by Riley Storm
Truthfully, he assumed it was just bad intelligence, that the Tyrant King had set them up and they had fallen for it. He had fallen for it.
“Of course, if we’d had more strong warriors there, perhaps we could have overcome it.” This time, Logan looked directly at Leonen and his bloc of male shifters.
Not that he thought the politicians could have saved the day, but he was making a pointed reminder to all present that they’d purposefully avoided joining the others in the fight, electing to stay behind.
“I was never in favor of the operation from the start,” Leonen growled.
“Yet you voted for it,” Logan countered easily. “Odd.”
Logan tried not to snort as Leonen fell silent. He wasn’t about to be outmaneuvered by any of them. Not today at least, and certainly not over something like the raid.
“Be careful, Logan,” Miriam said, speaking calmly. “You’re playing with fire. You aren’t the official King yet. Not until your ceremony. We can withdraw our support at any time.”
Logan almost told the old hag to go ahead and do it. Take her support and leave the Manor and never come back. Please. But he kept his tongue, knowing if he made an active enemy out of her, Miriam would make his life hell.
“Of course,” he agreed, giving Miriam her self-righteous moment. “Though you should know better than to think I purposefully got all of them killed. Our enemy isn’t an idiot, and I welcome advice and strategy from anyone.”
Heather, who had mostly remained uninterested in the entire back and forth, went still at his last comment, nostrils flaring as she struggled to remain still. What had he said to piss her off? Logan was doing his very best to be diplomatic and open to everything. Wasn’t that what she would want of him? He was confused, but now wasn’t the time to address it.
“Very well,” Miriam said. She inclined her head deeper than Leonen had upon arrival, though still not very far, and then the entire entourage, including one furious-looking Heather, departed.
The instant the doors closed behind them, Logan slumped into his seat, looking around the Council.
“You’re going to have to put some of them in these seats eventually,” Lechiffre “Chief” Canis said from where he sat in the Herald’s position as messenger and diplomat of House Canis.
“Don’t remind me,” Logan moaned. “Why? Why must we play at politics like the humans?”
“Because we are half human?” Lucien reminded him. “It won’t be so bad. Most of the important positions are already filled, and they won’t dare challenge for them. So just put them in the ones that don’t matter.”
Lucien, his second in command, was right, of course, but that still didn’t help him feel any better.
“They’re going to cause you more and more trouble no matter what you do,” Linden said, tapping the embossed logo of Captain on the table in front of him. “I and my men will protect you from physical threats. But we can’t do much about the political. They’re going to be trouble.”
“I know,” Logan said, gazing back at the closed doors, thinking of the angry Heather who had just left through them. “I know.”
11
Holding the piece of paper in her hand, Heather wandered ever deeper into the lower levels of Moonshadow Manor, wondering just what possessed her into thinking doing this was a good idea.
The handwriting on the note was unfamiliar, but the quick, scribbled messy nature of it told her it was most likely that of a male. She’d thought perhaps it was Logan, but she recalled he’d learned to write with excellent penmanship once he’d been appointed as Knight of House Canis what seemed like an eon ago, before all the recent nastiness.
Which meant the most likely culprit was Leonen. And there could only be one reason he wanted to see her in some private part of the Manor where nobody else could be around.
“So why am I down here doing this again?” she muttered to herself, taking a left as instructed on the paper. “You know what he wants.”
It was all because of her curiosity. The unknown. Heather had a thirst for it, and she hated leaving mysteries unsolved. It wasn’t very often she got cryptic instructions to go somewhere late at night. Besides, she wasn’t afraid of anything. Most certainly not Leonen.
“Well, I’m here,” she said, reaching a dead end. “What now?” she asked, wondering if whoever had written it was here listening.
The rock wall behind her clicked, and then suddenly started grinding out of the way to the left. Pale yellow light from beyond spilled out into the hallway, illuminating a tall figure with a head that looked very familiar.
“Logan?” she hissed in surprise, taking a step back. “What the hell? You know I can’t be down here with you like this!”
“I had to talk to you,” the King of House Canis said.
“Try the telephone? Or, I don’t know, coming to my quarters and knocking on the door, like a normal person! Both of those would have worked too, you know.”
“I didn’t want you to get in more trouble,” he said calmly, not letting her words faze him. “This seemed…better.”
She bit her lip, staring up at him, the toes of one foot bouncing nervously. “You heard about that, did you?” she asked, referring to the chewing out her mother had given her after the last time she and Logan had been caught down in the tunnels.
“My advisors gave me a similar talking to, I’m sure,” he said unhappily. “I figured word of it would reach your mother, and I could imagine what her reaction would be.”
“So, you thought recreating that exact same scenario, except later at night and even deeper into the tunnels, would be a better idea?” she challenged.
Logan hesitated. “Uhhh…”
“Whatever,” she said, waving it off. ‘It doesn’t matter I guess, I’m here now. What do you want?”
Logan looked uncharacteristically uncomfortable, shifting back and forth from one foot to the other. “Well, yeah. The thing is, I saw you earlier today.”
“Yes. I came to the Council chambers,” she said patiently. “I saw you too.”
