Chapter 15
LOGAN
I…am…nervous.
I stare at myself in the mirror, wondering what the hell I agreed to.
What good did I think would come of this?
Why would I agree to this?
Trooper sits patiently on the bathroom counter, slow blinking at his own reflection.
“I don’t know how to hold a conversation for four hours,” I tell him.
He is unbothered by my predicament.
In theory, this is an excellent idea.
Transporting a mother cat and her kittens to a foster mom is something I fully support. Furs and Purrs has enough resources that other counties are reaching out to them for help when their own rescues are too full.
Me coming along for the ride with Maeve, Ivan, and now Maeve’s guitar teacher is probably not the best idea.
But Maeve wanted me to go, and here I am, doing it.
Stella joins her brother, tilting her head at me, and I sigh.
“I don’t even know if we’re friends,” I tell her, and the cat responds with a chirp.
It’s awful.
Maeve must know I can’t tell her no, especially since she literally dragged me from my booth at the restaurant the other week to sit with her.
Ever since that hug, I can’t get her scent out of my mind.
I can’t even drink chamomile tea anymore—it reminds me too much of her, and makes my cock stir in my pants.
And because I don’t want to get hard from drinking a tea that reminds me of an Omega, I’ve switched to a lavender flavor.
It tastes awful, but at least it doesn’t remind me of Maeve.
“I’m fine,” I tell myself in the mirror, taking in my outfit.
Light jeans and a grey v neck sweater, something more casual than I’ve ever worn at the clinic.
Shiny clean white sneakers.
“This is fine,” I repeat again, running a hand through my hair and smoothing out the gold strands. Bits of grey peek through, and I grimace.
What am I doing?
I’m too old for her.
Maeve is sweet, charming, smart, and everything I could want in a partner.
Far too good for me, and besides that, she already has her scent match.
They make a great pair—and now she’s friends with her guitar teacher.
How the hell would I fit in with that?
I lean over the bathroom sink, gripping the counter and exhaling slowly.
Stella nuzzles my wrist and rubs her side against my arm.
“I don’t belong with them,” I tell her sadly. “This is a mistake.”
The nuzzle turns into a sinking of fangs into my skin, and I move my arm away.
“Ow.”
Logically, I guess it makes sense for me to be on the trip.
I’m a veterinarian, and we’re transferring a mother cat and her kittens. They’re not necessarily high risk, but at least I’ll be there with Ivan to help keep an eye on them.
Most of all, Maeve wants me there, but it’s likely just for my credentials.
Just like she wanted my company at the restaurant, and nothing more.
Then what was with that hug?
“Am I having a panic attack?” I mutter. “Is that what’s happening?”
Never in my forty years on earth have I panicked this hard about a girl—about an Omega.
I never had time.
I was interested in caring for animals, in learning as much as I could about my field of study.
Omegas were always there, and I had opportunities—but I just never took them.
The purple haired, quirky cat-loving girl is the only person I’ve ever pined over.
My inner Alpha, dormant and quiet for so long, has roared to life in ways I never thought possible.
I’ve never stared at someone’s mating gland before, but I imagine that raised bump of skin at night more times than I count.
I’ve shamefully taken my cock in my fist thinking about her, sinking my teeth into a pillow just to mimic the mating bite.
And every time I see Maeve, I swear she knows I’ve done it.
There’s something in the way those amber eyes rake over my face—like she sees through me, notices every concealed depraved thought I’ve had about her.
There’s a playful smirk on her face whenever she says hello to me at the clinic, as if she’s in on some joke I’m not a part of.
Ivan does it, too.
They both look at me like there’s something I don’t know, and it drives me insane.
If Maeve could just tell me what she wants, maybe I wouldn’t be doubled over in my bathroom rethinking my life choices while my cats watch me, unbothered.
Maybe if I had the courage to ask her what those little looks mean, I could breathe freely every time she’s in the room.
