by Zoe Chant
“I know you’re tired,” she said gently. “But have to go home. And then you can sleep. I promise.”
Lucky blew out an exhausted huff of air, but he remained standing in place, even when Lily returned to gently coax Logan to his feet.
“Come on now, big boy,” she murmured, trying to hold back her laughter when Logan stared at her with wide, dazed eyes. “Up you go. You’re a farm bear now, yeah? My farm bear? So you have to listen and do as I tell you.”
“Okay,” Logan murmured, and after a lot of tugging, swayed to his feet, only to almost collapse into her arms.
“Oof!” Lily struggled to keep Logan upright.
As much as she’d appreciated that powerful body last night, it was quickly becoming apparent that there was no way she’d get him back to the farm if she had to support him.
“Lucky, do you think you can carry our farm bear? He assures me he’s a very tame bear. No reason to be afraid.”
Lucky made a tired little nicker, his ears pointing back to show that he didn’t appreciate having Logan around, although he kept perfectly still when Lily pushed Logan forward.
“Up on his back with you,” she told Logan when they reached the old stallion.
Lucky huffed again, his head turning around to give Logan a look that said very clearly just what exactly he thought of the situation―but he didn’t move when Lily helped Logan to put one foot into the stirrup.
“Logan. You need to pull yourself up into the saddle. I’m not strong enough to do it for you,” she said sternly as she positioned herself behind him. “I’ll help. Now―up!”
Despite the fact that Logan still couldn’t walk straight on his own, the command in Lily’s voice seemed to do the trick. Like a soldier who’d been given an order, Logan stiffened. He was halfway up Lucky’s back before Lily even had a chance to try and support him.
Interesting. It’s as if his body knows what to do even if his mind doesn’t…
She filed that observation away for future talks. There hadn’t been that much opportunity to simply talk yet, but from what she’d seen of the scars on his powerful body, she wouldn’t be surprised at all to hear that he’d seen active service.
“Now hold on tight,” she said, trying to sound just as stern as she pushed at him until he seemed to have found a comfortable position.
Lucky blew out air through his nose again, and she patted his neck with affection. “Lucky will get all the treats he wants once we’ve made it home,” she promised.
And then began the walk back. It took them nearly an hour to walk the same distance that Lucky had crossed at full speed in at most ten minutes. But he was exhausted, and Logan was heavy.
Lily had to keep encouraging them both and promise treats and sleep, until she was just as exhausted as the two drugged creatures she was cajoling along. At last, once they’d made it out of the forest and close to the orchard, the two of them started to perkup. Logan even managed to make the last several minutes back to the farm on his own, still wobbly feet. Lucky was too exhausted to even give him a dirty look―or perhaps the danger had indeed forgeda truce between bear and horse.
The thought brought a tired little smile to Lily’s lips. It wouldn’t be the worst thing to come out of this―even though she wished that it hadn’t been necessary.
The first thing she did was get Lucky settled into his box with a crib full of oats and treats. She released Cody from his kennel, who gave Logan a few confused barks. But just like Lucky, the dog seemed to have realized that the bear wasn’t actually the one threatening the farm right now.
Afterward, it was time to get Logan settled into the bed―and then, finally, she took hold of the phone with trembling hands to call the cops.
Better don’t mention bears, or no one will believe a single word of what I say…
Chapter Six: Logan
Logan woke in the middle of the night, his heart racing. With a flash of terror, he remembered everything that had happened―the shot, the race through the forest, the stranger with the gun. Dimly, he even remembered the long ride back to the farm: the warmth of the stallion’s strong body, and Lily’s gentle voice cajoling both of them along when the drug they’d been shot with made it hard to think clearly.
Tentatively, he moved an arm, then breathed a sigh of relief. The drugs had worn off. His body obeyed his every command in the way he was used to. And for the first time in what felt like ages, his mind was clear.
