Page 123 of Poet & Protector

That didn’t answer the ‘where’ question, but it did explain why there were two Banes giving me orders. It also quashed the hope I’d been holding onto that Logan wouldn’t interfere with my life again before the union. He hadn’t approached me since our conversation in the commons, and I thought my threat to get Efron involved might have given him pause or he’d been caught up in Keeper business that took precedence over any interest he had in pursuing me further. The latter felt like a strong possibility given how weird last week was.

Our pack had missed school Tuesday with orders from Logan to do an additional patrol around Haldis and check out the cave itself—something that had never been asked of us. The whole day felt off. Calla was especially tense, either because it was the first assignment our new pack was taking on or that Ren calling the shots irritated the hell out of her. Bryn and Fey were constantly snapping at each other, both pissed about what went down at the Burnout. Nev and I were being civil, even friendly, with Dax because we’d decided it was best for the pack. Dax was doing the same. But none of us could forget what he’d said to me, and it was obvious we were all pretending.

Whatever the main cause was, our first mission as a pack had been stressful, especially after finding out that in all the years we’d been patrolling the mountain, Logan had a giant spider tucked away in Haldis cavern. A giant fucking spider. I didn’t care that it had some important purpose in guarding the cave, I was thrilled it was dead. Because…ugh. I would have had a really hard time concentrating during future patrols, knowing it was lurking in the shadows.

Logan told Ren and Calla it didn’t ever come out, but I wasn’t interested in betting my life on that claim. Fortunately, some lone wolf had killed it; impressive, because Ansel said the thing was nasty and terrifying and he couldn’t imagine a single wolf taking it down.

Losing the creature had to be a big deal to the Keepers, and especially Logan. If they’d gone to the trouble of posting a monster inside the cave, there was good reason for it. Unfortunately, the death of Logan’s mutant pet wasn’t enough of a problem to keep his attention off me, because now I was following a glowering Bane to a dark SUV parked nearby.

“Can I ride shotgun or do I need to sit in the back?” I asked.

He spared me an amused glance. “I don’t give a shit, kid. I just drive who I’m supposed to, where I’m supposed to.”

As I climbed in the front passenger seat, my phone buzzed. I buckled in and checked the screen. It was Ansel starting our normal thread of messages. I stared at the phone, wondering if I should tell him what was happening. Or if I should let Nev know.

Shaking my head, I shoved my phone in my pocket. I didn’t really have anything to tell them yet. I had no idea where I was going or what Logan wanted. At least, I was going to keep telling myself I didn’t know what Logan wanted until I could no longer deny it.

We drove away from the school and into Vail, heading in the opposite direction of the Nightshade compound. When we passed through downtown without stopping, I relaxed slightly. I knew Efron kept apartments in several buildings around the city, including Eden. I had no desire to go back to Eden.

The Bane took us out of town and onto a private switchback that wound steeply up the mountainside. When we reached a massive gate, he idled the engine and punched in a code. The steel barrier slowly opened and we drove forward, following a narrow road through a dense wall of pine trees and aspens. The trees suddenly cleared, like stage curtains drawing back, and a massive building came into view. All cedar and glass, it resembled a modern ski lodge, but I knew exactly where we were.

This was Efron Bane’s house. As in, his actual home, which also made it Logan’s home—a place I never thought I’d see. I did not want to be here.

The Bane driver parked and looked at me expectantly. When I didn’t move, he sighed.

“This is where you get out. I’m not walking you to the door.”

I didn’t want to get out. I wanted him to take me home.

He seemed to grasp that, because he leaned over and unbuckled my seat belt before giving my shoulder a light shove.

“Go.”

Damn it.

I reluctantly climbed out of the SUV. As I walked toward the house, the car drove away. I wondered if I could shift into wolf form, chase the car, and sneak out of the gate. That probably wouldn’t land well with Logan.

All I could do was get this over with, whatever it turned out to be. I tried not to imagine worst case scenarios. It was hard. There were many of them.

When I reached the front door, I wondered what I was supposed to do. Knock? Was there a doorbell? I didn’t see one.

There must have been a camera or some other kind of alert system, because before I could do anything, the door swung open. An elder Bane female dressed in an executive assistant-style dark suit jacket, blouse, and skirt smiled at me.

“Hello, Mason.” She gestured for me to enter. “My name is Louise. Young Master Bane is expecting you. If you’d be so kind as to follow me.”

Young Master Bane? Yeah, I was never going to survive this. Fuck my life.

The first floor of the house was a sprawling open-plan living and dining area dotted with sculptures appearing at random between the furnishings and paintings adorning the walls, all of which were no doubt priceless. We passed through the giant space to reach a staircase at the other end of the building.

I followed Louise up two flights and down a long hallway, which ended at a set of double doors. Unlike the dark spaces crowded with velvet and silk furnishings in super-saturated jewel tones at Eden, this house was airy and light-filled, featuring natural wood, sleek stone, and bright whites. I might have appreciated it if my entire body wasn’t chattering with nerves.

Louise knocked on the door.

“It’s open, Louise.” Logan’s voice came from inside.

Damn.

This was really happening. I was in Logan’s house and about to be led into his room.