Read Pack Balance for Free Online Page B

was leaning into the passenger seat to look out at Julie.
    “Hi, Mike.” Julie waved.
    “Go home,” Cooper ordered Mike before slamming the car door closed.
    Mike honked before the vehicle took off. Cooper stood staring at Julie. Her light brown hair fell in front of her eyes and she brushed it back. Cooper’s fingers itched to feel the soft strands once again.
    “Cooper,” she said softly, but he still heard it as clear as anything else.
    “What are you doing here?” he asked, surprised at the huskiness he could hear in his own voice.
    “Can we talk?” she asked.
    He nodded. He strolled forward until he was directly in front of her. “Let’s go inside.”
    Her smile was strained. “Okay.”
    It took every ounce of his control not to touch her when he passed by. If she was a shifter, there was no doubt that she’d be able to hear his blood pumping in anticipation. He pulled his keys from his pocket as he hurried forward. Julie followed behind him at a slower pace. He unlocked his door and pushed it open before he stepped aside to allow her to enter first.
    She walked into his home, and Cooper vowed that one day she would be walking into their shared home. He flicked on the entry light so that she would be able to see, since he didn’t actually need it. It was just something he’d always done for her. As Julie strolled farther into the house, he closed the front door and trailed behind her. She knew his place well, but she still looked back and forth like she was searching for something. Instead of asking questions, he continued to watch her. Julie walked all the way into the living room before spinning around.
    “It looks the same,” she commented.
    He nodded, at a loss for words.
    “I don’t know why I expected your place to look different,” she said.
    “Why would I change anything,” he finally spoke. “It’s still my home.”
    “Right,” she replied before she rubbed her hands on her jeans. “Can we sit?”
    “Please.” He waved to the couch. “Do you want something to drink?”
    “No thank you.”
    He sat in the chair across from her.
    “I’m—” she started before faltering.
    Cooper didn’t help her out. He needed to hear what she had to say before he could begin to convince her that she belonged with him.
    Julie scooted up to the edge of the couch and gripped her hands together. Her head was bowed, but when she lifted her gaze and he saw the tears pooling in her eyes he gasped.
    He started to rise to comfort her, but she smiled and held up a hand. “Cooper?”
    “Yes?”
    “I’m sorry.”
    He blinked and blinked again. For so long he’d prayed to hear those words when she’d first left him. “You’re sorry?” He didn’t know why he repeated her words.
    “I was wrong, Cooper,” she said. “And I am so very sorry that I hurt you.”
    Julie’s words whirled around in his head, repeating over and over until he couldn’t believe that he’d heard her correctly.
    “I was scared and I said things that I didn’t mean, and I ran away. I’ve never regretted anything more in my life.”
    “You were gone almost a year,” he pointed out.
    “But I’m back now,” she replied.
    “To stay?” he asked.
    She nodded. “To show you that I still care.”
    He couldn’t stay seated any longer. He paced away, taking his time to choose his words carefully. Could it really be this easy? Julie had come back for him? He reached the window and looked out into the back yard. His hands were shaking so he stuffed them into his jeans. He didn’t want to mess up this opportunity.
    “I know I don’t have any right to ask this, but I was hoping you would forgive me,” Julie said.
    Cooper closed his eyes. Happiness spread through him.
    “I’ll do anything to get you to give me another chance,” she continued.
    “Stop,” he ordered as he turned toward her.
    She’d also risen and stood next to the couch. Her eyes had filled with unshed tears which make his heart ache.
    “I forgave you