Page 36 of The Alpha's Second Chance Mate

“All I care about is my mom,” Ashton continued. “I want her to be happy. I know you’re the one who broke her heart. Maybe…” He shrugged. “I don’t know, maybe you can fix it?”

As I pulled into Avery’s driveway, a heavy and intense pressure settled on my chest. The weight of the world. Ashton opened his door and climbed out. Following his lead, I decided I’d do my best to make his wish come true. Whether that meant I could somehow win Avery back or not, I wouldn’t stop until she was happy and content. Even if that was with someone else.

My inner wolf snarled at that thought, but it was the truth. Sometimes, when you loved someone, you had to do what was best for them rather than yourself.

Avery stepped out to meet us, and Ashton hugged her.

“Did you guys have fun?” She wrinkled her nose and pushed Ashton away. “Gross. You need a shower.”

“I know,” Ashton said, then kissed Avery on top of her head and ran toward the house. He was almost at the door before he turned to me and waved. “See you later, Cole. I had fun. Thanks.”

With that, he vanished inside, leaving Avery and me alone. We glanced at each other awkwardly. Avery took a step back toward the house, her body language telling me she was about to say goodbye and head in.

“How long are you guys staying?” I blurted before she could disappear inside and close the door.

She froze mid-step, eyes going wide. “Um, not really sure yet. It all depends on how things go between you and Ashton, I guess. I told you he wanted to get to know you a bit, and meet the pack. If things go well, then…” She trailed off and shrugged helplessly. “I don’t know.”

“What if Ashton wants to stay?”

“I would do anything for my son,” Avery said, her words more forceful now. “If he wants to stay here and become a part of the pack, then we stay. I’ll stay here, and I won’t say a word against it.” She crossed her arms and looked back toward the house, then at me. “How long until his first shift? Can you tell yet?”

“He’s close,” I said. “Really close. Some of his senses are already stronger than mine. I’d say he’s between three and six weeks away? Maybe eight weeks on the furthest end.”

“There you go,” she said. “By the end of summer, we’ll know where he stands. We’ll make our decision then, I suppose. I need to head in and work on dinner.”

She turned her back on me, and it was like a fist had clenched in my gut. In my mind, it was almost as though she wasn’t just turning her back on menow, but forever.

“Avery?” I called, stopping her in her tracks.

“Yes, Cole?” she said wearily.

I hesitated, but my wolf urged me on. “I still care for you. You know that, don’t you? No matter what stupid shit I did when I was younger, I never stopped?—”

“This is not why I’m in town, Cole,” Avery said, cutting my words off cleaner than if she’d used a scalpel. “That doesn’t matter. What matters is Ashton. Let’s… well, let’s focus on him. Okay?”

Before I could speak again, she hurried inside, closing the door behind her. I didn’t feel totally defeated, though. That last bit she said? I’d heard some doubt in her voice. Maybe she wasn’t too far gone that I couldn’t pull her back in.

There was the tiniest glimmer of hope in my chest as I got back in my truck and pulled onto the street. Regardless, I had the summer. Two months to get to know my son, help him shift, and introduce him to the pack.

Two months to mend Avery’s broken heart.

9

AVERY

Ididn’t know what exactly Cole and Ashton had been doing together the last few days, but the change in Ash’s demeanor was undeniable. As I sat at the kitchen table, reading the news on my laptop, Ashton pulled a pack of Pop-Tarts out of the pantry. He had a different bounce to his step. He seemed more alive, more excited by life, than he had the last several months. The only thing that could be causing it was Cole.

“What’s the plan for today?” I asked.

He glanced back at me as he poured himself a glass of milk. “Not sure. I think we’re gonna do some more training.” He shrugged. “Not sure how to explain it. It’s like getting your mind ready to be a shifter, I guess?” He grinned. “It’s really cool.”

I smiled. “That’s great. When are you guys leaving?”

“Cole’s picking me up in an hour, I think.”

“Okay, that’s fine. I’m leaving now. Stormy and I are having breakfast at Hattie’s, the restaurant near downtown.”

“I saw it when Cole gave me a tour the other day,” he said. “Let me know if it’s good, and we can go sometime.”

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