Perhaps I could switch back to chamomile tea eventually and not glare at the teabags like they’ve done me a disservice.
There’s a possibility if I worked up the courage to tell her how I truly felt about her that I could put this packhouse to good use.
It could be filled with good company, not just lonely meows that echo off the walls.
Maybe, if I walk out my front door and go on this trip, things will change for the better.
Worst case, I build friendships and save some cats.
Best case…
I get another hug from Maeve.
I wouldn’t dare hope for more.
I’m the last one to arrive at Ivan’s house.
He, Maeve, and Fang are chatting animatedly next to Ivan’s black SUV, and when I park against the curb, Maeve waves excitedly at me.
Her purple hair is pulled into a high ponytail, and she wears a teal Furs and Purrs sweatshirt with ripped jeans.
Her face is bright, and her cheeks are slightly flushed from smiling.
I’m awestruck at her beauty but try to keep a straight face.
“Hey! The doctor is here!” she laughs, then runs toward me. Surprised, I let out an oof when she barrels into me, throwing her arms around my waist. “Thanks for coming!”
I’ll never get tired of her scent. Chamomile mixed with brown sugar, practically dancing on my tongue.
It’s sweeter than usual today, and my arms immediately wrap around her, holding her longer than necessary.
I’ve already had my best-case scenario, and I just saw her.
“Oh, shit,” Ivan teases, “are you actually smiling, Logan?”
I scowl while Maeve steps back, chuckling. “You look good,” she says, standing on tiptoes to playfully tousle my hair. “It’s nice to see you in casual clothes.”
Looking at her, it’s hard to remember why I was panicking about this trip in the first place. Maeve’s easy smile is a balm to my insecurities. I’ve never had someone so delighted to have my company, and it’s a heady, addictive feeling.
“You look lovely,” I tell her honestly, and she rolls her eyes and snorts.
“If you say so,” she says, and I open my mouth to argue with her, but she interrupts me. “Come meet Fang!” She leads me over, and I shake hands with him.
“Good to meet you,” he says easily. “Maeve has sung your praises for the last half hour or so.”
“Really?” I turn to her, surprised.
“Hello? Pigeons?” she smiles warmly, and my insides melt. “You’re the most interesting person I’ve ever met, Logan.”
“Rock doves,” I murmur, and her smile only grows, while I stand there, confused.
Me? Interesting?
Ivan cocks an eyebrow. “That’s a compliment, coming from her,” he adds, and Fang grins.
“And here I thought I was interesting,” he sighs.
Maeve has that look on her face again, the one where I want to ask her what she wants from me.
But I just stand there, drinking in her words, beauty, and scent.
I would go to the ends of the earth for you, I think. I would drive around the continent and pick up any cats you wanted.
“You guys ready?” Ivan asks. “We’ve got all the supplies packed; we should get there around noon. Then an easy four hours back.”
“Sounds good,” Maeve says. “We can all get to know each other better in the car.”
Again, there’s that weird tone to her voice, and Ivan gives me that strange look.
Fang just seems ecstatic.
I have a good feeling about him—when Ivan told me her guitar teacher was coming, I was surprised.
But the way he looks at Maeve is cautious and protective.
As if she’s something precious that he wants to keep safe.
He hovers near her, just like Ivan does, and I respect it.
They want what’s best for her, and so do I.
That’s when I realize we’re all on the same page.
Oh.
“Hey,” Maeve says, and I realize I was lost in thought. “You zoned out for a moment. Everything okay?”
“Yeah,” I say slowly. “It is.” I look to Fang and Ivan, then back at her. “It really is.”
“Okay,” she says, tilting her head. “Well, then let’s go, doctor.”
The wind is gracious enough to blow her scent my way again, and my chest aches.
I’m in love with you; I want to scream. I’m in love with you, and please let me be a part of your life. Please keep me here.
I try to convey it with my face, and when she takes my hand and leads me to Ivan’s car, I hope the message was received.
Today is the start of something new.
I just know it.