A Council of Betrayal (29 page)

The shifters parted to reveal Nathaniel, his
hands bound together in front of him. Bear reached and fisted the
back of Nathaniel’s shirt, yanking him down. He landed hard on the
pavement, his head bouncing.

I stepped between his legs, applying enough
pressure to get his attention.

“What are you hiding?”

He hissed, “Do what you will to me. The pain
you are delivering is nothing compared to what he is doing to
Logan. Since you left your
mate
, he’s been tortured for the
last seven hours. You are a pathetic choice for a partner.”

I pressed my foot to the ground.

“Who is torturing him?” And bitch I just
killed your partner without you so much as making an appearance. I
dropped my walls and in my own ears it sounded loud, crashing
around me.

Zachariah
.

I shook my head from the effort to delve into
his mind, building my walls back up rapidly, willing Logan to hang
on.

“There’s a master vampire here also,” I
croaked out, leaning on Jerry again. Dammit, I straightened up.

Nathaniel’s eyes widened, and I leaned down,
releasing my foot. “I’ll make good on my promise. They will eat you
alive.”

I drew back from the piece of shit, forcing
my spine straight. “You ready?” I asked Bear.

He smiled, nodding.

“Lead the first charge, I’ll be right behind
you.” I wasn’t admitting I was too weak to lead to this bitch.

Bear leaned closer, resting his forehead
against my own.
Wait until it’s safe, Mate. We need you.

I smiled, relieved. “Always. Thank you.” I
checked my shields, finding massive holes from my exhausted
state.

Mark hauled up Nathaniel. “I’ll stay with
you.”

I nodded. Bear led the shifters into the
darkness. If Zachariah was paying attention, he’d hear us. I hoped
he wasn’t. Caleb reached out, resting his hands against my biceps,
leaning his forehead against my own.

“Stay safe, Mate,” he whispered. It was a
high sign of respect and I was honored.

“You as well.”

I watched my pack disappear into the shadows.
I wanted to lead the charge, I wanted my mate back. I needed Logan
on a fundamental level.

I loved the motherfucker. Dammit all.

“They’re gone, Olie, come sit down.” Jerry
helped me to the back of the SUV and I sat down heavily.

An explosion ripped through the air. I was up
instantly, searching the building, running golden threads through
my mind.

“Easy, Olie, Bear planned it.”

I nodded, still watching. Still needing to be
sure my pack was okay.

“Can you hear what’s happening?” I asked
Mark.

“Bear has shifted.” He chuckled, “He
apparently thinks he can take everyone out himself.”

…

After fifteen minutes I followed Mark in,
Nathaniel in front of him and Jerry behind me.

Bear had shifted back, a long bloody streak
on his stomach healing as I watched.

“Where is he?” I asked, needing him.

Bear braced his hands on my shoulders.
“Olivia.” The word was loaded with hesitation and worry.

“I don’t care how bad it is, Bear. He. Is.
Mine.”

Bear searched my face before nodding. “Follow
me.”

“Zachariah?” I asked.

“Gone. We never saw him.”

Dammit. I needed proof he was here.

The warehouse was dark. The humans were
contained. I moved behind Bear to the room where Logan was being
held.

Mark backed slowly out of the room, his fear
rank.

“You can’t go in there,” he whispered,
turning wide eyes to me.

Chains rattled and pulled. A desperate howl
erupted.

Resting a hand on his shoulder, I smiled.
“Keep everyone out until I say.”

He wanted to deny me, the fear evident in his
gaze, but I was bound to the Alpha and Mark would obey me. That
would take some getting used to.

As I crossed the threshold, the scent of
urine and dead things assaulted my nose. Steeling my nerves, I
waited for my eyes to adjust. In a dark corner where the light in
the center didn’t penetrate was Logan. I didn’t need to see him. I
could feel him just fine, pressing against the shields in my
head.

Exhaling, I focused, dropping my guards. The
pain was dimmed but ever-present. Zachariah hadn’t had long with
Logan, but it had been enough.

“Here, Kitty Kitty,” I called him. Probably
not my best idea to taunt him, but it was my favorite nickname and
it made light of a situation that was kinda scary. Seriously, I’ll
never admit that. I kept my steps even as I passed through the
shadows and to Logan.