“That’s not what I mean,” Logan growled. “I’m not blind. I meant I saw you.”
“Right. Meaning?” she asked, crossing her arms. “Just spit it out already. The longer we take, the higher the chance someone comes looking for either of us—and we both get in shit for this.”
“It’s about the raid,” Logan said, looking past her.
“The raid,” she repeated, trying not to lash out at him about it. Why could he possibly want to talk to her about that? She’d already tried to tell him it was a trap.
“It was a trap.”
Heather sighed. “I know. I told you it was.”
“That’s why I wanted to come and talk to you about it.”
Heather cocked her head at him thoughtfully. Could he really be here to—? No, of course not. That wasn’t Logan. There was another reason behind all this.
“I wanted to talk because you warned me about it,” Logan added, as if that was supposed to clarify everything.
“You’re right. I did warn you about it. I told you it was a trap, and you walked right into it. You didn’t listen to me,” she said tightly, not holding any punches.
“I know.” Logan sighed. “I know. And I should have, Heather. I should have listened to you and taken your advice. You were right about the whole thing.”
She nodded slowly. So, he was admitting she was right. That had to cost him something, she was sure, but it wasn’t enough to bring back the dead.
“And I wanted to say, because of that, I’m sorry,” he added.
Heather leaned against the wall. Maybe Logan had changed a bit since she’d last seen him. The old Logan would never have been able to admit all of the above. Not without her pulling it from him bit by bit, something she’d finally gotten sick of, which was part of why she’d left him.
Now she nodded. “That wasn’t so hard, was it? All you have to do is say you’re sorry, and that I was right.”
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nbsp; She waited for him to continue, to tell her she’d also been right those years ago, that he should have listened to her then. That maybe if he had, they could have avoided everything. The civil war, the Tyrant King, all of it.
But Logan didn’t say anything else. He didn’t say that if he’d taken her advice and acted, they might still be together. None of what she truly wanted to hear from him came out. Not then, and not now. He hadn’t made the connection.
Maybe he never will. You should stop holding out hope. Besides, you have a mate now, daydreaming about the past isn’t worth it.
A boot scraped against stone somewhere back down one of the hallways. Someone was there. She looked up sharply, meeting Logan’s eye. He reached out for her, but she shook her head, backing away several steps before turning and racing off into the dimly lit tunnels beyond.
She wasn’t risking being caught with him. Not again. That would mean another one of her mother’s speeches about being ‘proper’.
No thank you!
But as she ran, Logan’s words echoed in her head. He was sorry. She was right.
Maybe there was hope for him after all…
12
The party was in full swing by the time he arrived.
“Logan!” Lucien’s shout rang out even over the music pounding through the ballroom. The shifter in question made a beeline through the dancing and drinking guests, sweeping him up in a giant hug. “You made it!”
Frowning, Logan accepted the back slaps and returned some of his own. “Of course, I made it,” he said slowly as he was set down. “Did you think I would miss something like this?”
“Of course, he didn’t,” another voice said from nearby. “He’s just over-excited.”
“Alison,” Logan boomed, sweeping the woman into his arms, careful of her swelling belly. “It’s so good to see you.”
Lucien’s mate returned the hug, the raven-haired beauty positively glowing with her pregnancy. She was now four months in, and they were having a party to celebrate.
Another woman, even more swollen with child came up to the growing group, short red hair making her instantly recognizable. “Great party, isn’t it?” Sydney asked, accepting hugs from all around.
Logan watched the faces of two of his closest friends. Both Lucien and Lechiffre (“Chief” to his friends) had the ecstatic looks of men who were proud of the job they’d done as they regarded their mates.
“Wonderful party,” he remembered to say. “It’s so good to see both of you.”
The two women both lived off-Manor. Alison was in charge of the mental health ward at the local hospital, and Sydney owned and operated a decent-sized farming operation outside of town. Soon they would both move to the Manor for the birth of the children, but for now they only visited, leaving their men to conduct affairs.
It was safer that way, Logan thought with an unhappy frown at the reminder that the Tyrant King was still out there. He needed to fix that problem, so his men could enjoy the fruits of their lives peacefully, without looking over their shoulder.
“Well boys, drinks?” Lucien asked, receiving a boisterous roar of approval.
Sydney and Alison just rolled their eyes and linked arms, heading off to find some of the other mates. Logan watched them go briefly, envious of them, and also of his friends. They all had something he likely would never be able to have.
Love.
Oh sure, sometimes a King got lucky and found his true mate, but all too often the duties of his station required him to mate before that bond could be discovered. Logan was confident that he would make the best of whoever it was he ended up with, but it wouldn’t be the person he wanted, he knew that.
How can you know that, if you don’t know who you want?
“Logan.”
He looked to his side. Liam was there holding out a big mug of beer.
“Ah!” he exclaimed, taking the proffered beverage and lifting it to the middle of their little group. “To love,” he said, his voice carrying out to the crowd. “May you find it, hold it, and forever cherish it. Just as I know you will your son.” He waited a split second, then winked at Lucien and added. “Or daughter.”
