Page 62 of The Alpha's Second Chance Mate

“Thanks for the offer,” I said. “But I don’t want blood on your hands, Trent. That would be the very last and desperate resort.”

“Have you killed guys?” Ashton asked Trent in a mix of awe and shock.

“You don’t have to answer that,” Avery said to Trent. “Ash, you can’t ask a person if they’ve killed people!”

Trent sighed. “I’ve done a lot of stuff. I’m not proud of all of it, but it was always things that had to be done. I’m prepared to do even more to keep you all safe.” Trent pointed at Ashton. “You’re in my pack now. That means we’re brothers. Not by blood, no, but in all other ways that matter. You and I are family. And you.”He leveled a finger at Avery. “I’ve known you since you moved here when we were kids. I’ve always looked at you like a sister. We’re family, too, and damn it, I protect my family.”

Ashton stared back at Trent like Rambo himself had just stepped out of a TV.

“Yeah,” Ash said, then turned to me. “I want to protect Mom, too. Can I learn to fight? Like Trent? I bet you can fight, too.”

He looked so eager. I remembered those days. Not a child, not yet a man. Any time you saw someone bigger or better than you, a desperate desire filled you. You wanted to play sports better, be stronger, be a better fighter. It was part of why boys idolized action movie stars, bodybuilders, and professional athletes.

“I’ll make sure you learn,” I answered. “I promise. Trent and I will give you some pointers.”

Ashton’s head almost popped off from nodding his head so vigorously. “That would be awesome.”

Avery didn’t look enthused at the prospect, but she must have seen the excitement on Ashton’s face. She gave me a loaded look that said we’d be discussing this later.

“How about this,” Trent said. He was looking at his phone as he spoke. “What if, instead of selling the rental properties, we get rid of a couple of these businesses? The car wash in Jefferson City, and that storage unit complex. You said a year ago you were tired of dealing with those.” He waved the phone at me. “I’ve got the numbers here. Neither of those places are paid off, but with real estate what it is right now, I think we can pay off both business and property loans and still have more than enough to pay off Kyle.”

“I’m good with it if you are,” I said. “Get on the phone with a commercial realtor out there tomorrow. See if we can get some sort of cash sale done this week. We can take bottom dollar. I’m not trying to get rich. All I want is to get this guy off my ass.”

“Consider it done. I’ll call them first thing in the morning.”

“That’s all I wanted to talk about,” I said. “Avery, can I give you and Ashton a ride back home?”

“Sure,” she said with a nod.

When we arrived back at her house, she sent Ashton inside with all of his new clothes and shoes, and the conversation I knew was coming began.

“Fighting?” Avery said once the front door was closed. “Are you out of your fucking mind?”

“Avery, there is danger around here. I have no clue what Kyle might do. For all I know, he’ll change his mind tomorrow and decide to screw with one of you.”

Avery sighed and crossed her arms. “I know. It’s just so weird. He’s young. So young.” She gave me a furtive look. “But he’s an alpha, too. You told me once that alphas are born fighters.”

“True,” I said, happy she’d remembered.

“I guess I’m okay with it, but I don’t want him turning into Trent. I love the guy like a brother, but I can tell he’s not the same as he used to be. And the way he talked… I don’t know. I’d rather Ash not end up like that.”

“I doubt Ashton wants a career in the special forces, but I can promise you we won’t turn him into some killing machine. Trent is well-trained, and if I’m honest? Yeah, he’s dangerous. There’sno one I’d rather have on my side in a fight, that’s for sure. There also isn’t a better person to teach Ashton how to defend himself than Trent. And me.”

“I’m fine with it as long as he doesn’t get hurt and doesn’t start acting like he can fight anyone he sees. I don’t want all this to change my boy for the worse.”

How did I tell her what I really wanted to say? Did I come right out and say it? Usually, the best way to take a Band-Aid off was to rip it off quickly.

Putting an arm around her shoulders, I said, “It probably will change him. I can’t lie about that, but it’s not just the fighting. It will spike his testosterone, but the closer he gets to his shift, the more he’s going to change. He already looks like he’s closer to an adult than a child.”

“I know,” she said, and there was a heartbroken misery to the word.

Turning her to face me, I gazed into her eyes. “It’s okay. I’ll be here with you. I’ll be right by your side the whole way. I’ll help you learn how to raise a kid who has just gone through his first shift, and maybe you can help me figure out how to be a pack alpha and defend my pack from scumbags like Kyle. Deal?”

She chuckled. “Deal.”

For a few seconds, I seemed to fall into her eyes, a connection that pulled at me the way a black hole pulled at matter, sucking me in. Rather than scaring me, I felt as though I’d come home. It was like I could peer directly into her soul, and she into mine.

Our bond kindled as we gazed at each other. I needed her. Then, before I could talk myself out of it, I pulled her to me. Our lipscrashed together, and like that, we became one. Avery didn’t pull away. She sank into the kiss, our breath mingling, tongues dancing. My inner wolf surged forward, urging me closer. He wanted to feel her skin on ours, to experience the wet warmth of her as I slid my cock into her pussy. Most of all, he wanted to sink his teeth into her shoulder and claim her the way I should have all those years ago.

---