Sold to a Wolf Pack

STAWP | Chapter 33

Saffron

"Please," I whisper the prayer to the Moon Goddess. Please help Logan control his Wolf. He just needs a little strength.

He takes a small step forward and I instinctively wince and protect my face with my hands. Dad's usually careful about causing permanent damage, but I have no reason to think Logan will be. Bones and skin heal, but teeth won't just grow back and a blinded wolf will remain blind for life.

"Oh, S...Sofie," Logan's voice breaks and instead of hurting me, he wraps me in his arms around me and holds me close. "I'm so sorry! I shouldn't have—"

"It's okay," I interrupt, hugging him tightly in relief. Thank you, I add a prayer of gratitude to the Moon Goddess, Thank you. She's never stopped the attacks before, but whenever I've prayed to her for the strength to survive, I lived to see another day. Mom used to tell me the Moon Goddess doesn't give us what we want, but what we need. Maybe... well, maybe she was right.

"I didn't mean to...," Logan mumbles into my neck, then trails off and holds me tighter.

"I know," I whisper.

It's just not fair how their wolf makes male wolves lose control: Logan, his dad, my dad, and every rogue who's ever crossed my path. They've all turned into the exact same monster. Angry. Demanding. Ready to fight. I guess the only exception so far is Zara's boyfriend, Jasper. He hasn't shown his wolf, but it's not like I've known him all that long.

"I'd never hurt you," Logan whispers.

"It's okay." I sigh. What else is there to say? If I hadn't cried—maybe if I hadn't begged the Moon Goddess for help—instead of hugging, Logan would be standing over my beaten, broken body. That is, if I was lucky. If I wasn't, I'd be dead.

"I mean it," Logan insists. He takes a hold of my upper arms and gently pushes me back so he can look into my eyes. "I swear, Sofie! I could never hurt you."

"I... I know you think so, but..." I don't know what else to tell him.

"It's true," Logan insists. "Tell me you believe me. Please."

He looks so earnest and so hurt that I nod. I can tell that deep down Logan doesn't want his wolf to take over. It's not his fault and he's trying to do better.

Yeah, there was that prank everyone played on me in class, but in the end Logan couldn't go through with it. At least, he pulled me out of there, which has to mean something!

Unless the prank was for him to seduce me, but it's not like he's done a very good job of that. What girl would fall for an out-of-control wolf who can barely resist the urge to tear out her throat?

Whatever everyone was up to in class, it looks like Logan's changed his mind about it, and that's all that matters. Except, a nagging thought lingers in the back of my mind, what about Zara? The way she put her arm around me when she saw I was upset was what a friend would do, unless she's that good an actress. I really wish I knew if she was pressured into pulling that prank, or was she in on it from the start.

"Logan?" I ask. "What happened in class?" Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't expect him to tell me, but right now, when he's feeling all guilty, he might spill just to make it up to me.

"You really can't hear me?" Logan asks the same thing he did when they were playing that stupid prank.

"Why are you doing this?" I demand. I can't believe he still plans to prank me after everything that's just happened! What the hell is wrong with him?

"Saffron," he begins. "Sofie," he corrects himself, "our wolves... they can link... um, communicate...without us having to say anything aloud."

"Yeah, right." I roll my eyes. Could he have come up with something any more farfetched? If we could hear each other's thoughts, I'd know. Next thing he'll be telling me he can teleport, or... I don't know... fly, or something!

"I swear," Logan insists, taking my hand in his. He squeezes it gently, sending shivers down my spine. "We were linking in class... all of us were... and we thought you were ignoring us. I tried talking to you when we went on the run too, but..." Logan trails off.

"I'm not falling for that." I shake my head and pull my hand away from his. Then I cross my arms in front of my chest and glare at him. Does he think I'm that stupid? People can't read each other's minds, and neither can wolves!

"Sofie, please," Logan begs, "why would I lie to you?" He takes my hand again and pulls on it gently, making me uncross my arms. He begins caressing my wrist, drawing slow circles with his thumb that make my pulse race. Something about the motion is so erotic that his touch is suddenly all I can think about.

"I don't know," I mumble, my mind going blank. I can't think. I need him to stop. I can't fall into his trap. Not again. Not after everything that's just happened.

"Sofie, I like you, a lot," Logan tells me, and I gape. Sure, he's attracted to me, or at least he wanted to make out, but 'like'? Does he want us to date?

"You do?" I whisper.

"Yeah." He nods and lets go of my hand so he can cup my face with his palms. "I do."

"Oh," I mumble. I watch his lips draw closer and closer to mine. No. This can't happen. I panic and shake my head to clear my thoughts and then stumble away from him.

"Sofie?" Logan asks, his voice laced with hurt.

"I... um... we should probably go to the nurse," I finally blurt out, and walk past him out the door.