Page 45

I hated all of this with every fiber of my being. We were sitting ducks behind a glass wall, waiting for the hammer to strike it the right way.

Seth was inside and completely helpless. He was the whole reason we’d come here, and if we had to flee without him, I’d never get over having to leave him behind to get the others to safety. I squeezed the steering wheel until my knuckles were white.

I couldn’t go back for him and leave Logan with these people either. I didn’t trust a single one of them. A growl rumbled through my chest and Yelena patted my knee without looking at me.

“Calm down, panther.”

How the hell was I supposed to be calm in these conditions? “Easier said than done.”

“I will protect you and Logan. Whether that is in this nest or if we have to flee.”

“And Seth? Isn’t he worthy of your protection?” Fury bubbled like magma in my chest.

“Leaving is our last resort. That thing will follow us all fleeing. Once we have a better handle on the situation, we can send the medical staff for a proper transfer. We don’t have the resources on hand to transport patients at his level of care.”

My growl worked free again.

“Have a little trust,” she said.

“Do something to earn it, and I might,” I snapped back.

“That goes both ways, panther.” Yelena sighed. “I’ll overlook your insubordination for the moment since you’re afraid for your brother, but I won’t accept another outburst.”

I stuffed down the flare of anger. We stayed safe by playing this game. Pissing off Yelena would be worse for Seth, but I despised being under her power.

The three shifters who had crammed into our back seat were shivering with fear. No one had any idea what was going on except for a few of us. They were all leaning forward, straining to listen to the glimpses of conversation that might give them context for the evacuation preparations.

Yelena put a hand on my shoulder and I checked the urge to shrug it off. “If it breaches, you have to trust Haru to keep Logan safe. Multiple lives depend on you to get us out of here.”

I nodded sharply. I didn’t trust Haru with anything, but I wasn’t about to sacrifice three innocent shifters by assuming he was incapable of getting Logan to some form of safety. We’d find one another again. Hecate had brought us together once and she could do it again if we got separated.

We stayed out there for an agonizing hour with the Protectors checking the wards.

Logan had shared her new ability with me so I could finally see what was chasing us, and part of me was grateful I hadn’t been able to see it before.

She was slumped over Haru’s back, barely awake after using her magic on Haru, Kendrick, and me.

I wasn’t certain how big her energy stores were, but we’d need to figure out how to replenish them if using her magic was going to wipe her out.

The entity raged the whole time we waited, shrieking and hurling itself against the wards, but they held.

“We should post guards,” said Yelena. “If it hasn’t gotten in yet, the odds of it getting through are slim enough we can get people inside.”

“No one will be able to leave,” I told her. “Anyone who goes out there will end up like Seth, or worse.”

Yelena cursed. “So, we’re caged in with limited supplies, then.”

At least the cage was safe. If we were trapped, we could stay with Seth. Maybe we could figure a way out before we ran out of food and medicine.

Yelena slid out of the vehicle and went to confer with the other Protectors as to what should be done. I was itching to get Logan inside and see how Seth was doing. I thought about just leaving without permission, but I had to keep reminding myself that we needed to stay in Yelena’s good graces.

People filtered inside bit by bit with the Protectors monitoring the influx.

I kept my gaze fixed on the creature as we waited.

Our group was the last allowed in. My jaw ached from grinding my teeth as I watched everyone else return to the nest. Part of me wondered if Yelena was keeping us until last just to piss me off, but another part wondered equally if I was even worth that much of her notice.

Kendrick had hightailed it at the first opportunity while Yelena supervised everyone else and organized a guard rotation with the help of the blonde Protector.

Logan was fully asleep by the time Yelena allowed us to go in. I collected Logan off Haru and he switched over to his regular wolf size to follow us. A few people were left to return the vehicles to the garage. I didn’t feel any better going inside. The entity hadn’t ceased its shrieking.

Just inside the main doors, Yelena stepped up to a covered panel like the one in her suite.

She punched in a code and pressed a button.

