Havoc

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Twelve

Shifters’ Den, Logan’s Office

Logan

A loud explosion shook the room. I winced in pain, silently apologizing to my eardrums. I spun around in my chair and glared at the two little heads sitting on the lounge couch. I squinted my eyes as the room shook with another explosion.

“I thought, I said to lower the volume?” I yelled above the action movie.

The two heads turned around, their eyes open widen in mock innocence. I casually shook my head in disbelief. No way were these little girls ever going to be innocent. Tracee hopped off the couch and raced over to the flat screen TV. Her fingers repeatedly jabbed the volume button. Her eyes though stared at me, waiting for the signal of approval. However, the other creature on the couch ran over to my desk.

With practiced skilled, Lilac crawled up my chair and placed herself in my lap. She leaned back and patted my hand. She twisted around in her seat and stared at me with her velvety black eyes. “We are very sorry, dinosaur. And we apologese.”

I was pathetic. I was putty in the hands of two tiny girls. So much for being an Alpha, my strong-will crumbled, softening my rebuttal. “Just listen better next time, okay pumpkin?”

Lilac’s head was already nodding, her eyes sparkling with mischief. I allowed the chair to recline and Lilac to snuggle into my chest. “Lilac—”

“Shhhh! Dinosaur, the turtle is about to say my favorite line!” Lilac turned around and focused on the movie. Mutant Teenage Ninja Turtles was currently playing on the flat screen I use to call presidents and other important government officials. Again, I was pathetic. Lilac’s soft voice followed the movie word for word.

“COWABUNGA!” Lilac shouted, punching her fist into the air. Her voice teetered off into tiny giggles. Tracee, who resituated herself on the couch, joined in with Lilac. A small chuckle escaped my lips without permission. I realized it had been awhile since I last laughed. That thought was sobering. Who am I to be laughing while there were other more pressing jobs to be completed?

My fingers curled around Lilac’s impossible narrow ribcage. With the intention to resume work, I began to lift her up when the telephone rang. I eased Lilac back onto my lap, my arm slipping around her waist, securing her as I leaned forward. I brought the telephone to my ear with a soft drawl.

“Hello, this is Director Logan Thomas of Shifters’ Den. How can I be of help today?”

“Hi, this is Agent Rochele Cage with the Missing Person Department of Colorado. I’m investigating a missing person report and I was wondering if you had time for some questions?”

Instantaneously, the good humor melted from me. The happy-go-luck swirling around the room evaporated, its fingers withdrawing the warmth from the room. I cleared my throat and allowed myself to slip into Alpha-mode. I paged Susie into the room, as I carefully talked to Agent Cage. Susie entered silently and crossed over to my desk. I wrote on a post-it note the agent’s name and asked her to verify the identity. I also scribbled a note to get me information on the agent. Susie snatched the note and scurried out of the room.

“Well, Agent Cage, I always have a spare moment to help out on-going cases. I am not really sure how I can be of help, but I’ll try my best.” I said smoothly, honing in my hearing into the noises behind her. For some reason, I couldn’t hear anything besides the even breathing of the agent. A soft crackling noise could be heard under her voice, but nothing else. The hair on the back of my neck rose, I didn’t like this one bit.

“Actually, Director Logan Thomas—or can I just call you Logan?” The agent’s voice held a barely contain scorn and the soft whisper of hate. Was she an anti-shifter? I wondered.