me call.

Dejected, I slid to the floor and hugged my legs to my chest, resting my forehead on my knees.

49

ASHTON

Shifting back to my human form, I looked down on the three men I’d defeated. I hated this. A few weeks ago, I’d have been stoked to have beaten three adult male shifters in a one-on-one battle. Yet, after all the time I’d spent here doing this over and over, it had lost its appeal. It was especially bad since that psycho Kyle kept watching over me as I did.

“You got lucky, you little shit,” one of the men said, wiping blood from his lip.

“Yeah,” the other sneered. “Young pup thinks he’s hot shit because he’s an alpha.”

I rolled my eyes. “You guys say that every time. Everyfreakingtime.”

“Get the fuck out of here,” the first man said, waving a hand toward the door.

Taking their cue, I pushed the door open. Instead of an actual exit, I stepped into a hallway where another of Kyle’s goons were standing guard. He had a pistol in his left hand. They always did.Kyle’s promise to my mother that I’d remain unharmed was only based on me behaving.

“Hey, Freddy,” I said. “Stomp on any kittens today?”

He stared at me with dead eyes, but he adjusted his grip on the gun. He didn’t like that. Maybe he had a thing for cats. Should have asked if he’d punched any babies instead.

“Boss wants to see you,” he said in that gruff voice of his that made it sound like he’d swallowed a cactus. He pointed down the hall with the barrel of the gun.

I thought about trying to take it. Wrestling the weapon away and subduing him. Some voice at the back of my mind told me not to. The struggle would alert the three guys in the training room. While I’d managed to defeat them all, four to one was terrible odds. Plus, if they thought I was really trying to kill them, they’d fight even harder than they had before. Nah, it was pointless.

I walked down the hall in the direction Freddy pointed, his footsteps echoing behind me as he followed.

“We’ll take him from here,” a voice called out.

Dallas. He and Sydney came strolling down the hallway.

“Boss said for me to bring him,” Freddy said, scowling at the other two.

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