LOGAN: Alliance of Shadows, Book 2

Acceptance

I heard a piercing scream from the room across the hall. Izzy was furious, and judging by the escalating tension, it was likely something Neil said or did to set her off. In all the time I’d lived at the packhouse, I’d never heard Izzy get this angry. Annoyed, yes, but angry? Never. Her voice carried a sharp edge that made my chest tighten.

Ember tugged gently on my sleeve, pulling me out of my thoughts. “Want me to go wait with the others?” she asked softly, her eyes searching mine for reassurance.

I offered her a small smile and nodded. “Yeah, I think that would be best. I’m going to check on Izzy.”

Her lips curved into an understanding smile as she nodded back. “Okay, but don’t take too long,” she replied, a hint of concern coloring her words.

“I’ll try to be as fast as I can,” I told her, shrugging off my coat and tossing it onto the bed in one fluid motion.

When Ember had gone, I stepped out of my room and leaned back against the wall, chewing my lip as I debated whether to knock on the door and interrupt them. The muffled sounds of the heated argument played over in my mind, making me hesitate. Just as I was weighing my options, the room fell silent, and Alpha Neil stepped out, shutting the door firmly behind him.

I watched as he huffed out a breath and ran his fingers through his black hair in visible frustration. His sharp gaze met mine, narrowing slightly in a half-hearted glare when I asked, “Why was Izzy yelling?”

His expression shifted as he noticed my barely hidden smirk. My eyes lingered on the faint marks that Izzy had left on him—evidence of her temper and her strength. A flicker of satisfaction passed through me. By the look of things, the young Luna was a fighter.

Taking a deep breath, Neil composed himself and responded with measured words. “We’re good now, Logan. She and I had a minor disagreement, but we settled it. She’s safe, she’s strong, and now she’s resting. Okay?”

His calm, authoritative tone left no room for argument, but my curiosity lingered. I wanted to ask what had happened, to press for details, but I stopped myself. It wasn’t really my business, and as long as Izzy was never hurt, I could let it go.

Still, a thought gnawed at the back of my mind—if he ever hurt her, I wouldn’t be able to hold back my anger.

Falling into step beside Neil, I followed his movements as he strode shirtless down the hall toward the elevator that led directly to the Grand Alpha’s office. The silence between us stretched, heavy and charged, until he stopped abruptly and let out another huff of breath, his frustration hanging in the air.

The next words he spoke came as a whisper, but they hit me like a thunderclap. “I’m going to be a dad.”

Before I could process the shock, he added quietly, “Lorne and you—you’ll be uncles.”

I froze mid-step, my mind racing. Uncles? Did he truly think of me as his brother? The idea unsettled me, not because it was unwelcome, but because it was so unexpected.

My gaze dropped to the floor as I mulled over his words, trying to make sense of them. My voice came out hesitantly when I asked, “Do you really mean that?”

Neil didn’t answer. He kept walking, his silence speaking louder than his words. Just as I was about to press the question again, he startled me by grabbing me firmly around the waist and lifting me onto his shoulders as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

I blinked, flustered, as he carried me the rest of the way to Alpha Henry’s office door. When he finally set me on my feet, he fixed me with a steady look and asked, “Are you ready?”

Without thinking, the word slipped out of my mouth before I could stop it. “Bro.” It was the same casual tone I’d heard Jake and Paul use when talking to their brothers.

The realization hit me a second later. My eyes widened in panic. What had I just done? Had I crossed a line? Would Neil be angry? The thought made my pulse spike, but his reaction didn’t come.

I lowered my head, whispering, "Lo siento, Alfa."

“No,” Neil’s voice came firmly, cutting through my apology. I barely had time to react before he fell to his knees and pulled me into his arms, holding me tightly. The warmth of his embrace startled me, and I realized with a jolt that he understood Spanish.

The sincerity in his actions left me speechless, and his next words only deepened my surprise. “You can call me whatever you want,” he said, his voice soft but resolute.

