LOGAN: Alliance of Shadows, Book 2

The Howlers

There was a knock on my door before Madre opened it. She scanned the room with her bright eyes, quickly spotting me. “Mi hijo, you have another visitor,” she said warmly.

“¿Quién es, Madre?” I asked, curious about the newcomer. Even in front of my friends, I always spoke Spanish with my mom—it was our bond, one I cherished deeply.

Madre stepped inside, balancing a tray piled with snacks. The clatter of the tray grabbed my attention, but it was the sight of my visitor standing in the hall that had me moving.

“Maria!” Heaven squealed, her voice cutting through the air like a delighted chime.

I stood quickly, crossing the room without hesitation. When I hugged her, she relaxed into me, a soft sigh escaping as she wrapped her arms around me in return.

I turned to see a woman standing a few feet away. She smiled warmly and said, “Your mother has told me so much about you, Logan.”

Heat surged to my face, and I found myself stammering, “Um, hi.”

From behind me, Maria groaned dramatically, her voice carrying a playful edge. Though we’d only really met once – the night she nearly died – it was like we’d been friends all along. Honestly, I really wanted to see what she thought of me. “Mommy, I think Logan is shy.”

I bit down hard on my lower lip, shifting nervously as I looked at the woman Maria obviously got her looks from. “You like Mami?” I asked cautiously, my voice barely above a whisper.

“Of course I do,” she exclaimed, her tone light and genuine. “I’m friends with Mariana and Liz. We’ve known each other for years, you see.”

Paul grabbed Maria and pulled her into a tight hug, his tone lighthearted but sincere. “He was worried about you,” he said, smirking as though sharing some grand secret.

Before I could say anything, Jake threw himself at Paul, tackling him to the floor in an explosion of indignation. “Be quiet, big mouth!” he exclaimed, his voice tinged with righteous fury.

Paul, ever the opportunist, glared at his younger brother for a moment before a mischievous grin spread across his face. In one swift move, he licked Jake’s hands, knowing full well his little brother’s dislike for germs. Jake recoiled as though stung by lightning, gasping loudly in disgust.

“Ew!” he shrieked, his voice rising to an almost operatic pitch as he bolted upright. He darted across the room, his steps frantic.

Madre hid her smile behind a faux frown of worry as she got to his level. “Oh, Jacob, what seems to be the matter?”

“Auntie Mariana, I need to wash my hands!” He cried, his distress making his plea for cleanliness sound downright urgent. Especially for a five, almost six-year-old.

While my mom chuckled and guided Jake out toward the bathroom, Paul brushed himself off and turned back to Maria with an easygoing smile. He took her hand and led her further into my room, gesturing toward the tray of snacks Madre had brought in earlier. “Here, Maria, take some,” he offered generously.

Maria hesitated before politely declining, her voice soft but firm. I frowned slightly at her refusal, something about it gnawed at my thoughts, though I didn’t quite know why. Instead of dwelling on it, I grabbed a juice box and a ham sandwich from the tray and sat cross-legged on the floor. The simple act of eating had a way of calming my busy mind.

Once the adults left the room, the younger kids swarmed Maria in a whirlwind of giggles and eager chatter. Their excitement spilled over, hands tugging at her sleeves and voices overlapping as they tried to grab her attention all at once.

That’s when I heard it—a faint voice, soft and fragile, like a breeze brushing past my thoughts. It sounded like Maria, though her lips hadn’t moved. The gentle echo in my head gave me pause, and I instinctively knew I needed to step in.

“Okay, that’s enough, everyone,” I said, letting my voice carry the calm authority I’d learned from Mami. I kept my tone steady, warm but firm. The younger kids froze mid-movement, their wide eyes snapping to me as though the Alpha himself had spoken.

I crouched down, making sure I was at their eye level, just like Mami always did when she wanted me to listen. “We don’t want to overwhelm her, so let’s give her a little space. That way, she can feel comfortable and safe.”

Heaven tugged on my sleeve, her small hands soft and hesitant. “But we missed Maria, Lo,” she said, her pout tugging at the corners of her lips.

“I know you did,” I replied, smiling as I rested a hand lightly on her shoulder. “But if we take turns, we can make sure everyone gets a chance to play with her, okay?”

