Logan's Struggle Part Two

Logan's Struggle Part Two
“No, sweetheart. Are you okay? Marsha was a little intense just now,” I told her softly as I watched her eyes slowly return to the green that I loved so much.

“Yes, I’m okay,” she whispered as she came back around to the front of me.

Before she could speak, Giselda stepped toward us. “Annie, sweetie?”

She plopped down on my lap, facing Giselda, as I immediately wrapped my arms around her waist.

“Hey, Giselda! Gerry, I’m sorry Marsha threw you.”

“Marsha wasn’t trying to hurt me. I understand. Are you feeling better?”

She smiled up at me. “Yes.”

“Good, but, Annie, honey, you can’t let Marsha act like that. It’s dangerous,” Giselda told her.

“Why not? Orion wasn’t taking into account that Kirkland was losing his title. He deserved it! He was trying to kill Logan!”

Goddess, she really was incredible, and she was all mine.

“I know, love, but I don’t think the council would have voted for that.” She glanced over her shoulder at Orion, who was still on the floor, struggling to heal. “Was this punishment enough for Marsha?”

“Yes. She is content,” Annie answered.

“Good. I think you should heal Orion a little. I can hear him dying as we speak,” Giselda requested.

“Good. He deserved it,” Annie spat.

Fuck! This version of Annie was terrifyingly sexy. When Giselda took another step forward, I shook my head a little.

“Annie, baby, I think Giselda is right. I understand why you feel like he should suffer, but this is too much. I’m okay. Trust me, you don’t want to rule like this. My father tried to rule with an iron fist, and it led to issues that I don’t want you to have to suffer through.” I pecked her cheek. “Heal him, please. If not all the way, then at least halfway. That way, he still suffers some, but he doesn’t die.”

She sighed as she nodded. “Okay, Logan.” A vine came out of the floor to inject something into Orion’s wrist before disappearing again. “There! I did it! Can we go now?”

“Yes, baby. Let’s go. You need to get home. I’m sure your family is worried about you,” I told her.

When we got up, I instantly took her hand before internally groaning when I saw the vinekeepers at the door.

“Mothers, I am sorry, but–”

Vinekeeper Annaria held her hand up to stop Annie’s apology. “Listen to me, Annie. We understand. We didn’t come here to lecture you. We came to support you. We know the trouble that Orion had caused Ezekiel. We didn’t want him to cause you problems, too.”

“Thank you, Mothers.”

“You’re welcome. Come on, now. Your mate is right. We should get you home. Your parents are very worried about you,” Vinekeeper Marissa told her.

“There’s still the matter of your punishment!” Orion called out behind us, and when I turned around, I was surprised to see that he had managed to crawl back to his chair.

Annie stiffened as she slowly turned around. “Okay. What is my sentence?”

Orion smirked evilly. “Death.”

I felt Marsha immediately take over beside me. “You won’t get that. I think you’ll find it hard to get support for any sentence you wish to put on the table.”
After a quick glance around at the other council members, Orion leaned back in his chair. “How about a compromise. I know you want the girl. She’s your gamma’s mate, isn’t she?”

“She is, yes.”

"I'll release the human on one condition." He paused for dramatic effect. "I want your bond with the vines severed."

Both vinekeepers stepped forward angrily, and Annie raised her hand to stop them.

"You asked me for a compromise, so this is the only one you get. I will agree to sever it until I'm 18, but you have to release the girl. Immediately."

Orion’s smirk widened as he gestured to Sonia, calling her forward. When she had approached him fearfully, Orion met Annie’s eyes as he whispered in Sonia’s ear before she nodded and moved to stand next to me, still trembling with fear.

"Done! Your turn."

“We won’t sever our bond,” Vinekeeper Annaria told Annie, making me let out a relieved breath.

Annie took her hand, smiling sweetly at her. “It’s okay, Mother. I’ll be okay. Do it.”

Tears filled the vinekeepers as she took Annie’s hands before energy swirled around them, almost knocking me away from them.

“It is done,” she said sadly.

I turned toward Annie to grip her face in both of my hands. "You shouldn't have done that, Annie."

"We both know I needed to. Just promise me something, Logan."

"Anything, Annie."

"Promise me that you'll be there to get me right at midnight on my 18th birthday." She looked back to meet Orion’s eyes. "I have a feeling there will be hell to pay."

"Bring it on, Little girl. I’ll be ready."

His words left me terrified of what he had planned. The look in his eyes screamed that he thought he had won, and at this point, without Annie’s connection to the vines keeping her safe, I wasn’t sure if there was anything that I could do to protect her, except kill Orion myself.

I gasped loudly as Angel fled from Logan’s mind the moment she caged Annie’s lingering presence into a tight corner. No wonder he was on the brink of going insane. He was feeling Annie up close and personal every second of every day. Logan sighed deeply as he lay his head on the table, a tear slowly making its way down his cheek.

“Is it wrong that I already miss her?” he whispered.

“No, cousin,” I murmured as I stroked his hair. “But you have to stay strong. Very soon, you won’t have to let her go again, and she’ll be here with us full time.”

His eyes closed as another tear started winding its way down his cheek. “I hope so, Giselda, because I’m not sure how much longer I can take this. I need her.”

I gave Gerry a helpless look as I moved my hand over the top of Logan’s head again. “I know, Logan. I know…”