Logan’s town was absolutely charming. Small shops and restaurants lined the downtown area. Boutiques, a flower shop, Mexican, Italian, and French Restaurants, along with a diner, and even a butcher shop. At the end of the row of stores, a marina welcomed boaters and weekenders to enjoy the lake, and across from the marina stood a movie theater that had to have been there since the fifties.

I could imagine it decorated for the holidays, prettily covered in snow in the winter, and I just knew in the summer, that ice cream parlor would have a line around the block.

As we drove through and past the downtown area, I longed to stop and park. To walk hand in hand with Logan down main street and check out each business in person, but Logan was a man on a mission.

He’d gotten ahold of his friend Derrik and told him about me. I could tell when, seconds later, Marta took the phone from him and started peppering Logan with questions. He’d started to laugh, his eyes catching mine as he answered her.

Needless to say, they’d agreed to come over, probably to interrogate me, but I was okay with that. I was eager to meet the most important people in Logan’s life.

That was why, I was getting a windshield tour of the town as Logan barreled toward the outskirts where their grocery store had been built. He held my hand in his as I watched the scenery out the window, eagerly taking in every aspect of his land, his clan, and him, that I could.

“So, steak and potatoes should be easy enough,” Logan suggested as he pulled into the parking lot. “Maybe some asparagus?”

“Sounds good to me,” I said with a smile. “I’m not picky, and if that’s what our guests like, then that’s what we’ll make them.”

Logan grinned at me, then pulled the key out of the ignition and jumped gracefully out of the truck. I watched as he rounded the hood, waiting for him to come and open my door, like he’d requested when he’d opened the door for me earlier.

I’d never been with a gentleman before, and I had to say, although some may see it as old fashioned, I really, really liked it.

It made me feel cared for. Respected.

“Thank you,” I said as I took his offered hand and let him help me down.

“Always,” Logan said gruffly, bending to put his face in the crook of my neck. I felt him breath me in, then kiss my neck softly, before he stood back to his full height, tucked my hand in his arm, and led me to the grocery store.

Once we were inside, Logan reluctantly let me go so that he could grab a cart and push it, then told me, “If there’s anything else you like, or need, grab it. I want you to have what you want in our home.”

I stopped momentarily stunned at his words. Our home. Oh my God…

“You okay?” Logan asked, turning his head toward me when he realized I wasn’t right beside him.

I shook off my stupor and hoped I gave a convincing smile as I nodded. “Yes.”

I hurried to catch up, but only listened partially as we walked through the aisles. As suggested, I grabbed a few items I liked, or needed. Toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, and other toiletries, as well as some yogurt, sandwich stuff and Doritos, but on the inside, I was freaking out.

Obviously, I knew what it meant to find my mate. That I’d move in with him, we’d have a claiming ceremony, and I’d have his cubs. Of course, I did, but it hadn’t really hit me what it all meant until he’d called his cabin our home.

I had to move.

To leave the house I loved, my family, my friends, my job… my pack.

I was excited about me and Logan, about meeting his friends, his clan, and seeing his town, but the gravity of what was actually happening hadn’t hit me. I’d found my mate, my person, the other half of me who I’d be with for the rest of my days, but there was a catch. I had to give up everything to be with him.

I nodded and made noises of agreement while he picked out the steaks, grabbed a back of potatoes and added asparagus and bacon to the cart. I smiled when he picked up a bottle of Pinot Noir and asked if I’d like it, and chuckled when he added a twelve pack of beer.

But I was in a fog, only half in the conversation, and I knew that Logan could tell.

His eyes were questioning, and his lips turned down in a frown, but he didn’t say anything about it, or ask me again what was wrong until he’d loaded our bags up in the truck, let me inside, then got in the driver’s seat.

Once we were in the cab of his truck, and it was running with the stereo on low, Logan turned to me, his arm resting on the back of the seat and asked, “What’s up, Natasha?”

I shifted so I was facing him, hating the look of uncertainty on his face.

“It’s just that, I realized, I have to move,” I began quickly, wanting to get it all out. “It’s not that I don’t want to, don’t want to be with you, it’s only that I hadn’t considered what all I had to leave behind.”

Understanding filled Logan’s eyes, and his hand came to caress my cheek.

“You can see your family, your friends, anytime you want,” he assured me.

“I know,” I said, begging him to understand. “But I won’t work with Gilly at Howlers every day, or watch Gilly and Max get closer. I won’t be there to see if anything happens between Mateo and Brick, or even get to see my parents all the time. Although that last one, I’m sorry to say I’m not that sad about. Plus, my house, my things…”

“We’ll pack up your things and move them here. We can figure out what stays and what goes, hell, we can move out all my stuff and fill it will all of yours, whatever you want… As for Howlers, no, it wouldn’t make sense for you to work there and live here, but if it’s a job you want, we’ll find you one here. As for Gilly, Max, Mateo and Brick, we’ll see them. They can come here, we’ll go there. I promise, babe, I don’t want to cut you off from everyone you love.”

“I know, I just… freaked out a little bit. I’ll miss my pack. My home.”

“I understand,” Logan said, scooting closer to kiss me softly before pulling back and saying, “But I’ll give you a new home, and a clan, who, I swear, will become your family as well. You’ll have more friends and family in your life than you know what to do with.”

“I know, I’m sorry, I just need a little time.”

“There’s nothing to be sorry about, Natasha. You can say anything to me, I want you to always tell me if there’s something bothering you, and I’ll do the same. I love you.”

“I will, I promise,” I replied, then placed my hands on his cheeks and said, “I love you, too.”