Page 55 of Logan’s Acadian Wolves

Affronted, Logan supposed that perhaps Wynter did need to talk with Jax, but that didn’t mean he had to like it or agree with her. He’d decided to let her go as a penance of sorts, given the way he’d fucked up telling her about how they were mates. But when she returned, they’d have a long discussion about loyalty, because she wasn’t showing a whole lot of it by going off with Jax.

“D, make sure they get to Jax’s hotel safely. Wait for her,” he ordered. Logan shot Wynter an icy glare before he turned to walk away.

Wynter’s eyes brimmed in tears as Logan took off down the hallway toward his office. None of this made sense. Torn, she questioned her feelings for both Jax and Logan. Deep in her belly, the connection with Logan grew stronger every minute of the day. She’d called him Alpha and meant it. But with Jax here, a conflicting sense of what was right confused her. Since she’d told Logan she planned to go talk with Jax, she supposed she needed to go and get it over with so she could return on time.

The way Logan had spoken to her left her wolf trembling. It was as if she could literally picture her rolling in submission, exposing her underside. Despite her desire to acquiesce to the commanding Alpha, she wasn’t entirely wolf. Her human psyche continued to pay credence to her reasoning by telling her that Jax was her guardian, not Logan.

Dimitri slid the door open with a loud banging sound, and gestured for her and Jax to leave. As quickly as she caught his eyes, she averted them. Damn, Dimitri was angry with her as well. Well wasn’t that just great? She swore she’d fix things when she returned. But for now, she’d made her bed and had to lay in it. Exhaling loudly, she walked through the door and out of Logan’s home.

They rode in silence back to the hotel. Wynter ignored Jax, staring aimlessly out the window. Ten hours ago, Logan had made love to her. Within the strength of his arms, she’d belonged. As her feelings grew stronger, she could feel herself falling for him. But now, his words played in her mind. Mate. She was his mate? It wasn’t as if she didn’t desire Logan, but the revelation, in front of Dimitri and Jax, no less, had shocked her. She wondered if by going with Jax, Logan had interpreted her actions as disrespectful, as if she’d chosen him over her mate.

Even the ever-jovial Dimitri had been cool, refusing to look at her when she’d entered the car. The minute she’d stepped away from Logan, it’d felt uncomfortable. Her wolf clawed and whined, giving her a raging headache. It was all she could do to keep from crying. As if sensing her anguish, Jax slowly put a comforting arm around her shoulder. No matter what had happened in her life, he’d supported her. This was why she needed to go talk to him. So why did it feel so awful?

“Come on, Princess,” Jax coaxed. “It’s not all that bad, is it?”

“Then why do I feel like shit?” Wynter laid her head on his chest and glanced up to catch Dimitri’s frosty glare. She quickly closed her eyes, trying to ignore him.

“Because my dear, he’s your mate. Your wolf, she won’t like being away from him, especially since he’s not marked,” he explained casually. “Sorry, I reacted poorly. It’s just you and I; we’ve been together for a long time. I’m not ready to let you go.”

She smiled.

“And I’m not used to you being a wolf…not at all.”

“I don’t know what they did to me,” she confided. She felt like a little girl again, hoping he’d chase her nightmares away.

“Logan told me all about it. We’ll find out, Wyn. I don’t understand it either. But what’s done is done. I promise you’ll make it through this…your shift.”

“But you were so angry back there.”

“More like surprised. I consider you mine, but you aren’t really…well, not at all now. You were almost like a daughter at one time. But over the years, we’ve grown into a comfortable friendship. I’ll miss you. I suppose I always knew this would happen. But it won’t change my being protective of you. That’s in my nature. Can’t be helped,” he reflected.

“Logan’s so angry with me. I feel bad.”

“Don’t worry, we’ll have you back in no time, your wolf will calm down.”

“And what about his wolf? I feel like I did something wrong. Not just wrong, but like I hurt him,” she told Jax.

“No, Princess, you didn’t do anything wrong. But it does rub against the way of wolves. You agreeing to come with me is a very rational, human thing to do. A very Wynter thing to do. Can’t fault you there. And me asking you to go…well, I knew Logan wouldn’t be happy, but you’re my family. I haven’t seen you in months. Goddess, Wynter, I’ll never forgive myself for letting you go,” he confessed. “This is my fault.”

“No…” she began to cry.

“Shhh, I won’t hear it. You were my charge. My responsibility. Logan was right. When we get back, we can have lunch and talk about how I can help you both with this colossal fail we’ve created. The one thing that drives me is that Emma’s still hangin’ on. And if there’s something we can do without putting you into harm’s way, then I want to do it.”

Wynter wanted to argue with him and tell him that she already was in danger, but she assumed he knew that. It was why he’d been freaking out at Logan. Meanwhile, Logan had done nothing to deserve the death they’d brought to New Orleans. Guilt racked her, but still, after everything that had happened, she wasn’t sure she would have done anything differently.

By the time they got up to Jax’s suite, Wynter was famished. Opening the door, a warm, familiar face greeted her.

“Hey missy, welcome back. Come on now, give me some sugar,” Jax’s beta, Nick, told her, giving her a big hug. “Why the sad face? What’s wrong?”

“Long story,” Jax sighed, taking a seat at the large dining table. Thank Goddess Nick had had lunch delivered. “Sit, let’s eat.”

“Talk and eat. What gives?”

Jax looked to Wynter. “Do you want to tell him?”

“Abridged version? The vampires who kidnapped me made me work on the virus, but I escaped. Logan Reynaud, the New Orleans’ Alpha, rescued me then took me into his home. Apparently the vamps infected me with something during one of their lovely feeding sessions. So, by the way, I’m turning into a wolf.” Wynter paused to grab a diet soda. She twisted the cap off, took a drink and snatched a wrap off the tray. “Let’s see, what else? Oh yeah, the vamps are still trying to kill me, Logan marked me and I just found out I’m his mate. Yeah, I think that pretty much sums it up.”

Both Jax and Nick exchanged a look of surprise. Although she’d been shaken in the car, she appeared to be recovering nicely. She had always been a fighter, Jax knew. But every time she rebounded, it still amazed him that a human so fragile could have the bravery of a lion.