by Olivia Gayle
Damon peeked out from behind Meredith. “Ooh,” he said, looking at the woman slung over Warren’s shoulder. “Lunch?”
Beside Logan, Abby chuckled under her breath as the grey haired woman smacked the werewolf upside the head. “Bad puppy,” she said, but her mouth twitched in a hidden grin.
“We should get out of here, “Amelia said. Warren and Logan just grunted their assent, and Abby helped her mate around the building. Amelia and Meredith stayed back, kicking dirt and stones over the blood and attack area to cover their tracks before following the group.
Chapter 12
It was obvious the minute Abby walked off the plane that she wasn't in her dusty little California hometown, nor was she in the Alaskan tundra.
She didn't even need her nose to tell her this. Trees surrounded the runway, and even now in the height of summer, the midday temperature couldn't have been higher than the mid-eighties.
Abby felt like she'd stepped out into heaven.
She stepped down the runway ladder, looking around and cataloging everything. This airport was small, no bigger than the one she'd left hours ago in Blackwolf. A metal domed hangar was off to the side of the runway, large letters across the side spelling out A-R-C-A-D-I-A. Beside that sat a large white helicopter as well as a smaller biplane that looked to be WWII era.
Even the jet plane she'd flown in on had been a welcome surprise. While it was dated, once upon a time it had likely been the luxury class of its day. Despite all her questions, Abby had fallen asleep against Logan's shoulder not long after take off, waking only minutes before they began their landing.
Nearby stood a man and woman in front of an older Dodge van. The woman was shorter, with blonde hair and bright blue eyes. Smile lines were etched deep around her eyes and mouth, although Abby couldn’t pin down her age. Older than me was about all she could come up with, but something about the other woman reminded Abby of Logan.
The man looked to be of Native American heritage, with his dark long hair pulled back in a braid. He looked younger than the woman beside him, but there was a possessive quality to the way his hand lingered on her shoulder. Where she seemed open, he was guarded, watching all the newcomers carefully.
"Well, I see now why you liked Alaska so much, Logan." Meredith peered around the airstrip, taking in the thick trees all but encircling the area. "Must have reminded you of home."
Logan just grunted a reply, putting his hand on Abby's lower back and escorting her toward the waiting car. Sometime during the flight, he’d regained the faculties the mysterious drug had stripped him of, for which Abby was glad.
The older woman stepped away from the other man and moved toward them, her gaze on Logan. Tears filled her eyes as she opened her arms. "Oh Logan, welcome home."
He didn't hesitate an instant, stepping forward and enveloping the smaller woman in a tight hug. They stayed like that for a long time, and Abby heard a quiet sob from the woman before they finally disengaged. He moved a step back and came around behind Abby, nudging her forward a step. “Abby, this is my mother.”
That put the other woman in a whole new light. It was going to take her a while to get used to the ageless quality of Shifters; Abby might have thought her an older sister. She felt herself flush as the other woman turned toward her, then lifted one hand in an awkward greeting. "Hi."
So she was a bit nonplussed when the older woman, instead of taking her hand, pulled Abby into a rough hug. Abby's family had never been very touchy-feely, but she got the impression that Logan's had no such limitations.
"Welcome to Arcadia, my dear. My name is Eleanor Landry, and that's my husband and mate, Derek. You have no idea how pleased I am to finally meet you."
"Ooh, more shifters!" Damon poked his head out of the plane, inhaling deeply. "And, whoa, this place smells totally different! Loads more people, for one."
Derek stepped forward, looking everyone over before extending his hand to Logan. "Good to see you again, it's been a while."
"Same to you, sir." Logan looked around the runway, frowning. "Where's my father?"
Eleanor's eyebrows rose. "I thought Aidan or Warren would have told you." She beckoned them all toward the van. "You're all welcome here to Arcadia. There's a lot to talk about and catch you up on, Logan. Come on, let's get you home."
* * *
Many things had changed since Logan disappeared, but it seemed Arcadia hadn't been one of them.
