Chapter 8

CHAPTER EIGHT

S tanding in his father's office, Logan felt as though he'd been transported back in time. It looked exactly the same as it had back when he was a kid. If he'd thought about it at all, he would have assumed that someone would have tried to update it at some point but clearly the room was like the man who occupied it.

Old, out of date, and defiantly unchanged.

The walls were wood paneled, and the carpet was a thick, faded gray. Filing cabinets were lined up along one wall and built-in bookcases covered another. The large oak desk that sat in the middle of the room was massive and so was the wine-colored leather chair behind it when compared to the smaller guest chairs.

He could still remember his father explaining to him why those chairs were smaller than the other furniture, teaching him about intimidation before he'd even known what the word meant.

Logan had spent many an afternoon in this room as a child, playing while his father worked and then, once he'd grown a bit older, being shown how things ran in Shadow Pines.

It was in this room that he'd first realized his father wasn't only in charge of the pack, but the entire town. He'd still been fairly young and na?ve when he learned his father was the Mayor of Shadow Pines in addition to being the Pack Alpha but it hadn't taken him long to understand that the Alpha needed the official title for the outside world, in case it ever came calling. It was in this room that he had come to truly understand that his father was the sole authority when it came to everything in Shadow Pines.

He'd never given a single moment of thought to this office while he'd been away but now that he was here, he remembered just how much he hated it.

He hated the way his father sat tall in his chair, looking down on him. He hated the way it made him feel small, like the kid he had long ago stopped being. He hated that for just a moment when he'd first walked in, he'd been thankful that he wasn't the one who had to take that all important seat on the other side of the desk.

When he'd woken up in his old bedroom at the house that morning, he'd promised himself that he would find somewhere else to stay today. He'd tossed and turned all night, restless and haunted by the past. He'd planned to get in touch with Dominic and find out if the local inn was still operating or if anyone else had a couple of rooms he could rent. But of course, his plans went out the window as soon as he'd gone downstairs because his father had been waiting for him, dressed for work already, and demanding that Logan come with him to the office.

He'd argued of course. He'd said he had no interest in anything the old man wanted to show him. His father had threatened to use his Alpha voice to make Logan get in the car but, falling back into her usual role as peacemaker between them, Vivian had dragged him aside to remind him that they still needed to find out what their father was up to and eventually Logan had agreed that he might get the answers he was looking for more easily if he played nice instead of starting fights at every turn.

Only nothing with his father was ever easy.

Logan read the letter his father had given him a second time because he could hardly believe what it said. He knew he'd been out of the loop since he'd left the pack but never in a million years could he have imagined the world of werewolf shifters could have changed enough in six years for something like this to be happening. And that was the problem, his father wouldn't, and couldn't change, which was why their pack was dying while others appeared to be flourishing.

There was an alliance forming among the packs, led by the Alpha of the Crescent Pack down in Louisiana. He was bringing their kind together, so they could learn from one another, help keep each other safe, and bring their kind into the future. It was a bold and forward thinking plan that Logan knew would benefit everyone involved, but judging from the scowl on his father's face it was clear he had no plans of letting the Shadow Pines Pack be one of them.

"This is what you wanted me to see?" Logan held the letter back out to him. "It's a good idea."

"It's a stupid idea." Byron Kemp hissed, eyes flashing with anger. "The minute you let outsiders into your territory you risk losing control. This DeLuca guy is making moves. I guarantee it. He says he wants to bring us all together to keep us safe but what he's really doing is getting a lay of the land, figuring out which packs are the strongest and who is weak enough that he can march in and take over."

"You sound paranoid.'

"It's not paranoia if it's true."

Logan scoffed, "You're only mad that you didn't think of it yourself."

"I brought you back here to show you that the pack is in danger. Our people need a strong leader, someone who won't bend to this nonsense once I'm gone."

"No, you brought me here because you're selfish and you're scared."

"I am not scared!" his father roared and Logan stared at him in awe.

