3. Miles

Chapter 3

Miles

W ell, that was... unexpected? Weird? Awkward? Hot?

Okay, maybe not hot, since our lips barely touched. But still, it felt electric, sending a shiver down to my toes.

I had no idea what came over me, leaning into him like that. How did we go from a hug to a kiss?

I bit my lip, tasting the faint remnants of Cooper's lips—coffee with a hint of cigarette.

Conflicted, I stood by the door, torn between the unexpected kiss and the pressing reality of him being here because of Sawyer.

How I managed to pull myself away and lead him to my brother's room, I had no idea.

As Cooper and Sawyer chatted, I stared blankly ahead, their conversation flying over my head.

All I could think about was the kiss, replaying it in my mind and wondering how and why it happened.

It had to have been an accident, right?

Because who would kiss someone they hadn't seen in over ten years and only met again because their brother was lying in a hospital bed?

Plus, Cooper must have been tired from driving for hours, not thinking clearly. That had to be it.

Yet, there was a look in Cooper's eyes, darkened and intense, that seemed like he might have wanted more.

With the way he looked at me—it wasn't just about the kiss; there was something deeper, something almost hungry in his gaze. The image was burned into my mind, so vivid that it couldn't have been my imagination.

But what did I know? I was stressed, tired, and anxious from everything that had happened tonight—or was it yesterday? I couldn't even tell anymore.

Either way, neither of us was in our right frame of mind.

I still couldn't believe the last time I saw him was ten years ago. Did he always look this good?

No, ‘good' didn't even come close. The baggy sweater he was wearing didn't do him justice. When he pressed his body against mine earlier, I could feel the solid, defined hardness of his muscles.

His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, showing off veined forearms that hinted at his strength. A light stubble covered his face and neck, adding to his rugged, slightly rushed appearance.

Yet, despite it all, he looked effortlessly handsome, like he'd just stepped out of an ad for some outdoor gear or a classic western movie.

Cooper glanced at me, a curious expression on his face, before turning away to laugh at something Sawyer said. I quickly shifted my gaze back to the spot on the wall I had been staring at.

This won't do. Sawyer mentioned that Cooper would probably be here for a couple of days.

I winced at the thought. I probably needed to talk to Cooper about this, to apologize or something.

I couldn't spend the next few days looking away awkwardly and staring at spots on hospital walls.

The tension was palpable, and if we didn't address it, it would only grow more uncomfortable.

Sawyer coughed, bringing my thoughts back to the present. I took the pitcher from the table and poured him a cup of water. He nodded in thanks.

Right. I needed to focus on the real issue: my brother was hurt, and Ryder might still come after him.

"So, what exactly happened?" Cooper asked Sawyer, his expression serious.

Sawyer sighed, his face tightening with pain and frustration. "I challenged Ryder because he attacked Uncle Ben. Uncle Ben was defending Glenn, a pack member who was constantly being harassed by Ryder. This time, Ryder went too far and threatened Glenn to do something he didn't want to do, or he'd kick him out of the pack."

Anger flared within me. "Why didn't you tell me this before? You know how dangerous Ryder is!" I shouted, walking toward the bed.

Sawyer looked apologetic. "I'm sorry, Miles. I thought I could handle it. But it was Uncle Ben! I couldn't just stand by and do nothing."

Now that I finally knew what had happened, I could understand why my brother did it.

Sawyer always had a strong sense of justice ever since we were children. Come to think of it, so did Cooper. They were like two peas in a pod.

"And you asked for Cooper because…?" I asked, trailing off.

"When you found me, I thought I was dying," Sawyer said, trying to joke, but his tone soon turned serious. "Honestly, after what happened with Uncle Ben, I knew Ryder wouldn't let us off the hook easily."

"So Cooper is our backup plan?" I asked, frowning. "But we have Noah and Griffin. Isn't that enough?"

Sawyer shook his head. "I just needed my best friend," he said, though I could tell there was more to it. I was concerned that Sawyer might be asking too much of Cooper.

Cooper, who seemed lost in thought, returned to the moment and placed a reassuring hand on Sawyer's arm. "I'm here as long as you need me," Cooper said.

Sawyer's expression softened, and a small chuckle escaped him. "Hey, remember when we tried to build that treehouse in the old oak behind your house?" Sawyer asked.

Cooper laughed, and even I couldn't help but grin at the memory. "Yeah, and we used those rusty nails we found in the shed. The whole thing was so crooked, but we were so proud of it," Cooper said.

Sawyer's grin grew wider. "And then it rained, and the treehouse collapsed. We were soaked and covered in mud, but we couldn't stop laughing."

I rolled my eyes at the memory but felt a warm, fuzzy feeling inside. Despite everything, it was good to see my brother in better spirits than yesterday.

"Want me to grab you guys anything while I get coffee?" I asked.

Cooper glanced at Sawyer and then back at me. "I'll come with you."

I was a bit surprised but nodded. "Oh. Yeah, okay."

