Page 132 of The Alpha's Second Chance Mate

Cole explained what they’d seen in North Crest, the strange reactions to asking about Kyle, followed by everyone vanishing from the streets once word got out, ending with the old lady and her revelations.

“He’s got a racketeering scheme going on for a whole town?” Porter asked, brows furrowed in confusion.

Trent shrugged. “Maybe not every single person, but enough of them that it’s got the whole town too spooked to do anything about it.”

“How can he do that?” I asked. “I mean, is that even possible?”

“No idea,” Cole said. “He’s got to be involved in something bigger than just conning old drunks out of their fortune.”

He was talking about his father, of course. Kyle had stolen hundreds and hundreds of thousands from Cole’s dad and the Harbor Mills pack, but that was nowhere near enough to pay for what he’d done in North Crest. Something wasn’t adding up.

Langston rested his elbows on his knees and addressed Zayde. “Can you check into anything in North Crest? Not security stuff, but financials?”

“You thinking about bank records?” Zayde asked.

“Yeah. Bank records, wire transfers, real estate deals, things like that. Something dirty that’s being hidden in some way.”

“I got you.” Zayde stood and stretched. He turned to me. “You got a room I can hunker down in and work? I concentrate better in the quiet.”

“Sure, down the hall. You can work in Ashton’s room. It has a desk. It’s the room with the posters of rock stars and basketball players taped to the wall.”

“Much appreciated.” He picked up his equipment and went to Ashton’s bedroom.

“I can put all your other stuff in the guest room,” I said.

Cole’s head snapped around, and the tension in his shoulders and arms returned.

“I’m gonna walk the perimeter,” Porter said.

Once Porter and Zayde were both out of earshot, Cole pinned me with his stare.

“Are these guys all reallystaying here?”

“We’ve already been over this, Cole,” I said.

Langston eyed us warily.

“It’s just…” Sighing, Cole ran a hand through his hair. “Maybe it would be better if they stayed somewhere else. Give you some space to relax. This has been stressful, and you don’t need to be waiting on these guys hand and foot?—”

“Hang on,” Langston interrupted. “We have no intention of treating Avery like a maid or something.”

Cole turned his head, the movement slow and threatening, until he was looking directly at Langston. “Did Iaskfor your input?” Cole snarled.

“Between the beds and couches, there’s plenty of room,” I said. “They’re here to help. No reason to make them pay for a hotel on top of their plane tickets and everything else.”

Anger radiated off Cole. I wasn’t even a shifter, and I could feel it. Trent’s mouth was set in a thin line as he watched his friend circle behind the couch. Langston was watching Cole as well, but he looked more confused than anything.

Cole was embarrassing me. What the hell was going on with him?

“I don’t like it,” Cole finally said, resting his hands on the back of the couch. “We barely know these guys.”

That did it. I rose from my seat and rounded on him, pointing back toward Langston.

“Theseguys, as you call them, are family. They were there for me when I was alone. They helped take care of Ashton when he was little.They gave us structure. I’ve known them for a decade.” Sighing deeply, I did my best to control my temper before saying something I’d regret. Instead, I tried a different tactic.

“Cole, you should be happy about what they’ve been able to do for Ashton,” I said gently. “He’s had a rough go of it. No pack to rely on, no father to?—”

Cole flinched as if I’d slapped him. Despite my best efforts not to say something regretful, I’d managed to do it, anyway. He stared at me like a wounded animal.

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