Rebellion beat like a drum through Logan but instead of giving it a voice, she swallowed hard, relaxing into my arms. “I can work with you too. He said I should. I just haven’t brought it up yet.”
“Kendrick told you to work with us?”
“With Velda. I can use the bond to talk to you already, but he said Velda would be a good choice while I’m learning because I had a connection with her.”
I exchanged a look with the bear shifter watching us curiously.
Why is he so weird?Velda asked me.He could have just sent her to me from the start.
We should’ve offered. I forget how much she has to learn.
I indulged myself in Logan’s mouth, drinking in her sweetness, her body going warm and pliable in my hands.
Get a room or let me join.
Logan broke away with a laugh. “Come here. I need a hug.”
Velda trotted over, immediately fulfilling Logan’s request.
“Are you mad at me?” Logan asked quietly.
I sighed, stroking my knuckles over her cheek. “I’m not happy, but I’m not mad at you. I think we need to have another meeting and reestablish boundaries and protocols. Kendrick overstepped. He knows the rules far better than you.”
I wrapped my arms around both of them, letting myself recalibrate with Logan’s closeness.
Are you all right?Haru’s voice rang through my head.
I will be.
I hated seeing the torque at Logan’s throat, but maybe she was right that we had no other choice. Gems had held her magic before, and it was dangerous if her output was too much for them to handle.
The ridiculous urge to wrap a scarf around her throat to hide Kendrick’s claim floated around me like a taunt. Hiding it wouldn’t change the fact that it was there. Logan might not believe that’s what it was, but Kendrick had wanted her from the start. She wasmymate, not his, and I wasn’t going to let her go so easily.
Keep her here,I ordered Velda.
Girl, she’s a Protector. I can’t keep her anywhere she doesn’t want to be.
She is mymateand you will keep her safe or I will bite you in the ass at the earliest opportunity.
I took my rage with me, letting Velda take care of Logan. My mate’s worry pulsed through the bond, but I had to nip this bullshit in the bud before it got worse. I shed my gown as I got onto the elevator, slipping into my lion form.
If Kendrick wanted to poke the beast, he was going to have to deal with it for once.
This form was relatively unfamiliar to everyone here. I almost never adopted it in front of anyone because it made them nervous. Only a few shifters could take on a lion.
I found Kendrick standing outside in the rain. Whatever activity had been planned for there had obviously been canceled. The monster shrieked, tweaking my nerves and only adding to my overall anger.
Square up, you antlered motherfucker.
Kendrick’s eyes widened as he quickly backtracked. “Yelena, what the fuck?”
I don’t know what you’ve been telling Logan or how you’ve been manipulating her, but it stops now.
“Gods above. Is that what you think I’m doing?”
What elsecouldyou be doing? She saw you for what you were when she arrived here and now she’s letting you put your gold on her throat.
“Not everyone is obligated to hate me.”