by Kym Grosso
“What? Just say it already,” she ordered, like the alpha female which she was becoming.
“Why’d you go with him?”
“I told you already, he’s like family. And just because I’m Logan’s mate, he’s still my friend. I haven’t seen him in months. Why do you care anyway? It’s not like I’m your mate,” she snapped.
“Because darlin’, when my Alpha’s unhappy, and he’s very unhappy at the minute, we all feel it. I know Jax is your family, but you’ve gotta see what this does to Logan,” he pleaded.
“I’m sorry, Dimitri. I am. I didn’t mean to upset Logan, and I certainly had no idea you’d be affected. You have to remember that I’m new to this,” she said softly. Wynter placed a caring hand on Dimitri’s shoulder. “And to be fair, Logan has his own explaining to do. This is not all my fault.”
“Yeah, sorry about that mating business.”
“Sure you are. You looked real broken up about it earlier. That smile of yours…geez. It really wasn’t funny.” She gave him a small grin.
He smiled in return, recalling the conversation and laughed out loud.
“I love Logan but man, watching him fall for his mate is kind of funny…very funny actually. You have to give him credit, though. He’d rather risk you being mad at him by telling everyone you were his mate than let another wolf take you away. And he’s a new Alpha…going up against Jax like that. Logan is one tough motherfu….well you get the idea.”
“I’m glad you were entertained. Because me…I was pretty surprised that he kind of just blurted that out. I mean, it’s not like I don’t really like Logan. He’s incredible. Loving and sexy and…” she said, dreamily, until Dimitri cut her off.
“But the commitment, Wyn. With wolves, it’s more, so much more.”
“You’ve marked someone? Mated?”
“Hold on there, cher. No way. Let’s just say that like Logan, I’ve been ’round a long time. Watched my fellow wolves fall deep into their mated bond. Sometimes it goes smoothly. And sometimes,” Dimitri paused, concentrating on his driving as it had begun to rain, “well, not so much. But I’ll tell ya, it always goes. Because Mother Nature, she gets her way. No use fightin’”
“How mad is he?”
“Logan? Scale of one to ten?” He contemplated. “Ten when you left. Maybe a seven or eight now. And here we are…home.”
Wynter cringed. Would he forgive her? Would he punish her? Like vampires, wolves had their own interpretation of life’s rules. As the gate slid open and they drove into the carport, her stomach flip-flopped. Was he waiting for her? What should she say to him? The car stopped, jolting her back to the present. Dimitri opened the door for her and they both ran into the house, in an effort to escape the downpour. The sliding glass door opened. She hoped Logan would be expecting her, yet she was greeted with silence.
“Upstairs,” Dimitri told her, his hand still on the door. He wasn’t planning on staying for whatever was about to go down between Logan and Wynter. Even though he loved Logan like a brother, there were things he had to do on his own, and this truly fell in that category.
“Thanks,” Wynter whispered. Brushing a kiss to Dimitri’s cheek, she fled to her Alpha, disappearing around the corner and up the staircase.
Chapter Twenty
Logan felt her the second they drove onto the property. Silently he breathed a sigh of relief she’d returned, but struggled to understand how she could have left him in the first place. While he fully comprehended her familial relationship with Jax, he’d claimed her. Any true she-wolf would have never gone off with an unmated male wolf under similar circumstances. But Wynter wasn’t really a wolf yet. Even if she was about to transform, she hadn’t been raised wolf, wasn’t even a hybrid. She couldn’t possibly appreciate the ramifications of her actions. Logan wanted to forget, forgive, but he simply didn’t have that luxury.
Already, he’d spent too much time with Wynter. After nearly killing himself to secure his position as Alpha, he should be leading his pack, not worrying about a human. If she were only a human, it’d be an easy decision. But no, she was his mate. A mate who knew essentially nothing about wolves. What kind of sick joke was the Goddess playing? Logan wondered what would happen if he rejected fate. Maybe he was wrong about her being his? He wished. Whenever she was within five feet of him, his wolf clawed to mate her. There would be no denying him once Wynter shifted.
