Chapter 63

CHAPTER 63

“ A ngel!” Logan shouted as he released his hold on the bitch and ran towards the pool, praying that he was able to get to them in time as he shoved humans and shifters trying to stop him out of his way.

He watched Jill dive into the water headfirst and-

“Dad!”

-dove in after her.

When his body didn’t disintegrate on contact, Logan kept moving, swimming towards his angel as she made her way to the metal cage at the bottom. As soon as she reached the cage, Jill grabbed hold of it and tried to pick it up only to give up when it wouldn’t budge and tried prying the door open instead while Caleb struggled to hold his breath as his baby blue eyes pleaded with them to save him.

Gently pushing her hands away, Logan grabbed hold of the bars and pulled. When it didn’t budge, he tightened his hold around the bar and strained, pulling on the bar as he watched the terror in his little boy’s eyes as he struggled to open the fucking door. Jill signed to Caleb that everything would be okay before she reached through the bars and cupped his small face in her hands.

Caleb closed his eyes as he moved closer to the bars so that Jill could kiss his forehead while every muscle in Logan’s body strained as he pulled on the door. When he felt the lock break, Logan tore the door open, reached inside and grabbed Caleb. In seconds, Caleb was wrapping his arms and legs around him as he reached over and grabbed Jill’s hand and swam towards the surface.

As soon as they broke the surface, he heard Caleb crying.

It was the most beautiful sound that he’d ever heard, Logan thought as he leaned down and-

“Kissy,” Caleb muttered between sobs as Logan used his hold on Jill’s hand to pull her closer.

Kissing Caleb’s forehead, Logan took in the two humans standing at the edge of the pool waiting for them with their guns aimed at the back of Caleb’s head before his gaze flickered to his right to find two shifters doing the same behind them. Releasing Jill’s hand, Logan said, “Be good for Mommy,” kissing his son’s forehead one last time before passing him to Jill.

Reaching back, Logan took Jill’s hand in his again and pulled her closer until he felt Caleb pressed against his back. Without a word, Logan made his way through the water, staying between the men watching their every move and his mate and child.

“Shane’s gone,” Jill whispered as he felt panic tear through his chest.

“Where’s my son?” Logan asked while he kept moving, leading Jill and Caleb towards the shallow end as his gaze flickered to Shane’s empty cage. He spotted the bodies of the shifters that had been guarding Shane’s cage on the floor before taking in the body of the shifter that shoved Caleb into the pool and noted that Gray was also gone, leaving him to wonder what the shifter was up to even as he struggled not to panic.

“Gone,” one of the shifters said, making sure to keep his gun locked on Caleb as they slowly followed him to the shallow end.

Nodding slowly, Logan risked a glance over his shoulder before focusing back on the men following him. “And the bitch?”

“Right here,” came the answer that sent a chill down his spine as he glanced to his left to find Elizabeth standing behind Emma with a knife pressed against her throat.

“How do you see this playing out?” Logan asked as he kept moving, shifting his gaze between the heavily armed men following their every move as they made their way towards the stairs.

“Besides getting what I want?” Elizabeth asked, taking her time wrapping her hand around Emma’s long hair before closing her fist around it and yanking his little girl’s head back so that he had a better view of the knife pressed against her throat.

“Besides that,” Logan said, struggling not to lose his fucking mind when his baby girl released a terrified whimper.

“I’m willing to entertain the possibility of letting your children live,” Elizabeth said, the words “For now” hung heavily in the air as they reached the stairs.

“For backup in case Kale’s blood doesn’t work?” Logan asked, needing to keep her talking.

Shaking her head as though she didn’t have a single care in the world, Elizabeth said, “I’m afraid I’m going to need to recoup some costs. Hiring mercenaries isn’t cheap,” Elizabeth said as he felt Caleb’s trembling hand grab hold of his shirt as they began slowly making their way up the stairs.

“You’re planning on selling them,” Logan said as his gaze flickered to the men moving to surround them as they stepped onto the patio.

