LOGAN: Alliance of Shadows, Book 2

Raymundo's Offer

Trepidation welled up inside me—not for myself, but for my packmates. My friends.

My eyes flicked to the man on the bed. Raymundo remained utterly still, unmoving as though he were carved from stone. Nikolai, however, was anything but restrained.

I only had two words for him: good and luck.

With deliberate, measured steps, he pushed away from the wall, each movement bringing him closer to the door. Closer to my packmates.

Ember’s gaze locked onto mine, her green eyes betraying the fear she tried so hard to mask. I could see it, clear as day, even as her expression remained composed. The sound of her heartbeat, steady at first, quickened with every step Nikolai took. My own growl rose unbidden, rumbling low in my chest—a warning, sharp and undeniable.

“Do not take another step, Nikolai, or you will regret it,” came Dorcas’s voice, cutting through the thick tension. Her fear was palpable as she backed away from me, her movements hesitant yet purposeful.

Her words didn’t stop Nikolai’s advance. It was only when she turned to Raymundo, her voice trembling as she asked, “Father, what is this child?” that the room seemed to hold its breath.

“He is a wolf, and he is a Vampire,” Raymundo replied, his voice carrying an eerie calm that sent a ripple of unease through the room. The cryptic message wasn’t lost on me. He had already told me long ago that I was a harbinger of truth and justice. But what truth? And what kind of justice? Those answers continued to elude me, a frustrating puzzle left unsolved.

Raymundo’s ancient voice pulled me back from my thoughts, shattering my momentary distraction. “Logan is the first male born to my Annabella’s bloodline,” he said, the weight of his words settling heavily in the room.

Dorcas shuddered visibly, her voice trembling as she spoke. “The child that was born to unite the Vampires and Werewolves?”

He nodded, the movement slow and deliberate. Yet, he said nothing of what had transpired between us prior to this day. His voice slipped into my mind like a thread of thought, speaking directly to me. Do not let them know I awoke long before today, little grandson. Do not tell Niko that I woke the day you were born. He must not know that we have been in contact. There is something wrong with my son, and it worries me. Entender?

I gave a subtle nod, concealing the exchange. No, I won’t. My friends’ lives are at risk here, and I refuse to take chances with them, I replied silently, my resolve hardening.

I threw up a mental blocker, my focus locked unwaveringly on Nikolai. Clearly, listening to his wife wasn’t a habit he cared to practice.

He took another step forward, careless and calculated all at once, closing the distance between himself and Wynn and Em.

The instinct to protect surged through me, and before I could think twice, I shifted into my wolf form. The change was instantaneous—my clothes tore away in vibrant shreds as I leapt forward. Landing between the girls and the Vampire, I positioned myself as an impenetrable barrier.

A deep, rumbling growl escaped me, reverberating through the chamber like a warning bell. My eyes fixed on Nikolai as his expression twisted in shock, his composure cracking for the first time.

“How is it possible that he can shift at his age?” He gasped, his voice raw with disbelief.

The girls edged closer to me, their trust in my protection evident in their movements. My gaze remained locked on Nikolai, unyielding, as my muzzle pulled back to reveal razor-sharp canines—elongated and gleaming in the dim light.

“Those look sharp, Lo-Lo,” Ember said, her tone laced with awe. Her tiny fingers reached out to prod one of my fangs gently, curiosity shining in her green eyes.

I turned my head, brushing her nose lightly with the cold, damp tip of my muzzle.

“Ew! That’s gross!” Ember exclaimed, scrunching her nose in mock disgust. “Your muzzle’s all wet and cold, Logan!”

Wynter’s laughter rang out, bright and amused. “Their noses are supposed to be wet and cold, silly,” she teased, her playful tone breaking the tension just enough to remind us we weren’t alone.

Nikolai’s eyes narrowed, homing in on the pendant hanging around my neck. To my surprise, it had remained in place even after my shift, as though it was bound to me. The realization only solidified the fact that it was meant to be mine.

He chuckled darkly, the sound dripping with disdain. “I wondered where that went. That belongs to the family, not a hybrid brat.”

His father’s gaze snapped to him, sharp and assessing. A flicker of unease passed through me. Something about Nikolai didn’t sit right. Raymundo’s earlier warning echoed in my mind—there was something wrong with his son.