In the meantime, he resolved to focus on the pack. Convulsing in rage over Wynter’s departure had hurt them. Every wolf would have felt his anger, wondering what had caused his virulent excitation. They’d stress, which was the very last thing the pack needed. After the long months of mourning Marcel and enduring the uncertainty of who’d lead them, he’d finally established peace. Today, though, his temper threatened the sanctity he’d worked so hard to create.
The hot spray of the shower had allowed him time to meditate, bringing a sense of balance and stoicism to his thoughts. The solace of his newfound impassivity clarified his strategy. He and Wynter simply could not continue down a path of misunderstandings. There was no other choice. When they got to the bayou, Wynter would learn to submit, learn the way of the wolves. He’d teach her lessons, not just in acquiescence but the importance of her role within the pack. Whether she liked it or not, he fully anticipated her wolf would emerge at the full moon. He’d prepare her for their new life together. As the Alpha’s mate, the pack would look to her for guidance, direction. But in order for her to fulfill her role, she must accept him as Alpha and her own transformation.
Her footsteps at the door excited his wolf, but he refused him access. Now was not the time. Dana’s funeral started within the hour, and his calming presence was required. Logan planned to do nothing less for his pack, even if that meant isolating Wynter. The rumination over the quandary would wait. For at least a few hours, he planned to ignore her, focus all of his attention on Fiona and the pack. It was the least he could do.
Wynter’s heart caught in her throat, seeing her magnificent Alpha at the mirror. Incredibly handsome didn’t begin to describe how she saw him. Black pinstripes ran the length of his long legs. His trousers hung easily on his tapered waist, hugging over his bottom, a crisp white dress shirt tucked into them. She watched as he knotted his tie, never losing focus from his task.
“Logan,” Wynter called tenderly.
“The funeral’s at six. Dimitri and Jake will take you. Once you get there, stay with Jake,” he explained coldly. He turned, took his suit jacket off a hanger and dressed.
“We need to talk,” she pleaded, walking toward him. The need to touch him overwhelmed her.
Logan adjusted his collar, giving himself one last look in the mirror, never seeking eye contact. He ignored her request and sought to leave the room.
“You’ll need to pack your things. You can use the bag I left you in the closet. We’re leaving immediately after the burial.”
As Logan passed by, Wynter grabbed onto his sleeve, pressing her forehead into his chest. God, he smelled so good. She wanted to apologize, ask for forgiveness, but also talk to him about being his mate. There were too many questions. She needed him to quell her fears, confirm he still cared.
“Please, Logan. Don’t do this,” she whispered.
Logan tugged his arm from her grasp, calmly backing away. Indifference washed over his face. No longer was the lover present, but the leader; the Alpha commanded the room.
“Get dressed. You have forty-five minutes,” he said, looking at his watch.
“Jesus, Logan. Come on,” she felt her voice escalate. “I need to talk to you.”
“Right now, Wynter, this is not about you. Or me. There is a woman, a wolf. My wolf,” he stressed in his dominant tone that told her he was all business. “She’s dead. My pack needs me. They need me strong, whole and calm. I can’t do that when I’m with you. Not now.”
Wynter hung her head and closed her eyes. She wished she could hide her face from him entirely. His withdrawal was
too much to bear. She bit her lip; the pain was a welcome distraction from the suffocation blanketing her crushed heart.
Logan could sense her pain as clear as if it were his own. He wanted to take her into his arms, tell her they’d work it out, and then make love to her all night long. Gathering every ounce of willpower he had, Logan turned and walked out the door. After the funeral, she’d be his, he promised himself. Until then, the pack held his full attention.
As Logan walked out the door, Wynter allowed the tears to flow. As if swept into a storm, she no longer knew which direction she was traveling. Having lost her only life preserver, she struggled to keep her head above the swelling waves, yet it wasn’t enough. She stumbled into the bathroom and turned on the shower, allowing the cold water to pelt her skin. She slid down the wall, until her bottom hit the floor and she crawled into a ball, sobbing, wishing she had never heard of wolves.
“What’s up?” Dimitri nodded to Logan, handing him an umbrella.
“Good, here comes Jake,” Logan responded, not answering Dimitri directly.
