by Stormy Glenn
Logan couldn’t pass up a deal like that. He was a horrible cook. He swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood up. He quickly grabbed for his clothes and started getting dressed. As soon as he pulled his boots on he headed for the kitchen.
Logan had practiced talking telepathically through the mating bond with Love several times over the last couple of days. Love was getting better at it every day. He just spoke really softly. So far, only Logan could hear Love talking telepathically.
Logan still hadn’t figured out what exactly happened when Love yelled. Logan had felt like his head was going to explode as Love’s scream bounced around inside his head. He just hoped Love didn’t do it again.
Asher was still anxious about what happened and ordered Logan to practice often with Love so it didn’t happen again. Logan knew it was more because of the pain Darren endured and less because of what happened. Asher wouldn’t allow anything to hurt his mate.
Logan could hear laughter from the kitchen as he rounded the corner of the hallway. Love’s voice was high and animated. Logan was incredibly curious as to what the four men were doing that could amuse them so much.
He paused in the doorway, his eyes instantly seeking out his mate. Love was sitting on the kitchen counter, swinging his legs. He was waving his hand in the air for emphasis as he talked.
“No, really, you should have seen this guy.” Love laughed. “He screamed bad wannabe leather daddy, right down to the leather pants and bad pickup lines. He wanted me to exchange the lollipop I was sucking on for his dick.”
Logan frowned. He didn’t like the sound of that. “He who?”
“Mick Red.” Love started laughing harder. “You should have seen him. I mean, I don’t usually mind dancing with anyone. I love to dance. But this guy, he just wouldn’t take no for an answer. If Logan hadn’t shown up, I don’t know what I would have done.”
“And you’re laughing about it?” Logan asked. He didn’t see the humor in the situation. Mick Red had accosted Love. He had tried to drag him away. And that was before he even kidnapped them both.
“Oh, honey, you don’t understand,” Love said as he gestured for Logan to come closer.
Logan crossed the room and grabbed the chair right next to Love. He swung it around and straddled it. “So, explain it to me then.”
“I was just telling the guys here how I met Mick,” Love said. “He was at Reed’s bar. I was sucking on a lollipop when Mick walked up and propositioned me.”
“And that’s when the fight started,” Matt said.
“Fight?” Logan stared over at Matt. “What fight?”
Love started laughing again. “The one where I kicked Reed for the first time.”
Logan’s mouth dropped open. “You kicked my brother?”
“Yeah.” Love held up two fingers. “Twice, got him right in the shin, too.”
“Why would you kick my brother?”
“He made my ears slip.” Love crossed arms over his stomach as his laughter overcame him.
Logan started to chuckle. Love’s laugher filled him with joy. For a man that had been so sad a few days ago, watching Love laugh now made Logan’s heart feel lighter. He promised himself to try and do everything he could to bring this kind of joy to Love as often as he could.
“You’ve had a busy week then, Love.”
“Right?” Love chuckled. “I just wanted to get away for a few days during spring break. Instead, I meet my mate, get kidnapped by some coyote leather daddy shifter, and killed him. I learned I can talk telepathically and pissed off the alpha of a wolf clan. I’m just waiting to see what next week brings.”
“You’re never boring, Love,” Drea said. “I’ve got to give you that.”
“Boring is overrated,” Love said.
“Well, do me a favor, Love,” Logan said, “and try and be a little boring for a few more days. Until we know this threat from the coyotes is over, I need to have all of my attention on that. No getting into any trouble until things calm down.”
Logan knew he was in trouble the moment Love’s lower lip slipped out. Love slid off the counter and stepped over to Logan. He swung his leg over Logan’s and sat down on his lap, his arms wrapping around Logan’s neck.
“It’s not like I plan these things, Logan.”
“No, trouble is just attracted to you, Love,” Matt said.
Love rolled his eyes.
“Baby, please, just do your best, huh?”
“I’ll try.” Love grinned. “That’s all I can promise.”
