Chapter 56

CHAPTER 56

Cedar Hollow, Pennsylvania

“ S hhhh, it’s okay, mīn swēte sunu,” Logan said, kissing Caleb’s forehead as he quickly made his way down the stone stairs while he struggled not to lose his fucking mind. “I’ve got you.”

God, he couldn’t fucking lose them, Logan thought, slowly exhaling as he pressed his lips against Caleb’s forehead while his quiet sobs broke his heart. He ignored the searing pain from the burns covering most of his body and focused on the little boy quietly sobbing in his arms.

As soon as his feet hit the stone floor, he was quickly carrying Caleb through the tunnel and up the stone stairs, careful not to dislodge the small hand that had a death grip on his shirt. He shoved the door at the top of the stairs open and-

“Oh, thank God,” Jill said, rushing across the library to check on Caleb, kissing his forehead before shifting her attention to Emma. She pulled the sobbing little girl out of Shane’s arms and hugged her tightly as Logan glanced over his shoulder at Shane, who hadn’t said a word since the alley. He noted the fear in the boy’s eyes and the way that he paled as he followed them inside.

“Tomas and James arrived a few minutes ago. They’re waiting upstairs,” Jill said, kissing the top of Emma’s head.

“It hurts, Daddy,” Caleb mumbled weakly against his chest.

“I know, mīn swēte sunu,” Logan murmured, kissing his forehead as he followed Jill into the large foyer and up the stairs to the children’s bedroom, where Tomas and James were waiting.

“Did you stabilize the arm?” James asked as he quickly made his way across the room and carefully took Caleb from him while Shane made his way to the corner.

“Yes,” Logan said, feeling his stomach drop when Caleb began screaming in pain again.

“Shhh, it’s okay,” the shifter said soothingly as he carefully laid Caleb down on Shane’s bed.

Logan stood there, watching James set to work while every sob tore at his heart. Christ, he’d never felt more helpless in his life than he had in the last two hours while Caleb cried and there was nothing that he could do but tell him that everything would be okay. While he stood there, Jill carried Emma into the bathroom and quietly closed the door behind them. He clenched his jaw painfully while he was forced to stand there listening as his little girl cried so hard that she made herself sick while Jill did her best to comfort her.

His gaze flickered to Shane to find him standing in the corner, watching over Caleb and looking absolutely lost. They watched as James gave Caleb an herbal tea for the pain. By the time Jill finished giving Emma a bath, Caleb’s arm was set and he was fast asleep. Logan glanced at his little boy one last time, needing to make sure that he was safe before he made his way into the bathroom with Emma’s favorite pajamas.

As soon as she was dressed, Logan picked up the exhausted little girl and carried her into the bedroom, telling her how brave she was as he carefully laid her down on the bed next to her brother. He kissed her forehead before she curled up onto her side and took Caleb’s good hand in hers.

“You might want to take care of that,” James said with a pointed look at Logan’s blistered skin as he put the final touches on Caleb’s cast.

“Just tell me that he’s going to be okay,” Logan said hollowly as he made his way around the bed to Caleb’s side.

“He’s going to be fine,” James promised him as Logan leaned down and kissed Caleb’s forehead.

A moment later, Jill was taking his hand in hers and giving it a gentle tug that had him reluctantly following her into the hallway. “What happened?” she asked as she led him down the hallway towards their room.

“I took care of it,” Logan promised her as she carefully pushed off his coat and took in the burns, cuts, and bruises covering his arms as he thought about the moment when he heard Caleb scream.

He just…

He almost didn’t make it to them in time.

“Where are the shifters that attacked them?” Jill asked after a slight hesitation.

“Dead,” Logan said coldly as he thought about the ones that he’d ripped apart with his hands, knowing that the ones that got away didn’t make it very far before the Sentinels got their hands on them.

He’d barely had a chance to get the children in the car before the Sentinel descended on the alley along with about a hundred demons and shifters, all of them looking to collect the bounty on the children.

It had been close…

Absently nodding, Jill said, “Good,” as she took in the extent of his injuries while he noted the tension in her eyes, the way that her hands shook as they reached up to cup his face, and just how fucking pale she was and-

“I’m sorry, Angel,” Logan murmured as he turned his head and kissed her palm, hating knowing that he’d caused her pain.

“Don’t be. You got our babies back,” Jill murmured softly, gently caressing his jaw with her fingertips before stepping away so that she could grab a coffee mug from the mini fridge they kept well-stocked by the bed.

“Thank you, Angel,” Logan said, taking the cup from her as he nearly fucking groaned when he caught her delectable scent coming from the cup. He took a sip of the lukewarm blood and immediately felt the warmth spread throughout his body, quickly healing him. By the time he finished, he was completely healed and reaching for her, making sure that she was okay.

Between the bagged blood that he’d made her gorge on as soon as they broke out of the closet and the blood he gave her this morning when they’d made love, she’d been able to heal before he went after the children. He was checking her arms when Shane walked into the room with his jaw clenched tightly.

“How did you find us?” Shane demanded.

“There’s a tracker in the bag you took and on your iPad,” Logan said, watching Shane slowly nod as he thought that over.

“What are you going to do to me?” he demanded as Logan’s gaze dropped to his trembling hands and-

“Nothing. You’ve been punished enough,” Logan said, refusing to take the boy’s iPad away or ground him for trying to protect his brother and sister.

“I’m fine,” Shane bit out when Jill moved to check the cuts on his neck.

“You’re bleeding,” Jill said only to have Shane back away.

“I said I’m fine!” Shane snapped.

“No, you’re not,” Jill said, shaking her head as she reached up to check his neck only to have him shove her hands away.

“You don’t have to pretend anymore,” Shane said, making them both frown.

“Pretend what?” Jill asked only to go still at Shane’s next words.

“That you love us,” Shane bit out coldly.

“We do love you, Shane, more than anything,” Jill promised him as she reached for him again only to have him angrily shake his head as he backed away.

“No, you don’t,” Shane snapped. “You’re only using us and as soon as you find someone to give you what you want, you’ll hand us over.”

“You’re not going anywhere, Shane,” Logan said firmly as he moved past Jill and followed Shane. “You’re my son.”

“No, I’m not. I’m just the mutt that you’re using to get what you want,” Shane snapped. “So, you can stop pretending now and just lock us up. Anything would be better than this.”

Keeping his eyes locked on Shane, Logan said, “You’re my son.”

“No, I’m not!”

“You’re my son,” Logan repeated, following Shane as he stumbled back.

“Stop!”

“You’re my son,” Logan said as he reached for him.

“You’re just using us!” Shane snapped, shoving his hands away before he reached up and frantically wiped at his eyes.

“You’re my son,” Logan said firmly, reaching for Shane again and this time, he grabbed Shane by his shirt and pulled him into his arms.

“Let me go!” Shane shouted as he tried to shove him away, but Logan held him tighter.

“I love you more than anything, Shane,” Logan whispered fiercely.

“No, you don’t,” Shane said, his voice breaking as he moved to shove Logan away again only to grab onto his shirt and held on tightly while Logan wrapped his arms around him and-

“You’re my son.”