Alpha Logan

SIXTEEN: innocence

Logan:

I knew the amount of danger I had just put myself in.

The idea of Bella interacting with a bunch of my werewolf friends didn't exactly sit right with me.

The longer the weeks got, the more questions they asked about my mystery mate, and it would've been easier to shield her away.

Protect Bella's innocence and play the part of the normal, human boyfriend. That would've made more sense than my pack insisting on meeting her. But, these days nothing made sense.

It was like I was battling myself trying to figure out the directions on where to go and what to do.

Tell her.

Don't tell her.

It seemed simple, but it couldn't be more complicated.

Nothing would remain the same if I unfolded the truth, and Bella might run in the other direction regardless of her feelings.

I gripped the steering wheel harder as I thought more about my decisions.

My pack was informed more than once if any slip-ups happened tonight, they'll have to deal with my wrath. I was already on edge and if someone alluded to something that could raise suspicion, I was not hesitant to punish them tenfold.

My thoughts seemed to dissipate when I heard her soft voice, bringing me out of my trance of anger.

"Do you like Taylor Swift?"

From the corner of my eye, I saw her playing with that tattered bracelet that stayed nearly glued to her wrist. Her hand rested on that pale linen dress which made me want to sink into quicksand.

That dress...

It screamed innocence. It rested perfectly on her body, not washing out her pale skin. The sight of her nearly brought me to my knees.

"Taylor Swift?" I asked, trying my best to focus on the road.

"Yeah, the singer?"

"I don't really know a lot of her songs, maybe at most is one?"

The question didn't throw me off guard, I was used to the random rambling and excessive talking from my little mate at this point. The more nervous she was the more she felt the need to talk, and I wasn't complaining.

She could talk about the Dewey decimal system and I'd find it fascinating.

"Oh well, I've been listening to her forever! Probably since I was like eleven, and it's like she's grown up with me. She's really cool and is obsessed with cats like me."

"Oh yeah?" I responded, simply enjoying the sound of her voice. Like a methodical song, it pulled me in a trance.

"Yeah! Maybe I'll have to play you a few of her songs. I think you'll like her album folklore." Bella's hands danced around the hem of her skirt. "She's dated some of my celebrity crushes and I'm so envious of her. Taylor Swift has got it all the looks-"

"Celebrity crushes?" I interrupted her, the idea of her crushes definitely piqued my interest.

Bella didn't respond for a few seconds, completely thrown off guard by my sudden mood change. My bones rattled with jealousy at the idea that there was someone out there who had my Bella daydreaming about them.

"Hmm yeah, ya know. Like fantasies and stuff, not real life in love with."

Better not be "real life in love with" anyone.

I pulled into the driveway of our destination, not ready to finish this line of questioning. I pulled the shift in park and turned my head towards her.

"So, I shouldn't worry about you running off with one of them one day?"