“To the highest bidder,” Elizabeth said with a heartfelt sigh as she gestured between the two of them, watching them as they kept Caleb between them as they moved. “Do you really think that’s going to save him?”

“You’re not touching him,” Logan murmured, knowing that he’d fucked up.

He never should have let his guard down, never should have stopped until Pierce was dead, but once he’d held his angel in his arms…

He never wanted to let her go.

She gave him the one thing that he’d always craved, would have happily died for, and would do absolutely anything to protect. He-

“You sent the human to kill her,” Logan said, feeling Jill go still behind him. “Why?”

“What was it that you called her? A means to an end,” Elizabeth said mockingly as the realization of just how far the bitch had gone hit him.

“You were listening,” Jill said hollowly as Elizabeth’s lips pulled up into a smug smile as a wave of anger tore through him.

“And watching,” Elizabeth said, looking really fucking amused for someone that was about to die.

“How long?” Jill demanded, sounding furious as Logan realized that every lingering glance, touch that was never fucking enough, and private moment with his angel had been stolen.

“How long have I been watching you? Since the beginning,” Elizabeth absently said as she met his angry gaze. “I have to admit that I miss the late-night talks.”

“Gray,” Logan said, wondering just how far the mutt’s betrayal went. “He gave you control over my system at the penthouse.”

“And her chain,” Elizabeth said, letting Logan know that his angel had kept something from him as well.

“You shocked her,” Logan said flatly, feeling sick to his stomach.

“Every chance I got,” Elizabeth said with a satisfied sigh.

“Why did you try to kill me in the first place?” Jill demanded as Logan moved them away from the pool.

“I was finally ready to get what I wanted from Kale and I needed Logan to hire him to find out who killed his precious human so that he could avenge her death,” Elizabeth explained, sounding bored with the conversation.

“Why didn’t you try killing her again when you found out that she survived?” Logan asked, needing to keep her talking even as he couldn’t help but wonder where Jill’s father was.

“The same reason why I allowed you to keep the children. I needed you distracted.”

Absently nodding, Logan said, “You never did tell me how you found me here.”

“Didn’t I?” Elizabeth asked, sounding amused as her men took aim.

“No, you didn’t,” Logan murmured, watching as two of the men shifted back so that they could keep their weapons aimed at Caleb.

“The tea set,” Elizabeth said as she glanced back at the doors before looking back at him. “I told you that your weakness was going to be your downfall.”

“You had the mutt put a tracker in our little girl’s tea set,” Logan said, watching the men herding them towards the wall. “Speaking of the mutt, looks like he abandoned you.”

“It was only a matter of time,” Elizabeth said, not really sounding all that concerned that her mate just fucked her over.

“And my mate?” Logan asked, moving back only to feel his heart break when Caleb mumbled, “Daddy,” as he pressed his forehead against his back.

“Is as good as dead, which reminds me, I don’t think I’m going to need both children and since I already have this one…” Elizabeth said, letting her words trail off as her men aimed their guns at Caleb.

“Close your eyes, mīn swēte sunu,” Logan said as he reached back and covered Jill’s hand where it held their baby boy.

“I’m afraid, Daddy,” Caleb mumbled as he gave her hand a gentle squeeze.

“Everything’s going to be okay, mīn swēte sunu,” Logan promised him as he continued moving back, pushing Jill and Caleb back while he shifted to protect Caleb just as the man in front of them pulled the trigger and-

Nothing.

“Run, Angel,” Logan said, watching as the men continued pulling the triggers before confusion turned to panic and they dropped their weapons to the floor and reached for their side arms.

“Logan, I-”

“Run!” Logan yelled, never taking his eyes off the men aiming their pistols at them as they began firing. When nothing happened, they dropped their weapons and pulled out crosses as the first signs of fear crossed their features.

“If anything happens to you…” Jill said softly as the small hand holding onto his shirt was gently pulled away seconds before he felt them move back.

