An Unwanted Second Chance (JB Tirado) novel Chapter 96

Extra Story – Chapter 4

Age 14

Riley was on edge, and the rational part of her brain told her to send Evan away for the day. He was supposed to be shadowing her, but she wasn’t sure she was in the right frame of mind to have him trailing behind her. They had been training together in the mornings for over a week, and Evan was making progress, albeit slowly. He was exceptionally stubborn. He hated being told what to do, and he refused to accept that he might be wrong. Riley had spent more time than she liked knocking him flat on his back because he simply wouldn’t listen.

Today, she had agreed to let him shadow her at work, something he had been pestering her about all week. But then she woke up to that email, and her heart had nearly leapt out of her chest. She had run straight to

Kent.

“An email from who?” he asked, looking up from his desk as she barged in, babbling about what she had

seen.

“Paul,” she said, her voice strained.

Kent blinked at her. “Paul–the–jackass who rejected you?”

She nodded.

He followed her back to her office and sat beside her as she opened the message and read it.

To: Riley Westwood

From: Paul Gallagher

Subject: Condolences

Dear Riley,

I’m sorry to be the one to inform you, but your father, Joel Atwood, passed away overnight. He had been ill for some time, and his death was not unexpected. He did ask for you toward the end, but Alpha Rodrick was not willing to lift your banishment.

I felt an obligation to let you know, given our history. I am sorry for your loss.

-All the best,

Paul

Riley sat there in shock, reading and rereading the words, struggling to process them. Her father was dead? Honestly, she had barely thought about him in years. He hadn’t been the most pleasant person to be around. But still, the news pierced her chest with a sharp ache.

He was still her father.

“Alpha Rodrick sounds like a real winner,” Kent muttered. “And what’s that crap about ‘obligations‘ and ‘given our history‘?”

“That’s just Paul,” she said. She didn’t feel the old stabbing pain she used to when talking about him. Not after nine years.

< Extra Story – Chapter 4

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But there hadn’t been much time to process any of it. She had a meeting scheduled with Ridgehill and Hollow Rock in twenty minutes and still needed to finish her notes.

Kent left her with a long, reassuring hug and a promise to check in later. She got to work setting up. But of course, Evan wasn’t where he was supposed to be and wandered in only a few minutes before the meeting

started.

“You’re late,” she said, glancing up as he stood in the doorway, wearing a black hoodie and joggers.

He shrugged. “Got distracted.”

She pointed to the armchair. “Sit there. I want you to watch and listen, but be quiet.”

Hevrolled his eyes but flopped into the chair, slouching down with one leg bouncing restlessly.

The screen flickered to life, and both clients appeared in the grid. Alpha Porter from Ridgehill had black hair and dark eyes, while Gamma Lacy from Hollow Rock wore her pin–straight blonde hair tucked behind her ears. Her bright green eyes were fixed on the camera. The topic was simple: strategies for integrating Half–Moon Protocol training into mixed–role packs. Riley had done this a dozen times before.

She barely made it three minutes in before Evan leaned forward, his voice too loud. “That’s not gonna work for Ridgehill. Their delta ranks are garbage.”

Riley’s jaw tightened. “Evan,” she warned quietly, keeping her eyes on the screen.

Porter raised a brow. “Is that your assistant?”

Riley gave a tight smile. “Just an observer today. Please continue.”

She redirected the conversation, but barely a minute later, Evan cut in again.

“They can’t integrate that until they fix their communication system…”

“Evan,” she said sharply, cutting him off. “Enough.”

There was an awkward pause before Lacy cleared her throat and continued, but the rhythm was lost. The call felt clunky and off–balance after that. When it ended, Riley clicked out of the window and turned slowly to face him.

“What was that?” she asked. Her voice was calm, but tight with irritation.

“I was helping” he said, crossing his arms. His eyes narrowed.

“No. You were interrupting,” she said. “You were supposed to watch and learn. That means keeping quiet. Listening Understanding the structure before you jump in.”

“You treat me like I’m stupid!” he snapped. “Like I’m some little kid who can’t do anything!”

“You’re fourteen, Evan” Her tone sharpened “You are still a kid. That’s not an insult. it’s just the truth. You’re

here to learn, not take over the room.”

His cheeks flushed deep red. His jaw clenched tight. “You’re just like the rest of them,” he said bitterly Pretend you care, but really you think I’m just a burden.”

“Don’t twist this into something it’s not,” she said, rising to her feet as her own patience wore thin. “I brought you here because I do care. But if you want to be taken seriously, you have to start acting like someone worth listening to. Not someone who throws tantrums when they don’t get their way.”

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<Extra Story – Chapter 4

Points

He didn’t reply. He just turned and stormed out, slamming the door behind him so hard the frame rattled.

Riley stared at the door for a long moment, her chest tight. Unwillingly, her mind flicked back to Paul’s email, to thoughts of her father dying, of him asking to see her and being refused by an alpha with a petty grudge.

She sank into her chair and began to cry.

The knock was soft, but she knew it was him.

“I’m coming in,” Kent said, not waiting for permission.

Riley didn’t lift her head from where she sat on the edge of the couch in her office, elbows on her knees,

fingers threaded through her hair. She’d stopped crying a while ago, but the weight of everything still pressed

down on her chest like a boulder she couldn’t move.

Kent shut the door behind him. She felt more than heard the way he crossed the room, quiet and deliberate.

His presence filled the space like it always did, steady and grounding.

He knelt in front of her and slid his hands around hers, gently pulling them free from her hair.

“You’ve been in here too long,” he said softly.

“know.”

“You didn’t come find me.”

didn’t want you to see me like this,” she admitted, her voice rough.

He frowned at that, thumb brushing over the back of her hand. “There’s no version of you I don’t want to see.”

That broke something open again, but she blinked fast, refusing to let more tears fall.

“I couldn’t do it, Kent. I tried with him, I really did, and he just… he pushed and pushed until I snapped. And I shouldn’t have. He’s a kid. He’s just… he’s so angry. I don’t know what to do with that.”

Kent didn’t interrupt. He just let her speak, holding her hands gently.

thought I could handle it. Evan. My father dying. My work. Everything. I thought I could hold it all together

like I always do, but I can’t.”

He leaned in, resting his forehead gently against hers. “You don’t have to. That’s what I’m here for.”

Her eyes fluttered closed at the contact His rich sandalwood scent wrapped around her, something she’d

known for years and still found comfort in every time.

“I feel like I’m failing” she whispered

“You’re not” His voice was steady, sure. “You’re carrying the weight of too many people. But you’re not failing.

Kent shifted to sit beside her on the couch. He pulled her into his arms and she didn’t resist. She curled into him, pressing her cheek to his chest, her fingers gripping the back of his shirt like it was the only thing anchoring her to the ground.

“I love you,” she murmured

He kissed the side of her head. “I love you too” He pulled back just enough to look at her, his hand coming up

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