Chapter 35 RENDEZVOUS

Chapter 35 RENDEZVOUS
“I don't know if I can go with you," Samuel says after we have finished our food and left the cafe. We are on our way back to the pack and he is stiff. "I don't think I can be in the same room as him and not want to kill him."

He doesn't sound bitter anymore over his mate because he has moved on from it like I have, but he still doesn't like Logan. He found him too weak to be an Alpha and he doesn't trust him. That's something he has told me a few times during our travel.

"It's okay if you don't want to go. I'll be fine on my own," I say.

He is quick to reply. "No, I don't want you alone with him. You should take someone from the pack with you."

"It's really okay. He is too emotionally unstable to be any risk or harm to me."

"Grace..." He tone is a warning not to argue with him on the subject. He never tries to tell me what to do and if he does insist on something it's because he feels strongly about it.

"I'll send Dominic with you."

I slowly let my eye drift to Dominic sitting in the passenger seat of the SUV and he remains emotionless to Samuel's request. He doesn't object. He never argued with Samuel's decisions. No one does.

I lean in closer to Samuel so that only he can hear me. "I can take Kyle," I whisper.

Dominic makes a slight movement and I know he has heard me. Being without most of my abilities for a short time makes me forget that werewolves can hear even the slightest of sounds.

Guilt settles over me. I hope I haven't make him feel bad. That is if he felt anything at all.

"You promised," Samuel reminds me. "Remember?"I take in a deep breath and nod. Yes. I do remember. I said I would try to be friends with Dominic. I know he doesn't like me that much, but I am doing it for Samuel.

"Okay. I'll go with Dominic." I try to sound happy about it and hope it comes out in my voice. I don't want to make him think I dislike him as much as he seems to dislike me.

We arrive at my parent's house again, but this time Logan's father is gone and no one is there except for my mom and dad.

Before leaving Logan's father told dad to tell me where to find Logan, but I already know because that's where he always goes when he's not in the pack house.

It is the small clearing in the woods that is still close to the community that people often visit to relax or just get away for a few minutes. Some of the she wolves decorated it up with a couple of benches and a wooden swing that hangs from the tree with rope. The kids enjoy it when their parents visit. It is peaceful there.

Dominic and I leave soon after I receive the message. Samuel was still uneasy about letting me go. If it wasn't that he trusted Dominic he may have refused it altogether.

He walks side by side with me into the community of houses in silence. Neither of us offer up any kind of conversation. I feel small talk is more awkward than the silence and he must be feeling the same.

Once we reach the other side of the houses we start into the woods. A few steps in I nearly slip and fall on a large branch that has fallen from a tree and am surprised that Dominic catches my arm and keeps me from hitting the ground. As soon as I am stable again he lets go like he's been griping fire and can't wait to release me.

"Thanks," I mumble. He doesn't even reply. With a simple nod he continues to walk. I frown.

We walk a few minutes more and the clearing is nearly visible now. When he stops I stop with him and he faces me.

"I'll give you two some space. I'll keep close by in the woods and keep my sights on you." A second later he disappears into the woods with not as much as a sound from his feet.

Keep my sights on you. The words echo in my head. Is that supposed to be a warning or words of comfort? I can't be sure. His voice didn't give anything away. Dominic is a puzzle I have yet to figure out and I am not sure I ever will.

I continue in the direction of the clearing until it am fully visible now and my eye immediately falls on him, Logan. He is the only one there and he seems to be slipping back into his human form because he is tugging his shirt back over his head when I arrive. His back is to me, but wolves can sense anything around them without even seeing it. He tenses a little and straightens out his shirt.

"I'm surprised to see you here," he says, turning to face me, his face impassive. "I didn't think you'd ever come back here."

I keep my distance and reply. "Me either. I guess we're both surprised."

He walks bare foot to one of the benches in the grass and sits down. He leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees, then stares out into the open and remains silent.

Unsure of what to do I take slow, steady steps toward him, careful of getting too close.

I study him for a moment, picking out the things that are different about him now than when I left, they are understandably visible.

He looks more tired and worn out. His appearance is uncharacteristically rugged. His eyes are more sunken in than I remember and the halo around his head created by the light and blonde color of his hair is gone now. He is worn. Spent, emotionally and Physically.

I shake my head and step a little closer to him. "I'm sorry about what happened. Josephine. Is she-" I cut off not knowing how to continue. How does one ask about the person your mate left you for?

