Page 29 of Cupcake

“Logan? I know you’ll need time. That this isn’t easy to hear.”

Time? Like time would fix this.

Dean placed his hand on Logan’s shoulder.

He didn’t jerk away but he wanted to. Dean was being very…calm about this. Logan was about to lose his mind. Logan might just be a dumb shifter but even he knew that this wasn’t the way that things were supposed to go.

“If you want to leave, I get it. Maybe we can talk later?”

Later. Yeah, Logan would deal with Dean later. Much later. Like never. He managed to nod his head.

“I get it.” Dean sighed. “Do you want me to drive you home? Or I can have Noah do it.”

Home? Home where Logan would have to admit that his mate had rejected him. No, he wasn’t going home. Not yet. “No thank you. I’ll make it on my own.”

On his own.

Logan would forever be on his own.

Oh! The tears were going to come.

Hang in there, Logan! You are strong. This isn’t going to break you. If you can survive being dragged out of the only home you’d ever known and thrown away by Dad, then you can get through this.Logan gave himself the best pep talk he could think of.

Don’t let him see you cry.

Logan slid off the stool. Away from Dean.

“I’m so sorry,” Dean said again.

He was strong. A brave boy!Logan lifted his head for the first time.

Dean stood with his arms wrapped around his waist. There were tears falling down his cheeks.

His devastation didn’t make Logan feel any better.

“Please say that you’ll forgive me,” Dean pleaded.

Logan didn’t want his mate…no, Dean, he didn’t want Dean to suffer. “I forgive you.” It was all he could get out.

“Thank God! Thank you, Logan! I swear I’ll make this up to you.”

No, no he wouldn’t. Logan nodded anyway. “I need to go.” Was that his voice? He sounded so calm. Logan could do this.

The back door was just across the room. Close. His closest escape. Logan headed for the exit.

Dean was still talking but Logan was done. Just done. He didn’t run though. Calmly Logan pushed out of the back door and left. He walked away from his mate. From the promises that word, mate, was supposed to mean. The one person that was supposed to be perfect for him.

Maybe it wasn’t Dean’s fault and Logan was just unlovable.

His parents hadn’t loved him enough to keep him around. His blood brothers hadn’t come after him. Maybe Logan should be on his own after all. He didn’t want to hurt his chosen family by being the reject they would know he was now.

Logan just walked.

He didn’t head for his truck.

No, he didn’t need to be driving. Logan needed to walk.

Chapter Seven

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