The other shifter’s face paled for a split second in the natural fear a male felt about raising a daughter and whether he could do a good enough job, but the uproarious laughter and shouts of ‘Cheers!’ swept Lucien up in it.
Logan didn’t have any doubts about his friend. If they did have a girl, she would have him wrapped around her pinky finger in no time flat. Lucien was a big softy on the inside, and his kids would know that for sure.
Poor guy. He doesn’t stand a chance.
“Speaking of love…”
Logan frowned. It was Liam again, standing at his side. “What do you mean, my friend?”
The other shifter fidgeted. “Well, it’s about Jennifer.”
Logan nodded, encouraging him to go ahead. Jennifer was the Magi of House Canis, a human, but a shifter at heart. Although Liam was not on the Council itself, Logan still held his advice in high regard. But right now, his friend seemed distressed.
“I want to make sure I’m treating her right,” Liam said.
It was clear the beer was loosening his lips a little. Liam wasn’t normally the type to discuss his feelings so openly like this, but Logan could see he needed to.
“I’m sure you are, my friend. I know the type of man you are. Jennifer isn’t exactly the meek-type either,” he added wryly. “If you were screwing up, she’d tell you.”
Liam grinned. “Absolutely she would. She’s something else. Which is exactly what I’m worried about.”
“I don’t follow,” Logan said.
“I feel like I need to do something for her. To show her how extraordinary she is,” Liam said. “No, that’s not right. I don’t feel I need to. I want to. Yes, that’s better,” he pronounced with the solemn proclamation only a drunk person could make.
“So, do that?” Logan suggested, not entirely sure where his friend was going with this conversation.
“Yeah. Yeah, of course. Um.” Liam took a deep swig of beer, then looked him direct in the eyes. “But what the hell do I do?”
Logan jerked slightly in surprise. “You want ideas, is that what you’re asking?”
“Yeah. Ideas!” Liam echoed. “How do I show her I love her more than anything?”
This one was easy. Logan knew the answer to it, thankfully. “Your mate is human, Liam.”
“I know that. She’s amazing.”
Logan shook his head. “No, she’s human. So, do something a human would want.”
“Like what?” Liam asked, smiling lopsidedly at him.
“Oh for—” Logan reached out and gently smacked his friend in the shoulder. “Propose to her, you idiot. Get a nice ring, get down on one knee and ask her to marry you.”
Liam was staring at him slack-jawed. “Oh, my God. I’ve got it!” he shouted.
Logan closed his eyes. Clearly, Liam was more drunk than he suspected. “Right. What’s your idea, my friend?”
He really hoped it wasn’t something bad.
“I’m going to propose to her!” Liam crowed, as if he’d thought of the idea all on his own.
“Wow,” Logan said, unable to stop himself from laughing. “Just wow. That sounds great Liam, you should do that!”
“I will!” And just like that, he was off.
Logan watched him race out of the room, his face hurting from smiling so broadly. This…this was nice. He liked this. Just a night with good people, relaxing. He didn’t have to worry about politics or pissing off the political factions. Or Heather.
He must have frowned or something, because Chief looked at him stranger and made his way over, taking Logan by the shoulder. “What’s the matter? You’re supposed to be having fun.”
“I am having fun,” Logan said. “That’s what I was just thinking about. All the stuff I don’t have to worry about tonight, because I’m having a good time.”
&nbs
p; “You’ve got something else on your mind,” Chief prodded. “Come on, you can tell your second oldest friend.” Chief looked over his shoulder to where Lucien was hauling down another beer. “Yup, definitely going to have to be your second oldest, because your oldest is about to pass out.”
Logan followed Chief’s look, laughing as he did.
“It’s about her, isn’t it,” Chief pressed when Logan didn’t volunteer any further information.
“What?” Logan looked at him in alarm. “How did you know?”
“Because I’m your friend, you idiot. Have been for years. I can see when these things bother you. Besides, I knew she was the one for you back then, and I know it now.” Chief shook his head in frustration. “It’s only you two idiots who can’t see it.”
Logan waved him down as Chief started to get more animated. “We can’t go down that path, Chief. Not she and I, and neither can you and I discuss it. What happened in the past is in the past, and it needs to stay that way.”
“Logan…” Chief started to say, but he was cut off.
“I said no, Chief. Even if I wanted to think about it, to try anything, I can’t.”
“Why the hell not? You’re the King. You can do what you want,” Chief pronounced.
Logan hung his head, unable to stop himself from smiling. “If only it were that easy, my friend. If only it were that easy.”
“It is that easy!” Chief protested, trying to convince him still.
So much for no politics tonight, I guess.
“It’s not, Chief. I’m walking on a tightrope as it is, trying to balance the various factions against one another without aiming them all at me at the same time. I have to keep the House unified, no matter what it takes. With the Tyrant King still out there, my position as King is precarious at best. I’m only sitting on the throne by the skin of my teeth.
“If I lose any supporters by doing things I shouldn’t, then they could possibly try to replace me.” He grimaced. “The last thing this House needs is more fighting, Chief. I won’t be the cause of it.”