Finally, he could see a crack in the facade of strength and authority that Byron was trying to project. When he'd first seen his father yesterday he'd noted that he appeared ill but this morning most of the obvious signs of his sickness were gone. His eyes were no longer red-rimmed, and he wasn't coughing. Logan had been trying to figure out if it had all been an act or if his father's shifter genes had somehow healed him, at least temporarily. He didn't know how that was possible but since he'd never heard of any shifter dying from an illness he'd asked Vivian to find out as much as she could from their mother.

Even if Byron was up and about and looking better today, she'd still been in bed and Logan hadn't found the time to go and see her yet.

But as hard as his father was trying to appear as if everything was normal, he could see the effort it was taking him now that his facade had slipped. Maybe his shifter genes had helped heal the worst of the outward symptoms overnight but beneath the surface, he was still dying, and it was clear that he was scared.

This was not the same man he'd remembered and feared for so long. The father he knew had never been scared of anything, but he was afraid and his outburst proved it. More than that, his father had gone to great lengths to get him back here so that he could attempt to control the situation.

Byron Kemp was scared, and not just of losing control of his pack to these outsiders with their big ideas of community. The more Logan learned, the more he thought that his father had brought him back now in an attempt to control his legacy. He wanted to tell Logan how to run the pack once he was in charge, to guarantee that he maintained the status quo and in doing so, protect his legacy.

The man was more than just evil, he was downright delusional.

Logan sat back in the chair, suddenly not feeling quite so young or small, "You are scared because you know when you die, everyone will be able to see you for the monster that you are and you want me to stop that from happening, but I won't."

Byron growled, "You don't get to talk to me like that, boy."

"I'm not a boy anymore. I'm a grown man and I'll talk to you however I want."

"Is that so?" Byron narrowed his eyes, a mean sneer pulling at his lips that made Logan flinch backwards. "Why don't you go ahead and tell me all the monstrous things I've done, then? Go ahead. Tell your truth, son. I'd love to hear what you have to say."

The all too familiar knot in Logan's throat tightened and every word he wanted to scream from the rooftops was shoved back down, deep inside of him. He couldn't speak the truth and his father knew that. He'd used his Alpha voice to make sure of it.

The sneer grew into a mean-spirited smile, "That's what I thought."

Logan grit his teeth as he shoved up out of his chair. His father might be able to keep him quiet, but he couldn't keep him here. At least not without using his Alpha voice on him and Logan didn't intend to give him the chance to try that trick of his again. He turned towards the door.

"You're a sick bastard."

"Oh, don't be such a baby." Byron snorted. "Come on, Logan. What're you doing?"

"Leaving before I kill you myself." He jerked the door open and stormed out of the office, into the lobby, shooting the words over his shoulder.

"Logan, I'm not done talking to you."

"Too bad, because I'm done…" He pulled up short when he turned back to the outer door and saw the woman standing beside the desk there. He blinked but the vision remained. "Wren?"

"Logan?" Her face twisted with confusion he thought must match his own. "What're you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing." he snapped, even as he took her in from head to toe and his wolf growled with appreciation.

If he'd thought she was beautiful last night, in the dark of the alley, in her workout clothes, she was absolutely gorgeous now. Her dark hair was down and fell over her shoulders in a silky sheet of shiny black. She wore an emerald, green blouse with a black pencil skirt and black heels that added another three inches to her already impressive height, making her nearly eye-to-eye with him. It was a polished, professional look but on her, it was sexy as hell and his wolf was instantly at attention, just waiting to pounce.

"I work here." She put her hands on her hips and lifted her chin defensively.

Logan blinked, certain he'd heard her wrong, "You… what?"

Horror ripped through him at the thought of Wren working here, for his father. Wren in his father's presence every single day? Alone in the office with him? Looking the way she did? It wasn't safe…

He blinked and she came back into focus. His concern for her had almost overshadowed his ability to think rationally but the longer he stared at her, standing there looking beautiful, sure, but also looking obstinate and ready to fight, he knew instinctively that it wasn't a coincidence she was here.

