Page 81 of Cupcake

“I have a new family,” Logan told him. There was pride in those words.

“I see that. You still came back here. For us? Even though Father and Mother kicked you out of the pride?”

“I had to come,” Logan said.

“Thank you.” Josiah held out his hand. “Brother.”

Logan cried out before he launched himself at his brother. Josiah stumbled but laughed.

“Jo! No!”

Dean faced the woman that had turned her son away. “I know you heard everything that was said. That I’m Logan’s true mate.”

“True mates are a lie! A myth!” she claimed.

“You would say that in front of me?” Lucifer demanded. “With my true mate standing by my side.”

She didn’t look so sure.

Dean looked past her. Fifteen other people were standing there with hope in their eyes. The magic pulsed, wanting to help them.

“We can help you,” Dean offered. “All of you. Take you someplace safe.”

“Leave our home?” a skinny, dirty, young man asked. He couldn’t have been much older than Logan.

“It will take time to clear the blood magic out of here. You might be able to return someday but nothing is alive. The water is poisoned. No grain will grow here.”

“But where will we go?” an older woman, Logan’s mothers age, questioned.

“We’ll figure out a place for all of you. Anyone who wants help,” Lucifer said. “First, is there a place we can all go where I can feed everyone?”

“The community center. The children were taken there. They’re hungry. Can you really feed us all?” Josiah asked.

“I can and I will,” Lucifer stated.

Josiah turned back to Logan. “Would you like to meet your nieces?”

“Can I?” Logan’s face lit up.

“I have three daughters,” Josiah told him. “They’d love to meet you. And I’d love to hear more about your family. And your mate.”

“Lead the way.” Logan reached back to cling to Dean’s fingers.

In the background, Logan’s mother was still warning every person around her that this was a mistake. That the devil was in her youngest son. Brave statement with the actual devil standing right there glaring at her.

She was not going to make this easy.

Chapter Fifteen

Logan

If Logan hadn’t recognized the scent of home, then he would have assumed this wasn’t where he’d been raised. Nothing was as it had been. Well, except maybe his mama. She wasn’t any kinder. Even though Lucifer had provided an entire feast for every resident of the town, his mother was making it known that she didn’t trust them. At least his mama was across the room, sitting at a table with several of the elder shifters that didn’t seem any happier to have them there.

Logan sat at a lopsided table with his brother and three beautiful nieces. Through the dirt and grime, the little girls had the natural good looks of lion shifters. There was pain in their eyes though and that made Logan sad. When he was their age, all Logan had to worry about was how far he could run and which brother would find his hiding place before he had to be it.

Life was simple back then. There was nothing easy or happy here now.

The girls had to be reminded to slow down and chew their food properly. They were starving. Josiah made sure that his girls and the other children had plenty of food before he’d accepted a plate for himself. Logan sat by as Josiah finally began to slow down as well.

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