12. Serena
12
SERENA
T he moonlight cast shadows across the sanctuary grounds as Serena watched Logan's massive bear form shrink and transform back into his human shape. Her heart still raced from witnessing the fight. The raw power he'd displayed, all rippling muscle and primal strength, had left her breathless in a way she hadn't expected. Sure, she'd seen him shift plenty of times when they dated, but this was different. This was Logan protecting what was his.
The patio door clicked softly behind her as she stepped outside. Logan turned at the sound, moonlight highlighting every perfectly sculpted muscle of his very naked form.
"I told you to go inside and stay out of sight," Logan called across the yard, his voice rough with lingering adrenaline.
Serena crossed her arms, refusing to be intimidated. "Since when do I listen?" The familiar stubbornness that had characterized their relationship years ago surged through her. "And for the record, I've seen you shift before. You're not exactly scary."
"Serena-" His tone held a warning edge that made her stomach flutter, though not entirely from fear.
"Also, you might want to put some pants on before continuing this conversation," she added, fighting to keep her eyes on his face. The last thing she needed was to get distracted by all that... everything.
Logan's jaw clenched, and she could practically feel the frustration radiating off him. But there was something else in his expression too - a flash of worry that made her breath catch.
"This isn't a joke," he said, taking a step toward her before seeming to remember his state of undress. He suddenly stopped.
Serena turned away as Logan went to find his clothes, her cheeks burning. The night air cooled her flushed skin as she fiddled with the sleeve of her cardigan. A chorus of crickets filled the silence.
"You can turn around now," Logan called from behind her.
She pivoted to find him fully dressed in jeans and a henley that stretched across his broad shoulders. His dark hair was still mussed from the shift, giving him that rugged look that used to make her heart skip. Still did, if she was being honest with herself.
"Are you okay?" He crossed the yard in three long strides. "That got intense back there."
"I'm fine." Serena promised. "It takes more than an angry bear to rattle me."
"About that..." Logan said, his voice tinged with worry. "Silas wasn't just making idle threats." His jaw clenched. "Speaking of, I'm driving you home."
"Don't be ridiculous. My car's right there." She gestured toward her Honda parked by the gate.
"This isn't up for discussion," he said firmly. "Get your things."
"Since when do you get to-"
"Serena." The way he said her name, soft but firm, made her stomach flip. "Please."
She opened her mouth to argue further but something in his expression stopped her. Fear. Not for himself, but for her. The realization stole her words away.
With a huff that was more for show than genuine irritation, she headed inside to gather her supplies. Her potions clinked against each other as she packed them carefully into their padded case.
As she collected her veterinary kit, she couldn't help but wonder how she'd ended up here again - caught up in Logan Steele's orbit, watching him fight battles she wasn't sure he could win alone.
The truck's engine soon rumbled to a stop in front of Serena's house. The silence that had filled the cab during the drive continued to press in around them, broken only by the soft tick of the cooling engine. Serena's fingers twisted in her lap as she stared at her front porch, the light she'd left on casting a warm glow across weathered wooden steps.
Logan shifted in his seat. "I'll walk you to your door."
As they made their way up the path, Serena's mind raced with all the things she wanted to say, needed to say. The porch steps creaked as they climbed them.
She set her kits down on the porch, and turned to face him, wrapping her cardigan tighter around herself against the evening chill. "You really need to report this to the police."
"No." Logan's jaw set in that stubborn way she remembered all too well. "This is between me and Silas."
"It stopped being just between you two when he started threatening something you care about," Serena responded. "When he started threatening the animals. When he-" She cut herself off, not wanting to voice aloud the way Silas had looked at her.
"That's exactly why I need to handle this myself," Logan insisted. "He's targeting these things because of me. Because I turned him in."
"It sounded like you did the right thing back then."
"Maybe. But these are my consequences to deal with."
Serena opened her mouth to argue further but stopped herself. The set of his shoulders, the determined glint in his gold-flecked eyes - she recognized all the signs. Once Logan made up his mind about something, trying to change it was like attempting to move a mountain with a teaspoon.