The houses and streets were all the same, albeit with different yards and newer model vehicles. The smell was the same however, as was the route through town. Something tight within Logan's chest he hadn't realized he held loosened with each passing mile.
He was home. Never had he thought it would feel this right.
"So, long story short, your brother Aidan's been put in charge of Arcadia indefinitely." Eleanor waved a hand around to indicate the town. "The Brahm is currently outside of Haven, protecting the residents there." Her lips tightened. "Or rather, one particular resident: his new mate. But that protection extends to the entire town by default. Which, of course, has left a sizable hole in our own defenses."
"Have we needed much defending?"
At Logan's question, his mother sighed. "How much can you tell us about your old partner, Hendrix?"
Immediately, that tension was back. "He's dead," Logan growled, even as his mate's fingers twined through his. "I killed him myself."
"Well, it looks like you screwed that one up."
"Warren," Eleanor snapped, "be quiet."
The dark haired shifter sighed. "Yes, mother."
The woman sighed. "Logan, he's back, and into something we don't understand. Anything you can give us - information, memories, whatever - would be greatly appreciated."
Logan said nothing, even though his mind was in turmoil. Abby squeezed his hand, tugging gently, and when he looked at her he read the concern in her eyes.
"Okay," Meredith piped in from the back, "for those of us new to this whole deal, who is Hendrix?"
Eleanor shared a glance with Logan, who nodded. "He was an Enforcer who had an exemplary record until he went rogue. Killed a number of both Shifters and humans until he was stopped by his partner."
Meredith looked at Logan. "You?"
Logan nodded as Warren snorted. "Okay, apparently I need to be the bad guy here: why are we telling a human about Shifter problems? Hell, why is she even here?"
"Warren..."
"I'm serious, mother. I held my tongue on the flight, but while I understand bringing the mowgli with us..."
Damon's head snapped up. "Hey!"
"...why is this human involved in any of this?"
"Excuse me." Meredith's chilly voice could have frozen fire. "The human can answer questions about herself, thank-you-fucking-much."
It rubbed Logan wrong to have his brother deliberately offending his friend, and he growled, anger rising like a tide. Then, as if someone had laid a blanket over his thoughts, calmness descended, smothering any negative emotion, or rather, emotion of any kind. Even his possessiveness over Abby at his side was dimmed, although he still kept a tight arm around her shoulders. Logan fought it briefly before giving in with a heavy sigh.
"Mom," Warren said, his voice curiously bland after the heated discussion of only seconds ago, "you know I hate it when you pull a power trip."
"I will not have my sons fighting," she said, her voice civil yet cool as the van settled into silence.
Abby leaned in close to Logan. "What exactly did she just do? I don't feel nervous at all anymore."
"My mother is a Brahma," Logan explained quietly. "She has some extra abilities unlike most shifters, such as the ability to change into any animal. She also has the added power of being able to calm anyone, even from a killing rage."
"Killing rage?"
"Shifters are in touch with their animal natures far more so than humans. Sometimes, this results in emotional outbursts that can be deadly if allowed to go unchecked. My mother is gifted with
the ability to calm a violent person so they aren't able to harm themselves or others."
"Ah." Abby was silent for a moment. "I may freak out about this later when I'm not so weirdly calm," she murmured in an even, uninflected voice.
"Try not to be alarmed. That's the usual response the first time."
* * *
Another couple was waiting for them outside a giant mansion that looked as though it had been designed by the Addams family. The two people looked very out of place in front of the dark building. The man was dressed in a Sheriff’s uniform and looked to be pleasant, while the woman - Abby hesitated in calling her girl even though they seemed the same age - wore a bright colored shirt and skirt with lime green cowboy boots.
"So, you're the newly shifted mate." She stepped forward as Abby climbed out of the vehicle. "My name is Ever, and this is my mate, Aidan."
