Chapter 4

Danica

Myla stared at Logan. Her eyes were pleading, but Logan’s glare was unforgiving.

“Get your hand off her hair,” Logan said more softly than I expected. He was undoubtedly cautioning himself; he looked too angry to speak softly.

She removed her hand from my hair, and I sighed, massaging my scalp with my fingers. Logan released her hand from the air and stared into her eyes, dead serious. “Don’t bother breaking more sweat on Danica anymore. Worry about your punks. If any of you mess with her again, I swear I’m going to kill you.”

“She broke Tristan’s nose.” Myla quivered, murmuring underneath her scared breath.

“I bet Tristan didn’t tell you what she did. Even if she did tell you, I wonder if you would have seen a fault in it. Don’t you dare hit her again; I’m warning you people.” Logan howled.

Myla only complained about Tristan’s nose; she should wait till she finds out about Ausha.

“Let’s go, dear.” He held my arm. “Oh! It seems you haven’t heard that your son was admitted to the clinic too. I beat him up myself.”

Myla gasped, “What?”

As I and Logan approached the exit door of the clinic, Niel and Joey entered the clinic. They saw my band-aided hand and rough hair.

“What happened to you?” Joey’s eyes widened.

“Get the car ready; we are leaving now. I can’t afford to spend a minute more amid these people.” Logan said, ignoring Joey’s question.

“Pack up our belongings and meet me at the car.” Niel nodded.

“Is she coming with us?” Niel asked.

"Niel, go get the luggage,” Logan demanded, and Niel left, glaring at me. 

“Have you decided what to do?” He asked me. Things were more complicated than they were earlier; I knew it as much as he did. “Ausha would hunt you down whether you become a rogue or stay, but if you come with me, I might be able to protect you.”

“Em...” I had just one option left—to leave with the bloodthirsty Alpha. Damn it. I was so fucked. If I happened to confirm that the rumors were true, my fate as a rogue would surely come true, because I definitely wouldn’t feed him with my blood. I could play along for now.

“I’ll come with you.” 

***

Niel drove us to a restaurant where we ate dinner before hitting the road around eight in the night for a ten-hour journey to the north. The car was dead silent. The two boys didn’t like that we had to travel at night, contrary to their plan, because of me. A ten-hour journey was like a death sentence to me because I had never left the Phoenix Pack before. I have had fantasies of traveling and seeing the world and could have been excited, but the situation was different now. I was willingly stepping into the den of hungry northerners.

I glanced at Logan, who was staring blankly out the window of the car. I didn’t quite understand his intentions. Did he want me and pretend not to? Was he defending me at the Phoenix Pack all for a show? He was all I had left; if something went wrong between us, I'd be completely screwed, a latent omega rogue. Running away from the Phoenix pack and becoming a rogue would have been easier; I’d know only one pack would be after me, but running from the Blood Moon pack, which was ten times more aggressive, would be the death of me.

***

A knock slowly woke me from sleep. The sound of a door opening made me struggle to open my heavy eyelids.

“Danica, time for breakfast.” It was Joey’s voice. The sound of his footsteps approached me, and my sleepy brain jolted awake when I realized I was lying on a bed. The last thing I recalled was being in the car, staring at Logan.

“How did I get here?” I stood up from the bed, looking around the room. My eyes brightened at the sight of the bed; it was huge enough to occupy ten people, and I couldn’t blame my body for feeling refreshed. I haven’t had such sleep in my lifetime. I scanned the cozy room, which stood with a light cream wall and a hulk wardrobe made from brown oak beside the wall, with my eyes to be sure I was safe.

“You slept too deep for a scared person.”

“I’m not.” I straightened myself.

“You’re such a terrible liar. You should see how white your face is right now.” He laughed. “I brought you here when we got to the pack a few hours ago; you were warmly asleep like a baby in my arms. It was cute.”

“What! Are you a pervert?” I frowned, and he gestured to me to follow him, and we left the room, walking through the hallway.

“No, don’t get me wrong. I’m just being nice to Luna. Just so you know, I’m one of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet in the pack.” He looked back at me and smiled.

The hallway was white as snow from the floor to the wall, drawing my attention to the pictures, which must be those of the past leaders of the pack hanging on the wall while Logan, Niel, and Joey’s pictures sat at the center of the pictures. Artworks and paintings accompany the pictures on the wall. 

“Really? Didn’t you and Niel hate me yesterday? He even threatened me.” I ran to keep up with him when I realized I had slacked off while appreciating the artwork.

“I’m not Niel, and I don’t hate you. I’m just worried for your sake.”

“For my sake?”

“You’ll get it later.” He chuckled.

“Why do I have the feeling that you’re warning me?’

He stopped and turned to me. “I like you more for being smart; it’ll help you survive.” He continued walking again.

I stopped a bit, digesting his riddles. Weirdo. We strolled down the stairs and I gasped as we entered the exquisite, huge space they called the dining room. My eyes searched around the long oak dining table for Logan, who wasn’t among the shifters gathered around it.

“Yay! Joey!!” The shifters screamed, jumping onto him.

“Who is she?” A lady with thin red lips asked, gazing at me. She suddenly gasped. “Have you found her? Is she the one?”

“No. She isn’t.” Joey clarified them, looking serious.

“If she’s not your mate, then who is she?” A guy sharing an undeniable resemblance with Joey asked. They must be brothers.

“It’s not in my place to tell you.”

“Did you bring us a slave? I sure need one of those.” A girl with pink hair chuckled. The shifters all burst into laughter. 

Joey pulled a chair for me to sit in, sitting beside me.

“I’m getting curious about who we have here.” The pink-haired girl chuckled again. I felt like poking her in the eye with my fingers.

“Weren’t you supposed to arrive this night? Why the rush? Oh, did you miss us that much?” His lookalike asked.

“For me, nah. I can’t tell about the others.”

“You’re so full of shit. Can you not just pretend you did?” The guy threw popcorn on Joey, and Joey smiled in return. Goddammit, Joey smiled a lot.

“Alpha!” Logan walked into the dining room. They hugged him, and to my surprise, he hugged them back with smiles all over his face. The more I got to know him, the more intrigued I felt. My heart pounded in my chest. I can’t be falling for him; it has to be Shay pulling her strings. The pink-haired girl leaned her ass at the edge of the table the whole time with her legs crossed, licking her lip as she stared at Logan, with whom the pack members were exchanging greetings. The vibe she was giving was screaming for Logan to take her right there. What the fuck?

When the shifters left Logan and returned to their seats, the girl hugged Logan, pressing her body to his.

“I missed you.” She whispered to him. The motherfucker hugged her back too. I glared at them, and my breath heaved heavily. His eyes caught mine.