Logan's Acadian Wolves (6 page)

Dimitri smiled.
Yep, that’s right, baby. Smell your shirt.
Little did she know that Logan was waiting for Dimitri to bring her to him downtown. Whatever had transpired last night between the two of them seemed to have rattled his Alpha. He’d watched as Logan tore out of the mansion at the crack of dawn. Even though he’d mumbled something about meeting preparations, Dimitri knew damn well that his Alpha rarely needed time to prepare for anything. He was the sharpest tool in the shed, both mentally and physically. On the way out, he’d ordered Dimitri to watch over the little wolf, see if he could get her to eat and bring her to the office.

Aside from the entertainment factor, Dimitri liked the idea of his Alpha concentrating on something other than challenges. And this lovely little lady was turning out to be a damn fine distraction, at least for the short term. But they still didn’t really know who she was, and that was a wrench in the cog. If she belonged to another wolf or pack, they’d soon claim her. And as it was looking, she was a runner by nature and didn’t plan to stick around very long. And then there was her mystery illness, unheard of among wolves. Maybe that’s why Logan was all about business? He probably thought a passing attraction to the little wolf would be futile by nature.

Dimitri glanced at Wynter and decided they’d better get moving; he coughed to get her attention. He needed her to accept what was about to happen. He contemplated the best approach for getting her to comply. Deciding on going soft, rather than using force, he crouched down so he could speak to her on eye level, trying to seem less intimidating than he knew he was.

“It’s okay, Wynter.”

“You know who I am?” she asked timidly.

“Yes, you talked to my Alpha last night. You’re remembering, right? His scent?”

“I…” She sniffed the ambrosial-scented fabric once again. What the hell was wrong with her? “I…I guess…yes. But I was sick, right?”

“Sure were. How’re you feelin’?” He was genuinely concerned.

“I feel fine,” she lied. Physically, she felt fine. But mentally, she was broken. Wynter stared out toward the window, helplessly shaking her head. Tears brimmed in her eyes, and she looked away.

Dimitri sat on the bed at her side and put a comforting hand on her shoulder. Surprisingly, she didn’t shrug him off; she just let the tears run down her cheeks.

“I may be old-fashioned but the girls I know who actually feel fine don’t cry, cher.”

“I’ll be fine. I’m just overwhelmed.”

This was not going so well, Dimitri thought. He stood up and walked over to the dresser and poured her a glass of orange juice.

“Have something to drink,” he told her.

With no energy to argue, she complied, reaching for the glass. The sweet acidy pulp tasted so good. She hadn’t had juice for so long, and it made her feel as if she was doing something wonderfully normal. She wiped her tears away with the back of her hand and gave him a small smile.

“That’s a girl. Are you sure you don’t want to lie down? I was supposed to take you to see the Alpha, but he won’t want you to go if you’re not well.”

“No, really, I’m okay.”
I’d be better if I were home.
She looked up at Dimitri in silent defeat, wishing she could just get on the next flight out of New Orleans. But she knew better than to try to outrun a wolf. Well, she used to know better. She figured that last night didn’t count; she hadn’t exactly been thinking clearly. And now that she was in another pack’s home, possibly the Alpha’s, there was no way she’d get out on her own. She had to call Jax.

“I need to call someone. Can I use your phone?” she asked quietly.

“Sorry, but you’ve got to talk with the Alpha first. I don’t want to point out the obvious, but we need to know why you were being chased by those vamps last night. And your fever. Alpha’s got a lot of questions.”

“But I have to call Jax,” she protested. “I have to get out of here.”

Dimitri stopped dead in his tracks, almost dropping the glass.
Jax.
There was only one Jax that he knew: Jax Chandler. Holy fuck. No wonder Logan was pissed this morning. Seems like the rules of the game just changed. Attempting to hide his reaction, he continued and handed her a yogurt.

“I’m sure my Alpha will be in touch with yours.” He could only assume she belonged to the New York pack. And she’d slept with his Alpha. Yeah, this was going to be fun.

