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AVERY

C ole texted to say he’d pick up Ashton the next morning to begin training him in self-defense.

It would mean I’d have most of the day to myself, which gave me time to go car shopping.

The rental company had emailed me an invoice for the next week, and it was getting incredibly expensive.

Part of me wished I’d kept the car Perry had gifted me, but it was probably better to fully cut that tie.

There was no need to keep trying to deal with him when it wasn’t necessary.

Not only would it be cheaper to own a car, but it was a necessity.

Ashton would be turning fifteen in a few weeks, and he’d want to get his learner’s permit.

He couldn’t learn on a rental, that was for sure.

We’d be spending the rest of summer in Harbor Mills, if not longer, which meant the sooner I did this, the better.

Cole arrived just after ten the next day, and Ashton was all ready to go. In fact, he was practically bouncing with energy and excitement.

“I can’t wait,” Ashton said.

“You realize you aren’t going to become Bruce Lee in one afternoon, right?” I said over my cup of coffee.

“Yeah. It’ll still be cool, though.”

The doorbell chimed, and Ashton sprinted over to let Cole in.

“Good morning, everyone,” Cole said, winking at me.

The memory of our kiss the previous afternoon flashed through my mind. Warm, pleasant heat radiated from my stomach up into my chest as I recalled the feeling of his lips on mine.

“Morning,” I said, putting my mug down and standing.

“What are you going to do while we’re gone?” Cole asked.

“I was thinking about which car dealership to go to,” I replied. “I need to get rid of that rental and buy a car. Do you know who has the best deals right now?”

Cole perked up. “You’re gonna get a car? Ash and I will tag along.”

I smirked at him and rolled my eyes. “Is this the thing where the big, strong man thinks a lady can’t handle buying a car?”

I had plenty of past experience with some salesman thinking he could either pull one over on me or belittle me because I was a woman. It was a frustrating aspect of being female in our society. I didn’t want to tell Cole that, though.

“No,” Cole said with a quick shake of his head. “It’s not about that. I can help, and this way, the three of us can spend more time together.”

“Cole, I can handle buying a car by myself. I’m not helpless,” I said, feeling a little heated despite knowing he didn’t mean anything by it.

“I know you can,” Cole said, holding his hands up in surrender. “I want to be helpful is all.’’ He looked at me in that way I’d always liked, sort of like I was the only woman in the whole world. “I want to help you. Take care of you, I guess.”

More heat spread up my back, and goosebumps popped out on my arms.

“Fine,” I said. “If it’ll make you feel like a big, strong man, you can come along.”

Cole grinned and stepped forward, giving me a kiss. It was quick and sweet but still managed to make my head spin. Was this really happening? Was Cole Garrett really back in my life?

“Gross,” Ashton muttered, and we separated.

“Sorry, bud,” Cole said. “She’s just too pretty not to kiss.”

I blushed.

“Does this mean we’re not training today?” Ashton asked, looking dejected and forlorn.

“I promise a little car shopping won’t interfere with that,” Cole said. “Besides, we were gonna hang out for a bit, anyway, before getting started. Trent isn’t free until later this afternoon.”

Ashton chewed on his lower lip. I could tell he was wanting to ask something that he thought I’d say no to. I’d had over fourteen years to learn his quirks and tics, and this was one of them.

“Go ahead and say what’s on your mind,” I said.

“Would it be cool if I didn’t go with you guys?

No offense, but buying a car sounds super boring.

There’s a guy I met playing basketball at the park a few days ago, and he texted me.

He and some of the other guys are gonna get together for a game.

I told them I was busy, but if you guys are going car shopping, can I go for a few hours? ”

“You want to go play with them rather than spend the day going over credit checks with your mother?” I put a hand to my chest in faux shock. “I cannot believe it.”

Ashton rolled his eyes so far back, I thought they’d fall back into his skull. “Mom. Come on. Can I? He’s got a car. He can pick me up. I’ll be back in time to go with Cole and Trent.”

“Where exactly are you going?” Cole asked, eyeing Ashton warily. “The park I took you to the other day?

“Yeah,” Ashton said. “Is that cool?”

“Just a little worried after what happened yesterday. The guy who does maintenance at the park is a member of the pack. Let me text him. I’ll have him keep an eye on you guys today while you play.

I doubt there will be any trouble, but I’ll feel better about it.