“Get our baby boy somewhere safe,” Logan said when one of the men held up a cross as he moved to stop Jill from leaving.

Logan grabbed hold of his wrist and crushed it as he moved to block the others from going after Jill. He ignored the man’s bloodcurdling scream as he tightened his hold, forcing him to drop the cross as he slowly dropped to his knees. Once he was there, Logan reached over and wrapped his other hand around his throat and-

“Oh, God…” came the whimpered mumble as the human to his left stumbled back, his terrified gaze locked on the blood spreading across the tiles. Releasing his hold, Logan reached for the man trying to get away as the shifters quickly backed away. He considered allowing them to flee, but he couldn’t risk them coming back for his family.

“Please, I-” the human began only to scream when Logan reached over and grabbed hold of his shirt and dragged him closer before he sank his fangs in his throat.

Logan quickly drained him, knowing that he was going to need the blood before he was done. He dropped him to the floor and went after the shifter still holding up that fucking cross like it was going to save him. When the shifter moved the cross closer, Logan grabbed hold of his arm and twisted it, breaking it and-

“Daddy!” came the terrified cry that had Logan going still seconds before the scent of fresh blood reached him, making him swallow hard as his gaze swung to his left to find his little girl crying as the knife at her throat cut a little deeper.

“Daddy,” Emma sobbed, breaking his heart as he watched several drops of blood run down her neck.

“It’s okay, sweetheart. She’s not going to hurt you,” Logan said, swallowing hard as he watched the tears roll down her face.

“Which just proves that you never really knew me at all,” Elizabeth said coldly.

“I know that I’m going to rip your fucking throat out,” Logan said as he watched her every move, looking for the weakness that was going to save his little girl.

“Get Kale!” Elizabeth snapped as he noted the first glimmer of fear in her eyes.

“No,” Logan said, keeping his gaze locked on her.

“Get Kale or I’ll slit her throat!” Elizabeth bit out as her panicked gaze shot to the doors.

“Where’s the calvary?” Logan asked, following the move even as he found himself wondering if Gray had anything to do with their weapons malfunctioning.

“I don’t need them,” Elizabeth said with a pointed look down at the knife pressed against Emma’s throat.

“Don’t you?” Logan murmured, cocking his head to the side as he considered her.

“Not when I have her,” Elizabeth drawled.

Nodding slowly, Logan said, “There’s just one problem with that.”

“And what’s that?” Elizabeth asked, taking a step back and forcing Emma to go with her.

“You’re not leaving this house alive,” Logan said, allowing his eyes to shift silver as he took a step forward, matching the move.

Shaking her head, Elizabeth said, “You’re not going to risk anything happening to your little girl.”

“Which is why you never should have touched her,” Logan said, watching Elizabeth swallow hard as her gaze slowly turned terrified and-

“I didn’t have a choice, Logan,” Elizabeth murmured softly, allowing her bottom lip to quiver in a move that he remembered so goddamn well, letting him know everything that he needed to know.

It was over.

“And how’s that?” Logan asked, taking a step closer and watching as she matched the move by stepping back.

“I needed Kale’s blood so that we could be together,” Elizabeth said, her panicked gaze shifted to the doors.

“Do you really expect me to believe that?” Logan asked, watching as she took another step back.

“I loved you so much, Logan, and the thought of losing you one day was just too much for me to take. So, when I saw Kale shift, I knew that it was our only chance. I did what I had to so that we could be together,” Elizabeth said as the first tear rolled down her face.

“How noble of you,” Logan murmured dryly, moving to take another step closer only to go still when Emma cried out as the scent of her blood hit him.

He swallowed hard as he watched another drop of blood race down her neck.

“I’m sorry that it took so long to find you, Logan, but I need your help. I need Kale’s blood so that we can finally be together,” Elizabeth rushed to explain as she took another step back.

Never taking his eyes off her, Logan said, “I was never supposed to leave that alley alive, was I?”

He watched her mouth work soundlessly and-

Didn’t see the stake coming until it was too late.