Page 100 of The Alpha's Second Chance Mate

The look on Cole’s face could only be described as heartrending, as though his heart had been ripped out while still beating.

“I don’t know,” Cole said in almost a whisper.

Without another word, he vanished out the door, closing it behind him. Once he was gone, Ashton turned to me, looking so confused and angry that it broke my heart.

“Something isn’t right,” he said. “He’s not acting anything like himself.”

I wasn’t a shifter and didn’t have the enhanced senses that they did, but I didn’t need them to know that Ashton was right. This wasn’t something as simple as Cole worrying about money. I’d never seen Cole react like he did earlier. He’d never raised hisvoice to me. Whatever was going on with Kyle was even worse than he’d let on, and he was holding it in for some reason I couldn’t fathom.

The next day, after hearing nothing from Cole, I called Stormy and asked to meet her for lunch. We met at a small café downtown, where I explained everything that had happened the previous two days.

Stormy stabbed at her salad and shrugged slightly. “Maybe you should do what he says?”

“Leave town?” I sputtered. “Are you serious?”

“I kind of am,” Stormy said. “Cole is not someone who’s going to jump at the drop of a hat. If he’s worried, you should be, too.”

“Maybe,” I said with a sigh, nudging the club sandwich on my plate. “I wish he’d tell me what the issue is. I don’t like being in the dark. If he’s scared, then I want to know why.”

“Okay. Now that, I do get. I’d probably feel the same,” Stormy admitted.

“This has to be bigger than money and property. For Cole to be acting so weird, it’s got to be bigger.”

“Agreed,” Stormy said. “On the surface, this sounds like some shit that would get sorted out by lawyers. Do you think Kyle threatened him?”

“Possibly. Who knows,” I said. “You’re right, though. He is freaked out about something. None of it makes any sense. He wants to be with Ashton and me, so him telling me we need to leave Harbor Mills says a lot.”

“It’s been a day,” Stormy said. “Maybe he’s ready to talk. Could be he just needed some time to process.”

“True. I guess I can try again.”

After lunch, I texted Cole, asking if we could meet up and talk. Thankfully, he replied and told me he’d be over in a little while. I sat on the old swing, waiting for him. I swung back and forth, letting the summer air flow through my hair as I did, wondering what Cole would tell me when he got here.

Less than twenty minutes later, I heard the telltale sound of wolf feet padding through the leaves in the forest behind me.

“Took you long enough,” I said as I turned.

I flinched in surprise as a wolf that looked wholly unlike Cole’s came rushing out of the woods and shifted. A frazzled-looking Trent came jogging toward.

“Trent? What are you doing here?” I asked.

He glanced at the front of the house, then back at me. The look in his eyes worried me.

“You need to listen to me,” he said. “Cole’s going to be here soon, and you need to know what’s going to happen.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Listen, Avery,” he pleaded with me. “I want you ready so you aren’t blindsided, and so you’ll be prepared.”

“Prepared for what?” I stood from the swing and took a step toward him. “What is going on?”

“Cole’s either gonna try to end things with you or tell you he’s leaving town. Fuck, he might do both.”

It was like a knife had been shoved between my ribs, the icy-cold blade slamming into my heart. My lips flattened into a thin line, and I nodded my head once.

“He doesn’t want to be with me. Is that it?” I crossed my arms over my chest. “I should have known. This is like before. I’m so fucking stupid.”

“Stop,” Trent said, putting a hand on my shoulder. “That’s not it. Things have gotten complicated with Kyle. I know he hasn’t told you everything.”

---