Jake slid open the door and shook the rain off his head.
“Hey,” he greeted. “Nothing like a rainy funeral in the dark. Good stuff.”
“Yeah, I don’t expect many of us to shift if this rain keeps up,” Dimitri added.
“Alpha, you okay?” Jake asked with genuine concern. The anger rolling through the pack earlier had rocked them hard.
“Yeah, I’m good,” Logan lied. “I should be asking how you’re doing. You took a hard one out there last night.”
“Good to go. Thanks to you,” he nodded. “Hurt like a motherfucker. Stayed wolf all last night, though, just to be sure I was okay.”
“I’m gonna walk over to Fiona’s and meet the girls there,” Logan told them.
Dimitri cocked an eyebrow at Logan. “Hey man, let me preface this by ‘I’m not tellin’ you what to do’.”
“But you’re going to anyway? Let’s hear it.”
“That’s what your beta is for.” Dimitri clapped his hand on his shoulder. “First, it’s raining cats and dogs. You could just take the car with us. Second, you think it’s a good idea to be around the girls without Wynter? I mean, this mating thing doesn’t seem to be going so smoothly for either one of you and I’d hate to…”
“I’m not going over there to fuck them, D. Fiona’s sister died. I’ll be careful not to touch them a lot, but let’s be clear, okay, tonight is about Dana. Not me. Not Wynter. And it’s sure as hell not about my mating,” he huffed. “And yeah, this whole mating thing is not exactly what I thought was going to happen, but then again, I never thought in a million years that my mate was going to walk into my life as soon as I became Alpha. I certainly didn’t expect her to be human.”
“Yeah, not optimal,” Dimitri concurred.
“I’ll deal with this…with Wynter, when we get out of the city. I’m not looking to hurt her, but I’ve got to be with the pack. You know this. Fiona. Luci. They are pack and need me too…especially tonight.”
Logan slid open the door and righted the umbrella.
“As for a little rain, it never hurt anyone. Might actually do me some good to breathe in the petrichor. Love it.”
“Petrichor?” Dimitri asked, shaking his head. Someone had been doing crossword puzzles again. A strange stress reliever for his Alpha, but whatever it took.
“The smell that comes with the rain, my friend, the smell. Nothin’ better.” Logan laughed and pressed open the black canopy.
Dimitri laughed but then his thoughts turned dark. He hoped his Alpha worked out things with Wynter sooner than later. He’d caught the wince on Logan’s face upon hearing the faint sound of crying coming from his little wolf upstairs. They’d both tried to ignore it as if it wasn’t happening. He knew Logan was giving his full attention to the pack, trying to concentrate on maintaining a sense of tranquility for them. And it wasn’t the time to get involved between him and Wynter. Sometimes it was better just to let the dust settle.
He looked into a mirror that hung in the kitchen and adjusted the knot in his tie. He hated funerals. Luckily he hadn’t attended many for wolves, but still, many of his human friends had passed over the years. As he glanced down at his black shoes, ones that seemed uncomfortably tight, he sighed, knowing what the night had in store for them all. The funeral was going to be as much fun as…well, a funeral.
Within minutes, the clicking of heels let him know Wynter was ready. She rounded the corner, dressed in black with a small tote in her hands. Wet ringlets surrounded her reddened face. Wearing no makeup, she still looked beautiful and determined. She made low maintenance look chic, Dimitri thought. Unsure of what to say, Dimitri gave Jake a knowing smile and went to the closet. Logan had bought Wynter some things she’d need for the trip, and he’d asked him to give them to her.
Wynter had pulled it together after a five minute crying jaunt. Angry and confused, she refused to let life or her lack of control over it hold her down. Ever since her parents died, she’d been fighting. She wasn’t sure if or when she’d work things out with Logan, but she still had a purpose: get the data, work on a treatment for Emma. Her other goal was to get through the shift. If Logan rejected her because of a human mistake, then she’d leave and go back to New York. As Jax had explained it, she didn’t have to mate him if she didn’t want to do it or if he decided a human wasn’t suitable for an Alpha’s mate. She’d be devastated but she’d get through it. Like the loss of her parents, like being held captive and tortured, she’d dig deep and continue with her life. Self-preservation was a strong motivator.
