LOGAN: Alliance of Shadows, Book 2

Making Plans

“Do you want to visit them?”

Neil burst into laughter, and I could tell my excitement was written all over my face.

“Don’t laugh!” I exclaimed, trying not to grin despite his amusement. “I really do want to see them, but what’s Dad going to think about this?”

He groaned as I playfully smacked him in the stomach. “Strong little bugger, aren’t you? Listen, don’t stress too much about Clara and Dad,” he said, rubbing the spot where I hit him.

“But—” I started, only for Neil to hold up a finger to stop me.

“Let me finish, Logan. You know I hate being interrupted. I’ll talk to Dad in the morning and see if we can arrange for someone to take you to meet them. If this is truly what you want, I don’t think he’ll say no.”

His confident tone reassured me, but I couldn’t help pressing, “Why do I get the feeling there’s a catch?”

Neil sighed, his expression growing serious. “There is. You can’t forget about your family and friends here.”

I paused, taking in his words. “They might be family by blood, but they’re strangers to me compared to the people here. And besides, who’s going to lead the Howlers if I leave? They need an Alpha. If I abandon them, it would be chaos!”

Neil laughed, a deep, unrestrained sound that made me roll my eyes.

“Thanks, Logan,” he said, his tone softening as his laughter subsided. “Promise me you’ll come back safe and sound, and I promise I’ll convince Dad to let you go to Mexico for a few weeks.”

I considered his words, then nodded. “One week is fine. Any longer, and the twins and Wynter will undoubtedly start causing trouble. I can’t leave my Beta and Gamma to handle the Triple Trouble on their own—it’d be chaos.”

Neil smirked, but his expression shifted into something more thoughtful as he studied me. “You're a good Alpha, Logan. A good kid, too. Don’t let anyone tell you differently.”

A soft knock at the door made Neil freeze mid-movement on the bed, his gaze flicking towards me. I gingerly got up and hurried to open it, revealing Ember, her face streaked with tears. Without hesitation, I pulled her into my arms, holding her tightly as she trembled against me.

“Lo-Lo, please don’t go,” she whispered, her voice cracking.

Of course, she’d been listening. Crap.

It ticked me off sometimes—the way they’d learned to shield themselves from my powers—but this was Ember. Her distress outweighed my irritation.

I stroked her back soothingly. “I’m only going to be gone for a week at the most, Ember. Maybe I can ask to bring a few of the Howlers along. Would you like that?”

Her sobs soaked my pyjama shirt as I held her close, my heart aching. I shot a worried glance at my older brother, silently asking for backup.

Neil chuckled quietly from his spot. “I don’t think it will be an issue,” he said with that usual calm confidence.

Ember pulled away from me, her steps determined as she ran into Neil’s waiting arms. She clung to him, her muffled voice carrying a tremor of gratitude. “Merci, alpha!”

Neil laughed, the sound light and reassuring. “Logan, you pick four to take with you, and I’ll take care of the rest.”

I nodded, a grin spreading across my face as relief washed over me.

As Ember nestled into my bed, Neil raised an eyebrow, questioning her presence. I shrugged, leaning back against the wall. “It’s not the first time,” I said casually. “She sneaks in sometimes. There’ve been nights I’ve woken up to her curled against my back, sound asleep. When I ask her what’s wrong, she always says she dreamt of me leaving.”

Neil chuckled, his gaze softening as he glanced at her. “Figures,” he said, pushing off the bed. “I’ll talk to Dad in the morning about the trip to Mexico.” He offered a parting laugh before slipping out of the room.

I turned my attention to the small, blond figure now fast asleep in my bed. Her breathing had steadied, and she clutched the corner of my blanket like it was her lifeline. I couldn’t help but smile.

If I only had to pick four of my friends to take along, that meant I actually had three things to worry about. The third? Making sure none of them got jealous.

The next morning, I woke to the sound of Lorne’s giggles just outside my door. Blinking against the early sunlight, I caught snippets of hushed voices.