The magical calm was starting to wear off; Abby could tell because she smiled. "I'm Abby, Logan’s..." She stumbled on the word for a brief second. "...mate."
To her surprise, Ever clapped her hands together happily. "Finally! Someone who understands how freaking weird it is to use that word!"
Abby blinked, momentarily nonplussed, but nodded her head vigorously. “Seriously, I keep wanting to call him my ‘boyfriend’ or ‘that dude I want to make sexitimes with even though we only met an hour ago.’”
"Ohmigod, can I hug you? Please say you're not leaving too soon because it would be so nice to have someone to talk to who freaking gets it!” She leaned in close to Abby and added in a low voice, “This place is so weird compared to the rest of the world!”
Aidan didn’t seem as easily convinced Abby was friendly, staring at her through narrowed eyes. Logan came and put his arm around Abby’s waist, glaring at his brother as if daring the blond man to say anything. Finally, the Sheriff sighed. “Welcome to Arcadia, Miss Stone. I’m sorry for the abrupt welcome but we’ve had…issues lately that occupied my mind.” His gaze travelled to Logan. “Never thought I’d see you mated, brother.”
Logan’s arm tightened around Abby but he said nothing. Aidan finally cracked a smile. “Stoic as ever, I see. Well, your house is still vacant, although in a bit of disrepair. You’re welcome to stay here at the mansion while we get it aired out.”
When Logan didn’t reply immediately, Abby looked up at him. The big man seemed tense, as if unable to relax even though he was in civilization now. “We’ll head over to his house,” she said after a moment’s thought.
After all, it couldn’t be any worse than Meredith’s cabin.
Aidan nodded, then turned to the older human woman and the wolf boy. “You two will be staying here, but as our guests, not prisoners.”
“Then why does it feel more like the latter,” Meredith asked in a droll tone, but followed Amelia inside the giant house, with Damon following cautiously at her heels.
“I’ll drive you to your house.” Eleanor gently cupped Logan’s elbow, staring up into his tense face, and Abby felt him relax again.
“Mother…”
“Hush now. I have every right to sooth my child when he’s scared.”
Logan looked down at her, face struggling as if trying to remember how to glare. “I’m not scared.”
“Of course not, dear.” She patted his arm in a way that, if she wasn’t his mother, might have looked condescending. “Now come on, let me take you home.”
Chapter 13
The condition of Logan’s house seemed to drive home just how long he’d been gone.
“Oh,” was all his mate said beside him when they pulled up into the driveway, but he could see her taking in everything. Grass and weeds had taken over the front lawn, and the rose bushes his mother had planted for him eons ago had grown and died a long time before. A tree he didn’t remember planting had grown in one corner, too close to the house and, Logan guessed, probably wreaking havoc on the foundation.
“We tried to keep up the landscaping for a few years after you disappeared, but admittedly we slacked off some.” Eleanor got out of the car, followed by Logan and Abby. “There’s somebody coming tomorrow to get rid of any pests you may have, but I did what I could to tidy the inside, including replace the old mattress.”
Thankfully, it wasn’t so bad inside as the overgrown front yard had been. Someone had dusted, he could see that, and at some point in the last several years they’d covered his furniture. It still smelled musty and old, but everything was where he remembered it.
Home. It felt so strange being back.
“Oh, it’s cute!”
His mate seemed to like it, which pleased Logan. Abby immediately started pulling off covers for the couch and chairs, sneezing at the dust that flew up into the air. Then she went into the kitchen and started going through cupboards, as if taking inventory, before looking at Eleanor. “Where are the cleaning supplies?”
“Under the sink.”
As Abby started pulling things out and setting them on the counter, a determined look on her face, his mother sidled up to his side. “I like her,” she murmured very softly, giving him a warm smile before entering the kitchen to help his mate.
The corner of Logan’s lips twitched in reply. He hadn’t realized he’d wanted his mother’s approval until she’d said something. Now, however, it was time to get to work.