As long as the kid who picks you up is cool, too. ”

“Okay,” Ashton said, then looked at me. “So I’m good to go?”

“That’s fine,” I conceded. “Go ahead and text him. I think Cole and I can survive without you.”

He smiled. “Awesome. I’ll go put my new shoes on and tell him to pick me up.”

Ashton ran down the hall and into his room. I stared after him wistfully. Soon, he’d be an adult, then he wouldn’t need to ask me to go somewhere. He’d be off into the world like a bird on the wind.

“Are you sure this is going to be okay?” I asked, still staring down the hall. I turned to Cole. “The whole fighting thing, I mean. Not the park.”

“I trust Trent with my life,” Cole said.

“I trust him with my son’s life as well, and yours, and my sister’s.

He’s the best friend I’ve ever had. He’ll do a good job with Ash.

Like I told you yesterday, we aren’t going to turn him into a crazed killer.

It’ll only be some simple hand-to-hand stuff.

Enough to get himself out of trouble if need be.

We may work some more whenever the shift happens.

Help him learn to fight in his wolf form, but that’s it. ”

“Really?”

“Yeah,” he said. “The machine guns and rocket launchers will come later.”

I swatted his arm. “Very funny.”

“I’m joking, but honestly, he’ll need to learn one day.”

“To shoot a gun?” I asked, gaping at him.

“No, a rocket launcher.” He laughed. “Yes, a gun. I hate the thought, but it’s a tool, and a dangerous one at that. It would be good if he knew how to handle one. With people like Kyle around, it’s a good idea.”

He eyed me speculatively as I digested that, then added, “It would help me rest easier if you learned to use a gun, too.”

I shot him an annoyed smirk. “How did I know you were going to say that?”

“I don’t want to overstep,” Cole said. “But Ashton will be a full shifter soon. With all the additional strength and ability that comes with it, he’ll have multiple ways of protecting himself. You’re human. It would make me feel better if you had a way of protecting yourself.”

Even though I’d grown up in rural Georgia where owning a gun was as common as owning a washing machine, I’d never been one for guns.

Not because I was afraid of them, but because it always seemed like a silly hobby.

Guns and ammunition were expensive, and all you did was make it go bang and put little holes in stuff.

Ridiculous. But when I thought about it as protection, it made more sense.

I could still see Kyle’s sneering face looking at me from across the diner.

“I’ll think about it,” I said.

“That’s all I ask,” he said, brushing his lips over my forehead.

Cole pulled his phone out and called whatever guy he knew to watch this basketball game while we waited for Ashton’s friend to show.

Ten minutes later, a Jeep pulled up in the driveway.

Through the window, I spotted an older teenager hopping out, dressed in an Atlanta Hawks basketball jersey, shorts, and high-top sneakers. He stepped up on the porch and knocked.

“Ashton,” I called. “Your friend’s here.”

He came bolting down the hall as Cole opened the door. The boy outside looked surprised to find such a big man answering the door. There was no way the boys Ashton had met hadn’t spotted the resemblance to the new pack alpha, but I was sure that coming face-to-face with the man was startling.

“Uh, hi. You’re Cole Garrett, right?” the kid asked in a trembling voice.

Cole crossed his arms and nodded. “That’s right. Your last name’s Kissel, isn’t it?”

He nodded. “Yeah. Braylen Kissel. Uh, sir.”

Cole grinned and stepped back, allowing the kid inside. “I always liked your dad. Good family.”

The boy grinned, relief washing over his face. “Thanks. I’ll tell him you said that.”

Braylen introduced himself to me. He appeared to be closer to seventeen. Maybe a junior or senior in high school. Older than Ashton, but only by a couple years.

“Can we go?” Ashton asked.

I shot Cole a surreptitious glance, and he nodded his approval of the kid who’d come to take my son away.

“Sure. See you in a few hours,” I said.

Ashton hugged me and headed outside with Braylen. I watched him get into the Jeep and spoke over my shoulder to Cole.

“He’s a good kid?”

“Yeah. His dad was older than us, but he was always a straight arrow. Honor roll, played in the marching band, Boy Scout, all that stuff. Ashton should be fine with him.”

“All right.” I blew out a breath. “Let’s go get me a car.”

An hour later, Cole and I stood in the Harbor Mills New and Used Dealership, staring at the two vehicles I’d zeroed in on.

