Logan (Chosen Champions #1) - Macy Blake Page 0,94
had to pretend to be forest rangers, though, and Aleron was mortified. He’s such a diva.”
“He didn’t have to wear the outfit, did he? If so, you better have taken pics.”
“Nope, no outfits. Just a well-crafted tale by yours truly. The thought of making Aleron wear khaki? No. No way. I’d have let the bear take over the farmers market first.”
“Did he shift back when you woke him up? Solomon would have had a heart attack if he had to zap that many humans.”
Logan laughed. “Nope. Luckily he didn’t. And hellhounds don’t zap them. We’ve discussed this.”
“Yeah, well, ‘magically erasing memories so they don’t blab the big secret’ is much less fun to say. Zap covers it nicely.”
He decided to give in gracefully. Bailey wasn’t going to give up the zap fight, and Logan didn’t really care one way or the other.
“Lasagna smells good,” Logan said. He nipped at Bailey’s neck and ran his tongue over his favorite spot. “So do you.”
“The lasagna isn’t even in the oven yet. That’s my sauce. And I still have to get the carrots and pepperoni out of it.”
Logan froze and pulled back with a scowl. “The what now?”
“What?”
“You put carrots in the red sauce? Why would you ruin marinara by adding vegetables?”
“Why is that making you glare at me? They’re a natural sweetener, and Heather is trying to watch her sugar intake.”
“And pepperoni?”
“Flavor, my friend. Trick I learned from an Italian grandma. Don’t question the magic or I’ll zap you.”
“I would never question your cooking.”
Bailey huffed. “You need to go pick up Randy. He still isn’t cleared to drive.”
“Why?”
“Um, because he got shot?”
“Not why can’t he drive. Why do I need to go get him?”
Bailey scowled and grabbed Logan’s cheeks. “Because he got shot saving my life and we’re gonna be nice to him and teach him how to not be a dude-bro-intimidating asshole who is completely annoying.”
“I don’t wanna.”
“Too bad.”
Logan brushed his nose over Bailey’s. “I’m the alpha, ya know.”
“Uh-huh. Grr. Argh. You’re the alpha. Go boss someone else around while I make dinner.”
“Most people are intimidated by alphas. You realize that, right?”
Bailey frowned. “What?”
“Yeah, I’m supposed to be powerful and in charge. Stronger than the average wolf and all that.”
“Um, you are all of those things. How is that intimidating?”
Logan laughed. “I adore you.”
“Same. But answer the question. Being powerful and in charge doesn’t mean being an asshole. It means being respected and taking care of the people who aren’t as strong and powerful as you. It doesn’t mean being a bully or scaring people into doing what you want.”
“Yeah, I know.”
“So… how is that intimidating?”
Logan sighed. “It just is.”
The sound Bailey made shouldn’t have made Logan laugh as hard as it did, but then again, his mate constantly had him laughing. As Bailey had just pointed out, Logan tended to take things too seriously. He still had a lot to learn about being an alpha, but Bailey taught him more and more about it every day by forcing him to question things and make his own decisions.
It helped to have a mate who didn’t give two shits about tradition or the old ways. They were making their own pack with their own rules. Odd how a human managed to capture the true meaning of being an alpha before he had. Bailey was one of the great mysteries of the universe. “I’ll go get Randy.”
“Thank you. I wanted to invite Taj, but he just kinda disappeared. Aleron says he doesn’t know how to get in touch with him, and he left the cell phone behind. Gideon’s being all weird about the whole thing, and—”
“Love, you need to let that one go. Gideon’s been around a lot longer than either one of us. He’s in our pack, and if he doesn’t want—”
“Wait, what do you mean he’s been around a lot longer than us? What is he, twenty-eight? He can’t be thirty. I mean, he’s about your age, right?”
Logan backed away. He couldn’t tell if Bailey was serious or not. Then he saw his face. He was. Uh-oh.
“Um, you know we age a little differently, right? Especially the magical ones among us.”
“I’m not sure I like where this is heading.”
“Gideon is a lot older than me.”
“Define a lot.” Bailey ran his fingers through Logan’s hair, and Logan couldn’t think of a deflection fast enough.
“I’ve never asked, but… a lot, a lot. Many years. Decades. Perhaps a century.”
Bailey scoffed. “Don’t be ridiculous.”
Logan sighed and went to the kitchen door. “Gideon! How old are you?”
“I stopped counting after a hundred and thirty,” Gideon yelled back.
Bailey dropped the spatula. “What?”
“Going to get Randy!” Logan bolted down the stairs without giving Bailey time to process.
“I’m coming with you,” Gideon said, running for the door.
They both plowed into Aleron, who’d arrived moments before. He glared at them, but Logan and Gideon shared a look and continued their escape. No man left behind didn’t count when dealing with an annoyed alpha-mate. Aleron could fend for himself.
By the time they’d picked up Randy and made it back to the warehouse, the entire pack had arrived and the entire place smelled like Bailey’s famous lasagna. Logan helped the younger wolf up the stairs and into the kitchen, where Bailey had put the others to work prepping the salad and garlic bread for dinner.
He glared at Logan, but there wasn’t any heat in his eyes. Logan took that as a sign it was safe to approach. Bailey poked him in the chest but still slid his arms around Logan’s waist. “That was very sneaky. Also, Aleron is older than dirt and answered my questions.”
“I am not!”
“I’m forty-two,” Dasan said, “and hungry.”
Logan still wasn’t entirely sure how he’d ended up with such a strange menagerie for a pack. It wasn’t normal, and it really made no sense, but they were his. He wondered if the oracle had known all along how his story would end, if he’d seen this future for Logan and helped him make it happen.
One day he’d find out more about their mysterious benefactor and figure out a way to thank him. Until then, he’d enjoy every minute of his time with them.
“Gear up,” the oracle’s voice sounded in his ear as if summoned. “We’ve got a unicorn hunting virgins and no one around to stop it.”
“Bad timing, oracle!” Bailey scowled and shook his fist at the newly installed security camera in the kitchen. The only place without one was the pantry, which was why Logan had wanted to take Bailey in there earlier.
The oracle laughed in his ear, the first time Logan had heard them make the sound. “Better make it fast, Alpha. Or you’ll miss lasagna night.”
Fucking unicorns.
Want to know what the history is between Taj and Gideon? Click here for Gideon, the next installment of the Chosen Champions series, now available for preorder.
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About the Author
Macy Blake believes in unicorns and fairies, in moonbeams and stardust, and that happily ever after comes in all colors of the rainbow. She loves to lose herself in paranormal romance, living vicariously through her favorite sexy fictional heroes.
These days you can often find her pounding away at the keyboard, trying to capture the magic of her own worlds while arguing with her feisty German Shepherd, Minerva, and her adorable pound puppy, Pomona.
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Also by Macy Blake
The Chosen One
Sweet Nothings (prequel)
All or Nothing
Nothing Ventured
Next to Nothing
Nothing Gained
Stop at Nothing
Hellhound Champions
Hell On Earth
Hell To Pay
Give Him Hell
Hell Breaks Loose
Magical Mates
All Kidding Aside
Stop Kidding Around
Chosen Champions
Logan
Gideon
Triad of Magic
Mind Magic
Body Magic
Soul Magic
Wild Magic
Stand Alones
Diagnosis Wolf
Born This Way