6. Isaac
ISAAC
The director called cut. For the first time all morning, I allowed myself to relax slightly.
The scene had involved Logan sprinting through a crowded market square while half a dozen armored extras chased him through carefully choreographed chaos involving overturned crates, smoke effects, and entirely too many opportunities for someone to get hurt.
Instead, everything had gone exactly according to plan. The crowd barriers had held, and security checkpoints had worked. No unauthorized personnel had breached the perimeter.
It was also promising that no suspicious activity had appeared on any of the surveillance feeds. Most importantly, Logan was still alive. A successful morning by my standards.
Nearby, members of the crew swarmed the set as cameras reset for the next scene. Logan rolled his shoulders and accepted a bottle of water from Fiona before making his way over to me.
"That looked painful,” I told him.
He snorted. "You should see the version where I miss the landing and eat dirt in front of hundreds of people."
"I'd prefer not to,” I said.
"You really know how to ruin my fun."
I ignored him. My attention drifted automatically across the set, at the security stationed at the access gates, crew members moving equipment, and production assistants running around with clipboards and coffees.
Everything appeared normal and secure. Despite that knowledge, I found my eyes drifting toward the cluster of trailers near the edge of the set. Well, specifically one trailer.
"I'll go check in with Nico,” I said to Logan.
Logan raised an eyebrow. "You mean again?"
I frowned. "What?"
"You checked on him before my last scene,” Logan unhelpfully reminded me.
"That was over an hour ago."
"It was forty-three minutes ago,” Logan pointed out.
I narrowed my eyes. "You timed me?"
"I know your habits, Isaac."
Unfortunately, he did. His grin became positively wolfish.
"Are you only visiting Nico because you think he's cute?" Logan asked, mischief in his eyes.
I glared at him, but unfortunately my brother was immune to it.
"You should take this more seriously,” I reminded him.
"I'm serious," he said, his expression softening slightly. "Everything's been going smoothly so far."
"That's because we're doing our jobs,” I said.
"And because maybe, just maybe, you're allowed to relax occasionally."
I snorted. "I'll consider it.”
Logan laughed. "I'm grabbing lunch with some of the cast after this scene."
"I'll come with,” I said after hearing that.
He immediately shook his head. "Weren't you going to check on Nico?"
"I can do both,” I reminded him.
"Isaac." My brother gave me a look, the one that usually meant he was about to say something annoyingly reasonable. "I'll be fine,” Logan assured me.
"Logan—" I began.
"There are security personnel all over the set,” Logan pointed out. "Half the cast is going."
"And if someone really is stalking me, they're probably not going to try anything while I'm surrounded by actors, crew members, and plenty of cameras,” Logan added.
I hated that he had a point. Logan had spent years accusing me of being overprotective. According to him, I hovered, micromanaged, and expected disaster around every corner.
More than once, he'd told me I needed to loosen the reins a little and trust that the world wasn't actively trying to kill him. Unfortunately, experience had taught me that sometimes it was.
Still, he wasn't wrong about this. The set was crawling with security personnel. Crew members were everywhere, and his co-stars would be with him.
Rationally, the odds of someone trying anything here, now, in broad daylight, were low. Reluctantly, I nodded.
"I'll be nearby."
"Of course you will," Logan said dryly. He clapped a hand against my shoulder as he walked past.
"Try having a conversation with Nico that isn't about evacuation routes,” Logan added.
"No promises,” I replied.
"Maybe ask him about his hobbies,” Logan added.
"His hobby is Shadowfall."
"Fine. Ask him about his other hobby."
"He has other hobbies?” I asked.
Logan laughed as he disappeared toward the cast tents. I watched him go for several seconds before finally turning toward craft services. If I was checking on Nico anyway, I might as well bring food.
The man had all the survival instincts of an overworked grad student.
Three days earlier I'd walked into his trailer and discovered him surviving entirely on energy drinks and something called "spicy cheese crackers of destiny." I still wasn't entirely sure what that meant.
I picked up two sandwiches and two iced coffees before making my way across the lot. The closer I got to Nico's trailer, the more familiar his scent became.
It was warm and comforting in a way I couldn't explain.
My wolf stirred immediately, interested and attentive, and far too pleased with itself. The trailer door was partially open. I knocked once before stepping inside.
