An Unwanted Second Chance (JB Tirado) novel Chapter 51

Chapter 51

Once he was dressed, Kent knocked on Riley’s door. She stepped out wearing a pair of jeans and a light green. sweater that highlighted the green flecks in her hazel eyes. He couldn’t help but lean down and kiss her.

He knew he should have been grateful to the interruption this morning, that he was the one who had been pushing for distance between the two of them, but the last week had felt unbearable. Being so close to Riley,

sitting in the same room with her day in and day out, holding her while they slept, and yet not pushing for

more was stretching his willpower to the very limits. Giving in had felt like bliss.

Now he forced himself to take a step away from her and maintain a respectable distance as they went downstairs and out to where his car was parked. It was a short drive to the hospital that stretched into an

uncomfortable silence as Riley stared out the window.

Penny and Max were waiting just inside the hospital doors. Penny beamed when she saw the two of them

walk in as Max raised a questioning eyebrow. Kent knew Max was going to question him later, asking why he

had brought Riley, but Kent couldn’t explain why he needed Riley with him for this. Just that it was such an

important event for him and he needed her to share it.

“It’s a girl,” Penny said once they were close enough, throwing her arms around Kent. He smiled as she let go and turned to hug Riley.

“Pat’s parents just left,” Max said as Penny let go of Riley. “Lana’s parents are still driving. They won’t be here

for a few more hours, so Pat wants us to come up before they get here.”

“I can wait down here,” Riley said quickly, glancing around. “I know this is important for you guys. I don’t want

to intrude.”

Max smiled warmly at her. “You’ll come up with us. You’re not intruding at all.”

“Of course,” added Penny, grabbing Riley’s arm to pull her towards the elevator. “Pat and Lana will be happy

to see you.”

Kent smiled as he followed behind the two women, relieved that they hadn’t agreed to her plan to stay

behind.

Patrick was holding the baby when they walked in. She was wrapped in a pale yellow blanket, a small patch

of dark hair visible. Lana was reclined in the bed but smiled widely as they all walked in.

“She looks like her mom,” Max said, smiling down at the baby. “Thank the Goddess for small blessings like

that.”

Penny gave him a shot in the ribs but Patrick laughed. Penny carefully took her from Patrick’s arms and

cuddled her.

“How are you doing?” Riley asked Lana.

Lana laughed. “It’s kind of nice that you’re the one asking that question for once. But I’m good. Just a little

tired.”

“A little tired,” scoffed Penny, still looking at the baby. “I felt like I was ripped in half by the time Alex was out. He had such a big head.”

“Like his dad,” Patrick quipped.

Chapter 51

Penny chuckled, turning towards Kent. “Do you want to hold her?”

Kent felt his breath catch slightly as he nodded. Pau carefully passed the baby to him and Kent awkwardly

cradled her to his chest. He had held babies before, especially Alex when he was little. But the last time he

had held anything so small was the day he carried Evan.

His breath caught at the memory of all the things that had occurred that day.

The baby’s eyes fluttered open and Kent felt like it was a punch to the chest. Her eyes were the same as Patrick’s, a deep chocolate brown. Also, the same color as Lily’s. He studied her face and saw that while she did have a lot of Lana’s features, in her mouth and nose, her eyes and hair were exactly like Patrick’s – and therefore like Lily’s.

One of the last conversations Kent and Lily had was about babies. He remembered her nearly begging him

about it.

“Please Kent,” she had lamented, stretching across the bed, “how long do we have to wait?”

“I just want to be ready,” Kent had replied, looking away.

“Goddess,” she chuckled, “is anyone ever ready to have a baby? Look at Max and Penny, they have no clue what they’re doing with Alex but they’re so happy. I just want a pup. Is that such a terrible thing?”

Kent had relented that day, agreed that they could start trying, but they never really got the chance. She die

two weeks later.

And now she had a niece that she would never meet.

He felt Riley leaning against him as she looked at the baby. “What’s her name?” she asked.

There was a long moment of silence that caused Kent to look up. Patrick was looking at Lana, something unspoken passing between the two of them.

