LOGAN: Alliance of Shadows, Book 2

Nightmares and Pillow Talk

A few weeks later, I woke in the dead of night, drenched in sweat and gasping for air. My heart pounded in my chest as I frantically scanned my dark room, trying to ground myself. When I realized it had been just a dream, relief flooded through me, and I couldn’t stop the sobs that wracked my body.

Two days after my ninth birthday, I experienced my first shift. That night, I was placed under lockdown with Neil as my only company. I couldn’t talk to my friends or let them know how I was doing, and the isolation weighed heavily on me. To make matters worse, Rogues and Tainted chose that very night to attack the pack. Their goal was to take Izzy to their boss, but they weren’t prepared for me or my abilities.

Neil grew curious when he realized I had sensed the danger before anyone else. Not even the guards posted outside his bedroom noticed anything unusual. It baffled us both and sparked a new line of investigation. Neil joined in, helping us search for answers about why I could do things no one else in the pack could.

My door creaked open slowly, snapping me out of my thoughts. I turned toward the sound and spotted Neil stepping quietly into my room.

“You okay, kiddo?” he asked softly, his voice carrying genuine concern. He crossed the room and sat down on the edge of my bed, his eyes scanning my face. “I heard you cry out.”

I reached out to him instinctively, only to realize my hands were trembling. Before I could speak, Neil leaned in and pulled me into his arms. He held me close, his steady presence calming me as he started rocking back and forth.

“Let it all out,” he murmured, his tone low and soothing. His arms tightened around me protectively, and I clung to him, unable to stop the sobs that poured out of me. My tears soaked into his t-shirt, but he didn’t seem to mind.

For what felt like forever, Neil whispered reassurances while rubbing my back in slow, comforting circles. “It’s okay,” he said gently. “It was just a bad dream. You’re safe, and I won’t let anything hurt you. Not ever.”

Eventually, the sobs subsided, leaving me feeling hollow but oddly lighter. I stayed in Neil’s arms for a while longer, taking comfort in his words and the security he offered. Finally, the tears stopped.

“Neil, can you stay with me?” I asked sleepily as he got to his feet.

He paused and gave me a small, tired smile. “Do you want to talk about that nightmare you had?”

I nodded, and with a groan, he slipped into the bed beside me.

“What’s wrong?” I asked in a whisper, watching him shift uncomfortably.

“Your bed,” he muttered, his tone soft but irritated. I fought back a giggle as he continued to struggle to get comfortable. “It’s too damn soft for my liking. I might not stay the whole night.”

“Can you stay until I fall asleep?” I begged, cuddling into his side. The warm glow of my lava lamp cast gentle shadows around the room, chasing away the lingering unease from the nightmare.

Neil sighed deeply, his voice carrying a quiet understanding. “The past sneaks up on you when you least expect it, huh?”

I nodded against him, hesitating before I replied, “I had a dream about Austin coming back for me. He was leading a group of Rogues, and they killed everyone.”

Neil’s posture stiffened slightly, but his voice remained steady as he whispered, “Logan, he’s not going to hurt you or anyone else in this pack ever again. You know that, right?”

There was something in his tone - an edge of pain I’d never heard before. It made his reassurance hit differently, as if the weight of his own doubts were hidden beneath his words.

Even though Neil had never lied to me, I couldn’t help but feel his confidence was misplaced. The dream had been too vivid, too real. I didn’t tell him that I was much older in the dream - that part felt like a secret I needed to hold onto. For now, at least.

“Can I ask you a question?”

Neil looked at me knowingly, his expression unreadable. “Is it about my mother?” He replied, answering my question with one of his own.

I froze, guilt washing over me. Maybe asking something like that wasn’t such a good idea after all.

Neil sighed, the weight of his memories evident in the way his shoulders slumped slightly. “I was eight when she was killed in an attack on the pack. It’s part of the reason I had to leave the room the day you lost your mother. I knew the pain you were feeling. For the longest time, I blamed myself for not being strong enough to save her, but Izzy helped me come to terms with that.”

