Page 61 of Marked For A Bite
"Financial records. Communications with human operatives. Plans to eliminate hybrids." Rhea's voice grew stronger. "Your father was silenced to protect these secrets. Your family was murdered to send a message."
The rage that exploded through Logan was so intense that Zoe actually stepped back. His green eyes blazed with golden fury, and she could feel his wolf clawing to get out.
"Which Council elder?" Logan's voice was barely human.
"The vision isn't clear on that," Rhea admitted, releasing his hand. "But you were meant to escape that night, Logan. You were meant to survive to carry out your father's mission."
"Vengeance," Logan said, the word dripping with lethal promise. "Whoever gave that order is going to pay for every drop of my family's blood."
And there's the dangerous man I fell in love with. Beautiful and terrifying in equal measure.
Logan's phone appeared in his hand in an instant, his jaw set with that dangerous determination Zoe had learned meant business. The autumn morning air crackled with tension as he stepped away from Rhea's weathered hut, his broad shoulders rigid beneath his dark henley.
"Kieran," Logan's deep voice held absolute authority the moment the call connected. "I'm stepping down as Silvercrest's top enforcer. Effective immediately."
Zoe felt her eyebrows shoot up, shock rippling through their completed mate bond.He's what now?
"No, this isn't negotiable," Logan continued, his eyes blazing with golden fury as he paced. "I'm turning my focus to the Moonfire Rebellion. Training their forces and building resistance capabilities. The closer we get to exposing the Council's corruption, the more desperate they'll become."
He's choosing the rebellion over his pack duties. For me. For us. For his family.
The protective possessiveness that rolled off Logan through their bond made her pulse quicken. Even watching him make tactical decisions was ridiculously attractive—the way his mind worked like a weapon, precise and lethal.
"They'll send more human operatives," Logan said, his voice dropping to that deadly quiet tone that made her wolf preen with arousal. "Probably mercenaries this time. The rebels need to be ready for war, and I'm the best qualified to prepare them."
Zoe's father stepped closer, his weakened frame still radiating approval. "Smart strategic move. The rebellion needs someone with his and your skill set."
Logan's eyes found hers as Kieran's voice carried through the phone speaker, unintelligible but clearly approving.
"Exactly," Logan said to whatever Kieran had proposed. "Zoe and I together—the power couple from the prophecy. We'll lead the charge on exposing whoever orchestrated the experimentation programs and my family's murder."
Power couple. I love the sound of that coming from his mouth.
"The rebellion's been too scattered," Logan continued, his tactical mind clearly spinning plans. "Too reactive. Time to get proactive. Time to take the fight to them before they eliminate any more hybrids or destroy any more families."
The raw conviction in his voice sent heat flooding through her veins. This was Logan at his most dangerous—and most irresistible. Pure alpha male focused on protecting what was his.
"We'll coordinate with you and Maya," Logan concluded. "But the rebellion is our primary focus now. The Council's about to learn what happens when you mess with the wrong bloodlines."
Three centuries of separation ends now.
ZOE
The November morning air drafted through the windows of Logan's secret cabin and nipped at Zoe's bare legs as she padded across the cold hardwood floors dressed only in his oversized black t-shirt. Snow had fallen steadily throughout the night, blanketing their temporary hideaway in pristine white silence—a perfect cocoon away from the constant intensity of rebellion training and Council conspiracies.
Finally, some peace.
She'd practically had to drag Logan here kicking and screaming. Her mate's tactical mind never truly switched off, always calculating threats and planning the next training session for their growing rebel forces. But even alpha males needed downtime. Though convincing Logan of that fact had required some creative persuasion involving very little clothing and her most stubborn expression.
Worth every minute of his grumbling about leaving the others unprotected for forty-eight hours.
Zoe entered the small kitchen and began moving with quiet efficiency, cracking eggs into a bowl and putting bacon in the cast iron skillet. Her enhanced senses picked up Logan's steady breathing from the loft bedroom above—deeply asleep for once,his guard finally lowered in this sanctuary from his enforcer days.
He's been pushing himself too hard. We both have.
This past month had transformed them both into something unprecedented. Logan's methodical training had honed her natural abilities until she moved like liquid lightning, her reflexes enhanced by their completed mate bond. Her healing powers had grown stronger too, manifesting not just in emergencies but in subtle ways—faster recovery from intense training sessions and an intuitive understanding of others' injuries during combat practice.
Dad was right about the ancient bloodlines. Whatever magic runs through my veins grows stronger every day with Logan beside me.