Patrick cleared his throat. “Well, we actually wanted to talk to Kent about that. We’ve already spoken to my

parents about it, but we want to name her after my sister. Lily

Kent barely registered the way Riley curled her hand around his bicep, clearly trying to steady him. All he heard was the rush of blood in his ears as the baby yawned, a small fist coming up from the blanket to sit just under her chin.

“That’s a beautiful name,” he managed to say past the lump in his throat, his voice hoarse. “I think it’s perfect

for her.”

“Thanks, Alpha.” Patrick sounded relieved as carefully took the baby back.

Kent looked around the room to find everyone watching him carefully. This should be a joyous moment, a moment to celebrate this new life. But all he felt was grief, thick and heavy in his chest, over the one person

who wasn’t here.

“If you’ll excuse me,” he managed to say, turning towards the door,

No one said a word as he walked out, but once he cleared the threshold – he ran.

**

“I saw that going differently,” Patrick murmured after a moment of silence.

“He likes the name,” Riley said without thinking. Everyone turned to look at her. She sighed. “He’s just

Chapter 51

overwhelmed. He still misses her a lot.”

Patrick carefully handed the baby to Lana, rubbing his forehead. “He just seemed like he’s been doing better

the last year or so.”

“He’s supposed to be tough, right?” Riley suddenly felt uncomfortable as they all looked at her. “Strong alpha, strong pack and all that.” She looked at the door.

“You should go find him,” Max said softly.

She turned to look at him. “I don’t know where he’s gone.”

“Your wolf will know,” Penny explained. “Just ask her to tell you.

Riley nodded slowly before turning to the door. She walked into the hallway and realized that she had no idea where he was. She tried to follow his scent, but with so many other smells, his was getting lost.

Rose, she said, how do I find him?

Use the mate bond, Rose answered.

How? I’ve never done that.

Just close your eyes and focus on him. You can feel him.

Riley closed her eyes and focused on his feelings, on the sadness, grief and anger. She started moving before she even opened her eyes, letting her instincts guide her. She moved quickly through the hospital and found herself outside. She ran until she reached the trees, where his smell was stronger.

He shifted, Rose said.

Riley moved behind a tree and stripped quickly. Once shifted, Rose scooped up her clothes and started running. She found Kent, sitting on the bank of the stream that Pax and Rose had cuddled on the week before. He was wearing only a pair of jeans, his head bent down in his hands. She shifted and slipped her clothes on before approaching on foot.

“Just leave me alone,” he yelled without looking up.

She froze, his anger catching her off guard.

“Just go!” he hollered, still not looking up. “I don’t want you here.”

She cautiously continued forward but he stood quickly, growling as he turned to face her. She froze again, scanning his face for a clue. He looked angry, but she knew he wasn’t. He was just so sad. She took a few more steps to close the distance between them, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling his head to her shoulder. He resisted for a second before burying his face into the crook of her neck, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her flush against him. She rubbed his shoulder, running her hand up into his hair as his breathing slowed.

Finally he lifted his head and she reached up, wiping the tear tracks from his face. She kissed his lips lightly.

“Come sit with me,” she whispered.

He released her and she led him over to the stream, sitting on the bank.

“Tell me what happened.”

“Lily wanted a pup,” he said, not looking at her. “Actually she wanted four. She talked about it constantly, Two

CChapter 51

boys and two girls. She had names picked out and everything. We were trying for our first when she was

killed.

“We had been mated for four years when she died. After two years together, she started talking about pups but I just wasn’t ready. I kept asking her to wait. I think I was scared. I didn’t want to be like my father. But she convinced me and we finally started trying a couple weeks before she died. Sometimes I think, if I hadn’t been so resistant to having pups, she wouldn’t have been in the woods that day.”

“That’s not your fault.” Riley frowned at him. “Her death isn’t your fault.”

“I know that.” He sighed, turning to look at her. “Sometimes I just wonder how different things could have been. When I held that baby, all I could think about was how much Lily should have gotten to have her own pup. She would have been so excited to be an aunt, but she never even got to meet Lana. Patrick met his mate a month after she died. But she would have loved that baby.”

Riley took his hand, bringing it to her lips. “But you like the name?”

He nodded. “I think it’s lovely honestly.” He rested his head on her shoulder and she rubbed his knee.

“Thank you for coming to find me,” he whispered.

“I can’t just let you wander around unsupervised,” she replied, making him laugh.

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