Lily was asleep. He could hear her soft breathing. She was curled up on her side, her back pressed against his chest. Her warmth surrounded him, and for a moment the thought to sink back into sleep with his mate in his arms was tempting.
Instead, careful not to make a sound, he slipped out of the bed. Silently, he padded from the bedroom into the kitchen, then switched on the light.
He grimaced at the headache this caused. He’d never been hit by a tranquilizer gun before. Even though lots of the werewolf gangs he’d fought liked to fight dirty, the tranq darts were new to him.
The stranger hadn’t smelled of shifter either. And from what he could remember of his words, he’d wanted the horse.
It’s not about me, Logan thought, relief washing through him.
His bear was still angry at the fact that someone had dared to threaten their mate―but if it was just simple human crime, they’d find a way to deal with it.
Iron Fang hates humans. He’d never hire one to take me down. And if he had, he wouldn’t use tranq darts. He wants me dead, not unconscious.
He’d been full of terror and rage as he raced towards where his mate was in danger. After all, he’d bought thisremote farm because he’d needed a new start. A place where he could figure out how to be Logan―just Logan, and not Blood Claw, the ferocious bear who’d been Iron Fang’s second in command. If it was his own past endangering his mate, he’d have hated himself forever.
But if this was some petty criminal trying to steal a horse to sell it, then maybe, his long life of danger could for once be useful.
His bear knew how to fight. And he’d protect his mate with his life.
Logan poured himself a glass of water. He didn’t dare to open a beer, not with the tranquilizer still in his system. Shifter healing would take care of it soon enough, but right now, it had left him with what felt like a nasty hangover.
Logan grimaced again as he swallowed. His tongue still felt heavy, and everything tasted slightly wrong. Perhaps he should go back to bed and sleep it all off with Lily in his arms.
But it was hard to sleep when he knew that there was someone out there who’d dared to attack his mate and his home.
With the glass still in his hand, Logan wandered over towards the counter. He frowned as he found a few documents that hadn’t been there in the morning. A stranger’s scent clung to them, and his bear grumbled in anger before Logan took a look at them and realized that Lily must have called the cops.
He snorted.
Little good that’ll do.
Perhaps he was being unfair. After all, he knew how serious his brother took his job as the local sheriff of Linden Creek.
But my brother’s a shifter, and he’s family. These people out here―they’re strangers.
And from the notes Lily had scrawled down, it seemed they hadn’t been convinced that someone trying to steal an old, worthless horse was worth a large-scale investigation.
The worthless had been underlined with a thick, angry scrawl, and then Lily’s notes broke off, as though she’d been too frustrated to continue whatever conversation she’d been having.
Logan walked towards the window. Outside, the moon was shining down on fields, meadows and the barn. Dimly, he could make out the shadow of Cody―the old dog wasn’t asleep, but was prowling protectively around the yard.
That’s what I’ll have to do, too. Being more watchful. Protecting my mate. But what if it isn’t enough? This came out of the blue, and we still don’t know who did it, or why.
Logan’s gaze fell o
nto the phone. Lily had tried to ask for protection, and had been brushed off by the local authorities.
But there were other ways. Logan’s long, difficult life had taught him that. He’d grown up distrustful of any non-shifter authority. Of course, he’d hated the authority of his alpha Iron Fang just as much, but there had been no choice but work for him. Logan’s dad had made sure that there was no choice.
His father’d had debts, and Iron Fang wanted soldiers more than he wanted money. So, on that day long ago, Logan went along with Iron Fang’s clan to spare his brothers that fate. He’d resented his father for it for a long time―but he’d never been able to resent his brothers.
They were just children. They deserved to grow up free from all of Iron Fang’s shit. It was the right choice.
His brothers were happy now. They had their mates and families. They were good people.
And I’m not, Logan silently acknowledged. But I want to be…
He took a deep breath, then he texted his brother Chris.
Not even a minute later the phone rang, even though it was long past midnight.
