“What harm is it letting the detective know?” The concern in Felix’s blue eyes sends shame through me.
“You know why,” I sigh heavily. I shrug one shoulder, hoping it looks more casual than it feels. “Nothing good comes from involving them.”
Kai steps forward, his face softening. “I get that, but–”
I hold up my palm, stopping him, and shake my head before turning and storming for the back.
“Told you she’d be pissed,” Felix says.
“Just clean it up,” I call over my shoulder. Guilt slithers through me at my harshness, and I stop, looking over my shoulder. “Please.”
Kai nods. “No problem.”
I make my way inside. “I can’t believe some asshole would kill an innocent cat,” I mumble under my breath.
When I heard the car approaching, Logan was the last person I was expecting to see. When he stepped from the car, I couldn’t breathe, he was so handsome. His navy-blue suit oozed power and masculinity.I couldn’t drag my eyes from him. His broad shoulders, pale blue eyes, and the scars, draw me in like a moth to a flame. The whole look makes him seem like a real-life superhero. As my eyes darted down to the police badge clipped to his trim waist, the gun strapped there, I couldn’t help but wonder if he was.
I want to get to know him, and I know it’s a bad idea. He’s not only a human, but a cop. I’m not sure if this pull to him is a mating bond, but . . .
I could kill Kai for calling him. I know he wants me to be happy, and he will try and push to see if Logan really is my mate, but the haunted look in his eyes scared me. I don’t think he’s ready to hear what I have to say.
Ghost winds between my legs glancing up at me. ‘Meow . . . ’
I reach down and pick up the cat. It’s weird that Logan is the only other person to see Ghost and be able to touch him. I wonder if it’s that Ghost is only visible to those she trusts, or if Logan has some sort of second sight. Being able to see beyond the veil is rare, and I’m a hundred percent sure he'd know if he had that gift. There’s so much about him I’m curious to know. He seems extremely distant and cut off from others. The few times I’ve seen him, he has barely pulled together a full sentence.
Chapter Eleven
Salena
Onceamonth,thepack all gets together out at Kai’s house, which is further out of town on a large property. I’ve always enjoyed the drive out here. The view is breathtaking and is made even better by the crisp mountain air blowing through the windows. It’s where the mountains meet the woods. I’ve been thinking of buying something like this for myself. I can't help but smile at the idea of a peaceful retreat surrounded by nature, and the possibility of owning horses. Living upstairs from my bar is convenient, but the noise and traffic from the street below are constant. I crave a place where I can be alone and won’t be disturbed by noise or chatter. I blame spending so much time at the bar for that. The last couple of years I’ve been dragging my feet when it comes to buying a property. Mostly because I’ve been waiting for my mate. But now that I’ve found him, and know nothing can come of it, maybe I should start looking into it.
I push the thought of Logan from my mind and walk up the steps of my brother’s beautiful farmhouse. As soon as I pull open the door and step inside, I can hear everyone’s voices out on the deck and make my way through the house. A picture of my parents on the wall catches my attention, and a pang hits my chest. It’s been five years since they died, and we still aren’t sure what happened. One day they just didn’t wake up. At least they went together. They were so in love. Most mates are, but I’m talkingreallove. The kind of love I hope to have one day. Releasing a long, drawn-out sigh, I turn away from the picture and continue on toward the deck. My heart is full, and my mood instantly picks up at seeing my pack gathered.
“Salena, you’re here.” Lola grins, skipping over to me and linking her arm in mine. Lola’s the youngest of our pack at sixteen. Her short pixie cut is the color pink today, and her hazel eyes shine with happiness. She is exactly what one would expect of a teenage girl, bright and overly bubbly, I adore her. Her parents passed away in a freak accident when she was ten and she now lives with Grady and his wife, Lucy. The oldest pack members and good friends of my parents.
“I’m here,” I reply, bumping shoulders with her. “What’s the hot goss?”
Lola leans into me and whispers, “Kai hooked up with Naomi.”
I tip my head back and groan. “Seriously?”
Naomi has been after my brother since high school. She’s always hanging around trying to get in with him. Now it’s going to be even worse. Plus, she’s human, so that makes it even more difficult.When I step up to the grill to give Felix a hug, I spot someone standing off to the side. My body locks up and nerves fill my stomach as Logan’s distinctive blue eyes take me in.I stand there speechless until Logan closes the distance between us. Blinking once, I crane my neck to peer up at him. My stomach erupts in a flurry of tremors.
God, those eyes are so alluring.
My toes curl in my boots as excitement and trepidation send my pulse racing.Logan stops just out of arm's reach, looking all sorts of sexy. This is the first time I’ve seen him out of his suit. The jeans and plain t-shirt look good on him, really good.
“Your brother invited me.” His voice, so low and rough and charged, has my mouth going dry.
I blink, trying to find my voice as I stare up at him. “Cool.”
Cool?Cool?God, what am I? Like, fifteen?!
Logan stares down at me, his face stern, as if he were searching for something. I bite my lip to stop the smile that wants to appear, and his gaze falls to my mouth. A muscle ticks in his jaw, and he looks toward the yard. Seems he isn’t as unaffected by my presence as he’d like me to think.
I sense my brothers’ stares and roll my eyes in mock annoyance. ‘A heads up would have been nice, you turds,’I say down my link with Kai and Felix.
Both my brothers laugh from their spot off to the side. Rose and Lucy make their way over to us, and I make introductions. Though, Logan already met Rose, and I’m surprised he actually remembers. Lucy’s like a mother figure to the group, her warmth and kindness make her easily approachable. When my parents died, she was there to help us. She and Grady's support was invaluable, and without them, the outcome would have been much different. Lucy’s long auburn hair sparkles in the sunlight, and her complexion has a few creases from wisdom earned with age.
