Logan Chapter 32

-Logan-

Emory comes trudging out of the office in the late afternoon. I glance up at the sky, unable to determine what time it is by the sun due to the skyscrapers in the way, but surely this is late for lunch? I feel like I’ve been pacing in wait for her for hours, but time feels strange when my wolf is so prominent. I feel like I’m slipping further and further into the animal side of me the longer I’m stuck. I have never been on four legs for this long in one go. Most of us shift for evening runs or maybe a long weekend for a vacation at most. We all know staying shifted too long can lead to getting stuck. At that point it takes an alpha commanding you to shift back. Wolves just don’t have the higher reasoning to think through a shift, to visualize being human again. One of the guys could probably help me, if it gets to that point, but they would have to know where I am and what happened. None of us were aware that unfinished mate bonds could lead to this.

I can feel my tail wagging as Emory comes closer. I’m glad to see it bring a little smile to her face. “Hey Logan. I know ladies of your kind can be bitches,” if she only knew, I think “but bosses can be bitches, too. I try not to speak ill of my coworkers because it’s not going to fix anything anyway, but I’m going to have to pull overtime this week just to babysit a damn copy machine. The thing is always broken. On top of that, we’re going to have to pick up some supplies for ourselves after I get out.” If I could only be human, I could get another copy machine for her department. That wouldn’t fix any of our other problems, but neither will having a tail. How do I fix this?

“Now, let me see what I can do as far as getting you a dog walker during the day. You can’t just sit outside the building all day, you’ll probably get snatched for a kill shelter. I wonder if Cora knows anybody? I can’t just let some stranger into my apartment. Though… I guess that’s rich after I apparently let a stranger inside of me. I’ll start with a text to Cora.” Ugh, I can’t keep track of everything wrong with this one-sided conversation. The dig hurt, of course, but no way can I let Emory hire a dog walker for me- let alone one that fucking Cora recommends. I really need to get her to invite Cora over, though, get a read on her. I wish I could just speak English!

All too soon, Emory has to go back into work, and I resume my pacing in a nearby alley to keep from being seen quite as much. I’ve gotten a lot of looks today, but I’m big enough that no one has come up to me, and my coloring is different from what people usually think of for a wolf. If I were James, with his gray coloring in his shifted form, I would have been shipped off to a zoo by now. Anytime I see someone looking too intently between me and their phones, though, I find a new spot to wait. It’s not a perfect solution, and Emory has a point that I can’t just hang around here. I just need to get out of my wolf form fast.

When Emory finally leaves the office for the day, she walks us both to the nearest pet store. I’ve been dreading this. It is technically illegal to have a dog off leash on the streets here, and my little rule follower is already freaking out about having me with her in her apartment. I’ll just have to add this to the list of indignities that Landon can never ever hear about. Ollie and Deek would absolutely eviscerate me as well. But it’ll make her feel better, and if my wolf and I agree about anything right now, it’s that Emory’s happiness is the goal. I can at least let her know the ones I hate- anything that I can tell is a bright color, anything with spikes or sparkles or chains- and we end up with what seems like a black harness that goes on like a vest and hooks to a leash at my back. It’s more effort, but it somehow feels more dignified than a collar. The bonus is that Emory has to get up close and on my current level to help me get it on over my feet. I lick her face while she does, which earns me a cute giggle from her. I’ve missed the sound of her laughter.

“Alright Logan-dog. Now that we have you all legal and I’ve grabbed this huge bag of food for you, let’s finally get home and get both of us fed. I’ll call Cora when we get there. She hasn’t been answering my texts, for some reason.” I’ll be glad to get back to where we can just hang out and not worry about people thinking that I’m the wolf that I am. I can’t say I’m excited about eating dog food when I’m used to just eating raw meat in this form, but I doubt I’ll be getting steak tartare anytime soon with my little rose. She seems more like the ordering-in type than the cooking type. I don’t want to cost her any more money, either. I don’t plan on being a wolf much longer. Surely Landon and the guys are wondering where I am by now?

Maybe I’ll at least get dinner and a show tonight, - even if dinner is dog food- either from Emory’s conversation with Cora or from her getting ready for bed. I listen to her dialing the phone as we walk the six or so blocks back to her apartment. “Hey Cora, I haven’t heard back from you today. Had a busy one?” Luckily, my hearing is more acute than a human’s, especially in this form, so I hear her reply as well.

“Yes, I’ve been investigating my most recent story. Did you realize that your ex hasn’t been seen since your date? Did you kill him without telling me? It seems he’s taken a ‘sabbatical’ from work and no one else has seen him in public.” I don’t miss Emory’s flinch at the topic of our date. Surely it hasn’t been long enough to get people talking about where I am? It’s not uncommon to take a week or two off in the depth of Winter to go somewhere warm.

“I don’t want to talk about him, Cora. I don’t care where he’s been. I just wanted to know if you knew any trustworthy people that could walk my new dog while I’m at work during the day.” Emory’s grip on the leash- I will never think of it as my leash- makes me glad we went with the harness option instead of a collar. I wait patiently for her to start moving again. Cora, of course, is already talking again.

“You got a dog? Why? How do you even fit another being into your apartment with you? Is this because of the breakup? It was one date, Emory. If you’re really feeling that torn up about it you need to get you a rebound guy. Get over him by getting under someone else. How about this- I’ll come pick you up tomorrow night and we’ll go to the club and pick you out a nice one night stand. He’ll give you a couple orgasms with no bruising and you can move on with your life.” Oh hell no. I can hear myself growling, but I don’t even care to stop. Emory is not having sex with some other man. Not only does it have me enraged, but she’ll feel worse for it, physically.

“Hush, boy. Come on. Cora, don’t you think anybody I hook up with is going to have a problem with the giant red spot on my neck? I don’t want to be accused of passing on some kind of disease.” I relax a little at this. She wouldn’t go through with it.

“Oh, please. Just tell them it’s a birthmark. Easy. Also, was that growling your new dog? He sounds enormous. Make sure you get a crate for that monster before I come over. I don’t do big dogs.” You sure don’t, I think to myself. And they wouldn’t do you, either.