“Yes, son, we’re not stupid,” his dad replied with a small smile, then turned to face Logan. “You’re offering us the chance to escape London and start a new life somewhere else where shifters don’t dictate how we live. In return we give up this life and presumably everyone here will think we died or something like that?”
Logan narrowed his eyes. “And you don’t seem overly surprised by this, why?”
Cole’s parents shared a glance, and it was his mum who spoke next. “You’re not the only one whoknowspeople, Logan. I work at a hospital; I have contact with humans at other hospitals. We notice things and we talk.”
Logan didn’t want to know what they thought they knew or who they thought was involved. The less he knew, the better, just in case. “I’m sorry to rush you on this, but I need to know your answer by Thursday evening.” He glanced at Cole. “Yours too, Cole.” Right, he’d said his piece, now they needed to talk it over between themselves.
Pushing his chair back quietly, Logan stood. “I’ll be back on Thursday. If you have any questions in the meantime, Cole has my number. Just text that you need to see me, and I’ll be here as soon as I can.”
“I take it we’ll only get to know the bare minimum anyway?” Cole’s mum asked before he could leave. “Should we decide to go through with it.”
Logan nodded. “Yes. For safety. You understand?”
She offered him a sad smile. “I do.”
“And if Cole goes but we decide to stay... what happens to us?”
Logan frowned. Did she mean in regard to the McKillan pack or the people helping Cole escape? He went with the former. “I think you’ll have to expect a full investigation from both my pack and possibly others. Cole is a sought-after candidate; they’ll want to know how this happened, make sure it was just an accident.”
“And we’re already under suspicion, right? That’s why they were here earlier?”
“Yes.”
“And telling us this is a big risk for you and the others, so I’m assuming it’s not a decision you took lightly.”
“No.”
Have I done the right thing?
He fucking hoped so for everyone’s sake.
“I should go,” he said, moving towards the door. “You have a lot to talk about. But do it quietly,” he added. Hushed whispers should be okay inside the house, on the off-chance someone was purposefully listening, He pointed through to the living room. “Maybe with the TV on just to be sure.”
Cole saw him to the door. “Thank you.” He put his hand on Logan’s arm, surprisingly warm for a human, and it seeped into him, that spot suddenly oversensitive. “I don’t know how you persuaded—” he waved his other hand in the air “—whoever you did, but thank you.”
“There’s a legitimate reason for them to go. And now they know about me, it’d be better for everyone involved if you can get them to agree.” Pushing them into it wasn’t his style, but he didn’t usually have this many people to worry about. The risk was greater, and Logan was starting to get a bad feeling about it.
Bit too fucking late now.
Shrugging off the uneasiness creeping under his skin, Logan put his hand over Cole’s, the contact reassuring in a way he didn’t want to acknowledge. “I’ll see you Thursday, if not before.” As he met Cole’s eyes, the tension in the air thickened, the rest of the house falling away until it was just the two of them standing there. Far too close.
Logan licked his lips and swallowed, mouth suddenly dry. Cole’s gaze dipped, following the movement, and the faintest hint of arousal teased Logan’s senses as he breathed in.
Fuck.
That was the last thing they needed.
“Bye,” he muttered quickly and opened the door, shutting it behind him before he was tempted to go back.
The cool evening air did little to dampen the heat coursing through him, Cole’s scent clinging to him as he walked. Closing his eyes for a moment, Logan breathed it in, imagining for a moment that Cole was his. A wave of possessiveness flowed through him, dangerous and ill-advised, but his wolf liked it. Logan liked it. Way, way too much.
His feelings for someone had never been so in tune with that of his wolf.
Instinct and desire working in harmony for once. The possibilities were so appealing Logan almost turned around.
But if everything went to plan, Cole would be gone from his life soon.
And they’d never see each other again.
