Chapter 129

Logan

The hum of the airport droned in my ears as I waited for the plane. I glanced down a few seats, stealing a furtive look at Ella. She sat immersed in her music, headphones firmly in place, eyes closed, face serene.

And yet, I could feel the tension emanating from her like an invisible wall between us.

Last night kept replaying in my mind, each memory so vivid I could almost feel the warmth of her touch, the softness of her lips, the eagerness in her eyes.

It was as if, for those fleeting hours, everything fell into place; the world around us dissolved, leaving just Ella and me, bound by a connection so intense it defied explanation.

My wolf purred in agreement, a deep sense of contentment filling us both. Last night had been unlike any other experience I had had before with a woman—intimate, loving, real.

Ella was a storm of contradictions that somehow perfectly balanced the chaos within me. Her body was uncharted territory I wanted to explore over and over, each touch and kiss something new to me entirely.

And yet, as I sat there in the crowded terminal, I couldn’t shake off the stark contrast between last night and now. The same woman who had melted in my arms, who had looked at me with so much vulnerability and trust in her eyes, was the same woman who had shoved me away this morning, as if our night together was a mistake she wanted nothing more than to erase.

And my wolf felt it, too. The sadness in his spirit mirrored my own internal struggle.

Just when I had thought we had broken down our walls, Ella was building barriers again, just like she did when we first met. My wolf howled silently, a mournful cry that only deepened my sense of loss.

“Why is she pushing us away?” my wolf asked, a question I had been wrestling with all day.

“I wish I knew,” I answered. All this time, I had thought that I was slowly proving myself to her; showing her that I wasn’t just a criminal, but a real person, someone who was capable of turning my life around. And I wanted to show her, too, that those changes were partially thanks to her.

And now I wondered if it was even worth it.

I dared another glance at Ella. Her eyes met mine, and for a second, I thought I saw a crack in her facade—a flash of the longing and uncertainty that mirrored my own.

But then she looked away, retreating behind the protective walls once again.

A voice came over the PA system, announcing the boarding for our flight. Ella rose without so much as looking in my general direction, pulling her carry-on behind her, the distance between us widening with each step she took.

My wolf whimpered softly, sensing that the divide between us was more than just physical space.

As we shuffled onto the plane, I couldn’t help but think of all the things I wanted to say, questions I wanted to ask. Did she regret last night as much as she seemed to? Did she not feel the attraction that I felt last night? Was it all just a game for her, or something else?

We took our seats. I looked out of the window, watching as the ground pulled away, taking us higher and further apart.

“You could talk to her, you know,” my wolf finally said, breaking the silence that had settled between us. “Find out what’s really going on. Maybe she’s as conflicted as we are.”

“Maybe,” I sighed, my voice tinged with a bitterness that surprised even me. “But what if she’s not conflicted? What if last night meant nothing to her?”

“But what if it did?” he countered. “What if she’s just scared and confused?”

I didn't have an answer. The possibility that Ella might be feeling the same way, that she too was caught in a web of conflicting emotions, was almost too much to bear. It was a dangerous hope, one that could either make or break me.

But I couldn’t bring myself to talk to her. Especially not now, with her headphones in and her sleep mask over her eyes. She was leaning as far away from me as possible, her arms wrapped around her chest protectively, her head resting against the side of her seat like I was a stranger and not a lover.

For now, all I could do was replay last night’s memories, each thought a blend of pleasure and agony that only made me crave her all the more.

I pulled out my phone once the plane was in the sky, scrolling through emails about upcoming projects, all of which were heavily dependent on Ella’s father’s support. This was what I had come for, and I had gotten it. No matter how much it hurt, I didn’t need to get any closer with Ella. Maybe it was about time that I realized that.

“So this is it? We’re going back to square one?” my wolf questioned, a whine in his voice.

I sighed, locking my phone. “Look, I don’t know, okay? What matters is that we got what we needed. Her father trusts us now.”

“Her father, or her?” he countered.

“We don’t need her trust,” I muttered, almost as if I was trying to convince myself. “We got what we wanted. If she comes around, fine. If not, we’ve lost nothing.”

My wolf whined. “Logan, you’re starting to sound like—”

“Like my old self?” I snapped, surprised even by my own bitterness. “Yeah, I guess I do.”

“You don’t need to retreat like this,” my wolf urged.

“Too bad.” I slipped my phone back into my pocket and looked away, sealing away the memories of last night in a neat little box in the back of my mind. “It’s better this way. I never should have changed; not for her, not for anyone.”

“But Logan—”

“And,” I continued, “now that I have what I want, there’s no need to put up this front anymore. Things were better before. I’m done now.”

My wolf listened to my words, and I could feel his presence begin to diminish in my mind, almost as though my words weakened him.

“Logan,” he murmured, “she’s your fated mate. Are you sure you want this?”

I nearly scoffed. “She’s not my fated mate. She never was; she rejected me.”

My wolf was silent for a long time. The hostess made her rounds, and I flagged her over, ordering a whiskey on ice despite the fact that it was barely past nine in the morning. When the cool glass was in my hand a moment later, I tasted the burning liquid on my tongue and felt oddly steeled now against my emotions.

“So, this is it,” my wolf said softly. “No more Ella.”

I nodded and took another sip. “Not for much longer, no. Not now that we have what we wanted.”

My wolf fell silent after that. However, as the plane made its journey toward my home city, I couldn’t help but steal the occasional glance at Ella. There was a pull in my heart, but I decided then and there that I would take the proverbial scissors and sever whatever tied me to her.

For better or for worse.