“I came here to tell you I was leaving and would go without you if it became necessary, but I can’t tell you that,” he said. “I won’t leave without you, Elena. If you decide to stay, then I will too.”
“Are you choosingmeover your compound?”
“I’m choosing you overeverything.”
Elena couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Never in her life had she expected a male hunter to choose family and love over duty. But Logan was doing exactly that.
It only made her love him more. And looking at him, she realized she didn’t have to do everything alone anymore. She’d spent the past eight years mostly on her own, but now she had him, and she had no doubt the two of them could accomplish amazing things together.
Walking over to him, she hugged him as she rested her head on his chest. She listened to the reassuring thump of his heart as she finally made her decision.
“When do we leave?” she asked.
Logan wasn’t sure he heard her right, but when he leaned back to look down at her, she tilted her face up to his. Love and merriment shone in her black eyes when they met his.
“You want to go with me?” he asked.
“Yes. I can’t become a vampire while I’m here. No matter how accepting they’ve been about having you here and us, it wouldn’t go over well with everything happening with Leonardo and Diego. I won’t put you and Asher at risk. I’ll go with you and make the change after we get there.”
Logan couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He was almost too afraid to hope and too scared she would change her mind.
“Are you sure?” he asked hesitantly.
“I’m choosingyouover everything too.”
Logan laughed as he crushed her against him.
Chapter Forty-Six
Elena spentall of that day trying to convince her mother to come with them, but she refused to leave the compound. Elena understood why; these hunters were her life. This was the only world she’d ever known, and though the compound had moved, it was still all the same hunters and the same way of life, minus Elena’s father.
But her mother had lost her husband recently; she couldn’t handle losing all her friends too. Instead, when they were getting ready to leave the compound the following morning, her mother clasped Elena’s hands and squeezed them.
“Chase your dreams and find happiness,” she urged. “You deserve it.”
“What about you?”
“I’ve lived my dreams, and I’ll still be here when you’re ready to come home. If you decide to stay there, then I’ll visit, and I’m sure you will too.”
“Of course I will, Mama,” Elena promised, but she didn’t see her mother coming to visit. She might have been able to talk her into an airplane ride with the three of them, but not one on her own.
“Then go, but know I’ll always love you.”
“I’ll always love you too,” Elena whispered.
They kissed and embraced before reluctantly releasing each other. Elena couldn’t shake the sick feeling she would never see her mother again, but she knew it was her concern over leaving her here with Diego and Leonardo.
“Call me as soon as you land,” her mother said.
“I will,” Elena promised.
With her mother and half the compound waving goodbye, Elena watched and waved out the window as they faded from view. Then, she turned forward to stare out the windshield as she battled against the tears in her eyes.
“I just got her back,” she whispered.
Logan squeezed her hand. “Would you prefer to stay?”
She had no doubt he’d turn around and go back with her if she said yes, which was why she said, “No.”
