Page 22 of Reject Him

CHAPTER NINE

The bell above the door chimes when Logan opens it for Eme to enter the diner. Warmth envelopes him, kissing the tip of his cold nose, and music softly plays in the background of the dining room’s chatter and the kitchen’s continuous clatter of pans and cookware.

The diner has always been one of his favorite places to visit in the market. His fondest memory is when his parents used to bring him here every Sunday and they’d each order a stack of pancakes with a side of bacon. It’s times like these that he misses the simpler life.

“Ladies first,” he says with a sweeping hand gesture. He tries hard to keep the uneasiness from his voice, from his features. It’s not that he’s shy. He’s never been one to be shy, but . . . She had just kissed him. He had just kissed her. He doesn’t know what to make of it nor what changed her mind about him. But what he does know is that he doesn’t want to push it, whatever this is. This can’t be anything but good. It’s progress, and he needs progress somewhere in his life.

He mentally makes a note to not thank Wayne for his advice. Wooing her may have worked, but he’ll never give his beta the satisfaction of being right. Logan will never live it down.

Eme thanks him with a smile and walks through the door, but just as Logan moves to head in with her, his name is called. He turns to the sound, face in the wind, and sees Wayne jogging down the street, dressed in nothing but a t-shirt and jeans. He stands out amongst the bundled-up crowd.

“Go find a seat, Eme. I’ll be right in.”

She looks at Wayne then nods. “Okay.”

He shuts the diner door and waits for Wayne to catch up. “There you are, man. I’ve been looking for you everywhere.”

Logan flicks his thumb over his shoulder then moves out of the way so a few pack members can get inside the diner. “I’m taking Eme out for breakfast, and you’re interrupting me.” Logan crosses his arms, looking at him pointedly. Wayne is ruining his good mood.

“Sorry,” Wayne says, bending to catch his breath. “Did she go willingly, or did you have to drag her?”

Logan cocks an eyebrow. “I don’t take her anywhere unwillingly. She chose to come with me.”

Wayne slaps him on the shoulder. “That’s something.”

“It is.” Logan nods. “What are you hunting me down for?”

“Draven came back from the city.” Wayne waves behind him, gesturing past the trees to the city below the mountain. Wayne had sent Draven and a few others to the city to see if they could sniff out who was treading on their territory – to see if they would show themselves. It was a stretch, and a warning was going to be given, but by the look on Wayne’s face . . . Well, he can’t tell if something good has happened or something bad.

“And?”

“They didn’t find the wolves, but they talked to a few other, more gentle, rogues who were at a bar. Apparently, wolfcalm is spreading like wildfire among the younger crowds.”

Logan rubs his jaw. “Any of ours?”

“They didn’t say. That would probably be impossible to tell.” Wayne shakes his head. “I worry about that. There was a group of teens who went there just the other day.”

“Damn it,” Logan growls. “If that shit gets into our pack -”

“I know. But so far, we haven’t seen any evidence. Should we talk to the teens? Maybe their parents?”

Logan shakes his head. “The kids wouldn’t tell you anything, and the parents wouldn’t know if they had. They’re teens. Just keep an eye out.” A teen on wolfcalm could be deadly. It’s the last thing the pack needs to deal with.

Wayne shifts his weight.

“What?” Logan asks.

“There just -” He clears his throat. “There seems to be a lot going on lately. A lot of things hang in the balance, and I don’t know what to make of it.”

“Me neither, but there’s nothing we can do about it. We just have to keep our noses to the ground.”

“We could go back to the city -”

“No.” Logan’s answer is firm.

“No?”

“Rogue wolves, even the ones not associated with wolfcalm, spread gossip as quickly as pack wolves do. If you go back to the city and sniff around any more than you already have, you’ll find yourself in trouble. No wolf will come forward to talk to you, and if problematic rogues find you, there will be nothing I can do to save your asses. You’re treading on their territory.”