Logan Chapter 46

-Landon-

I can’t believe I screwed everything up so royally. Growing up, my dad constantly told me that my main problem was thinking with the wrong head. One cute psycho was all it took. I knew I would regret letting her in, I knew it and I did it anyway. I was just so stressed with all of Logan’s duties on top of my own… Well. I’m a lot more stressed now, that’s for sure.

Logan texted me to keep an eye on Cora because Emory warned her about the impending lawsuits. I’m sure her job has been in touch with her about Logan demanding a retraction, and with Emory’s misplaced loyalty, Cora just became a huge flight risk. The police don’t officially have the charges in yet, as far as I know, so maybe she thinks Emory is bluffing? The pictures on the article made her look like an innocent little thing, though. Little Red taken down by the Big Bad Wolf, I think to myself sarcastically.

It’s ironic, if I really think about it. Logan and wolf shifters everywhere might be taken down because of two women. All the strength in the world can’t fight the power of pussy, I guess. That’s probably unfair to Emory, but I forgive myself for being a little bitter right now. It’s going to take decades for me to live this down, and that’s only in the best case scenario where Logan manages to fix everything and get it all buttoned up with no one the wiser.

I catch myself leaning back and forth, like a creep, trying to see Cora in her apartment. Her car is here. Is she in there or has she taken a cab somewhere? Stars, what do I tell Logan if I already lost her? I’m so boned. I didn’t even get laid. How do I fix this?

It’s not lost on me that James expects me to do better, and he’s one of those people you don’t want to anger under any circumstances. I thought he was going to shoot lasers out his eyes at me. He didn’t even raise his voice and I felt like a kid threatened with the belt. Dad never followed through on actual whippings, but something tells me James might. His pack must run like a dictatorship. Like a factory- soulless but well-oiled. I have to fix it or James will for sure show up in my room at night and give me a lesson I’ll have nightmares about.

There aren’t a whole lot of ways I, personally, can fix my mess. Admittedly, I spilled a huge bucket of shit right into Logan’s life, and I don’t even own a mop. My options are extremely limited. I can talk to the paparazzi, of course, but that would come off as extremely defensive. I can’t truly claim trespassing because I let her in, in full view of our security cameras. Logan is talking to the press, and his PR wizards will deal with that arena. A huge trial might expose more of our secrets… but what if I can make sure she looks guilty without having a judge declare it so? I have that lockpicking kit one of the elders taught me how to use when we were both younger and dumber….

I can feel a nefarious plan taking shape in my mind and I actually have to restrain myself from rubbing my hands together like some kind of damned cartoon character. I can make a solution happen. I’ve got it on lock. I’m sure Cora has all kinds of male visitors after dark- I’ll just wait until her lights go off and get to work. If Cora got wind she’d have charges pressed against her and decided to run, she’d look incredibly guilty to the city at large. Nobody believes a runner.

I’ll have to convince Logan to give me a little vacation, as well as make it look like Cora left of her own free will. I can swing that. I just have to plan it out perfectly. I can be the smart brother every now and then, I just have to have the right motivation. There hasn’t really been a reason to step up until now, with my big brother being on top of everything, everywhere, all of the time. It’s easy to disappear into a shadow that deep. What most people forget is that Dad gave me all the same childhood training he gave Logan. I can use strategy. I can think ahead, play the long game.

Me: Bro, are you coming back to alphahood tonight?

Logan: As soon as I get the PR stuff handled, yeah

Logan: One could argue that I’m already acting as Alpha right now. I think I will, in fact

Me: Yeah, yeah, we get it. Big bad wolf and whatever

Logan: Dude, what gives? You were in charge for like a month, tops

Logan: AND you left me a mess to deal with when I got back

Logan: You for sure deserve a little snark right now

Me: There’s that, yes, but you know I was never meant to be Alpha. You can’t blame me too much for being bad at a job I was never really supposed to do

Logan: What the hell do you think a beta is, Landon??

Me: An enforcer, mostly, from my experience. You know what YOUR beta should be?

Me: On vacation

Me: You’ve been frolicking with your lady love for a MONTH and I’ve had to deal with the elders AND your assistant AND freaking James. Why do you have a cyborg for a friend??

Logan: He’s not a cyborg

Logan: He’s just… formal and a little controlling

Logan: Shut up, he can be funny when you get to know him

Me: Suuuureee. Anyway. Vacation?

Logan: Fine, pansy. Meet Emory and you can take a weekend. Looks like we’ll come out on top of this shit show

Logan: Thanks to ALL your help, I’m sure

Me: I really did help. Two weeks

Logan: ONE week, AND you meet all of Emory’s family when they come in.

Me: Shit. Fine. Thanks bro <3

Logan: What is wrong with you? I’m not using emojis with you.

Me: Love you, too

Logan: Yeah, yeah. Love you. Punk.

Yeah. It’s all coming together. I won’t have to worry about death by James after this. She’ll never even know what hit her.