Page 18 of Beary In Love

LOGAN

Logan watched Serena kneel beside her leather potions kit, her nimble fingers sorting through various vials and herbs. A strand of hair escaped her messy bun, and his fingers itched to tuck it back.

"So," Serena said, clearing her throat. "When do I start?"

Logan crossed his arms, his muscles flexing beneath his worn henley. "How about right now?"

They began walking the perimeter of the sanctuary and Serena scribbled notes in a small notebook. The fence posts showed deep claw marks - Silas's calling card.

"A fear-based deterrent would work best," Serena said, adjusting her glasses. "Anyone approaching with harmful intentions would feel an overwhelming urge to leave."

Logan shook his head. "That's too passive. Silas needs something stronger - something that'll make him think twice about coming back."

"What did you have in mind? Thorns sprouting from the ground? Lightning strikes?" Serena's eyes narrowed. "Because I'm not doing anything that could seriously harm someone, even Silas."

"Come on, Serena. You know he won't stop unless we make him."

"And you know I won't cross that line." She jabbed a finger at his chest. "My magic isn't a weapon."

The familiar spark in her gray eyes stirred something in him. She'd always been like this - passionate, principled, infuriating. It was what drew him to her years ago.

"Fine," Logan growled. "What about something that stings? Like getting shocked by a cattle fence, but magical?"

Serena tapped her pen against her notebook. "I could work with that. But nothing stronger."

"You're still the most stubborn woman I've ever met."

"Pot, meet kettle." A hint of a smile played at her lips. "You're just mad because you know I'm right."

Logan fought back a grin. "Maybe. But don't let it go to your head."

The way she rolled her eyes at him, the slight upturn of her mouth - it was so familiar it ached. Working with her might be more dangerous than anything Silas could throw at him.

Logan soon led Serena to his workshop, a converted barn with weathered wood siding and wide windows that let in streams of afternoon light. The space smelled of sawdust and was filled with his tools and half-finished fence repairs.

"Not exactly a proper potions lab," he said, clearing off a workbench.

"I've worked with worse." Serena set down her leather bag, unpacking bottles and herbs. "Remember when we caught that summer cold, and I had to brew Pepper-Up potion in your mom's kitchen?"

"How could I forget? The steam set off all the smoke alarms."

Her quiet laugh sent warmth through his chest. Logan watched her work, her movements precise and practiced as shemeasured ingredients. The familiar scent of crushed herbs and magical catalysts filled the air.

"So, city life treated you well?" he asked, leaning against the wall.

"It was... different." Serena stirred the bubbling mixture. "Lots of pampered pets with neurotic owners. Though I did get to work with some exotic animals."

"Let me guess - you organized their medical records alphabetically?"

"By species, actually." She shot him a mock glare. "Some of us like having a system."

"Some of us like keeping things simple." He grabbed the bucket she'd filled with completed potion. "Ready to fortify some fences?"

They worked their way around the sanctuary's perimeter. Serena carefully applied the potion while Logan kept watch. The late afternoon sun warmed his shoulders as they talked about nothing and everything - her adventures in the city, his sanctuary's growth, mutual friends from town.

"Your turn to test it," Serena said, stepping back from the fence.

Logan reached out and touched the metal. A sharp tingle zapped through his arm, followed by a wave of confusion that had him blinking hard.

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