4. Logan
4
LOGAN
L ogan gripped his truck's steering wheel, his knuckles white as he navigated the winding roads. Cherry blossoms drifted across his windshield as he made his way back to the sanctuary. Their sweet scent mixed with the salt air through his open window. He couldn't shake the image of Serena from his mind - the way she'd twisted that loose strand of hair around her finger, just like she used to do when they were together.
"Damn it," he muttered, hitting the steering wheel. Nina was right - Serena would be perfect for helping with his sick animals. A vet who could work with magic? That's exactly what he needed. But seeing her again, looking so vulnerable yet still so beautiful...
His bear stirred restlessly inside him, remembering her scent - lavender and vanilla, with an underlying hint of something uniquely Serena. The same scent that used to drive him wild a long time ago.
"Get it together," he growled at himself, pulling over to the side of the road. The spring breeze rustled through the budding trees, carrying the distant sound of songbirds. "She's got her own problems. She doesn't need yours too."
His phone buzzed. Nina.
"What?"
"Did you ask her?" Nina's voice crackled through the speaker.
"No."
"Logan Steele, you stubborn bear. Your animals need help."
"I'll figure something out."
"Like what?"
"She just recently got divorced, Nina. She's trying to put her life back together."
"You need a vet who knows magic. She does. It's not complicated."
"It's always complicated with Serena." The memory of their last fight flashed through his mind - her tears, his anger, words they couldn't take back.
"Only because you make it that way." Nina's voice softened. "The sanctuary needs her. Your animals need her."
Logan watched a cherry blossom land on his hood, its delicate petals a stark contrast to the truck's rugged exterior. Just like Serena had always been to him - soft where he was rough, careful where he was impulsive.
"I'll think about it."
"Don't think too long. Those animals won't heal themselves."
The line went dead, leaving Logan alone with his thoughts.
Logan soon pulled up to the sanctuary, the gravel crunching under his truck's tires. Spring flowers dotted the surrounding meadow. Their cheerful colors were a stark contrast to his mood. His bear's protective instincts surged as he approached the first enclosure.
"Hey there, buddy." He knelt beside the fox's pen. The animal's eyes were glazed. "Not doing any better, are you?"
The fox merely blinked at him, too weak to even lift its head. Logan's hands clenched into fists.
Moving to the next enclosure, he found the deer hadn't touched their food, again.
"Come on, girl." Logan offered a handful of fresh greens to the youngest doe. She turned away, her ears flat against her head. "Damn it."
His phone buzzed - another text from Nina. He ignored it, knowing exactly what it would say. The same thing she'd been telling him all afternoon: call Serena.
The scent of wildflowers and fresh grass carried on the spring breeze, along with something else lurking underneath. Something wrong. His bear caught it - a whiff of decay that shouldn't be there.
"This is definitely Silas's doing." Logan's voice rumbled with barely contained rage. He'd bet his sanctuary on it. But proving it? That was another matter entirely.
A young raccoon chittered weakly from its enclosure, drawing his attention. Its usual mischievous nature subdued by whatever magical illness plagued the sanctuary.
"I know, little guy. I'm trying." Logan reached through the bars and gently scratched behind the raccoon's ears. The animal leaned into his touch, seeking comfort. "I'm trying."
His bear stirred inside him, frustrated by their inability to protect their charges. These animals depended on him. He'd promised them safety, healing, and now...
Logan pulled out his phone, thumb hovering over Nina's latest message. Serena's face flashed through his mind again - the way she'd looked at the Cauldron & Cup, her gray eyes still holding that same determination he remembered, even behind the new uncertainty.
Logan then scrolled through his contacts. His thumb hovered over Julie's name. The raccoon chirped again, as if urging him on. The sound of suffering animals around him made the decision easier. His bear didn't like asking for help, but sometimes being a leader meant swallowing your pride.
He pressed call before he could change his mind. The phone rang three times before Julie's cheerful voice answered.
"Logan Steele? Now this is a surprise."
"Julie." He cleared his throat. "Listen, I need a favor."
"Must be serious if you're calling me."
"It's about Serena." The words came out rougher than he intended. "I've got some sick animals here. Need someone who knows both veterinary medicine and magic."
"And you want to hire her?" Julie's voice held a teasing note that made him grip the phone tighter.
