Chapter 128

Emily

According to Logan, his pack is underneath a lot of stress right now. Many contractors and businesses that they work with have begun to drop out of their contracts, which is impossible seeing how they are years away from the expiration date, nor are any of the parties in some kind of liability that would dismiss and void the contracts.

So, I find myself sitting back at my wooden desk these days — which has been moved into Logan’s office so he can keep an eye on me — with a stack of papers in front of me as I slowly work my way through contracts and finance reports from these businesses.

Logan was adamant that I not come into work, that he can deal with it on his own, but I insisted. If anything, getting out of the house is good for me. I need to distract my mind before the final trimester of my pregnancy comes around. The last thing I need is to go stir crazy inside of his home and to do anything stupid that will hurt me and the baby.

I shift through the spreadsheets and budgets, keeping to myself as the office slowly burns from all around me. Carla and other employees briskly walk back and forth between places, too busy to even pay attention to the atmosphere of quiet that surrounds my desk. I barely look at them as they walk by, amused by their stressed faces and the urgency that they walk with.

Just as I am about to move from one spreadsheet to another, Logan quickly shows up at my side, pulling a chair up beside me. His hands attach themselves to my shoulders and gently the knots that form in my neck, trying his best to comfort me despite my already comfortable desk set up.

“Logan,” I breathe his name out, a quiet chuckle, leaving my lips, “you need to focus on your own work and not me.”

“You’re better looking than contracts and spreadsheets. I would rather spend all of my time with you instead of dealing with disgruntled werewolves,” Logan speaks so nonchalantly it makes me roll my eyes.

“Your pack is slowly burning,” I comment, fully turning to look at him. I prop my elbow onto the desk and place my chin on the heel of my hand, a small smile forming across my face. “I need the quiet so I can focus. You can understand that, right?”

“Right,” Logan nods, but he doesn't move. I groan and place my hand on his chest, and slowly pushing him away from me. My husband rolls away in the chair with an exasperated look on his face. “You wound me, Emily.”

“You need to work, Logan,” I muse with a smile, “I’m doing a favor. Now get back into your office and get those contracts done so we can go home.”

My words clearly entice Logan. He nods like an obedient dog and quickly rushes back towards his desk, sitting down and eagerly picking up pieces of paper and his pen. I laugh and shake my head, turning my attention back to the contacts.

His alarm on his phone goes off. Logan murmurs curse words under his breath, quickly standing from his desk, gathering folders of papers. He swiftly walks towards me, pressing a kiss to the top of my head, before exiting his office like his feet are on fire.

Just as he leaves, Carla enters into his office with a new and fresh stack of papers in her hand. I suck in my breath at the sight, unsure just how badly logan is going to react to the sight event when he comes back from his meeting. I stand up and instinctively placed my hands on my lower back, trying to ease the soreness that remains in my spine.

“Who did this come from?” I ask with a slightly amused tone in my voice.

“Oh, you know,” Carla lets out an exasperated sigh, rolling her eyes. She wears the same demeanor she does with the other office workers, much nicer than she usually is with me. “Just another company who vowed loyalty to another Alpha King candidate. Trying to get out of their contract and this…” she gestures to the papers, “is the reason why they are pulling out.”

“Yikes,” I comment, staring at the thick stack.

A comfortable silence falls between us. It’s weird to me but I do not want to jinx it, not wanting to ruin something good that is finally beginning to form between Carla and I after everything has been so intense and backhanded between us.

“Hey,” Carla begins, capturing my attention with ease, “is your pregnancy going well? Have you been taking a good amount of breaks? We all told Logan to send you home but he said you insisted.”

“Is this your way of keeping me out of the office?” I laugh, unable to hold back my comment. Carla laughs with me, though, and it is a nice feeling on my ears.

Who would have known that we would get along? After I discovered Iris’ plot to take down Logan’s pack, I would have thought that the bridge between Carla and I was totally destroyed. Never to be rebuilt or repaired. But here we are, acting as if we are longtime co-workers and maybe even friends.

“Look,” Carla breathes out, “I know that we didn’t start off on the right foot with all of the drama and whatnot but…I want nothing but the best for you and Logan with your pregnancy. The whole office feels the same way. Logan has been so much happier with you in his life and it shows. We are all appreciative for it, even if we don’t really show it.”

“Thank you,” I nod my head, slowly taking in the kind words that she has given to me.

I never would've thought that the office would actually like me. I never would've thought that the office would root for logan and I after being so adamantly against us from the beginning. I know that I was an outsider when I first came here, somebody from another pack who couldn't be trusted, whose wolf has remained asleep for the entirety of her life.

It warms my heart to know, though, that they have finally changed their minds about me, finally accepting me and my role inside of Logan's life. It finally is beginning to feel like I belong in a place like this instead of feeling like I am constantly intruding in on their work and lives.

“So…are you going to have a baby shower?” Carla’s question catches me off guard.

I blink at her, my body feeling like it is going through a manual reset before I let out a quiet laugh, one that I didn't even know I was holding in. Looking away, I shake my head, pushing my loose strands of hair behind my ears. I turned back to look at her and force a smile across my face, shaking my head.

“No,” I begin to speak, “I do not think a baby shower is a good idea. I don't really know enough people nor do I really want one. I feel like it is more trouble than it is actually fun.”

“Suit yourself,” Carla says with a shrug. She begins to make her way towards the office doors. “You never know, though, it could be fun!”