Logan’s sigh was interrupted by a loud crash and the sound of voices from the other room. Logan instantly stood up and stepped in front of Love then motioned for the other men to get behind him as well.
He heard another noise and turned to see Love leaning over the kitchen counter to grab one of the cutting knives. He instantly bounded back to stand next to Logan, knife clutched tightly in his hand. When he arched an eyebrow at Love, the man snorted.
“Don’t even think about it,” Love said. “We’re in this together, remember?”
Logan grinned and turned back to face whatever was coming through the door. He wasn’t expecting an older woman with long black hair and skirts that reached the floor and swirled around her legs as she stormed into the room.
He certainly didn’t expect Love to squeal loudly, drop the knife, and run across the room before he could stop him.
“Mom!”
“Mom?” Logan whispered.
Love was bouncing and hugging and talking a million miles a minute. Logan was having trouble keeping up as Love told his mother everything that had happened to him in the last week. Logan winced a couple of times when Moon Star glared over at him.
“Come meet Logan,” Love said as he grabbed his mother’s hand and dragged her across the room.
Logan nodded, trying not to show how nervous he was. Love cared about his mother a great deal. If she disapproved of him, Logan didn’t know what Love’s reaction would be.
Moon star looked him up and down. Logan couldn’t tell from her expression how she felt. “You’re the man that allowed my son to be kidnapped?”
“Mom!”
“Uh, not exactly,” Logan said, ignoring Love’s outburst, “but it was my fault. I didn’t protect Love adequately. It won’t happen again.”
“Hmm.”
That didn’t sound good. Logan took a quick look at Love to see how he was taking his mother’s attitude. Love looked like a ping pong ball, glancing back and forth between them, his lower lip caught between his teeth.
Logan reached into his pocket and pulled out a lollipop, something he carried around with him all the time now. He held it out to Love. “Here, baby.”
Love snatched it up. His eyes were huge as he unwrapped the lollipop and put it in his mouth. Logan waited for his usual groan, frowning when it didn’t come. Logan knew it was because Love’s mother was in the room and turned back to glare at her only to find her eyes on Love.
“You give him candy?”
“Love likes lollipops.”
“He’s a grown man, not a child.” She waved her hand at Love’s head. “And take those ridiculous ears off your head. It’s not Halloween.”
Logan growled when Love’s face paled and he started to reach for the ears on his head. He quickly reached over and grabbed Love’s arm and pulled the smaller man up against his body, wrapping a protective arm around him.
“You’re absolutely right,” Logan said. “Love is a grown man, and as such, he can wear fuzzy ears and suck on lollipops if he wants to. It’s not ridiculous if Love likes it.”
Moon Star arched an eyebrow. Logan glared back. He understood that she was Love’s mother and he loved her very much, but no one got to talk about Love that way or make him feel bad, not even Moon.
“Do you think it’s appropriate for the mate of a beta to be wearing fake ears and sucking on lollipops?” Moon asked. “What will your clan say? Or your alpha?”
“I don’t care. I
t’s not up to them. It’s up to Love.”
“Or you,” Moon snickered. It was not a good look on the woman.
“Actually, no, it’s not up to me. It’s only up to Love, but if it’s something he wants, I will ensure that he gets it.”
“Anything?”
Logan frowned. “Of course.”
“What if Love wants to leave here?” Moon asked.
“Then we’ll leave.”
Logan tensed under Moon’s intense stare. He knew he wasn’t going to like what she said next.
“And if he wants to leave you?”
Logan stiffened when he heard Love whimper. He tightened his arms around his mate. The thought of Love leaving him nearly brought Logan to tears, but if Love ever wanted to leave, he knew he wouldn’t stand in the way.
“I love Love. I would do everything in my power to keep him with me, but if he truly wanted to leave me, I wouldn’t stand in his way. I just want Love to be happy.”
“And you believe you’re the best person to make Love happy?”
