Chapter Seven
Logan
Logan woke just before dawn. Pale light filtered through the trees, catching on the mist that curled low over the forest floor. For a few still moments, he didn’t move. Willow lay beside him, her breath soft and steady, one hand resting near his chest, her body curled instinctively toward his.
She looked peaceful like this. Safe. And that made it even harder to do what he had to do. But the mission waited and the sooner they completed it, the sooner he could be certain that his mate was safe.
Still, he hesitated.
He let himself look at her a moment longer, committing every detail to memory: the delicate curve of her cheek, the faint rise and fall of her chest, the scent of her skin, warm and wild and his.
Then, he reached out and touched her shoulder, gently so as not to frighten her.
“Willow,” he said softly.
She jolted upright so fast it made his chest ache. Her eyes flew open, already wide with panic before she even registered where she was. She scrambled to her knees, glancing around the clearing like she expected someone to appear from the shadows.
“What time is it?” she asked, breath hitching. “I’m supposed to help the healer—I should’ve been back already—if I’m late again—” She lifted her hand to her cheek as if on instinct and Logan frowned.
“Willow, what happened the last time you were late?”
She heaved a sigh. “Nothing good,” she said, avoiding the question.
“Hey,” Logan said, keeping his voice low and calm. “It’s okay.”
But it wasn’t okay. He could see it in her trembling hands, in the way she refused to meet his gaze for more than a second. The fear was back. The shield she carried every day in that pack had returned with a vengeance, heavier than ever.
Willow shook her head, already backing away. “I have to go. I shouldn’t have stayed this long.”
“You didn’t do anything wrong.”
She paused at that—just for a moment—and then looked up at him. Really looked. Her eyes were still wide, but behind the fear there was something else, an emotion that he couldn’t quite put his finger on.
“Will you be here tonight?” she asked.
The quiet vulnerability in her voice almost broke him.
“Yes,” he said without hesitation. “Same place.”
She gave a small nod, barely more than a twitch, then got to her feet. Logan took hold of her hand then leaned in and place a small kiss on her lips.
“See you tonight,” he promised.
Willow hesitated for only a moment then offered him a small smile that made his chest feel tight.
“Tonight,” she said before turning and slipping into the trees. Her footsteps were light, practiced, disappearing quickly like she’d never been there at all.
Logan remained where he stood, jaw tight.
He hated that she had to live like this. Hated that the pack had conditioned her to flee, to brace for pain at every turn. Last night she’d trusted him, had given him something real and raw and beautiful, and now she had to run back into the arms of people who treated her like property.
No more.
He wouldn’t let this place break her.
And if Bitterroot had to change for her to be free, if blood had to spill for her to breathe easy, then so be it. That blood was long overdue to be spilled.
Logan let himself in his motel room just after sunrise, the scent of strong coffee greeting him as he stepped inside. The team was already gathered and looking alert. The little table in the center of the room was littered with maps, notes, surveillance photos, and a half-eaten bag of jerky.
Max looked up from his seat by the window. “You’re back early.”
Logan nodded, shutting the door behind him. “I didn’t sleep much.”
Arlo raised a brow from where he leaned against headboard of the nearest bed. “That wouldn’t have anything to do with a certain omega, would it?”
Logan couldn’t keep the grin off his face. He hadn’t had much to smile about lately, and he still wouldn’t sleep easy until Derek and his thugs had been brought to justice and Willow was safe, but for now, he let himself bask in the warm glow of the bond.
“She might have had something to do with it.”
Seb chuckled. “What a surprise.”
“Listens guys, there’s something I need to tell you, something I’ve been thinking about pretty much ever since I met her.”
“Sounds serious,” Arlo said.
Logan nodded. “I’ve decided to stay in Bitterroot, after the mission is over.”
Carter sucked in breath and Toby muttered a curse.
“You’re not thinking about leaving the agency, are you?” Max asked.
Logan shook his head. No, I’ll stay on the team, and I’ll keep working for the Agency. That’s not changing. But Bitterroot… I have to stay. After we’ve dealt with Derek, there’s no guarantee that someone who’s just as bad as him won’t fill the vacuum.”
Max’s jaw tightened. “Are you planning on challenging him?”
“I’m not going to lie to you. I want to,” Logan said. “He killed my parents, there’s nothing I’d like more than to avenge them. I know the agency would rather avoid bloodshed, but I won’t back down from a fight with him if the need arises.”
“We wouldn’t expect you to,” Ezra said. “Whatever happens, you know we’ve got your back.”
Logan nodded. “I was supposed to become alpha after my father retired, and instead Derek has turned this pack into a dictatorship run on fear and pain. If the pack will have me… I’ll take the role. I’ll rebuild the pack.”
“You sure?” Carter asked.
“Yeah, I’m sure,” Logan said. “Willow… she’s lived under Derek’s thumb for most of her life. And if she has, others have too. I can’t walk away from that. Not if there’s something I can do about it. The pack needs stability and proper leadership. And I can give it to them. I owe it to them.”
Max leaned back in his chair and nodded once. “Then we’ve got your back. Whatever comes next, we’re with you.”
Logan looked around at the faces of the only men he trusted in this world, and felt something solid settle in his chest.
This wasn’t just a mission anymore. It was about coming home, about setting right a wrong that should have been done a long time ago.
The conversation shifted naturally after Logan’s announcement. The weight of his words still lingered in the air, but the team, ever mission-focused, knew when to move forward. Carter grabbed a folder from the nightstand, flipping it open as he leaned over the cluttered table.
“We might have something,” he said, sliding two printed maps into the center. “Max and I spent part of last night digging into the geography around the northern edge of town. We looked into old ranger trails, back routes, anyplace that wouldn’t be patrolled often.”
Max nodded. “One spot stood out so we did some recon. There’s an abandoned property about five miles northeast of Bitterroot. Used to be a logging outpost. It’s technically still owned by a shell company with ties to one of Derek’s known associates. There was movement there last night.”
Carter nodded. “Yeah, the place is being used, but we don’t know what for. It’s definitely secluded enough to keep someone off-grid. It’s worth checking into.”
Logan studied the maps, jaw tightening as he examined the location.
The ridge beyond the old logging site wasn’t unfamiliar.
He’d run through there countless times as a teen.
The back half of the property connected directly to land that used to belong to his family.
It wasn’t too far from where they had lived.
A lump rose suddenly in his throat, but he swallowed it down then cleared his throat before speaking.
“I know this area,” he said, tapping the map. “There’s a system of old dens and caves behind this line of trees here. Most of it is collapsed or grown over, but it’d be easy to reinforce without drawing attention.”
Max leaned over the map again. “We’ll watch the place today then scout it out again tonight. Low risk recon. I’ll run point with Carter. Arlo and Ezra can hang back and monitor heat signatures again, see if there’s a pattern.”
“What about you?” Carter asked, glancing at Logan.
“I’m meeting Willow tonight,” he said, his voice calm but firm. “I’ll ask her about the place. She might know something. If not, I’ll loop around the far edge of the property after and see if I can pick up on anything. I want to see if I recognize anything from the old pack days.”
There were nods around the room, and just like that, the team broke into motion, efficiently packing gear, syncing watches, checking earpieces and blades. The ease with which they moved always impressed Logan. It didn’t matter how personal things got, they were soldiers first. Family, second.
He pulled on his coat and clipped his comm device into place. He felt better now that they had a plan of action, and he’d made his mind up about staying. He just hoped he could pull it off without any casualties.