They spent a few blissful days in the hotel. It had been a long trip, from port to Anchorage, and then from Anchorage to Auckland with a layover. They were both done travelling for a while, just exhausted from it.

Will was starting to ask more and more questions about his life, and Logan knew that he’d have to tell him his story before they could head toward his home town. It was a difficult story, but Will needed to know.

He decided one night after dinner to try. They both undressed, and cuddled into bed with each other, and Logan took a deep breath, holding Will close to him as if afraid he’d run away.

“You know I keep avoiding telling you about my past,” he said quietly.

Will turned to look at him, and then nodded. “I said you could tell me when you’re ready,” he pointed out. Logan smiled a little.

“I’m never gonna be fully ready. It’s just painful to talk about. Most of the time I try not to think about it.”

His sweet omega just looked at him with kind, concerned eyes. Ready to listen. Logan did his best.

“I grew up in a town on the coast. My father was alpha there, and I had two older brothers. We were all really happy. My dad taught us to fish, and he and my mom adored each other. I even got along with my brothers. They teased me, but…”

He swallowed. He was avoiding the painful part.

“One night, a rival alpha broke into our house. He killed them all. My mom, my dad, both of my brothers, he slaughtered them. But he left me alive. Some bullshit about me being too young, and how it was more humiliating this way, leaving me an orphan.”

He shook his head. “Sometimes I wished he’d just killed me.”

Will hugged him very, very tightly, and Logan knew his mate was listening, so he went on before he couldn’t finish.

“I went from foster home to foster home, but nobody wanted a shifter mixing with their ‘normal’ kids. By the time they found me foster parents that actually were shifters, I was almost eighteen. I aged out, and then no one was there to take care of me. That’s when I went to Alaska.”

Will looked up at him. “I’m so sorry, Logan.”

Logan nodded. “Everyone has something bad in their life, I guess. Your parents die one way or another, mine just died early. But… ever since then, I’ve never really believed I could have a family. I’ve run from that. So when you showed up…” He shook his head. “And now, I’m worried that I won’t be able to protect our family if the time comes. Being an alpha is dangerous.”

Will shrugged. “So is being a captain. But you did that for a long time. You need to have more faith in yourself, my love. Besides, if we ever were attacked, it wouldn’t be your fault, just like what happened to your family wasn’t your father’s fault.”

“I often blame him,” Logan admitted softly. “He was supposed to fight for us, to protect us.”

Will sighed and touched his face. “Logan. Everyone has a limit to their strength. The man who killed your family was a murderer. He deserves the blame, not your father.”

Logan nodded. “You’re right.”

That meant he had only one person to blame, and to think Robert Graves might still live, while his family had been dead for so long it disturbed his sense of justice. He clung to his omega, trembling a little. He could close his eyes and hear the screams, and he didn’t want to. Will stroked over his back slowly, bringing him comfort, gradually getting him to calm down.

“Thank you for telling me,” Will whispered, and Logan nodded.

“Thank you for listening.”

“Can you sleep now?” his mate asked.

Logan nodded, feeling exhausted from the emotional conversation.

“Yeah. We should leave tomorrow.”

Will patted him gently. “We’ll talk about it then. Rest, Captain.”

Logan let that sweet peace take him gratefully.

* * *

It was a lot to take in. Logan had suffered such a loss, at such a young age, and Will, who was struggling with his own grief, could only imagine how it had affected seven-year-old Logan. The next morning Will lay watching Logan as he slept, gently running his fingertips through his soft short hair and caressing his stubbled cheek. He loved this man more than anything in the world, he realized. Fate had been right. He needed Logan in his life.

He kissed Logan softly, cuddling against his warm body as he roused slightly. His alpha gave a sleepy, sexy little growl as he wrapped his strong arm around him.

Will knew that Logan feared not being able to protect them, but with Logan around, he really felt safe, truly protected by the strong alpha. If anything ever did happen, it wouldn’t be Logan’s fault. Just as long as he could keep Logan from running away. At least he understood why his mate might want to.

