LOGAN: Alliance of Shadows, Book 2

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I swallowed the lump of fear in my throat and hesitated for just a moment before reaching out to take his hand. His grip was firm but warm as he knelt down to my level, his piercing blue eyes locking onto mine.

“Hey there, kiddo. My name is Kaden Cage,” he said, his voice calm and steady, carrying a tone that was both confident and strangely comforting.

Turning back to my mother, he added, “There will be a Gathering soon, so the Grand Alpha sent out messengers to invite everyone back to the pack lands.”

Madre’s blue-grey eyes shimmered with unshed tears as she met his gaze, her voice trembling slightly. “Is this a special Gathering?” she asked softly, a flicker of hope breaking through the tension that always lingered around her.

Kaden smiled gently, his expression kind and genuine. His own excitement was unmistakable as he spoke, “It totally is!”

For a moment, the oppressive weight of dark truth that was our lives seemed to lift ever so slightly with Kaden’s words. Watching their interaction, I felt tears well up, my heart happy for the first time in a long time. It was so uncommon to see my mother smile freely, to see her treated with kindness, not followed by a beating or the quiet tears she cried late into the night, thinking I was asleep. My father’s constant anger and cruelty had nearly extinguished her joy, but I could see it flickering faintly in the presence of someone who didn’t terrify her into bleak submission.

“Alpha Neil has found himself a beautiful Mate,” Kaden said with a hearty laugh, his excitement palpable. “This is her first Gathering, and the Grand Alpha wants all of the pack to come to meet the new Luna Princess.”

My mother clapped her hands, her eyes lighting up with a spark of hope I hadn’t seen in years. For a moment, it was as if she forgot the heavy reality of our life with my sire. The news seemed to breathe new life into her, and I could see a flicker of longing—an almost desperate wish—for this to be our chance to escape the nightmare we called home. Was it, though? Or was this just the calm before another storm?

“What wonderful news!” she exclaimed, her voice trembling with excitement. “Finally, I will get to see my old friends again. Tell me, have you heard from Elizabeth Grey? Or perhaps Simone King? I know Liz had three pups before Austin... left the pack with me, and Simone was pregnant. Have there been updates?”

I stared at my mother with wide eyes, startled by her sudden animation. It felt so strange to see her like this, so unguarded. My chest tightened with uncertainty, but Kaden merely laughed along with her, his warmth filling the room.

Then, as he turned his bright smile to me, his expression shifted. The laughter faded, replaced by a furrow in his brows and a flash of concern in his piercing blue eyes. He glanced back at my mother, sniffing the air around her cautiously.

“Not really,” he said, his voice softer now, tinged with a hint of hesitation. “But I’m sure the others will be more than happy to see you both. I did hear that Liz and Stephen had a few more kids—so I think they’re up to six or seven pups now. As for Simone, she only ever had one pup.”

He paused, his gaze sharpening as he asked, “Mariana, I hate to bring this up, but where is your Mate?”

At the mention of my father, I stiffened, my hands balling into fists before I could stop them. Madre paled, her gaze flickering briefly to the door as if she expected my father to walk through it at any moment. Fear flashed in her eyes—sharp and undeniable—before she masked it, her shoulders straightening as if bracing for impact. Kaden didn’t even say the name, but she trembled as though he were standing in front of her.

The look on Kaden’s face said he’d seen more than enough. His jaw tightened, and his tone turned steady and deliberate. “I’m going to stay until Austin gets home, Mari. Why don’t you start packing so we can get on the road this evening?”

Madre was gone almost as soon as the words left his mouth. The sound of her footsteps echoed down the hall, quick and urgent, as though the idea of leaving had finally unlocked something within her.

I turned my eyes to this new stranger, frowning as the symbol on his shirt caught my attention. The spiral pendant with the head of a wolf glinted faintly in the light. Something about it tugged at my mind, but before I could figure out what it was, Kaden’s gaze snapped to mine. It was too late to look away—I’d been caught staring. My stomach twisted slightly as his piercing blue eyes met mine with an unreadable expression.

Kneeling down, Kaden unclasped the cord and held it out to me. “Would you like to see it up close?”