“I really like this one,” I said, nodding toward the small hybrid hatchback. “It’ll be good on gas mileage, and it’s plenty big enough for me and Ashton.”

Cole sighed and made an I don’t know about this face. “It’s front-wheel drive, though. I think it would be better to get the truck. It’s got four-wheel drive, for the snow.”

“We live in Georgia,” I pointed out, exasperated.

“I know, but that’s the problem,” Cole said. “We don’t get a lot of snow, but when we do, it’s a disaster. The local municipal workers don’t have the supplies or equipment to clear it quickly. I like this one best.”

The truck looked like a damned tank. I’d need a stepstool to get into the thing. That was not going to work. It was even bigger than Cole’s truck, and I already struggled to get into that. No way.

After fifteen more minutes of walking around, we both agreed on a mid-sized SUV.

It was a hybrid, and smaller like I wanted, but it came with all-wheel drive.

Not the massive, torque-heavy four-wheel drive Cole would have liked, but it would be more than enough for the one or two inches of snow we got a year.

One benefit of Cole coming along was that the shifter salesmen at the dealership had been too intimidated to rush us or push for a sale.

They’d hung back, letting us go through the lot until we found what we wanted.

After a quick test drive, we dealt with the paperwork.

While I was signing the last document and the salesman was preparing the temporary tag, Cole’s phone rang.

“It’s Farrah,” he said, looking at the screen. “Let me take this.” He put the phone to his ear as I slid the paperwork back across the desk. “Hello.” The attentive smile on his lips slid away. “Farrah, calm down. Say that again. What’s wrong?”

A few more seconds went by as he listened, and my blood ran cold at the murderous look on his face. Whatever she was saying had pissed him off. Very rarely had I ever seen rage like that on his face.

“Farrah, just hang on. I’ll be there soon. Calm down. I’ll be right there.”

He shoved his phone back into his pocket.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

Cole waved at the salesman. “Is the SUV ready to go?”

The man gaped at him. “Uh, we sent a tech to fill up the tank at the gas station next door. He should be back in five?—”

“No time,” Cole said. “We’ll be back to pick it up later. Avery, we need to go. Now.”

I hurried after him. “What’s going on?”

“Farrah found blood on her back porch. A lot of it. And a trail leading to the woods behind her house.”

Blood? From what? From where? The only thing that sprang to mind was that it had to be some sort of accident. Someone had been hurt or something. But then, Farrah would have known if someone was at her house. The only other option was a message.

“Do you think Kyle had something to do with this?” I asked as I climbed into the passenger seat.

Cole just shot me a knowing look, his mind going in the same direction as mine. The tires of his truck squealed as he gunned it to Farrah’s house. On the way, he called Trent to have him meet us there. The whole way, I remained silent. All I could think about was the blood.

Farrah was pacing her front porch when we pulled into her driveway. Cole leaped from his seat, leaving his door open. I got out and rushed after him.

“Do you know what happened?” he asked.

Farrah, who looked beyond freaked out, shook her head.

“No clue. I was walking around, watering the plants. I went around to the back porch, and then I saw it.” She shook her head, running her hands through her hair.

“Cole, it’s a lot of blood. I don’t know what could have caused it. Something bad happened.”

He pointed at the front door. “Avery, get her inside. I’m going around back to check.”

Farrah allowed me to guide her into a chair in the kitchen.

She looked dazed and confused. I would be, too.

Your home was supposed to be a sanctuary from danger.

You shouldn’t have to worry about someone or something invading that space.

I could imagine how I’d feel if I’d discovered a puddle of blood on my back porch.

“Farrah, would you like a cup of tea or something?” I asked, trying to be helpful.

She nodded absently. “Sure. Yeah. Thanks.”

I crossed the kitchen and pulled a mug down from the cabinet, then put the kettle on the stove to boil.

While I worked, I glanced out the back window.

Crimson stains spattered the floorboards of the porch, the walkway down the steps, and across the grass toward the forest. Cole was kneeling, inspecting the trail.

I couldn’t even see the worst of the blood, but my stomach roiled at what little I saw.

If this was some kind of message from Kyle, then things had escalated even more. I couldn’t figure out why, though. He’d only just told Cole about the change to the payment timeline the day before. Why do this now?

The bigger question that screamed through my mind was who—or what —did that blood belong to?