Page 170 of The Alpha's Second Chance Mate

Cole walked me to the door, but before I stepped out onto the porch, he pulled me close, pressing his lips to mine. The kiss was long and deep and sent a shiver through me. God, I wished there weren’t anyone else around so I could tear off his clothes.

“I’ll let you know when we’re through,” Cole said as he pulled his lips from mine.

“I’ll wait for your call.”

He squeezed my hand before releasing it. Stepping out on the porch, I looked back. Cole winked. There was a confidence in his eyes that I wished I had. It would be nice to be sure of myself.

Following Zayde to the cars, I did my best not to worry about what was about to happen in that basement.

41

COLE

Iwaved as Avery and Zayde both drove away, a faint smile on my face. As soon as she was out of sight, the smile slipped from my lips. My wolf gave a low, menacing growl. Turning, I caught Trent’s eye.

“Are you ready for this?” he asked. “You don’t have to do this. Langston and I can get the info.”

“Thanks for your concern, but I’ll be fine. You guys have seen shit like this before, and I haven’t, but this isn’t a random mission. This is about my son and my mate. If my hands need to get bloody for that, then so be it.”

Trent licked his lips, eyeing me warily, but nodded all the same. “All right, then. Let’s do this.”

Farrah moved past me down the porch steps. “Good luck.” She shuddered. “I thought I could handle this, but it looks like I’m more in line with Avery. There are some things I don’t want to see.”

“I’ll let you know what we find out,” I said.

She nodded, threw a worried look at my house, then strolled to her car. Porter sidled up next to me, lowering his voice.

“Hey, yo, is your sister single by chance?”

Snapping my head around, I found Porter looking over his shoulder as Farrah got into her car.

“First off, I’m her brother, so maybe I’m not the best guy to ask. Second, she is, but you, my friend, couldn’t handle her.”

Porter heaved a heavy sigh and nodded, giving me a friendly punch in the arm. “Yeah. I figured that. Just had to ask, though.”

Returning my attention to the house, my vision tunneled until all I could see was the front door and Trent’s back. Every thought in my mind was focused on what was about to come. Inside, I picked up the scent of the man downstairs. Sour fear, salty with sweat, and a hint of earthy musk that reminded me of Kyle. This man had been near my enemy not long ago. That was a good sign.

As we descended the stairs, I struggled to keep my wolf in check. He was threatening to push forward and take over. The beast within me smelled prey. He wanted to tear flesh from bone, to coax a scream of agony from an adversary. There was more subtlety needed, though. I couldn’t allow barbarity to take hold. I was no monster like Kyle. Not unless I had to be.

The prisoner raised his head and watched us with wide, fearful eyes. The smell of fear was even stronger here. The guy didn’t look very intimidating or dangerous now that he was tied to a chair. Trent and Langston had tied him in such a way that even if he had shifted, he’d still be bound. Ropes crisscrossed his chest and legs, looped around each arm and leg, as well as his wristsand ankles, and one final loop tight around his neck ran up to a beam above him.

As harmless as the man looked, the situation itself was dangerous. We’d have to navigate this minefield carefully. He was young—twenty or twenty-one, maybe?—but here, he looked even younger. Like a child caught in a trap.

“Hello, friend.” Langston smiled and stepped closer. “What’s your name, anyway?”

“You guys are in a load of shit, you know that?” the man snarled. “Kyle’s gonna make rugs out of you fuckers. Peel the fur off you while you’re still alive.”

“Yes, yes, very scary,” Trent said. “Anyway, you know why we’re here. What’s your damn name?”

“My name’s Scotty, but that doesn’t matter. You don’t get it, do you?” Scotty glared at us. “You’re gonna pay. He’s not someone you fuck with.”

“AndI’mnot someone you fuck with, either, Scotty,” I snarled, letting my alpha aura flood out of me.

Trent and Porter winced away, and even Langston blinked in surprise. The captive immediately lowered his head, submitting to a more powerful shifter.

“Do you hear me?Look at me,” I commanded.

Reluctantly, he lifted his eyes to meet mine.

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