“You’re gonna wake him, you little stinker,” Neil’s voice carried a playful edge as the door handle jiggled. “Let him sleep, Lorne.”

A soft laugh caught my attention, pulling me from my thoughts. Ember was perched cross-legged on my bed, her blond hair falling in wisps around her face.

“Sometimes, I pretend that I’m your sister,” she said casually, her voice small but steady.

The comment came out of nowhere, making me pause mid-stretch as I pushed the covers aside. “Where did that come from?” I asked, tilting my head at her, curious.

She shrugged, her expression open and guileless, as if it was the most normal thing to say.

“You want to come to Mexico with me, don’t you?” I probed, watching her closely.

Her wide-eyed innocence gave away everything before she even spoke. “Um, yeah, but my mommy will want me back,” she replied, her tone torn between yearning and practicality.

I smiled softly and leaned forward. “We’re not leaving for good, Em. I’m just going to meet them, okay?”

“Uh-huh,” she said, her reply quick and breathless before she jumped off the bed and darted for the door. I listened as her footsteps pattered across the floor, fading into the hallway.

Just as the door clicked shut behind her, I faintly heard her exclaim, “I’m going to talk to Maria!”

I had expected an argument to break out over who would go, but I was pleasantly surprised that afternoon when Maria, Wynter, Jake, and Ember all stepped forward, volunteering for the trip. Their enthusiasm mirrored my own, filling the room with a quiet buzz of anticipation.

Paul leaned back with a grin, his arms crossed. “If you were waiting for a fight, forget it. Em told us what was going on, and we all agreed who should go.”

Maria reached across the table, her hand warm as it rested on mine. She sighed, her dark eyes brimming with curiosity. “It’ll be exciting to see how another pack operates—and maybe we’ll get some answers, too.”

“Thanks, guys. This means a lot to me,” I said sincerely, my gaze shifting to each of them. The weight of their support settled warmly in my chest. Still, I couldn’t help but hope Neil was convincing Dad to give us the green light.

A few days later, I finally heard back from Neil. He’d gotten through to Dad, who agreed to the trip, but he laid out a few conditions for the trip, but I was ready to handle them. The first was that I had to take four friends and three escorts. No surprise there—I wasn’t shocked when Izzy told Neil to send Colt along with me. As Beta of Shadow Storm, he was representing Neil as his Ambassador, a role he wore like a second skin.

The second condition required me to sign an agreement promising to come home when my time was up. I didn’t hesitate to put my name on the dotted line. My Beta and Gamma, always ready to back me up, had no issue serving as witnesses.

To round out the group, River and Carson Stone were assigned as our guards. Their orders were clear: to watch us like hawks no matter what.

While River and Colt headed off to rent a van, Carson stayed behind and treated us to ice cream. It was a small, unexpected treat that lightened the mood, making the whole venture feel a little less formal.

Of course, as the only one in the group fluent in Spanish, the burden of translation fell squarely on my shoulders. It frustrated me sometimes, but I understood my role as Alpha. My friends knew a few phrases here and there, but when it came down to it, keeping us all on the same page was my responsibility.

As we left the little shop, I called out, “Gracias, señorita,” to the girl at the counter. Her polite smile lingered in my mind as we headed back to Colton and River. Jake was still savoring his ice cream, barely halfway through, when we climbed into the van and buckled our seatbelts.

Maria, ever eager to immerse herself in the experience, had found an English tourist pamphlet about Real de Catorce. Her voice carried through the van as she read aloud random facts about the town. “Logan, did you know that in 2001 the Mexican government named this place a Magical Town?”

I did know, but instead of chiming in, I held my tongue. Their delight was unspoiled, and I wasn’t about to ruin it with my own knowledge.

Dad had been generous with the trip’s spending budget—five thousand Canadian dollars converted into nearly seventy-two thousand Pesos. It felt like a fortune in the context of the trip, though I doubted we’d even use a quarter of it, let alone the full amount.