"This isn't personal. It's business." His bear disagreed, rumbling inside him at the lie. "The animals are suffering, and I'm running out of options."
"Uh-huh. Just business." Julie laughed. "Hold on a sec."
There was rustling on the other end of the line, followed by muffled voices. His enhanced hearing picked up Julie saying, "It's Logan. He wants to talk to you about a job."
Logan's heart hammered in his chest. He hadn't expected Julie to put Serena on the phone right away. He wasn't prepared. The sound of the phone changing hands seemed to echo in his ears.
"Serena?" His voice came out deeper than usual, his bear pushing forward at the prospect of talking to her. The silence on the other end of the line stretched out, making his skin prickle with anticipation. Through the phone, he caught the soft sound of her breath, bringing back memories of whispered conversations and stolen kisses under starlit skies.
"Logan?" Serena's voice finally came through soft and uncertain, making his bear pace inside him.
"Yeah, I'm here." He leaned against the raccoon's enclosure, gathering his thoughts. "Listen, I've got a bit of a situation here at the sanctuary."
"Oh?"
"Several animals are sick with something the regular vet can't figure out. I'm thinking it might be..." He paused, watching the raccoon's labored breathing. "Magical in nature."
He heard a sharp intake of breath on the other end. "What are their symptoms?"
Logan's bear approved of her immediate shift to professional mode. "Lethargy, loss of appetite. Some have glazed eyes, others won't touch their food. Nothing shows up in regular tests."
"That does sound unusual." Papers rustled in the background. "Have you tried-"
"Everything I can think of." He kicked his foot back and forth in the dirt. "Look, I know this is awkward, but you're exactly what I need right now." The words came out before he could rephrase them. "For the animals, I mean. A vet who understands magic."
A pause stretched between them filled with unspoken history.
"I'll pay your regular rates, of course," he added quickly. "Plus extra for the magical consultation."
"Logan..." She sighed, and he could picture her pushing her glasses up her nose like she always did when thinking. "I don't know if-"
"Please." The word cost him, but his bear didn't care about pride when their charges were suffering. "They're getting worse."
Another pause. The raccoon chirped weakly, as if adding its own plea.
"Okay," she said finally. "I can come by tomorrow morning. But this is strictly professional."
"Wouldn't dream of it being anything else." His bear huffed at the lie. "Nine work for you?"
"Nine's fine. I’ll have Julie text you my new number. Then, you can text me the address."
"Will do. And Serena?" His voice roughened. "Thanks."
"Don't thank me yet. I haven't even seen them."
The call ended, leaving Logan staring at his phone. His bear roared with satisfaction at getting help for their animals, even as the man worried about spending time alone with Serena again.
Later that night, Logan paced the length of his cabin's living room, the moonlight streaming in through the windows. His bear's restless energy matched his own as he checked his phone for the tenth time that hour. The message he'd sent Serena with the sanctuary's address remained unanswered.
"Get it together," he muttered. "She's just coming to check on the animals."
But his bear disagreed, remembering how she'd looked at the café - the way her gray eyes had widened behind those glasses when she saw him, the slight tremble in her hand as she'd twirled her hair around her finger.
The grandfather clock in the corner chimed ten o’clock. Logan grabbed his jacket, deciding a final check on the animals would help settle his nerves. The spring night air carried the scent of blooming jasmine as he approached the enclosures.
"Can't sleep either, huh?" he said to the raccoon who chittered weakly at his approach. "Yeah, I know. Help's coming tomorrow."
His phone buzzed. Nina again.
"What now?"
"Just checking if you actually called her."
"I did. She's coming tomorrow at nine."
"Good." Nina paused. "Try not to mess it up this time."
"It's just business."
"Right. And I'm just a barista." Nina's laugh crackled through the speaker. "Your bear never could lie worth a damn when it came to her."
Logan growled softly. "Don't start."
"Fine, fine. But Logan? She's not the same girl who left. And you're not the same boy she left behind."
The line went dead before he could respond. Logan shoved his phone back in his pocket, his bear rumbling at Nina's words. Of course Serena wasn't the same - divorce had left its marks. He'd seen it in the way she held herself, like she was waiting for the next blow.
The raccoon chirped again, drawing his attention back to the present.
"Yeah, yeah. I know. Let's just focus on getting you better first. Everything else can wait."
But as he made his way back to his cabin, his bear wondered if anything involving Serena could really wait this time around.