Swallowing the lump in her throat, Jessica rose from the table and returned to work. She knew what she had to do. The next time she saw Logan, she would tell him. No need to drag it out. It would only hurt more.
Chapter 8
Voices rose all around Logan. He and Gabe were sitting in Gabe’s office with the Council of Elders. A decision needed to be made about how to deal with the hunters. And Gabe had to tell them about the decision he and Logan agreed to.
“Another death! This is outrageous Gabriel!” yelled Elder Julian.
“This can’t continue Gabriel!” Elder Margaret called out.
“Ey, this ‘as to end!” the Irish lit of Elder Cian added.
“The hunters must be dealt with Gabriel! The pack is under great distress and this Council has had enough!” Elder Julian shouted.
“I understand everyone’s worry. I do. And I agree that these hunters have to be dealt with. This pack is living in constant fear and that is unacceptable. This is why Logan and I have created a plan,” Gabe tried to pacify the Council.
“Eh what is this?” Elder Cian asked.
“We think the best way to garner information on why these hunters are attacking us and who they are, is for Logan to go into the forest. He would stay until he found them and discovered what they are doing.”
“Are you sure this is the wisest idea Gabriel? It seems extremely dangerous,” Elder Margaret questioned.
“It is. But we both agree that this is the best option. We need information and we haven’t been able to find any. If I can spend time in the woods, patrolling, hunting for these men, I ought to be able to get close enough to garner profitable information,” Logan attempted to explain.
“And what about this new mate we’ve heard about? How does she factor into this Logan?” Elder Julian asked pointedly.
Logan had no idea how the Council learned about Jessica. He never attempted to hide her, but normally the Council didn’t acknowledge these things unless the shifter tells them about a fated mate.
“Jessica is a latent human. I know I have to have the conversation about who we are and who she is. I have taken my time with her as she seems very skittish about her intense feelings for me. As hard as it could be for me, I am willing to wait until she is comfortable before having that major conversation. I wish that could all happen before I go into the forest, but that is unrealistic. Jessica deserves more than that. And I want to give it to her. There is a need to find these hunters to protect the pack, but there is also a need to find them to protect Jessica. If I tell her now, it puts her in danger. If I wait and plan things a little better, then I could make sure she stays safe.”
“You don’t seem to think this will take very long,” Elder Julian interjected.
“I don’t know how long it will take. I plan to try and stay in contact with Jessica while I am away. I have no intention of abandoning my fated nor do I plan on skirting my responsibilities as Beta. I will do my job to this pack and continue working on my relationship with Jessica. It won’t be easy but there is no other option, because I refuse to live in a world where I let one or the other down.”
Logan could see the approval on the faces of the Council. He had no idea how he was going to do it, but he would make it work. He had waited his whole life to find his fated mate. Now that he had found her, he had no intention of giving her up.
“Sounds like you have made up your mind,” Elder Margaret pointed out.
“Logan and I have talked about this. We have too many unanswered questions. The hunters are the main concern of this Council and for this pack. Logan is aware of the risks this brings. And we will both do all that we can to ensure the hunters are brought down, and Logan will end up with his fated mate,” Gabe expressed.
“The next question is, what do we know about these hunters?” Elder Cian’s lit interrupted.
“Nothing. All we have at this point is their scents. This is why we believe Logan going into the forest, is the best option,” stated Gabe.
“Could this be for sport?” Elder Margaret asked.
“Well, it doesn’t seem to be for science or for fur,” Elder Julian pointed out.
“Sport is the theory we are leaning towards. However, we don’t know for sure,” Logan explained.
“As soon as there are any new developments, the Council will be notified. I will also send out a report to the pack to keep them updated. I do not feel comfortable having everyone come in for a meeting. We will retain the policy of going out in wolf form in groups only,” Gabe began to dismiss the group.
“Should we recommend no one shift until this is over? It is a risk, but one we may need to take,” Elder Margaret questioned.
“That would be a last resort. At this point, that is up to the shifter’s discretion. I won’t make that dictate unless it is absolutely necessary,” Gabe said.
“How soon will you go into the forest Logan?” Elder Julian inquired.
“As soon as possible. Most likely tomorrow. There are a few things I need to handle before I go.”
“If Logan uncovers anything instrumental, the Council will be notified immediately,” Gabe started to push.
As if sensing they had overstayed their welcome, the Council rose from their respected seats. Logan could see the unease on all of their faces. They did not seem too keen on Logan going into the forest alone. But there was no other real option. They had no leads on the hunters. All they had was fear. The pack was absolutely terrified, and something needed to be done. Answers needed to be garnered.
Logan sat back in his chair as he watched the Council of Elders leave Gabe’s office. He knew what he needed to do next. And he wasn’t looking forward to it.
“Go and talk to Jessica. Tell her what you are comfortable with. I trust you Logan,” Gabe told him.
“I’m just not sure what I am comfortable telling her. She needs to know everything, but that would most certainly send her running right now.”
“How do you plan on furthering your relationship during this? You can’t go days without actually seeing her.”
“Talk to her on the phone. Try and catch a glimpse of her while in wolf form. I don’t have a choice. It’ll be the most difficult thing I’ll ever do, but it has to happen like this.”