“He’s not my Alpha. Well, yes he is but…” her words trailed off when she realized she was going to be interrogated ad nauseum about what had happened by the New Orleans’ Alpha. Even if he’d acted caring last night, he’d want details about why she was in that alley. But she needed to talk to Jax first. Her eyes darted defiantly up at Dimitri and she said nothing more.

“Okay, little wolf, whatever you say.”

“I’m not a wolf,” she stated firmly, confused as to why he’d call her that. Any supernatural worth their salt could tell she was very much human.

Dimitri laughed. “Well, that fever must have affected you a little more than I thought.” He shook his head, irritated that she’d lie to him. The whole situation was turning into one shitload of crazy that he was ready to dump somewhere else. If that was how she was going to play it, he was ready to take a stricter approach with her.

“Wynter, this’s what’s goin’ happen. You need to eat something and then we’re going to see my Alpha. I called over to one of the shops this morning, and they delivered some clothes that should fit you.” He pointed to several shopping bags lying near the closet door. “You’re welcome to take a shower before we leave but I’d like to leave in an hour. Am I clear?”

“Crystal,” she grumbled, conceding she wasn’t going to get to call Jax. She knew that condescending, ‘do what I say’ tone all too well. When decisions needed to be made in a pack, it wasn’t exactly the epitome of democracy. Pretty much the exact opposite. And given that she was neither a pack member nor a wolf, she had exactly zero say about her future at the moment.

Logan knew the second she’d entered his building. Occupying the top five floors of a renovated skyscraper on Poydras Street in the Central Business District, he ran pack operations as well as his own personal business. State of the art security had been installed throughout the building and a private, high speed elevator exited directly onto his floor. Logan watched on his plasma security screen as Wynter crammed herself into the corner of the lift, attempting to get away from Dimitri. Logan frowned, wondering what caused her to cower in such a fashion. He’d asked Dimitri to offer her breakfast and bring her to him if she was well. But clearly the morning had not gone how he’d planned.

Even though he’d told Dimitri not to touch her in any way or intimidate her, Logan was aware that his beta’s presence didn’t exactly put people at ease. A mere look from him would have most males shaking in their boots. Given Dimitri’s massive presence, he could understand how the little wolf would be wary. The man looked like a badass enforcer, but in truth, Dimitri was quite the peacemaker within the pack. Sure, he was almost as deadly as Logan given the right circumstances, but in general, he approached life with calm and humor.

Logan swore, remembering the way he’d left her. Oh, he’d wanted to stay all right. But encouraging the uncanny attraction wouldn’t help either of them. Holding her, smelling her, it had been too great a temptation. So instead of prolonging the torture, he’d made a judicious decision; he’d left the bedroom before he did something he regretted. Hearing Jax’s name should have been enough to douse the flame that heated his burgeoning erection. But as her soft breasts pressed against his chest and her hand wandered up to the ridges of his bare abs, he’d nearly lost it. Erotic thoughts painted over any worries he’d had about the New York Alpha. As she’d unconsciously draped her leg over his in her sleep, brushing her thigh over his hard shaft, he truly imagined he’d come in his boxers. So after three hours of barely sleeping, her intoxicating scent fully ensconced in his consciousness, he’d bailed.

He’d almost thought better of washing her scent away but doing so admittedly cleared his head. Not only did the she-wolf come with major baggage, she didn’t belong to him and had called for another man. What was he thinking? He knew the best thing for all of them would be to have a nice sit down in his office where he could wear his professional veneer like a mask. He’d treat their interaction like he should, all business. He’d find out who she was, what pack she belonged to, why the vampires were after her and how the hell she’d gotten sick. The most logical solution was magic, he’d decided. As for the rest, she probably got in a fight with her boyfriend and decided a little fun in the Big Easy was in order. Somehow she got mixed up with some rough vamps who decided they’d take it a little too far. By the time he’d arrived at the office, he’d had the most logical possibility wrapped up with a tidy bow. And his sexual attraction to her was sealed up nice and tight into that same package…until now.

