Page 47 of The Alpha's Sin
A scream rips from my throat as Kyle’s Wolf tries to clamp his teeth onto the big Wolf’s shoulder, but Logan shakes him off like a ragdoll. Leroy’s Wolf whines, tail tucking, when Logan’s massive jaws snap inches from his throat. Both Betas finally break, scrambling back, whining and yelping as they dart across the lot and disappear into the straggly strand of trees beyond the strip mall.
Logan’s Wolf crouches to follow, muscles bunching, teeth bared in the dark. But then, he hears me.
“Logan!” My voice cracks as sobs overtake me. My legs give out and I sink to my knees on the rough and dirty pavement, my whole body shaking.
At once, he turns back.
The great grey Wolf pads silently across the parking lot, fur bristling and breath steaming in the night. My heart should be pounding in fear—he’s so huge, so dangerous—but all I feel is relief. Because it’s him. My Logan.
He lowers his massive head and nudges at me with his muzzle, whining softly. The sound is so sad…but I sense that it’s me he’s sad for. He’s aching for my fear and the tears pouring down my cheeks.
“Oh, Logan…” I bury my face in his thick ruff, clinging to him with trembling hands. His fur is warm and smells like him—spice and leather and safety. My tears soak his coat as I press myself into him. “I was so scared…they were going to…going to…”
But I can’t make myself finish. The words choke off and the huge Wolf whines again, low and mournful. He presses closer, as if he could shield me with his whole body.
We stay like that until my sobs finally ease, leaving me raw and exhausted. At last, he huffs and pulls back. His warm pink tongue swipes across my cheeks, cleaning away my tears. He tilts his head to one side and makes an inquiring sound—somewhere between a whine and a yelp.
“Yeah,” I say, nodding and taking a deep breath. “I’m a little better now. Thank you.”
He nods and butts me gently with his huge, shaggy head. Then he takes a step back and begins to Shift.
Fur ripples, muscles twist, and in the space of a heartbeat my Wolf is gone.
Logan is there, kneeling in his place. He’s naked, his skin glowing pale under the light of the full moon, his chest rising and falling with harsh breaths.
“Kitten.” His voice is hoarse, rough. He stands and scoops me up all in one movement like I weigh nothing. He cradles me protectively against his chest. “Come on, baby. Let’s get you home.”
I cling to him, hiding my face in his shoulder as he carries me toward the truck parked behind the Dollar Tree. His warmth surrounds me, solid and safe.
For the first time since this nightmare began, I let myself breathe.
Safe, I’m safe with Logan and I know he’ll never let me go.
37
LOGAN
Poppy’s still trembling.
We’re home, we’re safe, she’s curled in my lap on the couch, and still she’s shaking like a leaf in the wind. Her face is pressed to my chest, hot tears soaking my skin, but I don’t even care that I’m still naked. I didn’t take the time to dress—I couldn’t. Not when all I could think about was holding her.
I rub her back slowly, carefully, trying to soothe the tremors out of her body. But they won’t stop. The longer they go on, the worse the knot of fear and fury in my gut becomes.
“Talk to me, kitten,” I murmur against her hair. “Please, sweetheart. I can’t stand seeing you like this. Tell me what’s going on in that pretty head of yours.”
For a long moment, nothing. Then her voice comes out, muffled and shaky, against my chest.
“It’s my fault,” she whispers.
I stiffen.
“What?”
“It’s my fault,” she says again, a little louder. “I wasn’t paying attention. I was looking at my phone. I didn’t even have my keys out—I should have been more careful. If I had been?—”
“Stop.”
My voice is sharper than I mean it to be, but Goddammit, she needs to hear me. I grip her shoulder with one hand and tilt her chin up with the other until those tear-bright eyes meet mine.