He doesn't speak for a long moment and for second I doubt he will. When he finally does he sounds bitter...angry.

"Is that why you're here? To offer me your pity? If it is you can save it. I don't want or need it." He doesn't keep the harshness out of his words.

His tone wounds me a little to my surprise. I wasn't used to this side of him. He was usually calm and composed. even when he was Alpha. He never snapped at anyone. Not even at me the night I ran from him. He was upset but he never let it consume him this way.

It is clear that he is dealing with something much deeper now. He has a certain darkness about him that radiates through the air and I can feel it. It worries me and scares me all at the same time. Maybe it was a bad idea to come here after all.

Unconsciously I take a step back and he notices. His head snaps to me and his dark orbs stare at me so hard I think he is trying to see through me."You're worried," he says. "You don't trust me?"

Though what he says is supposed to be a question, I'm not so sure it is. I don't know how to answer at first and it takes me a minute to think about it. He doesn't seem bothered by the silence. In fact it is almost as if he expected it.

"Why would you say that?" I ask him.

He never breaks his gaze. His eyes stay on me as he speaks. "That's why you came with a body guard isn't it? You didn't know what to expect from me."

I don't lie. "That wasn't my idea. But it shouldn't surprise you that I did. You wouldn't go into enemy territory without some protection would you?"

He is surprised. "Enemy territory? Is that what we are?"

Without hesitation I say, "Well, we aren't exactly allies now are we?"

Our packs are working toward that, but it hasn't yet to been proven it can be done. Some packs just can't cooperate with others no matter what. We can very well be those packs if we aren't careful.

He doesn't reply nor look away. I am starting to feel uncomfortable under his gaze. I soon find myself looking around the green forest for any sign of Dominic. As strange as it is, that would comfort me here.

Logan stands up from the bench and pushes his hands into his pant pockets. He faces me and thankfully doesn't make a move in my direction.

"When did you get in?" he asks me, seeming a little more like Logan again. How long will it last though?

His father was right in his words earlier. Logan isn't the same anymore, all what happened changed him. And not for the better.

"We got in last night," I say, trying to make my voice stand out above the loud chirping of a few passing birds.

"He's here too," he says and this time I know it is a statement and who he means.

"Yes. your father needed to discuss some business with us and we came back to get my parents. They'll be staying with us for a while."

Something seems to pass over his features. "My father agreed to this?"

I nod. "It was one of our conditions for listening to him."

"We," he quotes me. "Listen to you. You grew right into your position, didn't you, Luna?"

I can't tell if he is mocking me or trying to make a conversation, but I go with it.

"Well it is what I was born to do."

And it is. It was him who thought I wasn't good enough for the job. I'm not bitter about it anymore. It's just recognition of that fact. I hope now he has realized how wrong he was and will be slow to speak in the future. As an Alpha he should think things through a little more carefully. If not it might get him in trouble.

"That you were," he agrees.

The silence between us grows again and I am beginning to see I am getting nowhere with him. I came to offer my regret over what happened though he doesn't seem to want to talk about it. It's perfectly understandable.

"I just wanted to come by and say I'm sorry for what happened. I hope Josephine and the baby are alright." I start to turn and walk away, but then I stop myself and glance back at him. "And you. I hope you will be okay too."

This time I walk away, back towards the way I came and out of the clearing and then his cold, hard voice stops me in my tracks. It is almost as if winter has coated the forest from his words. A chill goes up my spine.

"You should be sorry," he says. "You were the one who caused it to happen." I am not surprised he blames me. That too explains his cold nature.

"I didn't want anyone to get hurt, especially an innocent child. I didn't think it would affect either of you very much since you were the ones who rejected us. You did it first. You caused the most damage. We were the ones who suffered the worst of it. Or so we thought."

"It's my fault too," he adds as if he hasn't even heard me speak. "If I had properly let you go then we could have all moved on. That's why you suffered so much and it's why Josephine suffered too."

"W-what?" The words are barely audible. I am not even sure if I have said them aloud. I stare down at the ground as I try to process what he is saying. He didn't let me go properly. What does that even mean?

"But most of all, it's his fault." His voice is a little rougher now. More angry. "Josephine was pregnant, but it was my father who pushed our mating. He was the one who told me I had responsibilities now and I had to put them first."

