The front door is a few steps away.
Freedom.
The thought sends a strange flutter through my chest.I could leave, slip out quietly, and disappear into the forest before Logan even knows I’m gone.
It’s what I should do.Putting distance between myself and the cult is the safest option.
My fingers tighten at my sides as I step toward the door.Another step.
Then—
The front door swings open.
I freeze as three people walk inside: two women and a man.
My heart jumps into my throat, and for a split second, I think they’ve found me, that the cult somehow tracked me here.I step back instinctively.
One of the women immediately raises her hand with a friendly smile.“Hi!”
Then I recognize one of the men—Christian, the doctor.
I lick my dry lips, staring at the woman.She’s about my age, with long brown hair and bright green eyes.
“I’m Roxie,” she says warmly.
“And I’m Quinn.”The other woman waves.“And you already know Christian,” she says, giving the giant man a sweet smile.
“Uh…” My brain struggles to catch up.
Before I summon more words, another figure appears in the doorway behind them.
Logan.
He steps inside, looking… well, grumpy.His dark hair is slightly messy, and his green eyes sweep the room quickly.The second he sees me, his entire face softens.The transformation is so sudden that it steals the breath from my lungs.A slow smile spreads across his face, warm and relieved.My chest tightens at the sight, and my stomach does a weird little swoop.I quickly look away before he notices.
“What’s all this?”I ask awkwardly.
Logan steps further into the room.“They’re here to help.”
“With what?”
He scratches the back of his neck, looking awkward and embarrassed.“Explaining shifters and fated mates.”
Roxie grins.“Since it apparently didn’t go so well when Logan tried.”
Heat floods my cheeks.Images flash through my mind of me screaming, running out the door, and slamming straight into Christian.
“Yeah,” I mutter.“About that…”
Quinn laughs softly.“Don’t worry.We’ve all had our moments.I didn’t take it well either.”
“She hopped out of the hospital room window and tried to run from me,” Christian says, pulling Quinn closer to his side.
Hearing that actually makes me feel a little better.I smile at the image and relax a little as I glance at Logan.He’s watching me carefully, like he’s worried I might bolt again.I hope that he can’t tell that I was about to do just that before they arrived.
If they’d been cult members instead of Logan’s friends, I would’ve been caught immediately.
The thought sends a shiver down my spine, though deep down, I know Logan would’ve protected me.That certainty settles strangely in my chest.It’s confusing and overwhelming having someone look out for me.