“Sorry I woke you,” Logan said.
At the other end, he could hear Chris’s tired laugh.
“I was awake, actually. Not much sleep with the baby keeping us up all night.”
Warmth spread through Logan. Calling his brothers was still difficult for him, after the long time without contact―especially since they knew that he’d spent his life working for Iron Fang. Still, ever since his little niece had been born, he’d tried to make the effort and call at least once per week for updates.
“You don’t know how lucky you are,” Logan said gravely.
Chris gave him another tired laugh. “I know. But I can’t wait for the time when she starts sleeping through the night.”
Logan took a deep breath. “I’m glad you were up already. I have a problem…”
“I wanted to call you anyway. Would have done it tomorrow though, not at 3am. You heard about Iron Fang already?” Chris asked.
In the background, there was the complaining gurgling of Jasmine, Logan’s baby niece.
“Fuck,” Logan cursed as terror rushed through him. Had Iron Fang been behind the attack after all? “He’s here, isn’t he? He found me?”
Terror made his heart pound as he imagined Iron Fang’s warriors circling the house. Lily was still asleep upstairs. Was there any way to get her out of here in time?
“What? No!” Chris said, and then laughed. “Sorry, Logan, calm down. I would have called straight away if I thought you were in danger. No, I got a mail from an old contact―seems that the werewolf gangs finally banded together with that lion mafia we had trouble with up north. Iron Fang was killed last night. It’s going to be infighting in his old clan and trouble with the werewolves for years now―but it’s all out of state, and not my responsibility. Anyway, you know what this means, don’t you?”
Logan’s heart was still racing, but now from relief as he tried to make sense of the news. Iron Fang dead… could it be?
“Yeah,” Logan murmured as he ran through a list of probable candidates for taking over as alpha of his old clan. “Whatever’s going on up there will keep them busy for a long time. And no one will care about me anymore. They’ve got other business than chasing a bear who got away. Like those damn werewolves.”
It meant that Logan was free. Truly free. Free to live and work on this farm without constantly fearing that Iron Fang might figure out his hiding place and send an assassin after him.
Most importantly, it meant that Lily was safe. He hadn’t endangered his mate. And perhaps―perhaps it could work out between them. He didn’t even have to tell her about his past now…
He froze at the thought of lying to her. No, she had to know the truth about him. Maybe she’d still choose to leave. He wouldn’t blame her if she chose to. He knew he wasn’t prime husband potential, with his past that would continue to haunt him.
But I can do better. I’ve never wanted Iron Fang’s brutality. I wanted to keep my brothers safe―and then there was no way out. If she’d give me the chance, I’d do anything, anything at all, to make sure that no one can ever harm her or our cubs in a similar way.
“Wait… if this isn’t about Iron Fang, why did you want to talk to me in the middle of the night?” Chris asked, sounding more awake now.
Logan laughed tiredly. “Where do I even start… Okay, so last week, I bought a farm. Yesterday I found my mate.”
“No way!” Chris said with such excitement that the baby he was holding made another disgruntled sound somewhere close to the phone. “Congratulations! I told you, there was no reason to mope. Life will catch up with you, it always does.”
“Mope,” Logan muttered, thinking darkly of the weeks and months he’d spent trying to wrestle with his conscience. Easy for Chris to call that moping when Chris was respected by everyone in Linden Creek and had used his life to do good.
“Mope,” Chris said firmly. “Like I told you, there’s no reason to hide yourself away. You’d be welcome here, you know that.”
For a moment, Logan considered driving out to Linden Creek with Lily. She’d be safe there―she’d have an entire clan of bears to keep her safe.
But that would leave the mystery of the man who’d tried to kidnap Lucky unsolved…
“I have a problem,” Logan admitted, his voice dry. It was the first time in his life he’d uttered those words. In Iron Fang’s clan, showing weakness could have meant death.
