The Monsters We Hide

Chapter 25

       I've been training with Xavier and Braxton nonstop for the past two weeks. Paisley said that our troubles were getting closer and closer by the day. Xavier and I had grown closer in that time and understood each other better. Him and Braxton both said that I've come much farther then they would have thought in such a short amount of time. 

       Logan and I have been together, but it was like there was this invisible wall between us now. We hadn't really touched each other since we arrived, other than the casual squeeze of the hand or peck on the lips. It was tense because I could feel my secret weighing down on me. 

       I haven't told him about what Paisley said to me in the office that day. If I told Logan that I knew for a fact that I wouldn't survive this, he would immediately take me home and leave this pack to fend for themselves. He was possessive like that.

       I couldn't tell him. This pack was like my second family too. I also couldn't take the risk. Whatever was threatening this pack could easily move to other packs, so me dying instead of possible hundreds of innocents was a risk I was willing to take.

        We were all seated at the dining room table now, making easy conversation and occasionally teasing each other. I sat between Xavier and Logan, across from Lukas. Paisley spoke up from where she sat next to my mother on the other side of the table, directing her words towards me.

        "So Shyanne. Are you ready for this? This is a big moment and it will also be your last-" I cut her off before she could go any further and reveal anything.

       "No. I'm not ready for this. I don't think I ever could be, but I have to be don't I? Anyways, I will be just fine and so will will everyone at this table." I sent Paisley a warning glance and she dipped her head and looked away.

        "Excuse me," Paisley said, standing up. "I need to go to bed. I'm feeling a bit tired." Everyone said various farewells and Logan looked at me with a wary, curious expression. The way his icy eyes fixed mine made me feel like he could see through me and my composed façade. It made me squirm in my seat and I averted my gaze elsewhere. 

        I tried to tune in to the other conversations to distract myself, but I could feel Logan's eyes burning a hole in the side of my head and since I didn't look at him again, I couldn't decipher his train of thoughts.

       

             ~~~~~~~~~~

        We were in the bedroom and I had just changed into a pair of shorts and a loose tank top, and now I was brushing out my hair. I had excused myself from the table after about ten more minutes, acutely aware that Logan's gaze followed me all the way out. As if I had summoned him with that thought, he stepped into the room, his eyes never leaving mine.

        "What's going on Shyanne and I don't want to hear any bullshit this time," he said. He was quite blunt about it but I brushed it off. I set my hair brush on the dresser and quickly brushed my teeth. 

        "Nothing is wrong Logan. Everything's fine," I lied and I set my toothbrush in the holder. He caught on to it and then pinned me against the wall within a second. He had trapped me, his arms pressed against the wall on either side of me, pressing me flush against him. He stared down at me, his eyes burning with their usual intensity.

        I sucked in a sharp breath as he bent his face closer to mine, not quite touching my lips, but breathing his cool air on them, teasing me.  

        "Shyanne," he whispered, still torturing me with the miniscule distance between us. "You can tell me what it is. You don't have to lie. We're partners, remember. People get those so that they can lean on them in their time of need. Please just tell me what's wrong love." 

        There he went again. Seducing me with his sweet side. I almost, almost, gave in to it. I took a deep breath and locked my jaw, looking him straight in the eye instead of marveling at his full, sensual lips. I quickly ducked under his arm and walked to the bed.

        "Nothing is wrong Logan. You don't have to keep pestering me about it. I'm fine." God it felt like I've said this a million times already. I pulled the covers back, getting ready to lay down, but he wrapped his arm around me from behind, pulling me against him once more.

        "Shyanne, you might be able to fool everyone else, but not me. I'm your mate, I know what you're feeling, remember? Like when you say you're fine, your heartbeat spikes, a sign of dishonesty. Whatever it is baby, we can work it out okay?" 

      I knew that he was trying to be open and easy about this, but I couldn't tell him. It wasn't until he started trailing soft kisses from my shoulder to my neck that I realized how much I felt deprived of his soft touches and caresses. I had to push that need away for now though. 

       "Logan," I began softly, but sternly. "Please just stop asking me. I'm okay. Really." He stopped and let out an exasperated sigh and I could feel his frustration flare. 

        "I know something's wrong," he said, stepping back as I turned to face him. "I wish you would just tell me so we could figure it out then we could-" I don't know what came over me, but I suddenly exploded.

       "Dammit Logan, I said I'm fucking fine! I don't need you hounding me about it every free shot you get okay? Yeah, something's wrong, but if I wanted to tell you then you would already know so just leave me the fuck alone about it!" 

       He looked shocked at my sudden outburst, and to be honest, I was surprised too. I could feel myself trembling with clenched fists, getting angry that he didn't understand. Then I realized that the room was trembling with me. I instantly stopped moving and the shaking only grew harder. Things started shaking violently now, knocking things from the shelves and dressers. 

        I jerked my head up, sharing a panicked glance with Logan. We heard yelling downstairs and we immediately rushed out of the door to pound down the stairs. 

        We got down to the living room to see Hunter lying unconscious on the floor, a gash on his forehead causing blood to flow freely down his face. The shaking built up and Logan gathered me in his arms to hold me up against the wall. The shaking stopped abruptly. 

        Genevieve rushed over to her mate and pressed her hand against his forehead, trying to stop the blood flow. "What the hell was that," Xavier wondered aloud. We heard crashing from the hallway and a second later, Paisley rushed in, her eyes wild and darting around everywhere. 

       "It's time," she said, seemingly out of breath. We all shared anxious glances around the room, wondering what was waiting for us beyond this point.

             ~~~~~~~~~~

        After Paisley said we had twenty minutes remaining, I bolted upstairs, Logan following behind me. I threw on some better clothes, like a dark tee shirt, jeans, a pair of old, battered converse, and I quickly pulled my hair into a braid. When I was done, I felt more ready. I looked back at Logan and met his glacier eyes.

       The fact that this would probably be the last moment I had alone with him didn't slip my mind. Forgetting our earlier argument, I flung myself into his arms. I smashed my lips against his with a new desperation and fierceness than I had ever used before. I pulled back and planted kisses along his jaw and up his cheeks, coming back full circle to meet his mouth again. 

       I squeezed my eyes shut even tighter, feeling a warm tear slide down my cheek. I wasn't ready to let him go yet. "I love you," I whispered against his lips. His arms held strong and pulled me even tighter against me. 

       This would be our final goodbye but I wasn't sure if he realized it yet. "I love you too. Always," he whispered back. He wiped the tear from my face and kissed the spot where it had been. He took my hand and together, we walked downstairs, hand in hand to face off with the mysterious danger.