CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

" L et's go," Ben said, jumping out and catching the bags Kurt tossed him.

Logan waited for Brooklyn to climb down. She grabbed hold of the edge of the door just as Marcus waved out to the driver who had arrived. They had a full team on the ground because of The Institute being located here.

Staying in Ari's mansion wasn't possible, as it was too far away from BioZen for this mission.

Brooklyn went to jump out.

"Hold tight, sweeth—" Ugh. "Just wait there." Logan ground out. Then he ducked under her arm and leaped onto the ground, turning to reach for her hips.

She automatically reached for his shoulders and muttered thanks as he placed her on the tarmac. His eyes dropped to her face, but she refused to look at him.

He shouldn't want her to, but he did.

When she skirted around him and darted toward the car, a growl escaped the depth of his throat.

Brooklyn turned, surprised.

"Keep going, little mouse," he said, and she glared at him.

"Don't call me that." She snapped, then ran off.

The au-fucking-dacity.

Logan slid into the shotgun position and ignored her as they headed into the city and greeted Travis, their regular Seattle driver. "Hey buddy."

"Good to see you. Hey Ben," Travis said, glancing in the mirror.

"Trav. You doing well?" Ben asked.

"Slow without the senior team in town," Travis answered and turned the corner. "But Darren and the others are keeping things interesting back at the mansion."

Ben laughed. "I'll bet. How much money have you lost to him on the pool table?"

"One damn thousand. He's a cheat." Travis groaned.

Logan snickered.

"So, just dropping you at the hotel?" Travis asked and Logan nodded, plugging his phone into the charger hanging from the dash.

Forty-five minutes later, they were checking into the hotel.

"Sure you don't need any backup? I can bring the guys in later?"

Today, though, Kurt was in charge, so he answered. "If we need backup, Logan can reach out and we'll need them to teleport over immediately. Let them know we are here."

"Got it," Travis replied.

"I briefed Darren earlier," Logan said.

"Nice work," Kurt said, lifting his bag out of the trunk.

Hopefully, it would be an in-and-out job.

Brooklyn knew what she was doing and seemed focused. They'd gone over it at least five times and would do before she went in there tomorrow when the sun came up and BioZen opened for business.

"I'm starving." Marcus rubbed his grumbling stomach as they walked into the Dufort Hotel.

"Let's get checked in and the human into bed, then we can eat and go over the operation," Kurt said. "You heard from Brayden or Craig yet?"

Marcus shook his head.

"No love hearts from Craig in my text, either," Ben said.

"Don't send him fucking one. The two of them are not to be messed with," Kurt growled.

"Boring," Ben replied. Then, in a rare show of seriousness, although he was an extremely dangerous and skilled warrior, he added, "We'll get the girls out. We need to do it before Brayden does something stupid."

They went quiet.

"Fuck this could be a shit show," Marcus said, and Logan turned to see the guy rub his forehead.

"Yeah." Kurt sighed. "We can't outrank him if he arrives, regardless of what Ari said."

Jesus.

He was right. Their priority was keeping Willow, Isabella, and Brayden alive, and it got Logan wondering just who was going to protect Brooklyn if things escalated.

One glance in his side mirror and he caught her reflection. She looked scared.

Goddamn it.

WITH ROOM KEYS IN HAND , they all piled into the elevators and the two random humans waiting with them chose to wait for the next car.

Smart.

They were intimidating as a group. Huge, tattooed males, draped in black with heavy boots and layered in weapons.

The only one smiling was Ben.

As usual.

"You getting in?" Marcus asked.

"No. You go," the man said, darting a look to Brooklyn.

He probably thought they'd kidnapped her. Or she had her very own reverse haram.

Logan punched the button on the panel with that thought. All the males were mated, but the idea of them sprawled out naked, their enormous, tattooed asses out and clawing at his... not his... at Brooklyn had his heckles raised.

At least Mack wasn't here.

He'd likely want to tuck her fucking in.

Logan's eyes slid to Brooklyn, wondering if she would hook up with the hybrid or others in the castle now he was no longer staking a temporary claim.

Grinding his teeth, he figured she would. She was gorgeous. A woman like her was appealing to the males of his race.

Ding.

The doors opened, and they each surveyed the numbers on the sign indicating if they walked left or right.

"I'm down here," Kurt said, and Marcus and Ben followed with a same.

"I'm here." Brooklyn pointed in the opposite direction.

And what do you know? His room was beside hers.

"I'll walk her to her room," he said, feigning little interest, and Kurt nodded, telling him to meet them downstairs in thirty if he wanted to eat.

Robotically, Logan followed a few steps behind Brooklyn and waited for her to open her door. She stepped in and gave him a cool smile before letting the door swing closed.

"Have a good night," she said just as coldly.