Her face lit up with understanding, and she nodded eagerly. “Okie-Dokie, Lo-Lo,” she chirped before scampering back to her coloring book, her enthusiasm undiminished. The name she called me didn’t bother me in the slightest as it was how all my younger friends referred to me. Besides, it was still my name – it was just shortened by a few letters.

I turned and saw Maria giving me a strange look, her gaze curious yet slightly skeptical. After a moment, she asked, “What did you do to calm them down so much?”

Before I could reply, Jake cracked under the pressure, blurting out our plan without hesitation.

“So, you guys formed a pack?” Maria said, her head tilting slightly as her voice carried a note of amusement. “Did you ask the Alpha for permission?”

Jake scowled, crossing his arms tightly. “We’re just kids, Maria,” he snapped, his frustration bubbling up. “Besides, none of the other moms and dads will let their kids play with Logan.”

I bit my lower lip, hesitating for a moment before chiming in. “We didn’t ask the Alpha, but it’s true. The other parents really don’t want me around their kids.”

Maria frowned, her expression turning serious. “That’s just the adults being mean,” she said firmly, her voice full of conviction. “Just because you’re different doesn’t make it okay for them to treat you like that.”

I took a deep breath before speaking again. “Maria, I want to make you my Gamma.”

Her eyes widened in shock, and her mouth fell open, as though the idea itself had knocked the wind out of her.

“That’s how you catch flies,” Devon quipped, his gaze narrowing on his twin, who was currently stuffing Devon’s last strawberry into his mouth. “That was mine, Sammy!”

Sam giggled, sticking out his tongue, clearly pleased with himself.

I turned my attention back to Maria, but her earlier surprise had softened into something else entirely—there were tears in her eyes. My heart sank. “Maria, what’s wrong?”

She hesitated before speaking, her voice trembling. “The others don’t like me, either. Mom and I are not from the Alliance Coven.”

“What do you mean?” Paul interjected, his frown deepening as he tried to make sense of her words. “You were born here, so this is where you belong.”

Maria sobbed quietly, her emotions spilling over as she continued. “Mama is from the Breakwater Witch Coven. When Papa met her, he brought her to the pack.”

I cleared my throat and asked, “Maria, did you try to call out to me that night of the Gathering?”

Maria’s cheeks flushed slightly as she nodded, her gaze steady.

Paul’s eyes went wide, his excitement barely contained. “I think it might have worked, Maria. Logan heard you!”

“Really?” Maria’s voice rose with delight, her earlier hesitance replaced by bubbling excitement. I nodded quickly, unable to find the words to reply. Her curiosity shifted as she turned her attention to Paul and Jake. “What are they if you’re the Alpha?”

Jake, always quick to assert himself, shot his hand into the air as though answering a teacher’s question. “I’m his Delta!”

Paul smirked, his confidence shining through. “I’m the Beta,” he announced smoothly. “And we all agreed you should be the Gamma.”

Maria’s face lit up, and she broke into a wide grin. “Okay, okay, you don’t have to twist my arm. I'll do it. I'll be your Gamma. But what’s our pack going to be called?”

“How about the Howlers,” a deep male voice suggested. Nine heads turned sharply toward the door, and an immediate hush fell over the room as we spotted Beta Colton Brake leaning casually against the frame.

“Daddy!” Devon squealed, his excitement breaking the silence as he and Sam bolted across the room. “We’re in a pack!”

“Lo-Lo is nice, Daddy,” Sam added with a determined attempt to growl, though it sounded more like a playful purr.

Beta Colton crouched down to their level, ruffling Sam’s hair as his gaze shifted to me. “So, you’ve formed your own little pack?” he asked, a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. “That might just help keep these kids out of trouble in the long run.”

Lowering my head out of respect, I spoke softly. “Sorry, Beta Colton. We’re just messing around.”

His smile grew. “No need to apologize, Logan. Go ahead and create your little pack. I doubt Neil will have anything bad to say about a few kids hanging out and looking out for one another. That’s what being in a pack is all about.”

Paul leaned forward eagerly. “Can we use the name you said earlier?”

Beta Colton chuckled, the sound warm and genuine. “I don’t see why not.”

As he turned to leave, the room seemed lighter, buzzing with the energy of his approval. That’s when it sank in—we were no longer just a bunch of kids. We were the Howlers.