An Unwanted Second Chance (JB Tirado) novel Chapter 58

The first thing that Kent registered was pain. Excruciating pain. He tried to open his eyes but everything hurt,

He felt her hands on his face, her warm breath against his brow

“It’s ok,” she was whispering. “Just go back to sleep.”

“Are you… ok?” He tried to look towards her but she ran her fingers over his eyelids, keeping them shut.

“I’m fine,” she whispered. “You need to rest.”

“Stay,” he pleaded, his voice sounding small, almost child–like.

“Of course,” she replied, her fingers dancing over his brow, pushing his hair back. “I’m not going anywhere.”

He wasn’t sure how long it was before he opened his eyes. The room was dim. A machine beeped out a steady rhythm somewhere behind his head. It took a moment before things came into focus, the hospital room slowly forming before his gaze.

Glancing to his right he saw her.

Riley was curled in an armchair, wrapped in a blanket. She looked so peaceful, like she had every morning. He almost always woke up before her and he had gotten used to watching her sleep. She always carried some tension around her eyes when she was awake, but it faded when she slept.

He tried to shift and pain shot through him. He tried to stifle the groan but clearly failed as Riley’s eyes shot

open.

“You’re awake,” she said, quickly moving out of the chair to his side. She pushed the hair off his forehea

Don’t move. You’re really hurt.”

“I can tell,” he whispered through gritted teeth.

“I’ll get a nurse,” she said, turning towards the door.

He wanted to beg her not to leave his side, but she was already gone before the words had formed on his lips. A moment later she came back, followed by an older man with a shock of gray hair.

He recognized Dr. Harting immediately. He was the same man who had told Kent about his father’s death ten

years ago.

“You’re awake, Alpha,” the doctor said warmly. “I always knew you were a fast healer, but having your mate nearby has certainly helped.”

Kent tried to stifle his shock that the doctor knew about Riley as the doctor began explaining the extent of his injuries. A broken leg, the bones in his forearm crushed, his collarbone crushed and a deep laceration to the shoulder and neck that had required surgery to stem the blood loss. Dr. Harting asked about pain as he took Kent’s vitals and checked the bandages around some of the wounds.

“Overall, I think you could go back to the pack house today if the leg is healed,” the doctor finished. “I’ll order an x–ray. The shoulder and arm will take longer to heal because the damage is so extensive, so you’ll not be able to do much for another day or so.”

Kent nodded as the doctor headed out. He turned to see Riley watching him apprehensively from her chair.

Chapter 58

“The doctor knew you were my mate,” he whispered, smiling slightly.

She didn’t smile. She chewed her bottom lip for a moment before nodding.

“He wasn’t going to let me stay so Max told him,” she murmured.

Kent frowned. “Is something wrong? Did you not want him to know?”

Had she not told him just last night that she wanted to stay with him? He was positive he hadn’t imagined that. She had made her decision. So why did she suddenly look so scared?

“It’s not that,” she whispered, looking away.

Before she could reply, there was a knock at the door. A young tech walked in to announce he was taking

Kent down for x–rays. Riley scrambled to her feet, muttering something about breakfast before she disappeared out the door.

Kent’s stomach twisted with unease throughout the x–rays, his mind racing about what could have possibly

happened with Riley.

When he came back to his room, he was somewhat disappointed to see Max and Patrick waiting for him and no sign of Riley. He noted how exhausted both of his friends looked, an odd look of apprehension on both of

their faces.

“What’s wrong?” he asked the moment the tech was out the door.

Patrick and Max exchanged a look.

“What do you mean?” Patrick finally asked.

“Something is wrong,” Kent snapped, his anger rising. “Don’t treat me like I’m stupid just because I got hurt.” He glanced towards the door. “Riley was here when I woke up but something was off. And now you two are acting like you got caught doing something wrong. So what happened?”

Patrick and Max exchanged another look. Kent was ready to smash their heads together if he could have gotten out of the bed.

“Let’s just focus on getting you out of the hospital,” Max said wearily. “We can talk about it later.”

“We’ll talk about it now,” Kent snarled. “I’ll command it if I have to. You won’t keep information about my mate

from me again.”

Both men flinched.

“We will talk about it later.”

Kent looked up to see Riley standing in the doorway, holding a cup of coffee. The force of her voice shocked him, as though she had decided she was the alpha instead of him. He opened his mouth to argue and she

cut him off.

“If you command them to tell you,” she said sharply, stepping into the room, “then you and I will be done.” He froze, the blood draining out of his face. Every bit of fight fled him as he read the seriousness in her expression, the cold glint in her eyes.

She was clearly pissed and he had no idea why.

“I’m going back to the pack house,” she said firmly. She turned to Patrick and Max. “I trust the two of you to

< Chapter 58

get him back there. I’m sure you two can at least do that without f*****g it up.”

Both men flinched again.

“What the hell?” Kent muttered, glancing between all of them.

“We’ll talk later,” Max whispered, his expression pained. “Please, Alpha,”

Comments