Glued to the screen, he observed her aversion posturing; her eyes darted to Dimitri and then back down to the floor. He could practically smell her fear through the fiber optics. Perhaps she should be nervous, but fear was not an emotion he planned on eliciting…yet. Logan wasn’t into pain, but as Alpha, he’d do what he needed to do to protect the pack. As Tristan had pointed out to him on many occasions, an Alpha’s decisions weren’t based on popularity; rather, they needed to be calculated and implemented in the best interest of the pack. No matter how much his dick longed for her, the small, but real, possibility of her being a threat existed. Even a pocket knife could kill a large man if used correctly. He needed to get his shit together and focus on getting answers instead of getting laid.

He’d already called Jax, letting him know that one of his wolves had gone astray in New Orleans. The brief but necessary conversation caused his gut to twist.
She does not belong to you.
He just needed to keep telling himself those words. It should be easy to remember, considering it was true. Oddly, Jax didn’t claim her outright, but instead indicated he or one of his associates would be on a plane as soon as possible to assess the situation. Logan found that interesting in itself. What was there to assess? An Alpha knows all his wolves. But then again, after meeting Jax a few times, his penchant for drama tended to weave itself into everything he did.

The ding of the elevator caused him to suck a breath. This was it; time for answers.
Showtime.
Like clockwork, Jeanette, his secretary, buzzed his speaker, alerting him to their arrival. Jeanette, a human, had been working for Marcel for over forty years. She’d been crushed by his passing but agreed to Logan’s offer to stay on, working for him. She was the consummate professional, and he suspected her loyalties ran nearly as deep as those of the wolves in his pack.

Dimitri knocked once on the door and strode into Logan’s office, shutting it behind him.

“What did you do to her?” Logan accused, giving him a sardonic stare.

“Nothin’, she’s perfectly fine. You saw her. She’s fed and dressed; just like you asked.” Dimitri smiled and dropped into one of the tan leather seats facing Logan’s desk.

“Really? Then tell me why she looks like she’s scared shitless?” His mouth tightened into a fine line.

Dimitri diverted his gaze looking out the window and back to his Alpha. “It was nothing.”

“What was nothing?”

“I swear I was gentle with her,” Dimitri assured him. “She wanted to call Jax. I said no. I can’t help that she’s a little wisp of a thing. And well, I’m…I’m me.” He gave Logan a lopsided grin.

“You think this is funny?”

“Well, boss, I must admit it’s a little funny. I mean, come on. When was the last time a little she-wolf had the Alpha tearing out of his own home at the crack of dawn? And at the risk of pointing out the obvious, you still seem a little on edge.”

Logan rolled his eyes, swiveled in his chair and glanced out the window to look over the cityscape. He took a breath and blew it out, frustrated. “Fuck, yeah, I’m on edge. You try sleeping with a girl like her for a few hours while she calls out Jax Chandler’s name. Hearing his name should’ve been enough to make me treat her like a nun, but man, I was so not saying my prayers. It’s so wrong.”

Dimitri laughed out loud. “Well, she is fine, but she’s not ours. And she very well may be going home tonight. You get ahold of Jax?”

“Yeah, I called him. Cagey bastard’s playing his damn games. Says he’s coming here to ‘assess’ the situation. Didn’t claim her outright but didn’t deny it either. As for little Miss Wynter out there…there’s part of me that would like to keep her.” Logan smiled over at him like he’d discovered treasure.

“She’s not a lost dog, Alpha. You can’t just ‘keep her’.”

“You’d be surprised at what I can do when I put my mind to things,” he pondered.
Was he really considering keeping her?
Yes, yes he was. And why not? Jax didn’t exactly claim her. Then again, aside from a few hours of cuddling like a horny, blue-balled teen, he didn’t even know her. For all he knew, she had the personality of a honey badger.