Page 44 of Beary In Love

"Night," she managed, hurrying into his bedroom.

The bedroom was exactly how she remembered it - simple furniture, earth tones, and a large window overlooking the sanctuary. The bed dominated the space, covered in a thick navy comforter that suddenly looked incredibly inviting.

"Sleep well," Logan called from the doorway behind her. His voice had dropped an octave lower, sending shivers down her spine.

"You too."

Serena slipped between the sheets, immediately enveloped by Logan's scent. It surrounded her, familiar and intoxicating. The mattress was perfectly firm, and despite her racing thoughts about the man sleeping just rooms away, exhaustion quickly took over.

Her last conscious thought was how right it felt to be here, wrapped in Logan's clothes, in Logan's bed, with the sounds of the sanctuary drifting through the window. Then sleep claimed her, drawing her into peaceful dreams filled with golden-flecked eyes and gentle hands.

A gentle shake of her shoulder pulled her from dreams.

"Rise and shine, sleeping beauty."

She blinked awake to find Logan leaning over her, already dressed in a fresh black t-shirt that stretched across his broad chest. Morning sunlight caught the gold flecks in his eyes, making them sparkle.

"What time is it?" Her voice came out scratchy with sleep.

"Just past nine." He straightened up, and Serena immediately missed his warmth. "Made breakfast. No fire department required this time."

She couldn't help but smile at the callback to their conversation last night. "Brave of you to attempt cooking breakfast again."

"I've learned a few things since then." He leaned against the doorway. "Coming?"

The kitchen smelled amazing - eggs, bacon, and was that fresh coffee? Her stomach rumbled as she slid onto a stool at his counter.

"This looks edible," she teased, accepting the mug he handed her.

"Such faith." He loaded a plate with food and set it in front of her. "Eat."

As they ate, Serena's mind wandered back to last night's attack. Something wasn't adding up.

"Logan?" She pushed eggs around her plate. "Does Silas have any magical ability? Besides the shifting?"

"No." He took a sip of coffee. "Why?"

"Because breaking through my protective spells would take serious magical knowledge." She set down her fork. "The kind that comes from years of potion work."

Logan's jaw tightened. "You think he had help?"

"Has to be another potions witch." Serena's mind raced with possibilities. "Someone who knows how to unravel protection spells."

"If we find them-"

"We might be able to stop Silas." She leaned forward, her excitement building. "My magic is good, but against another witch specifically targeting it? That's why the barriers failed."

Logan's eyes darkened. "I'll find them."

"We'll find them," she corrected. "You need a witch to catch a witch."

He gave her that intense alpha male stare that made her insides melt. "You're not going to be bait."

"No, I'm going to be your partner in this." She held his gaze. "Deal with it."

19

LOGAN

---