You Owe Me Nothing
1125 Words
It was like he was suckerpunched.
This couldn't be.
Yet the evidence stared right back at him with fearless eyes.
He could see Elaine stamped on her delicate face.
Even if he wanted to deny the hint of himself he saw in her, his wolf wouldn't allow it.
His reaction was visceral as soon as the girl stepped in.
It was different from the instant pull he always felt in Lorraine's presence.
This was more…protective.
“Mine!” his wolf growled, messy emotions surging through Logan.
“But how?” Logan countered in a bewildered whisper.
His gaze remained fixed on the girl who didn't lower hers in his alpha presence.
Logan noticed Lorraine’s unimpressed brow lift.
He shook off his daze at the thought of how this must look to her right now.
He looked around at her elders and commanded, “Leave us.”
“Yes, alpha.”
They began to move.
And froze when a cheery voice piped up, “Are you my daddy? Mama says my daddy is an alpha.”
For the first time in his life, an indescribable panic bloomed in Logan's heart.
He looked at the girl, then away again.
Her guarded tone made him wary.
He had no idea what to say.
He was more than sure there was a mistake somewhere.
He couldn't even remember having anything with Elaine that night.
How then could he suddenly have a pup who had a strong resemblance to his childhood look?
Aware of everyone's gaze on him, he turned to the maids standing just behind Damien.
“Clean her up and… just take care of her,” he said hastily.
“Yes, alpha.” They responded.
One reached for her, saying, “Come with us.”
The girl sidestepped her and took a step towards Logan.
Then she stopped and asked in a slightly wobbly voice, “You did not answer me.”
Logan felt a flicker of admiration for her bravery, yet the hopeful look on her face made him feel like a piece of s**t.
His voice was curt as he said, “Do as you are told. We will talk later.”
She nodded once, glanced at Lorraine, and walked out ahead of the maids like she was the one leading them.
Logan caught the smile his beta tried to swallow.
Matilda did not even bother hiding hers.
“Great. Now they all think this is a f*****g joke,” he growled inwardly, raking his fingers through his hair.
They didn't wait for a second order before they cleared out in the face of his glower.
All except Lorraine.
He noticed the way she stiffened when some called her Luna in greeting.
He looked at her breathtaking face, hoping he could grab her right there and lose himself in her.
Yet he knew he might lose some teeth if he dared.
She was standing right there. Close yet so far away.
He knew whatever progress he thought he was making with her had been blown to s**t.
Yet she stood calmly like she was expecting nothing.
Other women would probably be having his head right now.
Not Lorraine.
And that scared him.
He just handed her another perfect reason to leave him.
“I wish I could say I have a good explanation for this.” He finally said, his voice raw.
“You don't?” She countered calmly.
He shook his head. “I…”
He held the handwritten note up.
She looked at the heart-wrenching turmoil on his normally-smirking face and stepped forward to take the paper.
“You are the father,” she said blandly after reading.
“I can't be.” He denied sharply.
He then told her what he could remember of that evening.
Her eyes scanned his face as if searching for any deception.
Then she said, “I once thought you arrogantly stupid, Alpha. And I hadn't even realised then that you could sleep with someone without even realising it.”
There it was. The reaction Logan was expecting from her.
Something to show that she cared about this and how it would affect them.
But even the mild insult was delivered without any inflection in her tone.
Almost like she was commenting on the weather.
Frustration surged in Logan, and he wanted to shake her until she told him, or at least showed, what she was really thinking.
Anything at all would be better than her customary stoic look.
“Lorraine, I swear she can't be mine.”
“You don't believe that.” She returned.
“She is ours," his wolf insisted, making Logan's teeth clench in fury.
Fury because she was right. He couldn't truly deny what he was seeing.
His wolf wasn't the only one drawn to that kid.
“There could be other explanations for this. I…I only remember waking up woozy the next day. I couldn't even recollect how we parted ways. I just thought…” he palmed his face and looked back at her.
“I will find her, Lorraine. I will find her and make her explain this. She must have done something to me that night. I have no idea why, but…I will sort this. I swear, I will give you a proper explanation.”
“Me? You owe me nothing.” She said in a calm tone that infuriated him.
“Lorraine…”
“And the girl? What will you do about her while you are looking for your…explanation?”
“I can't just send her out there. She left her at the border like a stray…”
Doubled anger surged within Logan at the thought of that.
What kind of a mother would be that careless about a child?
What if something else has gotten to her before the border patrol did?
When he found Elaine, he would wring her neck first.
Then force the confession out of her throat.
“So, you will take care of her?” Lorraine asked.
Logan still couldn't detect enough from her to know if she wanted him to or not.
She had closed off their mate bond from the start, and the little connection he had with her was fading by the second.
He answered honestly, “She is a kid, Lorraine. It is only right that I…”
“You should.” She nodded and turned, tossing the last statement over her shoulder, “She didn't ask for this.”
Logan rushed forward and grabbed her arm. “Lorraine, I don't want to lose you,” he said, his voice frenzied.
She looked at his hand on hers.
Then looked straight into his eyes as she said in a deadpan tone, “You never had me, Alpha. Let go.”
- Writer
