Page 25

S o far so good, Haru said.

I sighed. “It appears so.”

No urges to eat him?

“I’m pretty sure that urge is never going to go entirely away, but it helps that Logan feels happy in the bond.”

After being free of house arrest, I had thrown myself into work. I updated Calliope on everything, did the constant rounds to keep an eye on the nest and help people cope with the stress of another potential evacuation. For now the wards held, but that was precarious; we knew that.

I hated feeling so helpless.

Haru trotted at my side as we checked in at the kitchens, Caden working alongside the rest of the staff. He was much more amenable in general when he had a task to occupy himself.

Between the two of us, we had read Logan’s witch book cover to cover multiple times, searching for clues that might help her.

The most useful thing I’d discovered in my confinement was a set of runes and sacred scripts witches would paint onto their skin, letting it funnel magic into the marks, similar to how we had been using the torque and gems. One of the associated spells seemed to also be used as a sort of magical birth control, which I presumed Logan would be a fan of.

She couldn’t control her heat, and the one witch that had offered a recipe to protect her from pregnancy ended up withholding that information.

At least this way she would be able to retain some of her bodily autonomy.

“Protector Yelena.” Estrella nodded at me as I slipped into the kitchens before continuing to go about her business.

I nodded in return and went straight to Caden, navigating the rest of the staff. Logan has been intimate with Kendrick.

Caden stiffened, his gaze snapping to mine. Are you okay with that?

Are you?

I’m trying to be relaxed about it. She’s not a disloyal person, and just because I don’t see it, doesn’t mean there’s not a purpose behind it. If she wants him, I have to believe it’s for a reason.

You are entirely too reasonable.

Caden laughed and shrugged. Being anything else would only stress her out. She must see something in him that we don’t and I’m trying really hard to trust her judgment even if I don’t understand it. I spent too many years not doing that.

I couldn’t argue. It would be better for all of us, myself included, if I could adopt that same mentality. Trust was difficult when you were used to control.

Come to the nest when you’re finished for the day.

I will .

I departed with Haru, slipping downstairs to the basement where Logan was stretched out, resting with Seth in her nest. Her sweetness hung heaviest in the air, but I couldn’t help but notice Kendrick’s scent as well.

Haru flopped down next to her and Logan rolled over, wrapping her arms around him.

“How are you feeling, precious?”

“Pretty good. Not one hundred percent yet but getting there. I overloaded the torque so Kendrick put it back.”

I settled by her head, lifting her onto my lap. “He treated you well?”

“Yep. He didn’t even care about getting off.”

“He did get to,” Seth added, “but it was definitely not on purpose. I might’ve spooked him a bit.”

“How so?”

“I’m a predator and a man. He’s not used to getting close to either in this capacity.”

I toyed with Logan’s hair while I sorted out my thoughts. Did that mean Kendrick had feelings for Seth as well? Things were already complicated enough when he was just after Logan.

“And no one is worried about him ingratiating himself to multiple members of the pack?”

“Isn’t that kind of what he has to do if he has any hope of joining it?” Logan asked, turning to stare up at me.

Gods. Kendrick in a pack with me didn’t sit well, but if Caden could adapt, then I supposed I was capable of it too.

“You’re supposed to be at peace with him,” Logan pointed out.

“A lack of conflict does not mean a relationship. It means I won’t eat him or stand in his way. These transitions aren’t as easy for us as they are for you.”

Logan scoffed. “You think they’re easy for me? I went from one boyfriend to six partners. I left my home, probably lost my job at this point, and found out every single thing I knew about my past and history was wrong. Nothing is easy about any of this for me.”

Guilt swallowed me whole. “I’m sorry. That’s not what I meant.”

“What did you mean, then?”

I sighed. “Okay, I meant it, but it came from a misinformed place.”

“I know you don’t trust him, and I don’t need you to.

” Logan sighed. Her emotional exhaustion was bright as a neon sign in the bond and I had no interest in adding to it.

“But I do need you to trust me . I love that you want to protect me. You have to understand I don’t always need it, though. Once in a while I know what I’m doing.”

Seth climbed over Logan and Haru, settling on the other side of them to leave Logan’s back open to me, so I stretched out, relieved when she didn’t shy away.

“You’re right. I should have trusted you.

I’m sorry I thought his powers of manipulation were stronger than your sense of self.

That’s not fair to you, and I won’t let it happen again.

If he ever does hurt you, if it all turns out to be an elaborate ruse that fools us all, I will avenge you. ”

She turned over to face me, drawing me into a kiss that smoothed the roughest edges of my anxiety. “You sound like we’re in a superhero movie.”

“It needs to be said.”

Logan grinned, snuggling tighter against me. “Okay, how about this? If Kendrick turns out to be an evil liar who managed to slip past all my defenses, I’ll let you eat him, but in the meantime I need you to work on looking at him like he’s a friend. Sound fair?”

