Alpha Logan

TWENTY THREE: snow

Bella:

Every aspect of my body trembled as I tried to seem as calm as humanly possible.

I really was going crazy.

How could a man, who lives in Washington, be some random wolf in the woods?

The pieces didn't fit. They didn't align correctly with my reality and what I wanted to know.

I must have been going crazy.

"Wow, you guys do look really alike. Do you get along well?" I chewed heavily at my lip before handing Logan the phone back.

He shrugged, his velvety voice playing in my ears. "Maybe on the outside looking in, it'd appear that way. But I'm not close with anyone."

I slowly nodded my head, "I get it. Before meeting Madison, my only close relationships were stories I read in books." I gulped a sip of wine down. "I used to read Ernest Hemingway novels about the state of Michigan a million times, daydreaming for a place so memorable. The older I got the more distant it seemed."

Logan looked at me with such intensity it ignited goosebumps throughout my whole body. "When'd you move to Michigan?"

"Right after my mom died. The thought of being in Rhode Island with those dark memories made me want to go anywhere else." I lump in my throat became more prevalent once I started talking about her, the pain never dissipating. "The only place my heart wanted to go was Michigan, and I have no idea why."

Logan stayed silent for a moment, "do you think you've made the right choice?"

I thought about it for a minute. Grieving nearly 800 miles away from home was one of the most healing things I've ever done for myself. All I used to think about was getting out of that small state, and it was like a breath of fresh air once I did. Getting away from my father, and the dark memories that followed me everywhere there was not something I could handle anymore.

"I do, a thousand times over. I miss some aspects of Rhode Island, but it had nothing left for me."

"So, are you going to stay here, or adventure elsewhere?" The question had a deeper meaning.

Are you going to leave here too?

I shook my head no, "I find a lot of comfort in the open space and nature that's here. Plus, Madison would have my head on a stick if I tried to leave her." I let out a small laugh and I forced down another sip of wine.

The conversation flowed easily between us, and I tried to push away the questionable thoughts I was having.

The looming eyes of Logan's brother kept creeping into my brain. I had to brush off this feeling before it swallowed me whole. I needed to get a tighter grip on reality.

A man can't be a wolf. It's just not possible. I needed to get seen by a professional.

"Did you enjoy your meal?" The waiter stood over the table, giving a charming smile to Logan.

"Yes, very good. Thank you." Logan said to him and pulled out a card from his wallet to hand to him. The waiter scurried away, and Logan's intense eyes turned to me once more. "Did you like everything?"

"Yeah, I really did." I told him a little too fast, "I've never tried lamb and it's surprisingly good."

The waiter returned in a flash with Logan's card and receipt, "Thank you both for this evening, please have a safe drive home. I just noticed it started snowing, so be careful out there."

I gave Logan a wide-eyed look once he mentioned snow. Of course, it snowed, we live in Michigan.

Logan quickly rushed out of his seat and bid his goodbyes to the waiter. "C'mon baby, we got to go before the roads get bad."