Chapter 213
Lynette's POV
The streets were empty at one in the morning.
Our footsteps echoed off the closed storefronts. Street lights cast weak orange pools across wet pavement.
Elara walked between us. Chattering about some bakery that opened early on weekends.
I wasn't really listening.
I was watching Cole.
He kept glancing at Elara when she wasn't looking. Quick sideways looks that he thought I wouldn't notice.
Wrong.
I noticed everything.
The way his shoulders relaxed when she talked to him. The way his jaw unclenched. The way his entire posture shifted from combat-ready to something softer.
That wasn't normal.
Cole didn't do soft.
"Cole?" Elara's voice pulled me back. She was looking up at him with those wide eyes. "You said you're leaving to help a friend. Will it be dangerous?"
Cole's stride faltered for half a second.
"Maybe," he said.
Elara frowned. "Then you have to be really careful. And if you get hurt, promise you'll see a doctor?"
Cole stopped walking.
I stopped too. Watched him stare down at Elara like she'd just spoken a foreign language.
"Why do you care?" His voice came out rougher than usual.
Elara blinked. "Because you're Lynette's friend. And..." She tilted her head. "You seem lonely."
Fuck.
Cole's throat worked. His hands curled into fists at his sides.
I saw it happen in real time. The crack in his armor. The way those three words—you seem lonely—hit him harder than any blade ever could.
"Thank you," he managed. Barely above a whisper.
Elara smiled and started walking again. Completely oblivious to the bomb she'd just dropped.
Cole didn't move for another few seconds.
When he finally did, his steps were mechanical. Like he was on autopilot.
I fell into pace beside him. Kept my voice low. "You good?"
"Yeah." He wouldn't look at me.
Liar.
We walked another block in silence before Elara spoke up again.
"Oh! Lynette, I almost forgot." She pulled out her phone. Started scrolling. "I made a schedule for Kael's training sessions. Three times a week like you discussed. I figured you'd be too busy to organize it yourself so I went ahead and—"
"You already did that?" I interrupted.
She nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah! I color-coded it and everything. See?" She held up her phone.
I glanced at the screen. Sure enough, there was a detailed spreadsheet. Days, times, locations. Even notes about which warriors would benefit most from specific training types.
"When did you have time to do this?"
Elara shrugged. "Yesterday. I had a free period."
Of course she did.
I felt something warm settle in my chest. Pride, maybe. Or gratitude.
"Thanks," I said.
Her smile widened. "No problem! I know you have a lot on your plate."
She turned to Cole. "What do you think? Does three sessions a week sound reasonable?"
Cole blinked. "I... yes. That sounds fine."
"Great!" Elara launched into details about optimal training times and recovery periods.
Cole listened. Actually listened. Nodding at appropriate moments. Asking questions that showed he was genuinely engaged.
I watched them fall into an easy rhythm. Elara's animated gestures. Cole's quiet responses. The way they naturally gravitated closer as they walked.
My wolf stirred uneasily in the back of my mind.
Something was wrong with this picture.
Not wrong-wrong. Just... off.
Cole was my second. Had been for years. I'd seen him in every possible situation. Combat. Exhaustion. Pain. Rage.
Never this.
Never soft-eyed and attentive with a teenage girl who talked too much about training schedules.
We turned onto Maple Street. The Grey house came into view at the end of the block.
Elara was mid-sentence when she accidentally brushed against Cole's arm.
He jerked back like she'd burned him.
Elara stopped. "Cole? Are you okay?"
His face was red. Actually red.
"I'm fine," he said quickly. Too quickly.
Elara looked confused but didn't push.
I filed that reaction away for later analysis.
We reached the front door. Elara turned to Cole with that bright smile. "Do you live far from here? You could come in for a bit if you want."
Cole shook his head. "It's late. I should go."
"Oh." Elara's face fell. "What about tomorrow? I could show you around town. There's this really good sandwich place near the park—"
Cole's eyes flicked to me.
Asking permission without words.
My jaw tightened.
"Cole has work to handle tomorrow," I said evenly.
Elara deflated. "Oh. Right. Of course."
The disappointment in her voice made my chest ache.
Cole took a breath. Looked at Elara with an expression I'd never seen on his face before.
Soft. Sad. Resigned.
"Thank you," he said. "For tonight. I haven't... it's been a long time since I felt this welcome anywhere."
Elara's smile returned. "Then you have to come back and visit! Promise?"
Cole nodded. "I promise."
Another lie.
We both knew it.
He turned and walked away. Made it maybe ten steps before he glanced back over his shoulder.
One last look at Elara.
I saw everything in that look.
Longing. Regret. Something that looked dangerously close to affection.
Fuck.
---
Inside, the house was dark and quiet.
Elara went straight to the kitchen. I heard the tap run. The clink of glasses.
I sat on the couch and stared at the wall.
My mind was racing.
Cole was leaving tomorrow. Heading back north to handle Pack business. Dangerous business that might get him killed.
And he'd just spent the last hour looking at my sister like she was the first warm thing he'd seen in years.
Elara came back with two glasses of water. Handed me one and flopped down beside me.
"Cole's really nice," she said. Took a sip. "Quiet, but nice."
I turned my head. "What do you think of him?"
She considered. "He seems... lonely. Like he needs someone to care about him." Her eyes met mine. "You do care about him, right? As a friend?"
"Yeah."
"Good." She smiled. "Because I think he needs it."
I set my glass down on the coffee table. Kept my voice casual. "Elara. Do you like Cole?"
Her face went bright red. "What? No! I mean—he's your friend so I just thought—"
"I'm not asking as an accusation," I interrupted. "I'm asking because I want to know how you feel."
Elara stared down at her water. Her fingers tightened around the glass.
"I don't know," she admitted quietly. "I just... he's different. Not like other people." She looked up. "Is that weird?"
Yes.
"No," I said instead.
She relaxed slightly. "I just feel like... like he understands what it's like to be alone. Even when you're surrounded by people." Her voice dropped. "Like me. Before you came back."
Something twisted in my gut.
I reached over and pulled her against my side. She came easily. Tucked her head under my chin.
"You're not alone anymore," I said.
"I know." Her voice was muffled against my shoulder. "But Cole still is. And that makes me sad."