He launched from the darkness, his chains
pulling taut and jaws snapping. Still I moved forward. He
re-grouped within the small space, turning as best he could in his
lion form and bounding at me again.

His heavy paws landed on my shoulders and we
went down to the concrete with a thud.

“Missed you, too,” I grunted, fisting his fur
to touch the skin beneath.

He roared, fangs extended. Dropping his head
with force, he sank them into the skin of my neck.

“Fucking hell! You already marked me,” I
hissed at him, my stomach muscles contracting. Pulling my head
closer to him, I stayed there, blowing out a ragged breath.

“Easy baby, I’m here,” I whispered.

I wasn’t gentle, assaulting him with safety
and tranquility. The shifters were picking up his anger and
discontent from afar through the pack bonds. It wouldn’t be long
before the weaker ones succumbed to pure beast.

I envisioned our first kiss, well, the first
kiss I remember. His soft hands cradling my face, his long, strong
body pressed against me. Warm lips slowly caressing my own before
his tongue demanded entrance into my mouth. I let the feelings of
peace and safety he inspired in me coat his body. The joy I felt at
being included in his family gatherings.

The gratitude I felt when he helped me take
care of Patricia Bellarosa. The comfort of his steadfast support
when the sex tape was leaked. Everything I poured into him, and the
tears showed up on their own, trickling down my face.

“Come back to me,” I whispered. “I need
you.”

I had never uttered truer words. We might
have been thrown together in this situation without full control,
and without my consenting to be his mate, but I was in it now for
better or worse.

The fangs in my shoulder pulled back and I
felt the warm blood flowing. The popping of bones followed the
brush of magic as furry Logan turned into human Logan.

“I’m here,” came the faint reply, his voice
rough as he leaned his forehead against my own.

“Horrible things,” he whispered to me. I felt
his shift of emotions flowing through the rest of the pack. I could
see how each member related to him, was bound to him, and how they
shared his pain.

My mind knew what to do. Before I realized
what was happening, blocks were being installed around Logan’s
memories. Only a trickle of emotion was going to leak, enough to
assure everyone he was alive but not enough to influence them.

I felt the collective sigh when I was
done.

“Look at me,” Logan demanded

“I have something in my eyes,” I muttered,
opening them so he could see the tears. “I’m so sorry it took me so
long to find you,” I whispered.

He shook his head back up. “How did you find
me?”

“The mate bond.” Well, kinda. That was the
romantic answer, anyways.

“I never taught you how to use it.”

“Good thing I didn’t wait for you to. I had
to block you for a bit, but it all worked out.”

Logan moved off of me and I stood, careful of
my new neck wound.

“Mark, you can unlock the cuffs and bring in
the bitch.”

Mark and Bear marched Nathaniel in, careful
not to meet Logan’s gaze.

“Meet the traitor,” I told him. Well, the
traitor I left alive.

“Bitch, you do not belong with us, we are
stronger without your kind—“ He would have continued, but I stepped
up and punched him across his jaw, breaking it.

“I hope you’ve enjoyed your last few minutes
alive.” I turned to Logan. “I wanted to kill him or at least maim
him, but I think that honor belongs to you.”

His eyes glowing, he waited for Mark to
finish with the last restraint before he pounced. I would like to
say he prolonged Nathaniel’s misery, but the kill was quick. The
mutilation took a while.

“I have more,” I announced when Logan
finished. He was breathing heavily, blood staining his face and
naked body. I reached out to cup his cheek with a smile, so
grateful to have him back. He pressed into my touch, drawing me
near.

“Follow me,” Mark beckoned, moving in front
of us, but not before throwing Logan a pair of sweats.

I nodded to another shifter who was placing
C4 around the place to blow it sky high.

“Bombs?” Logan asked.

“Our official story is a group of fanatic
shifters blew themselves up in protest to the new Alpha Queen
because if I’m here, they didn’t want to be.”

We rounded the corner and I watched his face
light up at the humans bound in rope. “It feels like cheating,” he
whispered.

“It’s not, but I can free one if you want. I
need their limbs to stay attached, but do what you want to the
flesh.”