It took the entire day and part of the night to get the house into shape for habitation. Logan could have survived just fine with how it had been when they’d walked in, but the women had nixed that idea with extreme prejudice. They were already talking paint colors and decorating ideas, but most of what got done was cleaning and reorganizing what was already there.
He left them to their dreams, tackling the front and back yards and making them presentable. The small tree was easy to uproot, and a quick call to Aidan had his brother bringing a chainsaw, lawnmower, and as many tools as he could fit into the bed of a truck. His mate Ever joined the women inside, moving furniture and chattering away about upgrades Logan could do to the place.
By nightfall, the last of Logan’s trepidation of coming back to civilization had fallen away. His mate was happy, and that made Logan, if not happy, then content. A part of him missed the wilderness already, but it had been time to come home. Indeed, the more his brother told him about recent events, the more he realized how perfect the timing of his return had been.
“With Father off patrolling around Haven and seeing to his mate,” Aidan said, pulling out a dead rosebush, roots and all, with one hand and tossing it aside, “we’ve lost a huge part of Arcadia’s defenses. I hadn’t realized just how integral the Brahm was to our little community, not just as a leader but also as protection. The threat of his anger had kept a lot of people in line; with him gone now, we’ve lost a big part of what made people so safe.
“Some folks are also pushing the limits, flexing some of their muscles and testing their strength against the new paradigm. I’m getting more calls into the office each day of attacks, burglaries, and arguments. We formed a neighborhood watch to help police the areas, but folks were under Father’s thumb for so long and they feel free for the first time in ages.” Aidan snorted. “He may have seemed a benevolent, housebound dictator to most residents, but he was a dictator nonetheless. With him gone, things are going to pot.”
“What about the cameras?”
Aidan shook his head. “Davis took over that job, but he’s a computer programmer, not a security guard. Logan, I don’t know how the Brahm did it, keeping track of everything and everyone with all those cameras, but that just isn’t in me to do it.”
Davis Landry was Logan and Aidan’s half-brother, the son of their mother and her mate, Derek. Logan, Aidan, and Warren were all the sons of Marshall Tucker, the Brahm, or leader, of Arcadia and its incorporated areas. He was one of the most powerful Shifters in the United States, and had ruled Arcadia with an iron fist.
“And what about his mate?”
“She won’t even see him.” Aidan tossed the do
wned tree to one side, then put his weight behind the leftover stump. “Sonya is Ever’s sister, and she was traumatized by her conversion from human to shifter and everything that happened to her afterwards. Watching Marshall go nuts like that and take out an entire encampment of humans, ripping them to shreds before her eyes, was too much, and she’s retreated to Haven. Nadine’s promised to keep her safe for the time being, even from her own mate.”
Logan remembered the Brahma of Haven, a protected sanctuary for Shifters, and frowned. “Is she strong enough to take on our father if he decides to go inside?”
“So far, he’s keeping to the accords, but it’s an unstable situation. Even mom’s nervous about stepping in because she’s not sure he’d recognize her as friend or foe if she tried to get inside his head and calm him.” Aidan grunted as the root ball snapped and crackled beneath the dirt, then lifted out with just a little show of preternatural strength. “Ever’s been to see her sister three times now in the last few weeks and…it’s not looking good. The girl’s still not responding well to being a powerful Shifter.”
“How powerful?”
“Mom and dad powerful? She’s a Brahma in her own right, which is creating its own set of problems.” He wiped his forehead with the back of one hand. “I’m glad Nadine’s taking care of her and not me, because I wouldn’t have the first clue how to deal with that.”
They were silent for a while, just working, then Logan spoke again. “And Hendrix?”
Aidan sighed, wiping his brow with the back of a dirty hand. “There’s a whole new can of worms we really don’t need right now. I told you every detail I knew, are you sure there’s not something you’re not saying, maybe that you forgot?”
Logan shook his head. “I killed him. He was dead when I left him.” Logan had made damned sure of that.
“Can you maybe give me more details about how and where you…?”
“No.”