I toyed with her hair, twirling strands around my finger. “Yes. I promise I’ll make an effort.”

“Good.” She kissed me again, her hand cupping my face, thumb stroking my cheek.

“You can’t make me fight a war on both fronts.

Once we deal with the monster, everyone can take time to settle in, and yes, I know we could technically all die during that but I’m trying to be optimistic.

Until that fight, we have to be there for each other. ”

She was right, and I knew it. “I’ll do better.”

“I know you will. Navigating issues is something we all know you’re amazing at.”

I preened at the praise.

Logan laughed. “Liked that, did you?”

“Should I not enjoy when my mate tells me I’m good at something?” I dipped down, gliding my tongue over the bondbite I’d put on her throat, my witch shivering, power sparking beneath my touch.

“Should we leave?” Seth asked.

“You’re fine where you are,” I replied. “Unless Logan would rather you go.”

“I’m cool with them staying.”

Tendrils of lust popped up in the bond from all of us, blooming like flowers at Logan’s whimper when I returned to teasing her. Her desire was smooth and warm, like a flowing river out of a hot spring, a delight to the senses even as it threatened to sweep me away.

Seth and Haru were relaxed in our connection.

They loved each other and they loved us, creating a gentle balance.

How might the others feel? Caden’s anxiety might tip the scale, but Velda’s effervescent charm could counter it.

What would Kendrick be like? Maybe I would finally understand him if our souls were intertwined through Logan.

“Less worrying, more kissing,” Logan said impatiently.

“Not worrying,” I assured her. “Just contemplating.”

“Contemplate against my mouth.”

She looked so adorably petulant. “And which set of lips would you like against your mouth, precious?”

Her scent erupted in a cascade of earth and jasmine. “I do need a little more practice with one in particular.”

“I suppose I should let you get started, then?”

Logan’s eyes glowed with her desire. She tucked her hair out of the way while I slipped out of my gown, anticipation screaming through the bond as my hips descended. Logan’s fingers grabbed eagerly, her tongue sweeping out to meet me.

Her knees curled up when her tongue touched my clit, my pleasure slipping straight to her, Seth and Haru both sucking in a sharp breath. I rocked slowly. The heat of her was like kneeling over a candle, searing flickers carrying me higher one voracious, unpracticed lick at a time.

A fresh rush of pleasure washed over me and I turned to see Seth between her thighs and Haru behind him.

Sweat already prickled down my body, core tightening with Logan’s excitement.

The soft pop of a bottle cap told me exactly what was happening behind me, making it all the more difficult to focus solely on Logan’s sweet mouth.

Haru’s first breach into Seth’s body sent a wave of delight through me, knocking me forward so I had to brace myself with my hands, hips frantically moving.

Sex had always been an intimate experience, but as more joined the bond, it would only get more overwhelming.

I threaded my fingers into Logan’s hair, my mate moaning as I held her tightly, riding her tongue as I absorbed the sensations from everyone around me.

Tension pulled taut, setting me up to fall.

Between Haru’s panting, Seth’s muffled whimpers, Logan’s power soaking into my skin, and pleasure ricocheting in the bond, I couldn’t hold on anymore.

Logan’s fingers dug into my hips as I came, my sweet witch following me over the edge and setting me off a second time, her magic electrifying me until I could hardly breathe. I closed my eyes, trying to hold the pieces of myself together.

Mischievousness snuck through the bond as Logan pressed her fingertip to my clit just before Seth made her come again. “Motherfuck?—”

Her power shocked my whole system. Sensation spiraled through my cells, each nerve lighting up at the kiss of her magic, pulling free a noise I wasn’t sure was fully human.

I’ve never heard you make that sound before , Haru said.

I melted to the side, breathless and sweating. Never had a lightning bolt to the clit before . I laughed, muscles still twitching.

Seth dragged Logan closer, fucking into her dripping cunt before frantically pistoning his hips between her and Haru.

Gods-damn.

The three of them were quite the sight. Logan burst, sending a cascade through all of us, Seth tumbling over the edge with a groan and Haru jerking back sharply to stop themselves from knotting Seth’s ass.

Logan’s pussy might be able to take it as an omega, but everyone else needed training to handle it.

Sex permeated the air, twined with earth and fire, all tangled in Logan’s floral sweetness.

Logan purred happily. “I feel ten times better now. I think I might be all topped up.”

“Kendrick was right about breaking the rules, then?” I asked. “It healed you faster?”

“I think you were right about it at the start so I didn’t get hurt. By the time he got to me, it was worth the risk. Before that would’ve been too painful and ruined it.”

I could accept that. If I was the more cautious of the two of us when it came to Logan, it would be a useful balance to know when to step back on that front.

Logan’s mouth tasted like me when I devoured her, fresh sparks dancing along her body.

The scripts we had found in the witch book had better work, or we might just be risking Logan burning down the nest if those sparks got out of control.