But his mate was in danger, and Logan needed help. He couldn’t bear the thought of something happening to Lily, and he didn’t know what they were dealing with here.
“Someone’s been threatening Lily―my mate. A stranger showed up yesterday and tried to kidnap our horse. It’s an old horse, there’s absolutely no reason for it. He’d get a handful of dollars from the knacker’s, maybe―but he shot us with a tranq gun, and I’d bet my life that gun was worth ten times what he’d get for a couple pounds of old racehorse.”
Chris made a thoughtful sound. “That doesn’t sound like shifter crime. I mean―you’re quite sure the horse isn’t a shifter?”
Logan snorted. “Quite.”
“Send me a description of everything you can remember of the man, and I’ll go through our database,” Chris said firmly. “And I’ll come over in the morning, just to make sure―”
“No way,” Logan said. “You stay right where you are. You’ve got a tiny cub in the house, no way you’re driving all the way out here to put yourself in danger. I can keep my mate safe myself.”
“Steven could―”
“Steven’s got a newborn in the house,” Logan said firmly.
His brother Steven had spent his life hunting down shifter criminals, and ordinarily would make a great bodyguard. But this wasn’t a shifter crime. And his brothers had their own cubs to protect.
“I’ll send someone else,” Chris said, his voice allowing noprotest. “You won’t be happy with it, but I don’t care. Either you let me come over in the morning―or I’ll send Darrell over to keep watch on your farm for a few days.”
“Fuck,” Logan muttered.
Darrell was the last person he wanted to meet again. Darrell had belonged to the same clan and only knew him as Blood Claw. But could Logan afford being choosy when someone had threatened his mate? He couldn’t stick close to Lily and prowl the perimeters of his farm at the same time.
“All right,” he finally said with obvious reluctance.
“And Logan―I expect to meet your mate as soon as you’ve solved that little problem of yours,” Chris said warningly.
Logan barely managed to bite back another curse. Not that he didn’t want to visit to see his tiny nephew and niece again―but he couldn’t drag Lily to a family meeting when every shifter in Linden Creek only knew him as the terrible Blood Claw, a bear who’d hunted them while they were trying to find a home of their own, free from the evil of their old alpha.
There
were so many things Logan regretted. At times, it felt like his past weighed so heavily on his back that holing up here at the farm with the animals was the only way to ensure that he’d never hurt another person again.
But now there was Lily. And Lily didn’t deserve a life of hiding away from friends and family. Lily was bright and full of life and so passionate about protecting even the smallest animal in her care. He was proud of Lily. He had no right to make her hide with him.
“I have to tell her,” he said into the silence, long after Chris had ended the call. He raised his glass towards the window in salute as Cody raised his head, giving a soft woof as if to let him know that the farm was safe.
“Tell me what?” a familiar voice asked out of the darkness behind him. A moment later, Lily’s arms wrapped around him, and her soft, warm mouth brushed his neck. His cock gave another surge of need at the contact.
Logan swallowed, his mouth dry. “There’s something you should know about me, Lily…”
Chapter Seven: Lily
Lily stared down at the picture on Logan’s phone. A blonde woman and a strong, broad-shouldered man with Logan’s eyes were smiling at the camera. The woman was cradling an infant in her arms, all pink-cheeked and adorable as it slept like a tiny angel.
“That’s Eve and my brother Chris. And that right there is my little niece,” Logan said.
Instead of the usual stab of envy and emptiness, Lily felt a rush of warmth as she studied the picture. Eve looked exhausted, but glowing with happiness. Chris had his arm wrapped protectively around his wife’s shoulders, looking proud and excited―and also, Lily now noted, looking just a little bit like a bear. Not that there were any paws or claws to see―but something about him reminded her of whatever it was she’d seen in Logan.
His eyes, she decided. There was something about his eyes. Apart from the family resemblance, even on this picture she could feel that strange intensity of his gaze, like there was a hidden, bright light inside him.