“Attention all residents. Effective immediately, we are in full lockdown. No one is to leave the wards and all shipments in will be temporarily ceased. If you are not already aware, a malevolent and dangerous entity is at our gates. If it catches you, expect to die. This is not a drill. Please be vigilant and return to your duties. Updates will be provided as they become available.”

A multitude of eyes turned in our direction and everyone started to swarm, but Yelena held up her hand and they froze in place before quietly turning away.

I wasn’t certain if it was from some magic I wasn’t aware of or if they simply accepted her authority to such a level that was all it took for them to back off.

“We’ll need Logan’s help to boost the warding mechanisms,” Yelena said as we boarded the elevator to her suite. “She’s the only witch here and no one else is going to be able to come help us with that thing here.”

“She’s only had access to her magic for a couple of days. You can see she’s tapped out.”

“Well, she needs to un tap. We don’t have a choice.” Yelena crossed her arms and focused her golden gaze on Logan. “How does she replenish?”

I stuffed down my growl. “We don’t know all of that yet. The only thing that’s done anything so far is sex and that is not something I’m letting anyone force on her.”

Yelena’s eyes widened and Haru lifted his head to sniff at Logan. I held Logan tighter.

“You can unclench your jaw, panther,” said Yelena. “Sex magic is about pleasure, not force. She needs to want it or anything anyone does would be useless in that regard.”

Her acknowledgment of that helped soothe my rising hackles. Slightly.

“What if you gave her the pleasure?” Yelena asked.

“Oh, don’t give me that look. As I said, she is our only witch and if that thing gets inside we will likely all die.

Her powers need to be figured out, and quickly.

You’ve already seen them work and we could set up a series of experiments to help Logan understand her talents. ”

“I’m not making a single decision until she wakes up and gets a say.”

Yelena sighed. “ Obviously Logan gets the final say here. I am merely asking if you’re amenable to the idea. Otherwise we’ll find Logan an alternative partner to experiment with to learn her magic.”

I squeezed Logan to me so hard she woke up with a squeak. “Ow.” She coughed as I adjusted my grip.

“Sorry.”

Logan nestled against me, muttering sleepily. The elevator opened into a hallway outside of Yelena’s suite, and she let us inside.

“Put her on my bed. Yours will get here at some point, but the lockdown will slow things.”

I paused to check on Seth. He was sleeping, his breathing even and unbothered. I followed Yelena into her massive bedroom and settled Logan onto the bed, pulling the covers over her.

“I’m not trying to be difficult,” I said to Yelena as I turned away from Logan. “Not that long ago Seth was barely in our lives, we had no idea Logan was an omega witch, and we lived a quiet life together out east.”

Yelena sat next to me. “Change takes time to accept. I’m sorry you haven’t had the space for that. Were we not working under time limits, I would give you that space now. A lot of lives are under my protection—yours, Logan’s, and Seth’s included. I need you to be on our side, Caden.”

“If you keep Logan and Seth safe, I’ll help however I can.” I couldn’t offer her more than that. I sympathized with the plight of the people here but my priorities were the love of my life, and my brother.

“Rest for now. Let me know when Logan wakes. I’ll have Haru keep watch over Seth while I meet with the other Protectors. Be good.” Yelena rose off the bed and left me alone with Logan.

I must have fallen asleep with her because her stirring pulled me out of the peaceful darkness.

“What happened?” Logan asked, her voice rough and sleepy.

“The wards held. We’re on lockdown.” I traced my fingertips over her cheek and she lifted her face into my touch.

I had no great desire to move and wasn’t about to turn her over to Yelena the second she woke.

I indulged myself with a long, slow kiss, absorbing the taste of Logan until she was arching against me, her fingers curling into my shirt.

Her skin warmed under the attention, a gentle fizzing sensation sliding up my fingertips as I moved my hands over her.

My purr rumbled and she pulled away to look at me with faintly glowing eyes.

Her breath came in pants and she rolled onto her back, tugging me with her.

I slid a hand over the waistband of her pants and tucked inside, stroking through her slick heat.

