Alliance of Shadows, Book 3: HUNTER

Mixed Signals

Lorne started laughing, and we turned only to see my brother backing into the room, his movements tense and defensive. As we watched, the twin boys exchanged knowing grins.

"That was more fun than I thought it would be, but you shouldn't have gone for Wyn," one said darkly.

His brother nodded, expression unreadable. "Yeah, that was a big mistake."

There was another shriek just before Wynter stormed into the room from the hall, her clothes and hair dripping with mud, making it clear that my brother had pulled one of his infamous pranks on her. The bucket in her hands was full of murky water, sloshing slightly as she gripped it with fierce determination.

She gave a small, evil chuckle, her gaze locked onto Stanley like a predator sizing up its prey. "You can't one-up the prank queen, jerk! Hold him, guys!"

"NO!" Stanley howled in defeat as Wynter dumped the bucket over his head, the muddy water cascading down his face and soaking into his clothes. "What the hell? No! Anything but my hair, you little pain in the ass!"

Wynter, to my shock, laughed, her amusement sharp and gleeful. "Is that the best insult you got?"

Stan gasped as the twins grabbed another bucket and dumped more dirty water over him, their synchronized movements proving this had been planned well in advance.

"Son of a b***h!" Stanley spluttered, shaking his head in a vain attempt to rid himself of the mess. "You three are in for it now!"

Peter apparated in the kitchen, barely able to contain his laughter. Doubling over, he let out a wheezing chuckle, shaking his head at the drenched figure before him. "Nicely done, Wyn. I was kind of concerned when you guys lured him into the back, but the mud pit was a nice touch."

So, it hadn't been an accident that they went missing when they did.

I suddenly recalled Kaden mentioning the trio the day before and started chuckling as realization dawned. "You figured out who Triple Trouble were and asked for help getting him back, didn't you?"

Peter straightened, his laughter fading as Stanley turned his furious glare onto him. "Actually, I already knew who they were. It was only a matter of time until Logan felt safe enough to bring them around. So, I waited until my chance presented itself and asked them to help me prank him for all the crap he's put us through over the years. Worked out pretty well if you ask me."

Stanley scowled, running a hand through his dripping hair as mud clung stubbornly to his fingers. "Peter, I hope your Will is in order."

"Nope!" One twin called out before Peter could respond.

"Grab him, Devon!" Wynter shouted, wasting no time as she shoved the bucket over Stanley’s head.

The other twin laughed, snatching the nearest pan and slamming it down on top of the bucket with a loud clang. Stanley groaned, swaying for a moment before dropping to the ground, defeated.

The four instigators bolted, their laughter echoing through the halls as they made their escape.

Logan shook his head as Lorne laughed uncontrollably, his amusement bubbling over with no sign of stopping. "This is one time I'm going to let them get away with it. They desperately needed an outlet, and Peter was telling me he was sick of Stan's pranks. That's why I didn't say much about them taking off the way they did."

Stanley finally managed to get to his feet, mud dripping from his clothes as he bolted after the group. As he reached the hallway, his voice echoed back to us, strained with irritation. "Son of a broke-back mule! That hurt, Peter!"

I glanced over at Maria, biting my lip slightly as Lorne, still giggling, quietly let me know that the pan was bubbling. Setting it to the side, I smiled at him, only to find him staring between me and Maria, his expression twisted into a thoughtful frown.

"Maria, Hunter likes you!"

Snickering, Logan burst into laughter, shaking his head in pure delight. "Way to rat him out, little brother."

Another presence made itself known as the Fox girl stepped into the light, hesitating slightly at the sudden energy in the room. "Um, is it safe to let them cause trouble, Logan?"

"It's not like Stanley won't get them back, but at least now I know they found someone to match their Piss Off Everyone skill," he replied, tugging her close with an easy familiarity.

The Fox girl giggled, shaking her head. “If we set them loose on my brother Alan, I hope they have the same enthusiasm.”

