Go into my room

LOGAN

The woods were darker than usual, the air filled with the scent of rain and wet leaves.

With every few steps, Mia’s quiet sniffles broke the silence.

“She couldn’t have gone far,” I said, crouching to sniff the damp ground. “Alright, I think I’ve got her trail.”

Mia hugged her arms around herself. “She’s all I have left, Logan. I can’t lose her too.”

I glanced at her. The sorrow in her eyes was raw, and she looked smaller somehow, standing there in her soaked dress beneath the looming trees.

Being rejected was something no wolf should ever have to endure. Watching Mia… Olivia’s stepsister, go through it had been painful. She didn’t deserve that kind of heartbreak.

“Hey,” I said gently, “we’ll find her. I promise.”

She nodded, forcing a faint smile, and followed me deeper into the woods.

The rain began as a drizzle and within minutes, it turned heavy, drenching us both. I wiped my face with the back of my hand. “There,” I said, sniffing again. The scent was stronger now.

I stepped over a log and crouched near a flat rock. “I think she’s hiding under here.”

Mia gasped softly and knelt beside me. I lifted the rock carefully, and sure enough, a pair of terrified blue eyes stared back at us.

“Snowy,” she breathed, her voice breaking with relief. “Oh, Goddess…”

The cat let out a tiny cry before bolting into her arms. Mia clutched her tightly, tears mixing with the rain on her cheeks. “Thank you. Thank you so much, Logan.”

I smiled, shaking my head as I stood. “It’s nothing. I’m just glad she’s safe.”

She looked up at me then. “No, it’s not nothing,” she whispered. “You didn’t have to come, but you did. You always show up when it matters.”

Before I could respond, Mia threw her arms around me, the force of it catching me off guard. She held on tightly, her small frame trembling against my chest, her breath shaky as she whispered again and again, “Thank you, Logan. Thank you so much.”

Her voice cracked on the last word, and I felt her shoulders shake. I sighed softly, my hands hovering awkwardly in the air before I finally rested them on her back. She was freezing.

“Mia,” I murmured, “you’re shivering.”

She pulled back slightly, her hair plastered to her face, raindrops clinging to her lashes. “I’m fine,” she said, though her lips were already trembling. “I just… I can’t believe she’s okay.”

“You’re soaked,” I said, glancing around at the dark trees. “We should get you somewhere warm. My place is close, ten minutes, maybe less if we hurry.”

Her eyes widened a little. “Oh, I don’t want to bother you. Really, I can make it home. I’ll be fine.”

I shook my head. “No chance. The rain’s getting worse, and you can barely stand upright.”

She opened her mouth to argue again, but when she took a step, she winced and stumbled slightly. I caught her by the arm just in time.

“Mia,” I called out. “What’s wrong?”

She tried to laugh it off. “It’s nothing. I think I twisted my ankle earlier when I was running after Snowy.”

I glanced down. Her ankle was red and slightly swollen, mud streaking her legs. She tried to take another step but hissed in pain.

“That’s it,” I said firmly, already crouching down in front of her. “Get on.”

“What?” she blinked, startled.

“I said, get on. I’ll carry you.”

“Logan, you don’t have to…,”

“Mia.” I turned my head slightly. “You can barely walk. Let me help.”

For a second, she hesitated. Then, with a quiet sigh, she nodded and climbed onto my back, her arms looping around my shoulders.

“Thank you,” she whispered near my ear, her voice barely audible over the pounding rain.

I adjusted my hold under her knees and started walking through the woods. “You don’t need to thank me,” I said quietly. “You’ve been through enough already.”

By the time we reached my cabin, the rain had soaked through everything; our clothes, our hair, even the floorboards of the porch as I kicked the door open. The cat squirmed in Mia’s arms, still trembling from the cold.

“Come in,” I said, shifting her gently down to her feet. “You’re drenched.”

She tried to stand, but her ankle wobbled again, and I caught her before she could fall.

“Careful,” I murmured, steadying her with one arm around her waist. The heat of her body pressed faintly against mine, and I quickly stepped back, clearing my throat. “You should change into something dry before you catch a cold.”

Her gaze lifted. “I don’t have anything else with me.”

I nodded toward the hallway. “Go into my room. First door on the left. You can grab something from the closet… hoodie, T-shirt, whatever fits. I’ll change after you’re done.”

She raised her brows, clutching the cat closer to her chest. “Logan, I don’t want to…:

“Mia,” I interrupted softly, “you’re freezing. Go.”

She nodded reluctantly. “Okay.”

A few minutes later, I heard the faint sound of footsteps behind me.

“Logan?”

I turned to see Mia standing there, her wet hair clinging to her neck, wearing nothing but one of my oversized hoodies. It hung loosely over her frame, the hem brushing the middle of her thighs.

She tugged on the sleeves nervously. “I, um… didn’t want to dirty any of your other clothes,” she said softly. “So I just put this on until mine dries. I hope that’s okay.”

“Yeah,” I said, clearing my throat. “That’s fine. You can make yourself some tea if you want. The kitchen’s right through there.”

She smiled faintly, “Thank you. For everything.”

I gave a small nod. “It’s nothing, Mia. Really.”

Then I stood, brushing my hands on my pants. “I’ll go change and give you some space.”

As I walked down the hall toward my room, I could still feel her gaze on my back… and for some reason, it made my pulse skip.