Chapter 50

Ashley.

I woke up to an empty bed, the sheets cold where Logan should have been. A familiar feeling of unease settled in my stomach. He wasn't yet home, I checked the time and saw it was past midnight. I wondered where he was and the urgent business he was doing that couldn't have waited till it was safe.

I slipped out of bed and padded quietly down the hall. The door to his office was slightly ajar, which was unusual. Pushing it open, I stepped inside, half-expecting to find him there. But the room was empty. The air was thick with a strange, musty scent that wasn't there before, and papers were strewn across the desk.

Curiosity got the better of me. I began to sift through the papers, my eyes scanning for anything that would explain the secrecy. Then I found it, a file with Aiden's name on it. My breath caught in my throat as I read. Logan had been hunting him. My mind raced. I confirmed that Logan knew Aiden was a werewolf. It sounded insane but I wanted to protect Aiden from my boyfriend. Logan had all the evidence right here. Photos, detailed notes, even a diagram of Aiden in his transformed state.

Shaking, I kept reading. Then I saw the hospital report. It detailed injuries Logan had sustained deep gashes across his back. I remembered him telling me they were from a dog attack, but this report mentioned "wolf-like claws." My heart sank. He had lied to me, all this time.

Just as I tried to process this revelation, the front door opened and I panicked. I quickly closed the office and snuck back to the bedroom.

.......

The minute Marcus slid into the passenger seat, he whirled on Logan with a frown.

"Did Ashley tell you anything new about Aiden?" Marcus asked, not bothering with pleasantries.

Logan shook his head. "No, she's been quiet. I don't think she knows anything, or at least, she isn't saying."

Marcus frowned, his eyes narrowing. "She knows more than she's letting on. She's been spending a lot of time around Aiden lately. We've seen her."

Logan stiffened at the implication. "She's not involved, Marcus. She's just... caught in the middle."

"Caught in the middle?" Marcus scoffed. "Logan, you need to stop thinking with your heart. She's a potential asset. Use her. Find a way to make her talk, or I will."

The threat hung heavy in the air. Logan clenched his fists, anger flaring. "Are you threatening her?"

Marcus's gaze was cold and unyielding. "I'm stating facts. We need information, and if she's unwilling to cooperate, we have other methods."

Logan's jaw tightened. He hated the way Marcus talked about Ashley, as if she were a pawn to be used. But he knew he needed Marcus's help to capture Aiden. The thought of what Aiden could do, what he was capable of, kept him focused.

"I'll talk to her," Logan said, his voice hard. "But you stay away from her. She's off-limits."

Marcus leaned back, a smug smile playing on his lips. "Fine. But remember, Logan, this is bigger than your feelings. We can't afford to let personal attachments get in the way."

Logan nodded curtly, Marcus pushed the door open and stepped out of the car. He watched Marcus drive away, his mind churning with frustration. The way Marcus had spoken to him, as if he were just another pawn in this dangerous game, grated on his nerves. He knew Marcus was right about one thing, though, they needed to get to Aiden, and soon. But using Ashley? The thought made him sick.

As he drove back towards the apartment, he tried to clear his head. Ashley was innocent in all this, or at least, she had been. If she knew something, if she was hiding something, he had to find out. But the idea of manipulating her, of using their relationship as leverage, felt wrong.

Logan's pov

When I entered the house,  I noticed something odd, the door to my office was slightly ajar. My pulse quickened, and I immediately thought of Ashley. I called out for her, but there was no response. A cold knot of fear tightened in my chest. Had she discovered my secret?

Or did I leave the office open in my haste to leave the house? My mind ran with possibilities and neither one ending up good.

I hurried through the house, and when I reached the office, I paused, listening intently. Silence. I pushed the door open wider and scanned the room. Everything seemed in place, nothing obviously disturbed. A wave of relief washed over me, but it was quickly replaced by a lingering sense of dread.

I turned and made my way to the bedroom. The sight of Ashley asleep on the bed, her form curled up peacefully, brought me a strange feeling of comfort. I thought she had left me after what she saw. I was relieved that she saw nothing and was just sleeping.

I stared at her sleeping form and shook my head, I quietly approached and sat down beside her, gently shaking her shoulder. "Ashley," I whispered, "wake up."

Her eyes fluttered open, and a soft smile spread across her face. "Logan," she murmured, her voice laced with sleep. "Where were you?"

I hesitated, then forced a smile. "I went out for a run. I needed to clear my head."

She reached up, wrapping her arms around my neck, pulling me down for a hug. "I missed you," she whispered, her breath warm against my ear.

I held her close, my heart aching with the knowledge of what I had to say. I pulled back slightly and kissed her forehead. "I missed you too," I said softly. Then, without thinking, I scooped her up in my arms and laid her back on the bed.

She snuggled into the sheets, and I lay down beside her, propping myself up on one elbow. "Ashley," I began, my voice tinged with urgency, "we need to talk."

She looked up at me, her eyes drooping with fatigue. "Can it wait until morning?" she murmured, a yawn escaping her lips. "I'm so tired. I was waiting for you to come home,"

I hesitated, knowing I shouldn't delay this conversation. But the sight of her, so vulnerable and sleepy, softened my resolve. I brushed a strand of hair away from her face. "Okay," I conceded, "but just for a moment. I need to ask you something."

She nodded sleepily, her eyes already half-closed.

"I know you went to see Aiden," I said quietly, watching her closely for any reaction. "Why, Ashley? Why are you still seeing him?"

For a moment, there was silence. I thought she might be gathering her thoughts, but then I noticed the slow, even rise and fall of her chest. She was asleep. I sighed, I brought this on myself.  Leaning down, I pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. "Goodnight," I whispered, more to myself than to her.

I lay down beside her, staring at the ceiling with my brain in constant work. It looks like secrets have eaten their way into our relationship, leaving no space for anything but that. The secrets were hanging between us like a dark cloud and despite Marcus's warning, I couldn't shake the nagging feeling that something was terribly wrong.

Ashley was acting normal which meant she didn't see anything, I wondered how she would react to me bringing a werewolf hunter.

Unbeknownst to me, Ashley was not asleep. She lay still, her breathing deliberately slow and even.  She knew that Logan was onto her. She had to be more careful, more guarded. The game had changed, and now, more than ever, she needed to protect herself and Aiden.