Logan Chapter 96

-Emory-

It’s starting to feel smarter to just never leave the pack house. Logan and I have been followed every time we’ve left the gates for weeks, now. It’s also starting to feel like it might be impossible to keep the shifter secret. There’s a ticking clock in the back of my head, counting down the seconds until we as a society record too much for anything to ever fly under the radar. If everyone can accept the existence of aliens, maybe shifters will be okay, too?

Logan shakes his head sharply at that thought. There’s too much generational trauma from the torch and pitchfork days- no shifter would agree with my assessment. Maybe we can just let this blow over like Logan is hoping. Maybe, since conspiracy theorists have always been raving about something or other, people will see this as just another crackpot theory. Maybe we could joke about birds being drones in public somewhere and cover our asses that way.

“You are funny, little rose, but I know you’re just trying to avoid thinking of breakfast with your family.” Logan kisses my forehead and pulls me out of our bed. I can only hope Bryan and Elliana haven’t seen the video yet. Hunter’s phone habits are very niche- trucks and muscle mommies, I’m disgusted to know- and he probably would never see it if not for our more eclectic siblings. Elliana seems to see all and know all just by the sheer volume of internet she sifts through. Bryan has a weird, narcissistic fascination with our digital footprint as a family. I guess he’s a bit of a conspiracy theorist, too. He’s been obsessed with the information available on us for a long time. He thinks it’s unhealthy to have anything searchable on us. I guess now I know he’s right.

“Maybe he won’t see it until after they go home. I know it would be a lot easier to deal with him if I could put him on mute.” Logan laughs at that, pulling pants over his perfect ass. He looks over his shoulder when he notices me noticing and rolls his eyes.

“Greedy girl. I can never keep you sated enough to stop treating me like a slab of meat. Let’s go deal with your family. If you can keep Bryan from starting more pack gossip, I’ll give you a special prize.” He ends with a wink and a lascivious grin.

I feel my mouth twitch as I try to keep from smiling back and force my lips into a pout instead. “So no treat for me, then. You’re so mean to me. Plus, how would we distinguish it from the pack gossip we started last night already?” I get a quick smack to the ass for that one, but neither one of us bother to stop laughing about it. We can weather this. It’ll be okay.

The atmosphere is distinctly frosty when we get down to the breakfast nook. My family is all waiting, Bryan’s face is a telling shade of purple in his rage, and Dad is red from embarrassment.

We barely clear the doorway when Bryan stands up from his chair. “You couldn’t walk ten minutes t’ get a room? You had to fuck right there in front of God ‘n everybody?” His accent is thick with his upset, as is mine with my reply.

I talk right over Mama’s objection to Bryan’s language. “Why didja think you weren’t there, dumbass? I swear, you got Dad’s hair and the brains of the tree stump out front! You think a bunch of shifters ain’t gonna have some kind of magic goin’ on? They’re not human, Bry!” My skin starts to prickle with my rage. I don’t think I’ve ever been this angry at him before.

“So that gives ‘em excuse to be animals instead?” Our yelling cuts off at the low growls that echo through the breakfast nook and from the kitchen. Logan steps between Bryan and I to diffuse our shouting match.

Logan speaks softly, and it’s all the more menacing to hear because of it. “You’re a damn disrespectful man, Bryan. You’re lucky you’re family or we’d be having a very different conversation. You’ve made a few mistakes already this morning- care to walk them back? First, it would do you good to remember I’m stronger than you, faster than you, can hear and smell things you can’t even imagine, and I ride a little closer to my base urges than you do. I’ve been very forgiving of your shit memory about these facts because I know you don’t understand the hierarchy around here and just how important it is for us, but you need to get your ass straightened out before Landon and I have no choice but to help you. Second, you do not disrespect my mate. You grew up with Emory as a younger sister, and I understand that comes with its own set of habits. Change them. She’s Luna now and just as necessary to our pack as I am. Understood?”

Bryan stands there, stone-faced, like we can’t all see the fear sweat on his forehead. Mama has been cowed into silence, trying to be as small as possible in her chair. Dad and Hunter look around like they’re not sure if intervening would be helpful or not, and I don’t blame them for that. None of my family are fans of a show of temper, and Bryan was clearly out of line, but the threat in Logan’s diatribe was just a little too naked to be palatable for the humans. A long moment passes before Bryan ducks his head in a nod, and everybody blows out a breath. We all start to eat awkwardly, mostly in silence. Mama always compliments the food, but today she's not as enthusiastic about it. Maybe we should wait until Christmas for their next visit.