Nico sat surrounded by screens. Six monitors displayed camera feeds from different sections of the set. Another showed social media monitoring software, while a second displayed security alerts.
Several smaller screens showed drone footage and access logs. Cables ran across every available surface.
I had no idea how Nico had managed to fit so much equipment into one trailer. Nico glanced up, and his entire face lit up. The effect hit me harder than it should have.
"Isaac, hey,” he said.
I held up the drinks. "Thought you might've forgotten lunch again,” I told him.
His eyes widened. "You brought food?"
"I noticed a pattern,” I replied.
"First empanadas and now sandwiches and coffee?" He looked suspiciously delighted. Nico narrowed his eyes at me. “Wait. Do you secretly like me?"
I nearly dropped the coffees. My wolf, traitorous creature that he was, looked positively delighted by the question.
“I…” I couldn’t seem to formulate a proper response. Heat crept up my neck, which was annoying.
Nico blinked. "Oh my God. I was joking.”
I set the drinks down on the desk. "I underestimated you."
His expression softened slightly.
"When we first met, I assumed Cooper should have assigned Tony,” I said.
"Fair."
"I was wrong." The words felt more significant than they should have. "Your work speaks for itself."
Nico stared at me, then he smiled. I noted that it was not quite the excited grin he gave Logan, or the teasing smile he aimed at me whenever he caught me being too serious. Instead it was something softer.
"It's okay,” Nico finally said.
I frowned. "What is?"
"The first impression thing." Nico unwrapped his sandwich. "My first impression of you wasn't exactly amazing either."
"Oh?" I asked, intrigued by his answer.
He took a bite of his sandwich before answering. “I thought you were unbearably gruff and stuffy, and intimidating. But now I know you're secretly a softie."
I almost choked on my coffee. "I am not."
"You absolutely are."
"I've known you for a little more than a week and you've already brought me food twice,” Nico pointed out.
"You forget to eat,” I pointed out.
Somehow, impossibly, we ended up eating together in the trailer. I wasn't entirely sure how it happened, or why I lingered.
There were patrol routes I could review, security reports waiting for my attention. A dozen things I should probably have been doing.
Instead I found myself sitting across from Nico while he explained increasingly obscure pieces of Shadowfall lore with far too much enthusiasm.
Apparently, fans had been debating for years whether Commander Vale survived the ending of the third game. The debate had gotten so serious that people had actually written essays about it.
"...and that's why the silver wolf symbol probably represents rebirth rather than sacrifice."
I blinked. "People argue about this?"
"Passionately."
I shook my head, and Nico laughed. The sound settled somewhere warm inside my chest. He paused suddenly.
"What is it?” I asked.
"You listen."
I frowned. "I'm listening now."
"No, I mean really listen." He shifted slightly in his seat. "Most people kind of zone out when I start rambling."
I considered that, and decided it was their loss. Nico had a nice calming voice.
"I like hearing you talk." The words escaped before I could stop them.
Silence settled over the trailer. Nico looked at me with unconcealed surprise, then his cheeks slowly turned pink. My wolf immediately became insufferably smug.
"I..." I faltered, then cleared my throat.
Nico looked away first.
"I like the sound of your voice,” I finally said.
Something tightened pleasantly in my chest. The trailer suddenly felt smaller and quieter. The air between us felt different somehow, charged.
Nico widened his eyes slightly, as if he never expected to hear those words from someone like me.
Neither of us moved. For once in my life, I stopped thinking, analysing, and planning three moves ahead. I simply leaned forward, slowly enough that he could stop me, or pull away at the last second.
I didn’t know why, but all of a sudden I wanted to find out what he tasted like.
Nico didn’t pull away. His eyes fluttered closed just before our lips met.
He tasted like warm coffee and laughter and the lingering taste of bread. For a moment the world outside the trailer disappeared.
I conveniently forgot about stalkers, security concerns and my responsibilities, only Nico and I mattered. His hand brushed against mine where it rested on the table between us.
My wolf surged forward with a feeling that was suspiciously close to contentment. Home. The thought startled me enough that I pulled back slightly.
Nico looked just as surprised as I felt. His cheeks were pink, his eyes bright. He looked so handsome, and dangerously adorable. I didn’t regret stealing a kiss from him one bit.
"Wow," he said quietly. I found myself agreeing.
By the end of filming, my shoulders ached and my patience had worn dangerously thin.