"No doubt. Uh, Maria, can you take Selene back to the common room?" Logan asked, shifting the conversation with a casual authority.

"Anything to get out of this kitchen. The air is making my hair frizzy," Maria muttered, rolling her eyes as she stepped toward Selene. My Mate departed with her, the conversation shifting with her absence, leaving behind the lingering tension Lorne had so effortlessly exposed.

Logan's gaze hardened. "Do not do anything that will piss her off, Hunter. I mean it. She might be my Gamma, but she's a powerhouse of strength, and she's not scared to sic Triple Trouble on anyone she sees as a threat. That said, I hope it works out for you. I know it's going to be hard, but her birthday is right around the corner. The guy she's with now won't be there once she decides to drop his ass."

"I'm not worried, Logan. She's young, so it matters to me that she experiences the world around her. She'll come to me on her own, but I will be flirting with her. I hope that won't be a problem."

He shook his head, exhaling slowly. "Just don't do anything to piss off my prosecutor mom, and we're good."

I turned my gaze to Logan. "Tell me, what laws am I in danger of breaking by flirting with her?"

Logan didn't hesitate. "I can let Mom know that you're Maria's Mate, but I want you to take it easy with her. Take your time, please. I mean, compliments are okay, but I don't ever want to hear that you've pressured her for anything. Not even a kiss," he replied, his tone edged with quiet authority.

His words carried weight, pressing down on me in a way I didn’t expect. It wasn’t just a warning—it was a direct challenge, a silent reminder that I was treading on ground I couldn’t afford to disturb. Logan wasn’t being unreasonable, but there was something about his tone that made it clear his patience had limits. And if I crossed those limits, I wasn’t sure how much goodwill would still exist between us.

Blinking at the underlying threat, I let out a slow breath before responding. "My dear cousin, why on Earth would I cross you in such a fashion? I'll keep my advances light, and I swear that you will only ever hear her complain about how desperate I appear."

The words came easily, but deep down, uncertainty gnawed at me. Maria was mine, but that didn’t mean she had realized it yet. Would she ever? The idea of waiting indefinitely for her to come to the same conclusion felt like torture but pushing her in any way was out of the question. Logan made sure of that, and whether I liked it or not, his warning wasn’t just about Maria—it was about his role as a leader, a protector, a man willing to go to any lengths to shield the people he cared about.

"Good. I had no idea when I brought them here that my Gamma was my cousin's Mate, but I will not hesitate to kill you for her."

There was no room for nonsense in his tone, no wiggle room for mistakes. The certainty in his voice was unwavering, a reminder that while we were family, Maria came first. It wasn’t an empty threat; I knew Logan well enough to understand that if I ever became someone she feared, resented, or regretted, he wouldn’t hesitate to remove me from the equation.

Pissing off a Vampire-Werewolf hybrid that was more Werewolf than anything else was a death sentence I was not going to tempt. In this moment, as Logan’s gaze remained unwavering, I wondered how much control I actually had.

"You have my word, Logan. The moment she shows any sign of being uncomfortable, I'll stop bothering her. I also want her to come to me on her own terms, so I'll be paying attention to her movements and tone of words. I'm far from stupid."

Logan raised a brow, studying me closely, as if gauging the sincerity behind my words. "Oh, I know. Just remember one thing: my friends fought for me when Madre passed. They did everything they could to keep me sane and help me through my pain. There is nothing I won't do to protect them, including murder my own family."

His voice was calm—too calm—but the meaning beneath it was razor-sharp. There was no exaggeration, no room for misinterpretation. Logan didn’t make idle threats, and that fact settled into my chest like a slow-burning weight.

I knew how deeply he valued the people who had stood by him. I knew how fiercely he clung to those bonds. And yet, hearing him say the words so plainly, with the kind of certainty only a man who had suffered could possess, made something inside me pause.