I laughed softly, attempting to lighten the mood. “She can be pretty scary, huh?”

Neil’s lips curved into a faint grin, his eyes holding a hint of warmth. “Yeah, but don’t tell her I said that.”

“Hmmm, for a price,” I smirked, my voice playful as the tension began to ease.

Neil chuckled, shaking his head as he relaxed a little. “What is it that you want, you little hustler?”

“I wanted to know if there were any families with the last name Valencia in these parts,” I asked hesitantly, my voice tinged with curiosity and hope.

Neil raised an eyebrow, his tone cryptic as he replied, “Oh? And why would you want to know that?”

I frowned, unsure if his question was meant to test me or if he knew something I didn’t. A flicker of doubt crept into my chest, but I forced myself to speak again.

“Neil, please,” I pleaded softly. “I don’t ask for much, and this is my only lead to mi Madre’s family.”

For a moment, he said nothing, the silence stretching between us like a taut string. Then, with a heavy sigh, Neil closed his eyes and seemed to weigh his answer carefully.

“I really shouldn’t be telling you this, Logan,” he said finally, his voice carrying a hint of reluctance. “But you make a good argument. There was one family—a Vampire coven called Ruby Fang.”

My breath hitched, and I leaned forward slightly, hanging onto his words. “What happened to them?” I asked, my tone eager and expectant.

Neil frowned, the lines on his face deepening as he tried to recall the details. “I’m not entirely sure,” he admitted. “According to the records, they lived in a secluded village on the other side of Dragon’s Mouth. No one’s been there in over two hundred years. If your mother’s family was involved with them, they might have been acting as guards.”

I blinked in surprise. “Really?”

“Yeah,” Neil continued, his tone thoughtful. “Some Vampire covens actually enlisted the help of small packs to guard them. Those wolves were usually treated well by the Vampires, and after a certain period, they were released from their contracts.” He smiled slightly, his expression softening. “Want to tell me why you’re asking about a coven that left long before I was born?”

Not wanting to keep secrets from him, I decided to tell Neil about my discovery. “I was down by the lake, studying Dragon’s Mouth to sketch it the day you caught my friends and me. That’s when I found an amulet on the ground inside the cave,” I explained, watching his reaction closely.

He frowned, his eyes narrowing slightly in thought. “I see. Do you still have it?”

Without hesitation, I jumped out of bed and hurried to my dresser, pulling the amulet from the back of my underwear drawer. My heartbeat quickened as I handed it to him. “Is it real, Neil?”

He held the amulet carefully, turning it over in his hands and examining the intricate details etched into its surface. After a moment, he handed it back to me, his expression unreadable. “It’s real,” he said slowly. “But I find it strange—it bears the crest of a wolf pack and the Ruby Fang coven. That combination is... unusual.”

My grip tightened around the amulet, and my face fell as realization hit me. “That’s Madre’s family crest,” I murmured, my voice shaky. “She was from the Red River pack located in Mexico.”

His gaze snapped to my face, his eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that made me freeze. “Are you certain about that?” His voice was steady, but there was an unmistakable urgency beneath it.

I nodded firmly. “Madre had a picture of her Abuela – that means Grandmother – Francesca. She wore a pendant with a red wolf on it, just like the one on this amulet.” I held the amulet tighter, my voice steady despite the flutter of nerves in my chest.

Neil’s expression softened slightly, though curiosity lingered in his gaze. “Don’t you know anything about your mother’s family?” he asked gently, his tone careful not to press too hard.

I shook my head, frustration and sadness bubbling up as I replied, “Madre wanted to go for a visit once, but Austin wouldn’t let her take me to see them.”

Neil’s face darkened momentarily, and he took a slow, deliberate breath. “I see,” he said, his tone calm yet carrying an undercurrent of anger. The subtle shift in his expression betrayed his feelings, a quiet anger simmering just beneath the surface, though he kept his voice composed.