“Go to her Logan. Spend as much time with her today as you can,” Gabe advised.
A nod to his best friend was all Logan could muster. He stood and left the room. It was time to go see Jessica. Even with the weight of the next few days and of his relationship with her, Logan couldn’t help the smile and warmth that filled him at the prospect of seeing his fated mate. She was his other half. And it was time she started to really see that. Not to run away from it, but to run towards it. Logan knew what he needed to tell Jessica. She needed to know what she meant to him and that he was there for the long haul.
~
A smile coated Logan’s face as he stepped into the Lobo Coffee House. Behind the counter stood his fated mate. He stood there for a few seconds and just watched her. She wore her hair up with a few loose tendrils falling around her face. She beamed at a customer she was serving before turning to laugh at something her male co-worker said. Normally this would set his protective instincts off, but this co-worker was obviously gay. Logan could smell the scent of another male on him. And it wasn’t a passing scent either. It was way too strong to be something besides a significant other.
Logan stepped forward to the counter, catching Jessica’s eye. Color drained from her face and her shoulders stiffened. Something wasn’t right. Jessica’s reaction to seeing Logan, set him on edge. This wasn’t her normal reaction. Normally he would get a smile and a blush. But today, today she acted like she didn’t want to even see him.
“Hey, baby,” Logan called out. “Do you have a minute?”
The co-worker’s head volleyed between them. When Jessica didn’t respond, the man gave her a gentle nudge.
“Sure. Tim, I’m taking my break.”
“Take all the
time you need, lovey,” the co-worker reassured her.
Jessica led Logan over to a table tucked into the corner. She sat very stiffly in her chair. Logan became very nervous. Something was not right.
“Jessica, I wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed our night the other evening. My parents absolutely loved you. But I came by today to let you know I have to go out of town for a while. I’m not sure when I’ll be back or when I’ll be able to call, but I want you to know so you don’t feel like I just left you.”
Throughout Logan’s explanation, he could see Jessica becoming more and more uncomfortable.
“Logan. I enjoyed meeting your parents, but I can’t do this.”
“Baby, it’s just for a few days. I’ll be back before you know it.”
Before he could even finish his sentence, Jessica was shaking her head. Tears choked her.
“No Logan. That’s not it. I can’t do this. Us. I’m sorry. You’re an amazing guy and you’ll find an equally amazing woman. But I can’t be that person for you.”
“Can I ask why? I thought things were going great–”
“I have never met anyone like you Logan. And that is why I can’t do this. I am so sorry. One day you’ll forgive me. I just can’t be what you want.”
Jessica rose from her seat. Tears were now streaming down her face. Logan could tell Jessica didn’t want to make this decision. He knew she had reservations about their relationship, but not to this extent.
“Jessica. Don’t do this. There is no need for it. Talk to me. Tell me what’s wrong,” Logan pleaded.
“I’m sorry Logan.”
Jessica darted from the table into the back of the shop. Logan rose to go after her when the face of her co-worker came into frame.
“I think you should just go. Let her cool off,” Tim advised.
“I just don’t understand,” tears started to clog Logan’s voice. He laced his fingers on top of his head as he looked at Jessica’s co-worker.
“I’m sorry. I really am. For what it’s worth, I thought you were good for her. Just what she needs.”
Tim gently patted Logan on the shoulder before disappearing into the back of the shop. Logan felt as if his world was tilting. He stumbled out the door and stood on the sidewalk panting.
His heart ached. It felt like it was actually breaking. His inner wolf was wide awake and pacing. The animal started howling. It recognized that they lost their mate. Their fated mate wanted nothing to do with them. All rationale left him. No shifter could survive with a rejected fated mate. Logan could feel his wolf starting to take over. The pain of Jessica’s rejection pulled the animal to the front.
Logan stumbled from Main Street toward the closest line of trees. A shift was coming on and he needed the cover of trees to hide from the humans. As soon as he crossed into the forest, his wolf jumped forward. Without waiting for Logan to remove his clothes, his wolf was shifting. Bones popped and reformed. Hair erupted from his skin. The clothes he was wearing turned into shreds of fabric. Paws finally met the damp ground and Logan sprinted deep into the woods.
Why would Jessica do this? He knew she was scared but thought they were making progress. The intense feelings of a fated mate could freak someone out. He knew this. Nina and Gabe told him this would happen, and Jessica would struggle with these emotions. But never in his wildest dreams did he think she would leave him. He never thought she would give up on them. Reject him.
This could not have come at a worse time. He felt pulled in different directions. His duty to his pack made him want to hunt for the hunters. But his love for his fated mate begged him to turn around and go after her. His wolf growled at him. Even he struggled to do what was right.
Logan zoomed through the forest. He jumped over logs and skirted around bushes. His wolf pounded the ground, trying to outrun the pain of losing Jessica.
It was so slow, Logan barely even realized what was happening. His wolf was slowly taking over. The beast had control of Logan. The loss of their fated mate drew his human side into the dark, and his wolf to the front of his mind. He had lost control of his animal.