When I finally managed to ask how he knew what I’d said, his lips curved into a chuckle.

“Izzy taught me a few Spanish words,” he explained casually. “She wanted me to understand when you switched to using it randomly. Trust me, my friend Dreson swaps to Latin every now and then, so I get it.”

Neil’s thumb brushed across my cheek as he gently wiped away the tears streaming from my eyes. His touch was reassuring, grounding me in the moment.

I frowned, hesitant, before asking, “Really? No one’s going to get mad at me for not being formal with you?”

Standing tall again, Neil’s posture radiated strength as he replied without hesitation. “Anyone who gets mad will have to deal with me. Never forget that you’re family now, Logan.”

His unwavering response settled something deep within me. My thoughts drifted as I gazed at him, searching for meaning in the promise he’d just made. Are you watching me, Madre? I wondered.

They had promised her that they would take care of me, and even though it was hard to believe at first, I couldn’t deny the truth. As the days turned into weeks and weeks into months, they never faltered. Their kindness, their consistency – it never changed.

We stepped inside and closed the door behind us. Alpha Henry glanced up from his work, a warm smile lighting his face. “Well now, what brings my boys to my office today?”

Before either of us could answer, he reached over and offered me a piece of candy, leaning in to whisper conspiratorially, “Don’t tell Clara.”

Grinning, I accepted the candy, noticing the way Alpha Henry’s eyes twinkled as he exchanged a knowing look with Neil. A flicker of realization hit me—this must have been their tradition once, too. For a moment, the thought worried me. Would Neil feel jealous now that it was my turn?

But my concerns quickly faded as Neil dropped into the chair beside me with a heavy sigh, making no move to protest. His easy acceptance eased the tension in my chest.

As Neil opened his mouth to speak, I couldn’t resist throwing him under the bus. My gaze slid to Alpha Henry, catching the flicker of pride in his dark eyes when he realized I had called him Papa. Amused, he turned to Neil, a grin tugging at the corners of his lips as he posed his questions.

The exchange filled me with a quiet thrill. They trusted me enough, cared for me deeply enough, to let me call them brother and father. It wasn’t a conscious decision anymore—calling them anything else felt impossible now.

For the first time in what felt like forever, safety washed over me like a warm blanket. For the first time since losing mi Madre, I felt loved.

Dad sighed contentedly as he watched Neil and I carry on like real brothers. Peeking over the top of the desk, I caught Neil slumping guiltily in his chair, mumbling something under his breath. The exchange between them continued for a minute, their voices low and quick. I tried to follow, but their joke seemed to fly right over my head.

Frustrated by my lack of understanding, I decided to change the subject. “Papa, my friends are waiting for me downstairs,” I said, my voice cutting through their banter.

Dad’s attention shifted as he looked down at me, his expression softening into a warm smile. “Where are you going?” he asked.

“We’re just going to be out walking around and playing in the snow,” I replied, brushing stray thoughts aside. “I’ll be back before six, if that’s okay.”

He nodded, his voice steady and reassuring. “Stay with them and watch each other’s backs.”

Acknowledging his words, I gave a small nod in return before turning on my heel and dashing out to meet up with my friends. The crunch of the snow under my boots mixed with the faint hum of the chilly wind as I raced toward the clearing where they waited. My breath puffed out in small clouds, and I couldn’t help smiling when I spotted them up ahead – Paul, Maria, and Ember already tossing snowballs at each other while Jake and Wynter worked on fortifying their fort on three sides.

“Finally!” Paul shouted, ducking behind the bunker as a snowball from Maria narrowly missed him. “What took you so long, Lo?”

“I had to let Dad know I was leaving the packhouse,” I replied, diving to dodge a stray snowball that came flying my way. I rolled to a stop beside him, “What’s the plan?”

Ember grinned mischievously, her cheeks red from the cold. “They got Paulie good, so it’s war!”

I couldn’t hold back a laugh as I crouched beside her, falling into my roll as snowball maker. The warmth of their playful energy chasing away the lingering weight of my earlier thoughts.