Logan woke more, kissing at Will’s throat, and Will moaned softly, still far too easily aroused.

“Careful,” he breathed.

Logan gave a soft chuckle against his neck and ear and kept kissing, pushing his strong body against Will. The omega gasped when he felt how hard Logan was.

“Oh Alpha, please,” he whispered, grinding against him desperately. He couldn’t resist.

Logan rolled on top of him and pushed inside of him, and Will moaned in relief. He rocked with him. They were both still sleepy, but every movement was intense, working Will up slowly.

“It’s so good,” he whispered, wrapping his arms around Logan to cling to him.

Logan growled softly in pleasure, thrusting at just the right angle inside of Will.

“Shhh. Good boy, relax,” Logan purred, sliding even deeper inside of him, filling him to the hilt.

Will cried out softly, squirming on his enormous, thick cock, clenching around him. Logan was moving so slowly, and he tried to relax, but it felt so good.

Logan was relentless. He kept that slow, steady pace, working Will up, gazing down into his eyes. Will gasped, his breath hitching as he felt himself get close.

“Logan, Alpha, I’ll come,” he warned. Logan seemed to take that as his cue.

The larger man began to really thrust deep inside of Will, and he couldn’t take it. Will screamed softly, his whole body arching in pleasure, his eyes wide in amazement as he covered himself in come. He felt Logan fill him at the same time, kissing him passionately.

Afterwards, panting for breath, Will kissed Logan back and then pressed more kisses all over his face.

“Good morning,” he chuckled softly, and Logan grinned.

“What a way to wake up,” he agreed.

* * *

They both got ready quietly, even though only Logan knew where they were going, and the truth about it. He’d been so overwhelmed the night before, explaining about his family’s death, that he hadn’t gotten to the part about the alpha who did it.

They packed all their bags and then Will sat, gazing down at his baby bump as he waited for Logan. Logan took a moment to just look at Will who was so beautiful sitting there.

“I’m going to fight the alpha,” he finally spoke up.

Will’s big brown eyes widened as he stared at Logan.

“What? You’ll do what?”

“I’m going to fight the alpha. Make him leave my town. Take it back. And then we’ll raise our kid where I was raised, right on the ocean.”

Will shook his head. “Logan, that sounds dangerous.”

Logan was determined. “I’m an alpha. I have my mate beside me. I’m strong enough, I can take him. Besides, he’ll be old now. It’s time.”

That was the natural cycle of alphas, Will knew that. When they fought, it was a battle to the death, notoriously so. Will thought to himself that it might be one of the only acceptable forms of murder in the modern world. Wolves had to win their territory. It was the only way.

“You’d better win,” Will said seriously. “If you go into this, you need to win. I will not lose you.”

Logan looked into his mate’s eyes.

“I will win,” he promised. “Let’s go.”

* * *

The drive was absolutely stunning. New Zealand rivaled even Alaska for beauty, but in a completely different way. They drove through lush, green, rolling hills and passed magnificent mountains that reached high into the endless blue skies. Will was transfixed. He dug out a notebook and curled up in the passenger’s seat, beginning to scribble down notes.

“What are you writing?” Logan asked.

Will smiled, looking up to gaze out the window.

“I think I’m going to write a book. We never finished our research, but we made many insights, and their story—it deserves to be told.”

Logan gave him an admiring look and Will flushed. The way that Logan looked at him these days made him feel so warm and protected. Of course, the sunny weather in New Zealand, which was heading into summer as Alaska was heading into winter, helped with that too. He couldn’t imagine anyone drowning in pitch black, icy waters here. There were just green hills for miles, and the occasional fluffy white sheep wandering among them.

He almost wondered for one terrible moment, why Logan had left, and then he realized what an insensitive thought that was. These hills might be home for Logan, but they were also a place of death and loss just as much as the Bering Sea had become for Will.

Will kept writing, putting some of his thoughts and fears down in words. When he remembered the cold like daggers to his chest, he wrote. When he remembered the scream he heard just before they all went under, he wrote.