As angry as I am at his father for encouraging his relationship with Josephine after he found me, I really can't bring myself to hate him over that now. He was right, Logan did, and still does, have a responsibility to her. It's his child she's carrying.

"And you did. I don't fault you for that now."

If I did, I wouldn't have Samuel. He's the best thing that came from everything bad and terrible that happened. It led me to him.

"You should. But I think I know why you don't." There is a certain edge to his words. His eyes are hardened.
“And she didn't go down today. It happened weeks ago. She would have died soon anyway, but you just sped up the process. I guess I should be thanking you. You put her out of her suffering."

Suffering? is she dead? Did I kill her?

"And he took everything from me," He continues "You. My pack. My position."

Suddenly I realize what he was doing now. He's trying to find someone to blame. Someone to hold responsible for everything. Anyone besides placing everything on himself. He can't take the guilt. I have no idea how to help him. Things like that don't come naturally to me anymore toward him. He isn't my mate. But I try anyway.

"Look," I begin. "You can't hold on to guilt or place blame. It will eat alive and consume you until there's nothing left. Don't let that happen to you. It's not over yet. You'll get your position back when everything is back to normal."

He shakes his head and lets out a dark and humorless laugh. "But don't you see? Nothing will ever go back to normal. It can never be. Something is coming, and it's bigger than you or me. When it gets here everything will change. We need a change."

I crunch my brows in confusion. "I don't understand. What do you mean?"

"You'll see. You'll have your chance to join."

Suddenly realization dawns on me and I gasp. "Oh goodness. No, Logan. Tell me you didn't."

His father's words come back to me in a rush. "A few months ago they tried to get us to join them in their plan to take over other packs. When we refused, that's when the threats started. If we don't give them our loyalty they will attack in a matter of weeks."

My head is spinning. No. He can't have. I know Logan is bitter about everything, but he can't do this, can he?

I slowly back up and begin looking around. Where the hell is Dominic?

Samuel, Samuel? I call through our link.

I am only graced with silence. My heart sinks. I try again. Samuel? Nothing.

No. No. This isn't good. Something is wrong here. Samuel where are you? Why can't you hear me?

My voice rises as I try to speak again. I don't want Logan to know I am contacting Samuel.

"Logan, I understand that things are bad right now, but this is not the answer."

My heart is pounding in my chest and ears. I know something isn't right. I felt it when I first saw him. Why did I ignore it? I should have run.

He takes long quick strides toward me and that's when I lose the grip on myself and I shout. "Dominic! Dominic!"

Logan is in front of me within seconds. I have to shift. Right here. Right now. My mind has been so overwhelmed I don't know what to do. But where is Dominic? Did something happen to him? Or worse. Was this a set up. Is he working for them too? No. He can't betray Samuel. But then again, I never thought Logan would be a traitor either.

I start to shake as he reaches for me. I am slowly losing control of myself. This shift is not happening as fast as I want. Those couple of months without shifting are hurting me now.

Please, I beg my wolf. Please.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," he warns. "Not if you want your friend out there to live." His nails dig into the skin on my shoulders. If it isn't for the adrenaline running through my veins I might have flinched a little.

"What have you done?" I ask him. "You don't kill people. Think of Josephine. Think of your baby. You'll kill them."

"It's too late for that. They're gone now."

I shake my head in disbelief. "No. You're wrong. Your father said-"

"He didn't know then. It only happened after you left."

So that's what he meant. I sped up the process. The mating killed her sooner than she was supposed to go. Why didn't his father tell us?

"That's why he sent you out here, isn't it? To help me. To bring me back to myself. He thought I'd lost it."

His grip doesn't tighten or loosen. He just holds me there in front of him. I don't bother to struggle out of his grip. I know it will be futile.

"Grief makes us do crazy things sometimes. But this...this is wrong. Do you even know Grog or his pack? Do you know what he's capable of? He's out for blood, Logan. Do you understand what that means? He'll kill anyone and everyone you've ever thought about."

"Not if they cooperate." His hands slide down my shoulders a little almost reaching my elbows. I start to move back until I see a black shadow step out of the trees a few feet from us. His presence alone tells me exactly wh
o he is even though I have never seen the person before. He is dark. Brooding. And powerful.

Grog

"Out for blood," He quotes me in a husky voice. "My my. It's seems my reputation has preceded me."