16. Cooper

Chapter 16

Cooper

" H ey, Cooper, are you with us, or do you intend to daydream throughout the entire meeting?" Jack, Daniel's third, snapped.

The truth was, I didn't appreciate being called back to Winter Valley on such short notice.

My thoughts drifted to the incident at the cemetery, and I couldn't help but wonder how Ryder would retaliate.

A proud wolf like Ryder wouldn't sit still and do nothing. I should be miles away from here.

"Seems to me, he's missing his boyfriend in Pecan Pines," one of the pack's enforcers sneered.

I shot him a warning snarl, the growl rumbling low in my chest.

Finally, Daniel stepped in. "That's enough from all of you, but Jack does have a point, Coop."

Daniel looked at me pointedly when he said this. Guilt swamped me. Daniel would only call me back if it was important.

"I'm here," I said, reining in my angsty wolf.

Still, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong, that something was about to go down back at Pecan Pines... and I should be there.

Sawyer and Miles could hold their own for a few days, I reassured myself. But right now, I needed to be present.

Jack started detailing how the Blue Fangs had picked a fight with a few of our younger wolves at a roadside bar.

It was a serious incident that could lead to war between our groups, but I already had so much on my plate.

If I had to think about fighting the Blue Fangs and dealing with Ryder's wolves…I couldn't be in two places at once.

My mind wandered again, picturing Ryder's smug face and Miles' smile when I left Pecan Pines.

Meanwhile, the tension in the meeting room skyrocketed, with every wolf on edge. I forced myself to focus.

Jack's voice was a low drone in the background, but I caught enough to know that the situation was dire.

"Cooper, are you listening?" Jack's sharp tone cut through my thoughts.

"Yes, Jack, I'm listening," I replied, though my heart was still back at Pecan Pines.

My instincts screamed at me to return. I thought I could somehow balance my responsibilities here and Pecan Pines, but I was stretched too thin.

As the meeting dragged on, my anxiety grew. I clenched my fists under the table, trying to stay grounded.

Sawyer and Miles would be fine on their own, I repeated to myself. I was being paranoid, or at least that was what I kept telling myself.

For now, I had to be here, fully present, ready to face whatever came next.

"Cooper, can I talk to you in private?" Daniel asked after the meeting.

I nodded, pretty certain he was about to lecture me on my poor time management. As we walked, I thought we'd head to Daniel's office, but instead, he led us outside.

"Come take a drive with me," Daniel said. Uncertain, I nodded and followed him to his truck.

As we settled into the truck, I tried to preempt the lecture. "I know what you're about to say," I began.

"Do you?" Daniel asked, raising one eyebrow.

"I know I did a piss-poor job of being your second in that meeting," I admitted. "You expected more from me."

"Usually, you're more involved," Daniel agreed. "Now that we're alone, will you tell me what's really going on with you?"

I took a deep breath and began explaining the tense situation in Pecan Pines: how Ryder's wolves were lurking and the constant anxiety I felt about leaving Sawyer and Miles to handle it all on their own.

Daniel didn't interrupt; he only listened, his eyes focused on the road ahead.

As I talked, I started to feel a little lighter, sharing the burden that had been weighing so heavily on me. Finally, I noticed where we were heading.

The familiar building of Winter Valley Medical came into view, and Daniel parked the car.

"Why are we here?" I asked, feeling a pang of worry.

"We're here to visit the wolves injured in that bar fight with the Blue Fangs," Daniel explained.

I nodded, understanding now. Seeing the injured wolves would remind me of the immediate threat we were facing and why my presence here was crucial.

We walked into the medical center, the sterile scent of antiseptic and the quiet hum of machinery filling the air.

As we approached the room where our pack members were recovering, I braced myself for what I might see.

Daniel opened the door, and I stepped inside. The sight of my injured pack mates hit me hard.

Cuts, bruises, and bandages covered their bodies. My heart ached for them, and the guilt of being mentally absent during the meeting intensified.

Daniel spoke to my injured pack mates and offered them words of encouragement. I followed his lead. Eventually, we left them and got coffee in the cafeteria.

"This is why you need to be here, Cooper. Our pack needs you, focused and strong." Or at least those were the words I expected Daniel to say. Instead, he said, "Coop, you need to make a choice."

"Don't you think I know that?" I countered, immediately regretting the heat in my words. I took a deep breath, trying to rein in my frustration.

I continued, "I told the man I love, my future mate, that we would take things step-by-step when he asked me where our relationship was going. I should've told Miles the truth instead."

"And what's that?" Daniel asked, his voice steady and patient.

"That I love him and want to be with him," I admitted.

The words hung in the air. I finished the rest of my coffee in one gulp and stared at the empty cup for a few seconds as the truth finally came crashing down on me.

"Daniel, I've been unfair to Miles and to you and our pack. I thought I could do it all, strike a balance, but the truth is, I'm just doing everything half-assed," I muttered.

Daniel nodded, his expression thoughtful. "You've got a lot on your plate, Coop. It's understandable, but you can't keep spreading yourself so thin. You need to decide where your priorities lie," he said.

I thought of the injured wolves earlier, of everything Daniel and this pack had done for me. I was conflicted, torn between my duty to the pack and my love for Miles.

"I know," I said finally, my voice barely above a whisper. "I know I need to make a choice."

Daniel placed a hand on my shoulder, grounding me. "I'm with you, Cooper, no matter what you decide. But you need to be honest with yourself and with Miles. You can't keep running from this," he said.

The truth of his words hit me hard. I couldn't keep pretending everything was fine, couldn't keep seeing Miles on the side while trying to juggle the responsibilities of being second in command.

It was time to face reality and make a decision that would set things right.

We left the medical center and headed back to Daniel's truck. The drive back to the pack house was silent, but my mind was anything but.

Thoughts raced through my head, a mess of emotions and decisions that couldn't wait any longer.

The roads blurred past as I thought about Miles, about the promises I had made and the promises I would break if I kept up this pace. I knew what I had to do.

"Daniel," I said, breaking the silence that had settled thickly between us. "I don't think I can't be your second anymore."

Daniel's hands tightened on the steering wheel, his knuckles turning white for a moment before he relaxed.

"I figured you'd say that," he said, his voice calm but tinged with sadness. "I understand, Coop. Return to Pecan Pines, be with Miles. But all I'd ask is that you stay as my second a little while longer so we can find a suitable replacement."

I nodded, the relief mingling with the guilt that had been gnawing at me. "That works," I said, swallowing a lump in my throat.

Daniel turned the truck onto a familiar dirt road, the pack house coming into view.

"You're a good leader, Cooper," he said softly. "And a good friend. We'll find someone who can step into your shoes, but it won't be easy."

"I'll help with the transition," I promised. "I won't leave you in the lurch."

Daniel smiled, a small, weary smile that spoke volumes. "I know you won't. Just make sure you take care of yourself and Miles, too. You deserve to be happy."

We pulled into the driveway, and I took a deep breath. The pack house loomed ahead, the place I once considered home, but Miles was my home now.

As we walked inside, I felt a sense of clarity I hadn't felt in a long time. I had made my decision, and it was the right one—for myself, for Miles, and for Daniel's pack.