Logan was largely supportive, staying quiet. Will knew he had his own feelings about returning home. They both knew that the alpha who had killed Logan’s parents was most likely still there, running the local pack.

After several hours of driving, they made a pit stop, and Will stocked up on jerky and chocolate. He was craving the strangest things these days, at least for him. As he slid back into the car, he noticed Logan was done pumping gas, but was still standing there outside, staring at the gas station sign.

“Logan?” Will asked, poking his head out of the window. “Babe? Are you okay?”

The man was obviously startled. He looked down at Will.

“I… We’re close. Almost there. My dad used to stop at this gas station when we went camping.”

Will’s heart sank. He could see the pain in Logan’s eyes, even all these years later. The Bering Sea, he realized, was nothing compared to the destruction Logan had witnessed at home. He began to see how his mate could take comfort in cold steel and fat crab.

“I’m sorry,” Will said quietly, offering his hand out the window. “Do you want me to drive?”

Logan reached out and gripped his hand, squeezing it.

“Yeah. Maybe that isn’t such a bad idea. Thank you.”

Logan leaned in and kissed him, and Will moaned softly when he felt his hot lips. He was still so easily turned on, but now wasn’t the time.

Will got out of the car to switch seats with him. He buckled up and adjusted the seat to fit his own size. He was lanky and a little shorter than Logan, but he was all legs, and now he had a small belly to contend with, as well. “You settled?” he asked his alpha.

Logan nodded, quiet but buckled in. Will considered, and then reached into his bag and grabbed a pack of jerky, opening it. He offered Logan some, and Logan smiled and took a piece.

“Your jerky? I half thought you’d bite my hand off if I tried,” Logan laughed, and Will grinned.

“It’s precious. You should feel honored.”

He finished the piece of meat, and then left the package in Logan’s hand and got back on the highway.

He couldn’t fight Logan’s battle for him, not as an omega. But he could get his alpha home.

* * *

They stopped in a motel just outside of town, and Logan immediately noticed how much things had changed. This motel had once been a charming bed and breakfast with white washed stucco and a fat cat in the window. Now, it was a grungy dirty pink all over, extended and turned into a cheap roadside motel. Logan went inside and spoke to Lisa. She and her husband had run the place for decades. What had happened?

“Hi there,” he said to her, and he knew she wouldn’t recognize him. The last time she’d seen him, he’d been a few feet shorter and much cuter.

“Hello dear!” She greeted. She was so much older than he remembered, of course, but her smile was the same. Mostly. Maybe it was a little sadder.

“I used to live around here, back then this was the Meadow Inn.”

“Why, it’s still the Meadow Inn, dear. We’ve had some renovations, of course…”

Logan nodded, frowning as he looked around.

“What happened?” he asked her quietly. She sighed, then looked at him keenly.

“What’s your name, dear? I remember everyone who comes through here, especially if they stay a while.”

Logan smiled. “Logan Harris. You probably remember my mother and father.”

Her eyes widened, and then filled with tears. The elderly woman came out from behind the counter and wrapped her arms around him tightly, squeezing him.

“Logan!” she gasped. “Of course I remember you. I remember your whole family, it was devastating for all of us, how they…”

She looked up at him with wide eyes, and he touched her arms gently.

“What is it, Lisa?”

She shook her head, fearful now, and stepped away from him.

“Robert Graves. You should know, he’s still here. He’s what happened to this town.”

Logan’s eyes narrowed. “The alpha,” he said, and she nodded.

“He bought up everything. Squeezed them for as much profit as he could get. He was the one who forced us to turn this place into a motel, but since then he hasn’t paid for any upkeep. And that’s not all. The whole town has been run down, worn dry. He even took control of the fisheries, and now the local waters are tapped. The place is a wasteland. We don’t even get tourists anymore.”

Logan shook his head, horrified. This town had been a prospering coastal attraction, with bustling fisheries, a beautiful reef to explore… That bastard had destroyed his home.