It wasn’t because anything had gone wrong. In fact, the day had gone so smoothly that it was a little suspicious. Logan had completed every scene without incident.
The crowds during the outdoor sequences had remained behind barriers. Security had held, and Nico's additional surveillance cameras had worked exactly as intended.
Despite all that, my brain had spent the entire day waiting for the other shoe to drop. Experience had taught me that it usually did.
The sun had already begun sinking behind the trees as the three of us made our way to Logan’s trailer. Fiona mentioned she had deposited Logan’s recent fan mail and presents there.
Of course, they had already been vetted by security before she dumped them there, so I wasn’t worried.
"I'm starving,” Logan complained.
"You've said that six times in the last hour,” I pointed out.
"Because I remain starving,” Logan grumbled.
“Endure it for a little while longer,” I suggested.
“Did you hear what he said, Nico? I have such a cold brother,” Logan complained.
Nico snorted. "I saw you eat two sandwiches, chips, and what I think was somebody else's cookie."
Logan’s trailer was only a few feet from us. I entered first, ignoring Logan and Nico’s chatter. Seeing the pile of letters and small gifts on the couch, I sighed.
My attention had snagged on something on top of the table. I halted. My wolf rose beneath my skin, suddenly alert. Beside me, Logan almost walked into my shoulder before noticing I'd stopped.
"What’s wrong?” Logan asked.
This particular package stood out from the rest of Logan’s fan mail as it was wrapped prettily in silver paper and black ribbon.
Security usually placed a small red sticker on checked letters and packages but this was didn’t have any. Someone had placed it there very recently. A cold feeling settled in my stomach.
"Isaac?" Logan asked.
He stepped forward. I caught his wrist before he reached it.
"Don’t,’ I warned.
His eyebrows rose. "It's probably from a fan.”
"Probably isn't good enough. I need to check it’s safe,” I told him.
Logan opened his mouth, but Nico beat him to it. “Isaac’s right."
The humor had vanished from Nico's voice. Neither of us took our eyes off the package.
“Security should’ve gone through all of Logan’s fan mail," Nico said quietly.
“They didn’t check this one,” I agreed.
I stepped closer and examined the present. Appearance-wise, it looked like a normal present on the outside. There were no signs of visible tampering, or unusual sounds.
I leaned slightly closer and inhaled, smelling chocolate, cardboard, and someone’s scent. It was frustratingly faint as there were dozens of overlapping scents in the film set.
My wolf pressed closer to the surface, searching, but I didn’t detect anything chemical, sharp or metallic. There were no explosives, or poison. Still, I didn’t intend to trust my nose alone. I picked the package up carefully.
Logan frowned. "You're acting like it's a bomb."
"Because one day it might be."
His expression softened slightly. That was the thing people forgot about bodyguards.
If you did your job well enough, nothing happened. Nobody saw the disasters that didn't occur. The threats intercepted early, or the risks removed quietly.
A small envelope sat beneath the ribbon. There was no postage, no address, just a loopy handwriting. For Logan, it read. My jaw tightened, and I opened the card. Three words stared back at me.
My beloved.
The air around us seemed to grow colder. Logan stepped closer.
"What does it say?" Logan asked.
I handed him the card. His expression shifted to concern as he read it.
Nico moved beside me. "That's not great."
"No,” I agreed.
"It could still just be a loyal and normal fan,” Logan said. I looked at him. He held my gaze for a moment before sighing. "Okay, yeah. Even I don't believe that."
Carefully, I opened the box. Inside sat rows of expensive chocolates nestled in tissue paper. They looked perfectly ordinary chocolates. Quite a personal gift, I thought.
I lifted the tray and sniffed carefully, scenting chocolate, caramel and hazelnut. There was no bitterness, or chemical traces, or signs of contamination.
My wolf remained quiet, which should have reassured me, but it didn’t.
Logan peered over my shoulder. "Well, that's anticlimactic."
"It's evidence your stalker really exists,” I reminded him.
He sighed. "You aren't going to let me eat them, are you?"
“Absolutely not,” I told him.
"They could be really good chocolates,” Logan said.
Nico immediately pointed at me. "I'm with the scary bodyguard."
I closed the box, then walked directly toward the trash bin. I was about to drop it in there, but Nico grabbed the box first.
“Better to analyse it first,” Nico said.