I eyed him suspiciously, my fingers hesitating before I took the pendant from his outstretched hand. It was cool and smooth against my palm, the spiral design faintly catching the light. The raised head of the wolf was intricately carved, its sapphire diamond eyes glittering under the pale golden glow of the porch light.

“Is this a Druid symbol?” I blurted out before I could stop myself. Heat rushed to my cheeks as the words tumbled free, and I slapped my hands over my mouth.

He smiled, breathing a soft laugh that eased my nerves. “It’s okay, Logan. I don’t mind if you want to ask genuine questions,” he said, his voice gentle.

Taking the pendant back, he slipped the cord around his neck and grinned. “Seeing as you look curious, I’ll indulge you. You see, I’m the product of a Werewolf mother and a Druid father. In the Alliance, I’m classed as a Special Hybrid—that means I’m the perfect balance of both sides of my heritage.”

My curiosity spiked, and I couldn’t help but ask, “Can you do magic?”

Kaden chuckled, his amusement lighting up his face. “You are an inquisitive one, aren’t you? I can totally do magic, kiddo. So,” he said with a playful tilt of his head, “are you going to introduce yourself?”

I dropped my gaze, toeing the carpet shyly as I gathered the courage to respond. “My name is Logan Daniel Pierce. It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Cage,” I said, keeping to the formal tone my sire had always drilled into me.

Kaden frowned, letting out a deep sigh as though the words had physically pained him. “Mr. Cage is my father. You can call me Kaden, Logan.”

The door opened, and my father staggered in. The acrid smell of stale alcohol and smoke clung to his clothes, making my stomach churn. His glassy eyes swept the room lazily, and I instinctively tensed with fear, the air in the room feeling heavier with his presence.

Kaden turned to look at him, his expression unreadable. He whispered something under his breath, too quiet for me to catch. Suddenly, it was as though my father had never been drunk at all. His posture straightened, and his eyes cleared in an instant.

Sliding his gaze back to me, Kaden watched carefully, waiting for my reaction.

“Was that magic?” I whispered, my voice barely audible.

A grin spread across his face, lighting it briefly. “It was a sobering spell my brother taught me. It works really well after a night of binging with my friends.”

“Friends?” I asked, the word tumbling out before I could stop myself. A foreign concept was having people around to help and defend me when I couldn’t do it myself.

A smile twisted his lips, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. A shadow flickered across his expression as he looked at me. “There are lots of Druid, Witch, and Werewolf children you can play with back at the pack lands. I know you’re going to love it there.”

“Who said we were going back?” My father demanded, cutting the moment of peace short. His glare burned into Kaden as he snarled, “And who the hell are you, Mutt?”

“Don’t challenge me, Austin,” Kaden growled, his voice dangerously low. “You have a new Luna, and you will pay your respects to her, even if I have to drag you back in the trunk of the damn car. Do you understand?”

The air around them felt heavy, oppressive, and I couldn’t bear it. Too scared of the deadly tension filling the porch, I bolted, my feet carrying me to the safety of my mother’s arms. When I burst into my room, Madre turned to me, her face creased with worry. She dropped the clothes she had been folding into the suitcase and fell to her knees, pulling me into a tight hug.

“What happened?” she whispered, rubbing my back in slow, soothing circles.

“Papa is home,” I whispered back, my voice trembling. Tired of fighting the tears, I let them fall, sobbing heavily into her shirt. “I’m scared, Madre. Why does he have to be so mean?”

She wrapped me tightly in her arms and carried me to my little cot. Sitting down, she began to rock us back and forth, humming a soft Spanish lullaby. Her voice was steady, filled with a quiet strength that I clung to like a lifeline.

“Soon we will be back with the pack, and they will protect us from him,” she murmured. Her words were filled with conviction, but I couldn’t quite believe them. Deep inside, I couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that something was going to go very wrong.

I closed my eyes and inhaled the sweet, familiar scent of her perfume. In her arms, I felt safe, even if it was just for a moment. As she rocked me gently, her lullaby washing over me, sleep finally pulled me under, fitful but deep.