“I’m the only person that can make Love happy.”
Moon tilted her head slightly as she studied Logan. “And why should I believe you?”
“It’s doesn’t matter if you believe me,” Logan said. “It’s only important that Love believes me.”
Logan’s mouth dropped open and shock ripped through his body as Moon suddenly began clapping her hands together. A wide, welcoming grin crossed her lips.
“Very well said, Mr. Stone.” Love raised her hand to her mouth and blew a kiss to Love. “You’ve chosen well, my son.”
“Thank you, Mom.”
Logan blinked. “What just happened here?”
Love chuckled and turned his face up. “Mom was just making sure you were the right man for me.”
“I’m the only man for you,” Logan growled.
Love laughed and turned in his arms. His hand smoothed down the side of Logan’s face. “Not to worry, big guy,” Love crooned. “You are the only man for me. Mom was just checking that I was happy.”
“Are you?”
Love’s smile lit up his face and made Logan swallow hard at the tenderness he could see in his eyes. Logan vowed to himself to try and put that look on Love’s face every day of their lives. He wanted that tenderness aimed at him.
“I am.”
Logan drew in a shaky breath and smiled. “Then why don’t you introduce me to your mother so she doesn’t think I’m a complete beast.”
Love tossed his head back and laughed as he turned to face his mother. “If my mother was truly upset, she would have come here with an army.”
Logan growled when Love suddenly tensed.
“Wait, how did you come to be here?” Love asked. “I haven’t even had time to call you and tell you where I was. How did you know?”
A shadow of some emotion crossed Moon’s face as she waved her hand behind her. Logan looked up to see Cáel standing in the doorway. A peculiar grin covered his lips as he leaned against the doorframe.
“Your father called me.”
Logan tightened his arms around Love when the man’s legs suddenly gave out beneath him. He could feel Love shaking and knew he was experiencing something profound.
“My father?” Love whispered.
Cáel waved from the doorway.
“You’re my father?” Love’s head snapped over to his mother. “He’s my father?”
Moon reached for Love’s hands, but he yanked them away, pressing back against Logan. “Love, honey, I know this is a surprise but—”
“A surprise?” Love snapped. “You call this a surprise? My father’s a wolf shifter, and you never told me.”
“I couldn’t, Love.” Mon wrung her hands together and glanced over her shoulder at Cáel. When she looked back, her face was pale. “Love, I couldn’t tell you. It wasn’t safe, not for us or for Cáel.”
“Why not?”
Logan couldn’t even answer that question. He knew they needed to keep their shifter abilities a secret from most people, but he would have figured Moon would have told her son he was a half breed.
Even as he thought it the words made a shock of fear spike through Logan. He was just as scared as he was the first time he thought of the possibility, only this time, it was real. His mate was a half breed. Logan didn’t care much beyond what it might mean to Love.
“Love,” Logan whispered, hugging Love to his body, “you’re a half breed, half human, half wolf.”
“Don’t call me that!” Love snapped as he swung around in Logan’s arms.
“Oh, baby, I could care less if you were a penguin with purple polka dots,” Logan said as he grabbed Love’s face in his hands. “I’m just worried. Half breeds aren’t widely accepted in wolf clans, even less so than humans. I don’t want anyone to hurt you.”
“What do you mean half breeds aren’t accepted?”
“Some wolves believe we should stick to our own species. They disdain anything different. It wasn’t until Asher worked to change the laws that we were even allowed to mate with humans. Before then, a wolf that mated a human was hunted down and killed, the human mate, too.”
“What?” Love squeaked.
“When Asher discovered that Darren was his mate, he worked to change the laws. But even then, he wasn’t able to change the minds of all the clans. There are those that still refuse to accept Asher’s bond with Darren. They won’t even allow Darren into their territory.”
“But why?” Love whispered. “Darren’s a great guy. He has so much to give to the clans.”