As she glanced down to her black oxford shirt and matching pencil skirt, she wondered if Logan had selected the outfit himself. And what if he didn’t? What if he’d asked those women to do it for him? She shoved the nasty green monster to the back of her mind. No, she would not go there. Still, it hadn’t been with the clothing Dimitri had originally brought her to wear, nor were the black leather pumps.
She sighed. None of this really belonged to her. It was merely an illusion of reality. Her life had been stolen. Everything she’d had in her purse was gone, taken by her captors. Smoothing down the soft fabric of her sleeves, she made a mental note to contact Jax’s secretary to have her forward her mail. She also needed her home laptop in order to report her credit cards stolen. Every last shred of her personal information was digitalized. His secretary could just download the info and send it to her. She could purchase a new laptop online, but she still needed a cell phone. Maybe tomorrow, she’d arrange to go to a local cell phone carrier where she could purchase a new one.
Dimitri’s hand on her shoulder startled her out of her daydream.
“Here, Wyn.” Dimitri held up a royal blue trench coat. “Go ahead, put it on. It’s nasty out there.”
Gratefully, she shrugged into the garment, noticing it was from Burberry. As she buttoned it up and buckled the thin black leather belt around her waist, she considered how she’d never splurge on something so extravagant. She looked up to Dimitri who attempted to give her a black patent leather clutch. Was he giving her someone else’s purse?
“But this isn’t mine…I mean I lost my bag…” she started.
“He knows. Here take it. I’m guessing it’s got all the basic lady stuff in it,” he surmised, turning off the kitchen light. “A gentleman doesn’t go through a lady’s purse.”
“Since when are you a gentleman?” Jake joked.
“Hey now, go easy, bro. I am so a gentleman.” Dimitri laughed and turned back to Wynter. “And before you ask, Logan got these things for you. I swear, that wolf shops more than a woman does. But then again, you can’t walk two feet around here without running into a store of some kind.”
“Thank you,” she replied thoughtfully.
Logan shopped for her? She wasn’t sure why the thought of him doing so made her feel a little better, but it did. The man surprised her at every turn. It made her feel that even if he’d been mad, he’d still
cared enough to think of her. A flicker of hope sparked. As she headed out, safely between Jake and Dimitri, the sound of thunder clapped in the distance. She’d have to wait until after the funeral, but later tonight, she hoped they’d talk about what had happened.
A police officer ushered the crowd into the cemetery as the sheets of rain sliced through the lights of his emergency vehicle. The crowd of nearly a hundred people carefully shuffled through the narrow stone walkways. Battery operated lanterns illuminated the pathway toward the crypt. Between the cracked pavement and pebbles, Wynter feared she’d take a nosedive into a marbled tomb. She wrapped her hand around Jake’s arm in an effort to steady her feet. Unable to see ahead, she wondered how the jazz band managed to continue playing in the deluge. Yet the funeral dirge pounded a sad beat into the night.
By the time they neared the tomb, the music ended. The small space was thick with people and Wynter struggled to find a spot to stand, settling against the cold stone of another’s resting place. Creepy, she reasoned, but there was literally no room for all the living who had come to mourn. Through the bodies, she spotted Logan, who stood next to Luci. Her hateful eyes bore into Wynter. Surmising that Luci was engaging her in some kind of sick wolf intimidation, Wynter stared back as if to dare her to touch Logan. Thankfully, their gaze was broken as all heads turned to watch Fiona and an elderly woman, Dana’s mother, make their way toward the casket. Logan had explained to her that Fiona was Dana’s half-sister; they shared the same father. Yet Fiona appeared close with Dana’s human mother as well.
The smell of incense permeated the air as the priest blessed the tomb. The stone tablet had been removed and the rectangular opening had been draped for the service. The older woman sobbed openly, clutching on to Fiona as the final prayers were said. Wynter leaned her head forward, trying to hear the sermon. Upon a final ‘Amen’, a word passed between Logan and the priest, silencing the crowd. Her heart caught as she realized Logan was about to speak.