Logan wanted to go but stayed close, touching
me.

“I’m not going anywhere,” I assured him.

He shook his head, looking down at me. “I
want to be here with you.”

I smiled, nodding. We moved outside, leaving
and trusting the others to handle the bombs and humans.

I turned to Logan when I couldn’t wait any
longer. “Was it Zachariah?” I asked, needing confirmation.

Logan shook his head, his eyes clouding over.
“I don’t know. I never saw his face.”

“Smell?”

“Wolfsbane.”

“He covered his bases.”

Logan put a thick arm around my
shoulders.

“Let’s go home.”

I
stood at our window holding Ginny, swaying as I cooed to her. Logan
was taking his time in the shower. We hadn’t talked much on the
short ride home. His shields were in place while mine had been
dropped.

He hadn’t been a captive long, but it was
enough for damage to be done. I knew all about damage. I just hoped
he trusted me enough to help him.

The irony wasn’t lost on me. I needed to
trust him enough with the broken pieces of my own soul.

I heard the door open and I eased Ginny down
into her crib.

“Your mate bond is open,” Logan commented,
his sweat pants low on his hips.

“Yes, yours is closed to me.”

He paused in shuffling though his clothing.
“I know.”

I moved to him, wrapping my arms around his
expansive waist from behind. “I’m here, Logan. Whatever you
need.”

He turned, wrapping his arms around me.

“I love you, Olie.”

I nuzzled into his warm chest. “I love you,
too.”

He pushed back, looking down at me, shocked.
“What?”

I socked his shoulder. “You heard me.”

With that I turned and headed for the shower,
a shit-eating grin plastered onto my face.

When I got out, Logan was feeding Ginny,
propped up in bed. I slipped in next to him, running a hand over
her soft cheek.

“She’s so perfect,” I whispered.

Logan kissed my forehead. “You ready to be a
mom?”

I looked up at him. “I’m not her mom, Logan.
I’m her protector, her confidant, and her friend. I think we should
give Lorraine supervised visitations.”

“She signed the paperwork releasing all
maternal rights.”

“I know, but Ginny needs to know her story.
She needs to know the truth.”

“Nothing good can come from Lorraine being in
Ginny’s life.”

I reached out to run my fingers over his
stubbly cheek. “Okay, whatever you think is best.”

He nodded, looking down to check on Ginny. “I
found a house I want you to look at.”

I nodded. “Sure, do you want to go
today?”

He shifted uncertainly. He needed to sleep,
but I knew it would be a long time coming.

“Yeah, I’ll call the realtor.”

…

I looked at the circle driveway and mansion
behind it. Turning, I looked at Logan, who was leaning against the
SUV with a knowing smile on his face.

I crossed my arms over my chest, kicking a
hip out.

“Really?”

Logan smiled, and happiness tickled our
link.

“Who is living with us?” I asked, waving at
the monstrosity behind me.

He shrugged, turning his gaze to me. “The
Compass Alphas will be here four times a year along with their
betas. My parents, I’m certain, will visit unless they purchase
their own home.” He stepped toward me and I took a step closer to
him. “The children will need a home as well.”

“What?” I gasped, my heart constricting
painfully.

His knuckles brushed away a tear I hadn’t
given permission to fall. “Let Grams have it, all of it. We will
rebuild the funds of the Council. We will build another Kitten, or
a Lovely Lust, or hell a combination of the two.” Another fucking
tear boycotted my authority. “I know this situation wasn’t planned,
but I don’t regret any of it. Build a life with me, Olie.”

I drew a tear-punctuated breath and punched
him in the arm, smiling. Alright, fate, you might have won this
one. “You are the best, Logan.”

He didn’t even rub his arm, just kept on
smiling.

“Oh, and Darren asked me to tell you that
Kass owns Halfling. The human and Supernatural mixer club.”

“She WHAT?”

Logan laughed, “Yeah there was some debate on
how to tell you, but I don’t want there to be any secrets between
us.” He took my hands, his warm palms caressing my skin.

“I’m not sure I can give up everything to
Grams. My ego is having a problem with it.”

Logan nodded, his arm going around my
shoulder. “Easy, turbo, your second mate mark is still
healing.”