“Cole,” he tried again when Cole didn’t answer.
“Shit, sorry.” He yawned and rubbed a hand over his eyes. “I’m knackered.”
Of course he was. Even Logan was starting to feel the lack of sleep, and he didn’t need as much of it to function as Cole did. Looking around for something to sleep on, he spotted a mattress shoved near the wall of the cavern. A sleeping bag lay on top of it, not that Logan would fancy using it. “Hey,” he said, nudging Cole’s shoulder and pointing at the mattress. “Go and lie down for a bit.”
Cole eyed it, wrinkling his nose a bit, but with no other options available, he slowly walked over and lowered himself onto it. Wrapping his arms around himself, he shivered, then looked up at Logan.
Logan saw it in his eyes and knew what Cole wanted. His heart raced, anticipation rushing through him, but he needed Cole to ask for it.
“It’s cold down here.” Cole rubbed his arms, still shivering.
“It is,” Logan replied, not really feeling the chill thanks to his shifter DNA. “Your fever won’t be helping either.”
Cole bit his lip, and Logan wanted to gently tug it free and kiss him. “Can you um... do your thing?”
“My thing?”
“Yeah... your wolf thing.” He then patted the spot next to him.
Logan grinned. “You want me to shift into my wolf and keep you warm?”
“Please.” Cole lay down, leaving space behind him, and Logan almost tripped over in an effort to get his clothes off. He didn’t even stop to appreciate the way Cole watched him undress, eyes tracking his every move. Once naked, as much as Logan was tempted to curl around Cole as he was, to feel him against his skin, Cole needed warmth, and Logan’s wolf was far warmer than his human form.
Shifting so close to the full moon came easier than usual, but the sharp flash of pain remained. Logan took a moment to adjust to his new perspective and also to breathe in Cole’s scent, so much stronger now. Another shiver rippled through Cole, snapping Logan into action.
Settling behind Cole, the length of him snug to Cole’s back, Logan closed his eyes, but not for sleep. On high alert for anyone approaching the caverns—hopefully only Max’s husband—he lay there listening, the soft breaths of Cole and Max a soothing accompaniment.
LOGAN TENSED, senses straining at the sound of people at the entrance to the rum store.
Fuck.
They’d paused there, voices too low for Logan to make out words. He doubted it was Max’s husband.
Shifting back into human form, he quietly woke Cole and then Max.
Pulling on his joggers, Logan shot a glance at Max, who looked as worried as he felt. The voices faded as the newcomers moved to the back of the rums store. “Would your husband bring anyone here?” he asked, in barely more than a whisper.
She shook her head and walked over to stand beside him. “They didn’t find this place by accident. With all the rain, they’ll be no trace of us up by the entrance. If they’re in here, it’s because they know about us.”
They were going to come down here. Logan felt it. And there were too many of them for him and Max to deal with on their own.
He took a quick glance around the cave. Nothing jumped out as a good hiding place, and with the stairs their only way out, they were trapped. He should’ve objected from the start, should’ve stayed near the surface. Now they had no chance of escape.
“We don’t have long before they come down here. Is there anywhere down here you and Cole can hide?” he asked, looking at Max.
“What about you?” Cole glared at him. “They’ll kill you.”
“Maybe, maybe not. But if they know I helped you, my life is over anyway. I can’t go with you, and I can’t go back. At least this way they get to take a prize back to McKillan and you get to escape.”
“I could help you fight them,” Max said, but her voice trembled. “We might win.”
“You could, and we might. But if they’re Paul’s men, then they’ve been trained for this. And while I’ve no doubt you could put up a great fight, I would never ask you to risk your life for me. Not when you have so much more to lose.” They wouldn’t go easier on her because she was pregnant. As far as they were concerned, she’d be a traitor, just like Logan. “Please,” he whispered, moving closer to Cole and cupping his jaw. “Do this for me.”
The fight drained out of Cole and he sighed, nodding in resignation.
Turning back to Max, he repeated his question. “Is there anywhere they won’t think to look? And have you got anything to mask your scents with?” It was a fucking long shot, but to his surprise, Max nodded.
“We set up something in case of emergency.”