The porch light caught the shadows under his eyes, evidence of the toll this situation was taking on him. Her fingers itched to reach out, to smooth away the worry lines creasing his forehead. She curled them into fists instead, pressing them against her sides.
Logan raked a hand through his hair. "Maybe you should stay away from the sanctuary for a while."
"Excuse me?" Serena's eyebrows shot up.
"Just until I deal with Silas."
"That’s not happening." Serena crossed her arms, planting her feet firmly. The wooden boards creaked beneath her as she shifted her weight. "Your animals need me. That hawk still isn't eating right, and the fox's leg needs another week of treatment."
"I can handle-"
"And what about your fences? Are you going to brew the reinforcement potions yourself?" A hint of amusement crept into her voice. "Because I seem to remember the last time you tried making a potion, you turned your entire kitchen pink."
"That was a long time ago," Logan protested, but his lips twitched. "And it was more of a red."
"It was neon pink and you know it." The memory of eighteen-year-old Logan covered in sparkly pink goo made her smile despite herself. "Face it, Steele. You need my help right now."
Logan's expression softened. "I just don't want you getting hurt."
"I'm not that fragile teenager anymore." Serena touched his arm lightly. The fabric of his henley was soft under her fingers. "Besides, my car's still at the sanctuary. Unless you plan on being my personal chauffeur?"
"Fine." Logan sighed. "But please be careful? For me?"
The sincerity in his gold-flecked eyes made her heart skip a beat. "Only if you do the same."
He nodded, stepping back. "Deal."
Serena watched as he walked slowly to his truck. The engine rumbled to life and the headlights cut through the darkness. As his taillights disappeared around the corner, she couldn't help but wonder if she'd just made things more complicated for herself.
Serena set her kits by the door and collapsed onto her worn couch, kicking off her shoes. Her glasses slipped down her nose as she let her head fall back against the cushions. The events of the day played through her mind like a movie she couldn't pause.
"What are you doing, Serena?" she asked the empty room. Her cat clock ticked in response, its tail swinging back and forth.
She closed her eyes, remembering how Logan had doubled over laughing when her potion turned the fence into a wall of daisies. The way his eyes crinkled at the corners, how his deep laugh had bubbled up from his chest. She'd forgotten how infectious his joy could be.
"It's just for the animals," she muttered for the hundredth time, but even to her own ears the words rang hollow.
The memory of dinner made her stomach flutter. He'd remembered her favorite - grilled salmon with herbs from his garden. The way he'd watched her take that first bite, anticipation written all over his face.
"Stop it," she told herself firmly, but her traitorous mind drifted to their hands brushing as they worked on the fence, the spark that shot through her each time. The way he'd steadied her when she stumbled, his hand warm against her lower back.
Rolling onto her side, she grabbed a throw pillow and hugged it to her chest. "This is stupid. You're not some lovesick teenager anymore."
But she couldn't deny how natural it had felt working beside him. Even their bickering had felt... right.
"You're just grateful for the work," she reasoned with herself. "And maybe a little worried about him. That's all."
The pillow muffled her groan of frustration. Who was she kidding? The way her heart had leaped into her throat when he shifted to protect the sanctuary - to protect her. How safe she'd felt.
"This is exactly what you promised yourself you wouldn't do," she scolded herself. But she couldn't help the smile that crept across her face as she remembered lying in the grass, both of them covered in sparkly potion residue, laughing until tears streamed down their faces.
Later that night, Serena tossed in her bed, tangled in sheets damp with sweat. In her dream, massive paws thundered against frozen ground as she ran through the sanctuary. Her potions bag bounced against her hip, bottles clinking with each desperate step.
A deep growl rumbled behind her. "You can't escape," Silas's voice echoed, somehow both human and bear at once.
She spun around, fumbling with her bag. Her fingers closed around empty air where her potions should be.
Another bear burst through the trees - Logan, his fur gleaming in the moonlight. He planted himself between her and Silas.
"Really?" Dream-Serena called out, somehow finding humor even in terror. "The whole damsel-in-distress thing? My subconscious needs better material."
Logan's bear form turned its head, and she could have sworn it rolled its eyes at her.