An Unwanted Second Chance (JB Tirado) novel Chapter 95

Extra Story – Chapter 3

Age 14

Riley stood alone on the training field, arms crossed, the early morning mist still clinging to the grass. Her foot tapped against the ground as she stared across the grounds. Evan was late.

She wasn’t even surprised.

He was testing her. She was sure of it. Show up late, act like it doesn’t matter, try to take control. It was the kind of move a frustrated kid with too much pain and too little direction would pull. Especially one who was used to watching adults dance around his outbursts.

Her jaw tightened. She didn’t have time for this.

A list of unfinished tasks tugged at her brain. She had client reports waiting for her review. Emails that needed replies. A meeting she should have scheduled. Wyatt had a school project due in two days, and she

still hadn’t picked up supplies. Elinor needed new shoes, again. The kid was growing faster than her budget could keep up.

And instead of checking any of those things off, she was standing here in the cold early morning, waiting on

a boy who had spent much of the last year acting like he hated the world.

She exhaled slowly, forcing the tension from her shoulders. She could already feel her irritation building, and

that was exactly what Evan would want.

Finally she caught movement across the field. Evan approached like he couldn’t be bothered. His hands were

stuffed into the pockets of a dark hoodie, hood pulled up to hide most of his face. He didn’t hurry. He didn’t

apologize.

• 4 5 6 F

Typical.

“You’re late,” Riley said flatly.

He shrugged. “Didn’t know there was a clock on this.”

“There is now.” She turned and walked toward the center of the training ring. “Let’s warm up.”

Evan made a noise that was somewhere between a laugh and a scoff. “Don’t need to. I already know how to

fight.”

She stopped and turned toward him, raising an eyebrow. “You do, huh?”

He gave her a cocky smirk. “Yeah. I fight all the time. With those assholes at school who don’t know how to

keep their mouths shut. I haven’t lost once.”

“Great,” Riley said, her voice even. “Then you shouldn’t have a problem showing me.”

He shrugged, his smirk widening. If you’re so eager to lose.”

Something about his tone almost made her smile. Made her remember when she used to take such joy in

knocking down overconfident Alphas who always underestimated her because she was a woman. Even her own mate had been one of those Alphas once upon a time.

She shook her head, reminding herself that Evan wasn’t one of those full grown men who had tried to belittle

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her, but a boy still trying to figure life out.

+8 Points >

She moved to the center of the mat and motioned him forward. Evan tossed off his hoodie, revealing the bulk of a teenage boy who had started filling out long before he should have. He was already far taller than her, almost nearly as tall as Kent. Broad shoulders. Strong arms.

ཅ ཥ ༅ ་

But none of that mattered.

He came at her fast, all aggression and no form. She waited until the last second before she sidestepped, hooked his arm, and swept his legs out from under him. He hit the mat with a surprised grunt.

Riley didn’t smile. She held out her hand.

He slapped it away and pushed himself up, scowling. “You got lucky.”

“Try again.”

This time, he hesitated. Calculated. But the frustration was already simmering behind his eyes. He came in harder, faster, but still telegraphed every move. She ducked, twisted and had him on the ground again within

seconds.

His growl of frustration echoed across the field.

“Strength isn’t everything,” she said calmly, watching him sit up. “Neither is speed. It’s about control. Strategy. Patience.”

He pushed himself up quickly and launched himself at her before she had time to prepare. His fist clipped her shoulder, but she righted herself quickly. He was all fury now and no control. He lunged towards her and she easily moved out of the way. He grunted in frustration and came at her again, but she easily took him down a

third time.

“You don’t know everything, Evan,” she said quietly, looking down at his prone form on the mat. “No one does.

But if you keep acting like you do, you’re going to keep getting knocked down.”

He didn’t answer. He pushed himself into a sitting position, but made no move to stand. He just sat there,

breathing hard, jaw clenched tight.

Riley sank into a crouch beside him. “You have a lot of power and strength, Evan. Your heritage makes you

very powerful. But power and strength means nothing if you have no control.”

His dark brown eyes flickered to hers before looking back to the mat quickly. But she caught it. The flash of that white hot anger he tried to hide.

Riley moved so she was sitting crosslegged beside him. “What do you want to do when you grow up?”

He shot her a glare, like it was the dumbest question in the world. “Doesn’t matter. Everyone already decided

for me.”

“Who decided?”

“Everyone,” he snapped bitterly. “I’m supposed to go back to my birth father’s pack and be the Alpha. That’s why I’m supposed to visit every year, I don’t get a choice. I don’t get to stay here, but it’s not like it matters.” He picked at a piece of lint on his pants. “No one wants me here anyway.”

“That’s not true, Ev,” Riley said gently.

He rolled his eyes, scoffing at her. “You don’t hear the way the people at school talk. Then my own parents

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Ponts >

are always riding my ass, going on about my grades and my responsibilities. And then they drag me to that stupid little pack and I have to listen to Ty drone on and on about how I’m fulfilling my father’s legacy.”

She studied him. “And how do you feel about that?”

He looked away. “I don’t get to feel anything about it.”

“That’s not true.”

He didn’t answer. Only stared out at the trees, a faraway look in his eyes.

Riley leaned forward, trying to keep her voice light. “You know, that’s not the only path. You could go to the academy. Study law. Diplomacy. Investigation. You could train with the Council. There are other options,

Evan.”

His eyes flicked back to hers. “Not for me.”

“Do they want you to be Alpha? Yes, of course they do. It’s your right to be Alpha of that pack. But it doesn’t mean you have to. There are people, heirs to packs, who choose to forge a different path for themselves.”

He shook his head. “No one will like that.”

Riley smirked, nudging his knee gently. “Since when do you care about doing what other people like?”

The corners of his mouth lilted up in a slight smile.

“You can make your own path, Evan,” she said gently, “but you won’t get anywhere if you keep pushing everyone away.”

He gave her a sidelong glance. “Do you think I could really work at the council?”

She nodded. “I used to work there. I loved it. I still work with the council a lot. Plus, my business is very similar to what I used to do there. I work with packs who are struggling. Help negotiate treaties. Handle territory disputes. It’s not as boring as it sounds.”

His brow furrowed. “You do that?”

“I do,” she said. “And it’s not all meetings and paperwork. Sometimes it’s tracking down leads. Meditating conflicts before they turn violent. Trying to make packs stronger.”

He was quiet for a long moment, and then, cautiously asked, “Could .. see it? What you do?”

Riley blinked. She hadn’t considered he might be that interested.

“I suppose you could shadow me for a day.”

He shrugged, trying to act indifferent. “Yeah, Just to see.”

A slow smile pulled at the corner of her mouth. “Alright. But only if you show up to training on time tomorrow.

He rolled his eyes but didn’t argue/

It was a start, at least,

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