“I agree, as does everyone in this clan and a few others. But closed minds cannot be changed overnight, Love. Luckily, the laws have been changed so that Darren is safe.”
“Does…” Love licked his lips. “Does that mean I won’t be safe?”
“The laws say that no one can prevent mates from being together. That doesn’t mean that people will accept you.” Logan stroked his hand over Love’s head then pulled him close. “And I won’t let anyone hurt you, Love, I promise.”
“There’s something more you need to know before you make that promise,” Moon said.
Logan felt Love tense in his arms but refused to let the man go. He held him tighter, bracing for whatever Moon had to tell them. “What?”
“Love is a speaker.”
“A what?”
“Love has the ability to speak to people in their minds, only he can talk to more than one person at the same time.”
“Are you out of your mind?” Love snapped as he swung around.
Logan started laughing. He couldn’t help it, not even when Love turned to glare up at him. “I’m sorry, baby, but it makes perfect sense. Don’t you remember what happened when you screamed at me mentally?”
Love’s eyebrows were pulled together in a deep frown. “How could I forget? I thought Asher was going to kill me.”
“Love, you were able to speak to all of us at the same time, and we didn’t know how you did it. If what your mother says is true, it’s a natural ability for you.” Logan chuckled. “We’ll just have to teach you how to control it. There are some thoughts that shouldn’t be shared with anyone except me.”
Love’s face flushed bright red. He groaned and quickly buried his face in Logan’s chest. “Just kill me now.”
Logan chuckled. “Nope, I kind of like you with all these quirks.”
“Promise?” Love whispered into Logan’s mind.
“I promise, Love,” Logan whispered right back. “We’ll figure out how to teach you to control this ability.”
“I hope so,” Love whispered mentally again, then turned to face his mother.
“I know so,” Logan replied.
“It still doesn’t explain why I never knew about my father,” Love said out loud. “Or why my mother never told me about him.”
“I think that might be my fault, Love,” Cáel said as he stepped forward. “Your mother and I only had that one weekend together. Once I left, we
never saw each other again.”
“Love, I’m not Cáel’s mate,” Moon said. “We both knew that back then. I don’t fault him for leaving. I never did.”
“Fine, you’re not mates,” Love snapped. “I get that. What I don’t get is why you never told me who he was. You wouldn’t even tell me his name. Every time I asked, you became upset, so I finally stopped asking.”
“Oh, Love, I couldn’t,” Moon said.
“You keep saying that!” Love stamped his foot. “But you won’t tell me why.”
“Because I know you, Love. You would have started looking for your father the first chance you got, and as Logan has explained to you, until recently, not even humans were accepted in the shifter world. I wasn’t going to let you put your life in danger.”
Logan slowly started to understand what Moon was trying to tell her son. She hadn’t kept Cáel’s identity from Love because she was angry or because she didn’t want Love to know who his father was. She was doing it to keep Love safe.
Logan smiled at Moon and took her hand, giving it a squeeze. “Thank you.”
Moon’s face flushed, and she dipped her head. “I love him, too, Logan.”
“I know, and once Love understands what you did, he will thank you, too.”
“How can you say that?” Love shouted as he spun around to glare at Logan. He waved his hand back toward Cáel. “She kept my father from me.”
“She kept your ass alive,” Logan said. “Remember what I said, Love. Humans and half breeds were not accepted until Asher changed the laws. Until then, not even same sex matings were accepted. What do you think would have happened if you had tracked Cáel down?”
Love frowned then shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t know.”
“They would have hunted us down and killed us, Love.” Logan pointed his finger at Love. “Not just you, but me, too, because I was your mate. Your mother was doing what she had to do to keep you alive, to keep us both alive.”
“Love, if you had come to find me even a few years ago,” Cáel said, “not only would Logan have been prevented from mating with you, but both of you would have been put to death. And most likely, so would I for fathering a half breed. I wouldn’t put it past some clans to track your mother down and kill her as well because of what she knows.”