I couldn’t control or fix a lot of things, but I could give Logan what she craved and that made things a little easier to bear.

Yelena told me not to let you two fuck before we can talk to Logan. Haru’s voice in my head had me freezing in place. Logan looked over my shoulder. I could only assume she’d heard them as well.

I withdrew my hand and Logan let out a whimper. Her eyes were properly glowing now and her skin radiated heat.

Haru wandered further into the room, his gaze fixed on Logan. Interesting. I’ll call Yelena to return.

I bit back a growl as Haru retreated.

“Why is Haru calling Yelena?” Logan asked.

“She has some things to discuss about your magic.”

“Oh.” Logan squirmed. “Um, why aren’t we allowed to fuck?”

Her expression had turned so petulant at the question that I couldn’t help but laugh.

“I assume we’ll be allowed to soon.” I sat up and sucked the flavor of her off my fingers.

Logan groaned. “Quit being a tease if we’re not allowed to do stuff.”

We climbed off the bed and went into the main room where Logan leaned over Seth. She stroked a hand over his fur and he opened one golden eye.

“Hey there, mister.” Logan kissed his cheek and scratched behind his ears. “How’re you feeling?”

Seth let out a pitiful moan. Like shit .

I set a palm on his flank. “We’re going to figure out how to get you back to normal.”

I trust you .

The words were a sucker punch to my chest, leaving me breathless and feeling guilty. I traced a pattern around the barely visible rosettes in his dark fur. Logan was misty-eyed as she leaned over him, pressing her face against him.

“I ran out of juice or I’d give you a boost,” she said.

“Do you feel safe here?” I asked Seth.

Ish. The wolf smells familiar.

“Haru told me they remember you from Orlando,” Logan supplied.

Ah. Yeah, that makes sense. Infirmary buddies.

Seth let out an exhausted sigh and closed his eyes again. What I wouldn’t give for healing powers.

The door to the suite swung open and Yelena swept inside with Haru on her heels. She moved straight to Logan, cupping her cheeks.

“Welcome back, precious.”

My hackles rose at the pet name. Logan’s cheeks flushed pink at Yelena’s attention.

I wasn’t a fan of that either. We weren’t entirely sure, but Logan’s initial reactions to me were probably enhanced because I was an alpha and she was a hidden omega.

She wasn’t hidden anymore and Yelena was an alpha who was very willing to get into Logan’s personal space.

“Is everyone safe?” Logan asked.

“For the moment.” Yelena’s thumbs stroked over Logan’s cheeks. “I realize the timing is not ideal for the request I’m going to make of you, but we need to get your magic sorted out as quickly as possible so you can help us reinforce the wards. Caden told us you’ve done some work with sex magic.”

“I—um, yeah, I guess you could say that.” She stepped out of Yelena’s grasp and toward me. I looped a protective arm around her waist.

Yelena’s brows pinched together. “How open are you to experimenting with your power? Caden said you weren’t yet aware of how to restore your power after use.

I—” Yelena sighed. “I truly would prefer not to pressure you about this and I wouldn’t if there weren’t lives at risk, but we need you.

You’re the only witch in the nest and we can’t risk bringing anyone in while we’re in lockdown. ”

“What kind of experimentation?” Logan asked, her voice thick with nerves. I tightened my hold on her and she curled her fingers over my arm.

“Well, that’s up to you,” said Yelena. “I can only presume you’d prefer Caden to be your partner for it. You know your body and your magic better than we do. I only ask that I’m able to observe so we can sort things out faster.”

Logan’s skin warmed under my touch and she audibly swallowed. “You…want to watch?”

Yelena didn’t even blink at Logan’s question. “Yes. Haru, too, if you don’t mind.”

Logan’s scent shifted—desire twining through the earthy floral notes—and I swallowed another wayward growl. I wasn’t particularly surprised that at least part of her was interested in the idea after how she’d reacted to Seth watching.

Logan looked up at me.

“Whatever you’re comfortable with,” I told her. “I’ll be here.”

She nodded slowly and turned to Yelena. “I’ll do it.”