Suddenly, guilt filled him. If he hadn’t been such a coward, if he had come back sooner, maybe some of these people wouldn’t have lost their businesses.

“I’m so sorry, Lisa,” he said, and she shook her head.

“Nonsense. You were only a child. Your poor family… No. None of this is your fault, dear, but I would suggest you leave. You can stay tonight, but if Mr. Graves gets wind that you’re in town he won’t like it.”

Logan nodded. He paid for a room and took the key.

“Thank you, Lisa. It’s good to see you again.”

“Of course, Logan. God bless,” she said, patting his hand sweetly as he left. He went out to the car, where Will was still writing, and knocked on the window.

Will rolled it down to speak to him.

“I got us a room,” Logan said. “The lady who runs this place, she says Robert Graves has taken over the town. That he’ll come find me if he hears I’m around.”

Will frowned. “That’s the alpha? The one who killed your family?”

Logan nodded. “Yes. And it sounds like he’s nearly destroyed this whole place. I have to fight him, Will. It’s the only way.”

Will had made it clear he didn’t like that idea, but he didn’t argue, this time. He just got out of the car and grabbed his bag.

“You’re right,” the young scientist finally admitted. “You have to fight him. I just wish it didn’t have to be to the death.”

Logan shrugged. “Me too. I never wanted to kill anyone. But it’s the way alphas are.”

Will nodded, hugging him tightly.

“Which room is ours?” he asked, and Logan pointed to their room, which was on the second floor. He took Will’s bags and carried them up the stairs for him.

The place was rundown, but clean, and Logan fell onto the bed. He was exhausted from their trip, but also just emotionally worn down. He would have to kill a man. An alpha, in a proper fight, but still. He’d never killed someone before.

Will climbed onto the bed with him and wrapped himself around him, and Logan remembered what he was doing it all for. He placed his hand over the baby bump, smiling.

“Have you thought of any names yet?” he asked his lover.

Will hummed thoughtfully. “Maybe…Olivia for a girl? Or Karen.”

“Karen?” Logan asked, making a face. “I like Emily. Or Cassandra.”

Will shook his head. “Definitely not Cassandra. What about a boy? Timothy?”

“Timothy isn’t bad. Timmy? I guess we could have a Timmy.”

Will smirked. “Now that you say it like that, no. Definitely not Timothy.”

They both laughed. Logan shifted down and rested his head on Will’s stomach, listening quietly to see if he could hear a heartbeat. The life growing inside his mate, that was half him, and he knew as soon as their baby was born, they would really be a family. Will wasn’t his husband yet, but…

Suddenly Logan looked up at Will.

“Do you want to marry me?” he asked.

Will gasped, shocked, and stared down at him.

“Are you proposing?”

Logan nodded. “Yeah. Yeah, I am. Sorry I don’t have a ring yet, but I just thought of it. Will you marry me? Please? I want you to be my husband.”

Will looked like he might cry, and Logan hoped it was in a good way. His omega pulled him into his arms and kissed him passionately.

“Yes, I want to marry you. I want you to be my husband, too.” He nuzzled against him. “Should we do it before the baby is born?”

Logan shrugged. “That’s up to you. I could understand if you didn’t want to be pregnant for the wedding. Just as long as we get married.”

Will nodded. “Yeah. Of course. I guess I always thought we would, but…”

Logan smiled. “Me too, that’s why I realized I should probably actually ask,” he laughed.

Logan felt his omega give him strength. He wouldn’t lose that fight. He was confident now, he would win, and he would make a good life for his new family, his husband and their baby.

“What about Jacob?” he asked, and Will nodded.

“I like that. And for a girl?”

Logan thought for a moment. “Lisa?”

Will smiled widely. “Oh, I like that. It’s pretty.”

Pleased, Logan gave him a happy kiss. “I love it.”

Will laughed softly, stroking Logan’s cheek, bringing him comfort. “Me too. Get some rest, Captain.”