She hated him. She had made that abundantly clear. She blamed him for Lark's death. He didn't hold that against her because he blamed himself too. But she didn't know the truth, couldn't know, and yet here she was, insinuating herself into his father's office.

Did she blame him too? Because he was the Pack Alpha and Logan was his son and heir? Did she think his father had sent him away and covered up Lark's death to protect him?

It all began to click into place for him and he didn't like what it added up to.

He narrowed his eyes, "Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why are you working here?" he demanded. "What are you up to?"

"Up to?" She raised an eyebrow. "I'm doing my pack duty, serving the community and our Alpha."

"Bullshit." he hissed, stepping closer to her. "Tell me the truth."

"Fine. You caught me. I also like being able to pay my bills."

"No, you're up to something. I can tell."

Her eyes flared gold and she slapped the hand he'd been pointing at her away, "Don't you dare act like you know me. I assure you, you don't."

A sizzle of heat slid down his spine at even the briefest of physical contact and he stepped closer to her again, lowering his voice, "You're right. Maybe I don't know you. But this connection between us means I can sense certain things, Wren, and right now, everything inside me says you're hiding something."

"Maybe you're just sensing how much I despise being in your presence." she hissed and his wolf snarled in response.

"Liar, I can hear your heart racing. I can sense your wolf, just beneath your skin, the same as mine. She wants me just as much as mine wants you."

"What you're sensing is that if you come any closer to me, I'm going to make you bleed again."

His eyes fell to her mouth and a groan escaped him. Fuck. He wanted that too. He wanted more of her lips battling his for dominance and the taste of her on his tongue. He was getting hard just thinking about it.

She was so close and her scent was making his wolf crazy. He wasn't sure how he hadn't scented her the moment she walked in because now that he had, he couldn't think of anything but touching her again. From the way she was looking at him, he knew she felt the mating heat too. She looked like she simultaneously wanted to kiss him and claw his eyes out. It was a look he was becoming familiar with and strangely enjoyed.

"Logan!"

His father's voice broke the moment between them and Logan jerked away from her as if he was a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Wren didn't budge, she only went ramrod straight, as if she was attempting to turn herself to stone. Logan didn't have time to wonder about her reaction though because he forced himself to turn back to his father.

"I thought you were leaving?" His father was eyeing him suspiciously and Logan tried to wipe every ounce of feeling he had for Wren off his face before the old bastard put two and two together as to what was happening.

"I was, but then I ran into your assistant."

"I can see that." His father's gaze swung to her and his lips curled, "Good morning Wren."

"Good morning, Alpha." She pasted a bland smile on her face and Logan fought the urge to put himself in front of her, to keep even his father's eyes off of her, even if her sudden change in demeanor was strange.

Instantly, the woman standing in front of him had gone as icy cold as the statue she was pretending to be. There was no hint of the heat that she kept burning him with. Her fury was safely tucked away and she looked like a completely different person, calm and sweet and unassuming. It was an act, but he didn't know enough to figure out if it was one she was using to hide their connection from the Pack Alpha or if she always acted this way with his father.

"I didn't know she worked here." he spoke just to get his father's attention back on him.

"Well, now you do." The words sounded like a dare and Logan's wolf bristled. "So, are you still leaving or can we continue our discussion back in my office?"

Logan shook his head, "I'm staying. We definitely need to talk."

He stormed back into his father's office, forcing the old man to step back to allow him in. He grabbed the door and gave Wren one last look before he slammed it shut. He told himself what he was about to do was for her own good, it was to protect her, but he had a feeling it was yet another thing she was going to hate him for.

Because he was about to make a deal with the devil…

He would stay in Shadow Pines like his father wanted, but only if he fired Wren as his assistant.

She wasn't working for the Alpha out of some duty to the pack or even for the paycheck. She was up to something and if he knew that, odds were good that so did his father. He couldn't let her continue to put herself in danger. He might not want the bond that had formed between them. He might feel guilty and heartsick over it. But a bond was a sacred connection and he would give her his protection. It was the very least of what he owed her.