Logan

I stared down at the woman I loved as she lay in a hospital bed. My heart was breaking as I worried about her and the words that came out of her mouth. She thought I was a monster and so was our baby. I looked at the heartbeat monitor with its steady rhythm, hoping she’d wake up and tell me she still loved me.

“Grace, please wake up,” I begged, taking her hand in mine and holding it tight. Suddenly, I felt her flinch and yank her hand back.

“Leave me alone,” she screamed, thrashing in the bed. “Jared, stop please.” I leaned over her and held her arms down to try and calm her before she hurt herself.

“Grace, Grace. It’s me, Logan. You’re safe. I promise.” Slowly the flailing stopped and her eyes opened to look at me. “Gracie, love. I’m here. You’re safe.”

“Logan, I’m confused.” She looked up at me with sadness in her eyes. Then they bulged out. “The baby.”

“The baby is okay.” A nurse entered the room, moving to the right side of the bed to check the monitors. “I’m glad to see you awake, Mrs. Lockwood.”

“It’s Harper. Our wedding was scheduled for next week.”

“It still is,” I replied to Angela with a smile. I looked back at Grace and saw a bit of territoriality on her face. I controlled my expression but inside I was jumping up and down. She wasn’t completely against being with me. Even if she did refer to our wedding date as if it was a thing of the past.

“Things are looking wonderful in here. I’m going to contact the doctor on call. For now, just rest.”

Her eyes followed the nurse until she closed the door then turned to me.

“Was Jared mauled by a bear?” she asked.

“Yes,” I answered because technically that was the truth.

“Am I crazy or were you the bear?” I didn’t know how to answer that. It was the biggest secret and the reason we met in the first place. The cougar guards the house for my family. It was trying to scare her away, not harm her. He had no idea she’d jump into the house like that.

“Well…”

“Oh my God, you are,” she gasped, clapping one hand to her mouth and the other to her belly. “Are you going to kill me for knowing?”

“What? God, no. I’d never do anything to hurt you.”

“This explains the virgin thing at twenty-six.”

“Yes, it does. And our attraction to each other. You’re the one for me, Grace. I was scared at first about it, but all I knew is that I had to be with you.”

“Our attraction? You mean that we were supposed to be together?”

“Yes, that’s why you let reason disappear from your head and stayed with me. Giving yourself to me when you knew you shouldn’t. It’s why I can’t even be away from you without panicking.”

“Is that why you got to me so fast?”

“Yes and no. I was coming home for a little lunch,” I replied suggestively, letting my eyes roam over her body. “Then I heard you scream for me. Nothing would stop me from protecting you even though you think I’m a monster and put one in you.”

“I don’t think you’re a monster and I most definitely don’t think our baby is.”

“You said it as you passed out.”

“I would never.”

“Your exact words were ‘monster baby.’”

“I was talking about Jared. He stepped on my stomach. The monster stepped on my baby.”

“Oh thank fucking God. I’ve been sitting here trying to find a way to keep you.”

“I’m not going anywhere. You saved me and I love you so much that my last thoughts were of you before you attacked.”

“I love you, Grace. I promise I’ll answer any of your questions, but only if you promise not to leave.”

“I thought I already did, but if it makes you feel better.”

“It will.”

“I’m not going anywhere.” I leaned down and kissed her softly, knowing she was still in a very fragile state.

“So let me get this straight. Are your parents like you too?”

“Yes, as well as the sheriff and about fifty others. This is our territory and my family has lived here for centuries.”

“Will I become one too?”

“No, you won’t. It’s only passed down through blood. Our baby will be though.”

“So you’ll stay young while I’ll grow old and die.”

“No, sweetheart. I age at about the same rate as our human counterparts.”

“So your mom isn’t a bear?”

“She is, both my parents are. I’d say it’s about fifty-fifty on those who mate with their own and find their mate in a human.”

“Wow, this is all freaking weird to me.”

“You seem to be handling it well.”

“I almost died today. It is still today, right?”

“Yes, it is.”

“I’m grateful to be alive and that wouldn’t have happened if it wasn’t for our connection.”

“That’s very true. I hope you’re like that with every crazy thing in my life.”

“There’s more?” she questioned.

“No, I’m kidding.”

“Asshole.”

“I love you, too.” I kissed her again because she looked so adorable when she was giving me those pouty lips and squinty eyes.