The polished amber of the pendant caught the flickering candlelight, casting golden glimmers across the room. Shadows danced on the walls, their movement almost alive, as the tension thickened.

The silence was heavy, broken only by a sudden shift in energy. A black blur zipped past so quickly that my eyes couldn’t catch the movement. Startled, I turned my head to look behind me, then back at Raymundo. Both girls were now perched on his lap, safe and calm.

“They are part of your pack,” Raymundo said, his voice steady and quiet. “It is important to you, as an Alpha, that you keep your packmates safe. That said, it is also essential that I ensure these girls are unharmed.”

I dipped my head in understanding, easing back onto my haunches. Despite the calm in his voice, Raymundo’s sharp glare was fixed on the other two vampires in the room. The weight of his authority pressed down on them, making the air feel heavier, before he exhaled a weary sigh.

Another presence brushed against the edge of my awareness. I turned my head, glancing over my shoulder. A golden wolf with grey-tipped ears stood at the edge of the room, its stance both calm and commanding.

Hearing River’s voice in my mind, I felt a wave of calm wash over me. ‘Is everything okay, Alpha?’

‘I want you to keep everyone inside the same room,’ I replied firmly through the universal pack link Dad established between the Howlers and Shadow Storm. ‘Please pass the word along to the others that we’re not staying. It’s too dangerous to stay more than one night. Something in the air here stinks.’

‘Noted,’ River replied quietly. ‘Carson, Colt, and I will handle your packmates in your stead. Good luck, young Alpha.’

My gaze shifted to the girls as River approached, a pair of shorts held securely in his jaws. Without a word, they nodded, understanding my unspoken command. As they moved to River’s side, they gave me tight hugs—brief yet filled with trust—before quietly slipping away.

I waited until I was sure River had escorted them to safety before shifting back into my human form. I stood, donning the shorts River had brought me. The weight of responsibility pressing heavily on my shoulders. My glare settled on Nikolai, whose jealousy burned behind his narrowed eyes.

It wasn’t his children that concerned me—it was him. His simmering envy, so palpable it thickened the air between us, was far more dangerous.

“Did you think that I would let you get within a five-foot radius of my friends?” I hissed at him. “I don’t care who you are! I warned you not to do anything I felt was a threat to my friends. I don’t do mercy, Nikolai.”

“Father, his eyes,” Dorcas gasped, her voice trembling as she stared at me.

“Leave, both of you,” Raymundo barked sharply, his tone echoing with authority. “He warned everyone not to tamper with the others, and you still act childishly, Niko? How shameful.”

Nikolai’s eyes widened, disbelief etched across his face. “Father, you can’t possibly be serious! If we leave, then who will protect you from him?”

A deep growl rumbled from my chest, low and menacing, as my patience thinned further with every passing second.

“Keep your powers, Bisabuelo,” I said with a snarl, my words sharp and unyielding. “I came to meet my family only to find a bunch of stuck-ups who take their orders from an adult acting like a spoiled child.”

Raymundo’s gaze darkened as he turned his attention to the other Vampires in the room. His tone was cold and commanding as he demanded, “Are his words true?”

“I dare you to lie, Father.” An older boy stepped out of the shadows, his movements deliberate, his figure emerging into the flickering light of the room. His short brown hair was slightly tousled, framing his sharp features, and his dark blue eyes gleamed with unwavering determination. He wore a fitted black jacket over a crisp white shirt, his clothes immaculate and exuding quiet confidence. Turning toward me, he offered a confident smile. “Everything Logan has said is true.”

“Peter, shut your mouth,” Nikolai hissed, his voice taut with barely contained anger.

Peter shook his head, his resolve unshaken. “Grandfather, I’ve been watching them since they arrived. They mocked Logan in the dining hall as well. He came here to meet us, to connect with his family. And how did we greet him? His Madre’s pack welcomed him with disdain.”

“That’s unfair,” I said, my sarcasm cutting through the tension. “You know me, but I don’t know you.”

The older boy laughed, his tone light yet tinged with an undercurrent of authority. “My name is Peter Valencia,” he said, stepping forward just enough to catch the flickering candlelight.

“We can get to know one another later,” Peter continued. “Grandfather desperately wants to go to his final rest, so, please, rest tonight and think about his offer. I promise you, cousin—it’s worth it.”