We navigated around the bed and headed for the door. I held it open for Cooper, who gave me a small smile as he walked through.

The corridor was dimly lit, and a quiet settled between us as we walked. I could feel the heaviness of the situation pressing down on me, but I didn't want to dwell on it right now.

"You could've stayed with Sawyer," I said, trying to fill the silence. "Caught up with him."

Cooper shook his head. "No, it's cool. I could use some food too."

"The cafeteria's closed now. Just vending machines," I said, keeping the conversation going.

"Oh, I saw some in the waiting room earlier," Cooper said casually.

"Yeah, but the vending machines on this floor aren't that great," I blurted out. "The ones near the ER are way better, especially for coffee. They even have a machine that sells hot sandwiches. I don't know how it works, but it's surprisingly good—better than the cafeteria. They've got fresh chocolate chip cookies and sometimes mini muffins too. The coffee's decent for a vending machine; still instant, but much better than what's on this floor. And if you're into chips or candy, they've got a good selection. I even found an amazing granola bar there once…"

I realized I was rambling and stopped, feeling my cheeks flush. I had been so focused on making conversation that I didn't notice how much I was oversharing.

Cooper just smiled, a small, understanding grin that made my heart skip a beat.

"Sounds like you know your way around here," he said, a hint of amusement in his eyes.

"Yeah, I guess I've spent more time here than I'd like," I muttered, trying to downplay it. "Anyway, let's head to the vending machines near the ER. It's a bit of a walk, but it's worth it."

Cooper chuckled softly. I felt a twinge of self-consciousness.

"Sorry, am I talking too much?" I asked.

Cooper shook his head. "No, not at all. You've clearly made yourself at home here. You even know where the best vending machines are."

If you'd been here for over 24 hours and tried eight different coffee machines, you'd know your way around too.

And if anyone asked me how many steps it was between Sawyer's and Uncle Ben's rooms, or what the quickest route was, I could tell them in a heartbeat.

I hadn't left the hospital since Sawyer was admitted, constantly shuttling between his and Uncle Ben's rooms.

It kept me busy and distracted, even though I couldn't escape the worry gnawing at me.

Also, I couldn't fall asleep even if I wanted to, not knowing what might happen to them if I did.

We walked in near silence, the uncomfortable tension settling between us once more. Finally, we reached the vending machine area. I pulled out my wallet to slot in a bill, but Cooper placed his hand on mine, his wallet already out.

"No, let me," he said.

I quickly pulled my hand back, as if I'd touched something hot. The weirdness from our kiss earlier still lingered, making me feel exposed.

Cooper's eyes widened for a moment, but he didn't comment on it, and I was grateful for that.

Clearing my throat, I tried to break the awkwardness. "So, uh, about what happened earlier…"

Cooper nodded, his expression understanding. "Yeah, we should probably talk about that," he said.

I rubbed the back of my neck, shifting my weight from foot to foot. "Sorry if I crossed any lines or made things weird."

Cooper sighed softly, his gaze meeting mine. "No, Miles, it's not you. I… maybe I should have been more aware too."

I nodded, feeling a small weight lift off my shoulders. "Yeah, well, let's just… put it behind us and focus on helping Sawyer," I said.

Cooper smiled, and the tension between us eased a little. "Agreed."

As the vending machine whirred to life, the smell of freshly brewed coffee filled the air. Cooper handed me the cup, and I took a sip while he slotted another bill into the machine for a second cup.

"So, tell me about your pack," I said, trying to keep things light.

I wanted to shift the focus away from the awkward moment earlier. Also, I was genuinely interested and wanted to get to know Cooper better.

Cooper leaned against the wall, thinking for a moment. "It's good. From the moment I joined, it felt different. Ryder's a dictator, but Daniel—he keeps the pack in line and actually listens to everyone's opinions," Cooper explained.

A lead alpha who cared about others' thoughts? That was a new idea to me.

Cooper then mentioned how he'd climbed the ranks to become second-in-command. He spoke about it casually, but I was genuinely impressed.

I'd always believed he had potential. After all, Cooper's father was the lead alpha before Ryder killed him.

Sawyer once told me that Ryder accepted Cooper's challenge ten years ago because he saw Cooper as a real threat.

The only reason Ryder won back then was that Cooper was young and inexperienced. Now, that wasn't the case anymore.

"What about you?" Cooper asked, shifting the conversation back to me. "What have you been up to?"

"Oh, just working at the bookstore," I said, trying to sound casual.

I wondered if I should bother telling him more about it—the endless repairs, the struggle to make ends meet, and the café I'd been thinking of adding.

It felt unnecessary, even though this was just small talk and shouldn't really matter. Just a way to pass the time.

But for some reason, I found myself constantly reminding myself to stay focused on Sawyer and the threat Ryder posed to our family.

If I didn't, if I let my guard down even a little, I knew everything would come flooding out. And with Cooper around, I wasn't sure I'd be able to stop it.