A sudden and sharp pain erupted from his right hindquarter. Logan dropped to the forest floor in pain. An arrow protruded from his hip. He turned his head and grasped the arrow in his mouth, trying to pull it from his body.
“Did you hit him?”
“Yeah! Look, there he is!”
Voices called out from the left of him. Panic filled Logan. The hunters! They found him!
He grabbed hold of the arrow and yanked it free of his body. Struggling to regain his footing, the sounds and breaths of the hunters grew louder. Soon they would be right on top of him. He needed to run. On his paws, Logan took off. He was slow but on the move. The need to escape consumed both he and his wolf. The human started to regain some semblance of control of the animal. It was crucial if they wanted to survive.
A blow to the back of his head caused spots to invade his eyesight. Another blow hit his shoulder. He collapsed to the ground as blow after blow rained down. He twisted his head in an attempt to bite one of the hunters. The man jumped just out of reach. Logan swiped a paw out at the other man. It was a dance of survival filled with loud growls. Logan would strike out to bite or claw, and a hunter would move out of his way before the other would beat him.
At some point, Logan realized there was blood on the ground. Thinking it was one of the hunters’, he attacked with a new sense of adrenaline.
“This one has some fight!”
“Take him out, man!”
The hunters shared a cackling laugh. It was then Logan realized the blood was his own. One of the hunters had drawn a knife and started slashing wildly at Logan. He heard a soft whooshing sound before an intense pain erupted from his side. The knife sunk into his side before the hunter quickly pulled it out. Pain radiated from his shoulder. Then his hip. Stab after stab pierced his coat.
Logan let out a painful howl into the air. His growls were no more. Painful whimpers and howls took their place. And the hunters never stopped their attack. They alternated between stabs from the knife and blows from the other object. Their laughs filled the air and mingled with the scent of Logan’s blood.
Exhaustion filled Logan. He lay barely breathing on the ground, surrounded by his own blood. He struggled to keep the blackness from taking over.
“What a rush! Should we shoot this one too?”
“Nah, leave him.”
“He’s still breathing.”
“Not for long!”
The men shared a laugh before turning and walking away. Logan could feel them leave the scene. He needed to get up. He needed help. Trying with all his might, Logan mustered a shift. It was slow and painful, but successful. He lay naked at the sight of his attack. He was so tired. Closing his eyes, he vowed to rest for only a minute. Jessica’s face swam in his mind. She smiled at him before warping into the tear-stained face that told him only a few hours ago, that she was done. What little fight Logan possessed was fleeting. He could feel it leaving him. His wolf curled up in his mind’s eye and seemingly went to sleep. Cold blanketed Logan. This was it. Exhaustion consumed him as the blackness swallowed him into the realm of unconsciousness.
Chapter 9
Jessica was a shell of the person she normally was. Telling Logan they were over, was perhaps the most difficult thing she had ever done. All these intense feelings scared her in a way she had never been scared before. She longed for someone but couldn’t bring herself to trust Logan enough to try with him. She was just too broken. Too unworthy. All the men in her past were right about her. She wasn’t good enough for her dreams.
Water droplets splashed onto the counter. She quickly wiped it up before dragging her hand underneath her eyes to catch her tears. After all the tears she’s shed since she called it quits with Logan yesterday, she figured there would be nothing left. Boy was she wrong. She missed him. That was the truth of the matter. In such a short period of time, Logan had grown to be a very
important person to her. Without him, she felt as if her arm was missing.
No.
Not her arm.
A part of her heart.
The jingle of the bell above the door caused her to check her tears. With her face dry for the moment, she turned to greet the customer.
“Are you Jessica?” a voice asked.
Standing on the other side of the counter stood an older man. He had brown hair peppered with grey, and brown eyes. His pale face looked familiar to her. There didn’t seem to be anything special about the man. He looked just like everyone else in town. Maybe he was a customer?
“Yes?”
“I’m sorry, but I’m Stanley Carmichael. Nina’s dad.”
“Oh, I’m sorry! I didn’t recognize you from the wedding. What can I get you Mr. Carmichael?”
“Nothing sweetheart. I hate to be the one to tell you this, but there’s been an accident. Logan was attacked yesterday. He’s in the hospital. They don’t know if he’ll make it.”
A roaring sounded in her ears as all the blood rushed out of her face. She collapsed to the floor. Sounds she had never heard before, erupted from her. Mr. Carmichael rushed around the counter to her side. He gathered her close as she sobbed.
Tim raced in from the back office with worry etched on his face. Noticing Mr. Carmichael, he took a step forward.
“Logan was attacked yesterday. He’s barely hanging on,” Mr. Carmichael whispered to Tim above her sobs.
“Can she see him?” Tim asked.
“That is why I’m here. I’m supposed to take her to the clinic, but she collapsed before I could tell her.”
“Let her get it out then take her. She’ll want to be by his side regardless if she’s broken up with him.”
Jessica hiccupped and wiped her eyes. She swallowed the lump in her throat.
“Can I see him?” she tearfully whispered.
“Of course, dear. That’s why I came to get you,” Mr. Carmichael explained to her.
Lobo Coffee House Love (The Wolves 0f Everett Hollow Book 2) Page 7
