Logan: Chosen Champions Book One, page 17
Bailey sighed and began trekking around the building toward the front entrance. No one would hear him if he knocked on the back door, but they should hear him from the front.
The side of the building was always dark and creepy. It didn’t have any windows or anything, as it was the actual side of the auditorium where the shows were performed. It wasn’t Bailey’s first time being trapped outside by the dumpster, but now he wasn’t working for the theater anymore, he hoped it would be the last.
He’d even had them install solar lights out there to help with the darkness, but they didn’t seem to be working, which upped the creepy factor by about a thousand.
Bailey hurried to get to the front, ready to be out of the dark and back with his friends. He’d never been more thankful for them, especially since they’d made sure he knew he was stuck with them. He laughed at how much everything had changed over the last few weeks. Between accepting their friendship and his shiny new relationship with Logan, Bailey’d never felt better in his life.
All of that changed in an instant.
He heard movement a split second before something hit him hard. Pain bloomed over the back of his head. Bailey stumbled into the wall as arms came around him from behind. One hand covered his mouth, and the other held him securely around the neck.
Bailey struggled as the attacker dragged him into the darkness at the back of the theater. When he couldn’t break the hold, his training kicked in. It was like he could hear Logan’s voice in his ear.
Leg back. Duck under wrist. Pivot and push. Run.
And it worked.
Bailey remembered to scream as he ran but only managed to get a few steps away before a hard blow sent him to his knees. A hand on the back of his head slammed his face into the sidewalk, and he tasted blood as he saw stars. His hair was clenched in a tight grip, and then his head hit the sidewalk a second time.
Bailey was so stunned he couldn’t think, and then the pain and panic set in. The attacker straddled him and held him pinned by the back of the neck. Hot breath filled his ear, as well as a low chuckle. “Gotcha.”
The whispered word sent a chill down his spine.
“You reek of wolf, but I can take care of that.”
Bailey screamed, but the attacker cut him off again with another blow to his face. He couldn’t think. He didn’t know what to do. Hands jerked at the waist of his pants, stripping them down to his thighs.
Bailey tried to struggle, but nothing seemed to work. He tried to twist away, but he was manhandled back into place. When he felt a hand on the bare skin of his ass, Bailey freaked, his brain somehow coming back online in spite of the pain and dizziness.
He screamed and thrashed, finally managing to get the attacker off him. He didn’t think. He scrambled to his feet, stumbled over his torn and tangled pants, and screamed as loud as he could.
He was hit once again, and he went down. He got a kick to the ribs as a reward for his trouble, and it stole what was left of his breath.
Bailey realized then that he wouldn’t be getting up again. Blackness washed over him, the pain in his head becoming overwhelming. He tasted blood and felt more dripping down the side of his face.
“Bails?” Will’s voice came from the back of the theater near the dumpsters. “Bails?”
“Dammit.”
His attacker tried to cover his mouth, but Bailey found the strength to twist out of reach. “Will!”
Bailey managed to scream once more.
The attacker hit him again, this time a booted foot catching him in the stomach, and Bailey couldn’t breathe.
“Bailey!”
He heard footsteps running both toward him and away. He tried to crawl, but he couldn’t manage to move. He’d never felt so much pain in his life, and he couldn’t seem to focus on anything but the feel of the concrete beneath him.
“Bails. Oh my God, Bails.”
Will.
His friend sank down beside him. “Oh God. Help! We need help out here!”
Will fumbled for his phone, and Bailey reached for his hand. He needed to know Will wouldn’t leave him alone.
“I won’t leave you, Bails. I swear I won’t.”
Bailey closed his eyes, but then hands were on him again.
“Bailey, keep your eyes open. Eyes on me. Please, Bails. You can do it. Stay with me.”
“Bailey!” Ashley’s scream tore through the night, and it pulled his eyes open again. She dropped to her knees beside him and touched his face. “Oh God, Bails.”
“I’m…” He tried to think of the word. He couldn’t remember it. “Ash.”
“You’re okay. I’m here. Will is here. We’ve got you.”
He must have closed his eyes again because he heard the roar of sirens and opened them again. The sound pierced through his brain. Everything hurt so bad.
“Will.”
“I’m here. We’re right here, Bails. We’ve got you. You’re going to be okay, I swear.”
Bailey whimpered and tried to move.
“No, no. Be still. It’s okay. The ambulance is almost here.”
Bailey couldn’t focus on anything but Will’s voice, even though he knew his other friends must be close by.
“Ash.” He just needed to see them, but he couldn’t seem to move. He needed to see them. “Logan.”
“Will, go get the paramedics. I’ll get Logan, Bails. He’s not here, but I’ll get him to you. I promise.”
Will released his hold on Bailey and ran to the front. Ashley lay down beside him on the concrete and ran her fingers over Bailey’s hair. His hair felt wet, which was weird because he hadn’t just washed it or anything.
Ashley smiled at him, but it didn’t seem like a regular smile. She looked like she was crying.
Bailey didn’t like it. “You shouldn’t cry. Your makeup is pretty, even the red lipstick.”
His voice sounded weird. Slurred. He still tasted blood.
She sniffed and cuddled closer to him. “You’re going to be okay.”
“I’m c-cold,” Bailey said. He started to shiver, then realized he was bare from the waist down and panicked. He tried to move again, but Ashley put her hand on his cheek.
“Shh, you’re okay. Don’t worry, okay. We’ll get you a blanket.”
“He… he didn’t. Will stopped him in time.” Bailey didn’t know why it was so important for her to know that, but it was. He needed her to know.
“Out of the way.” A strange man spoke, entirely too close.
Bailey’s heart stopped, and he grabbed Ashley’s hand. “Don’t leave me.”
“I won’t. I won’t leave you.” Ashley moved to the side but didn’t go out of his sight. “I’m right here. Keep watching me.”
“I need to sleep now,” Bailey said. “My stomach hurts.”
“Bails! Bailey, wake up.”
21
Logan
Logan put the SUV keys on one of the hooks in the garage and stretched. The oracle had sent them on a mission to stop a wolf shifter who’d randomly decided to rob a bank in the middle of the night. Because of course he had.
Their mission had been successful, even if it was one of the weirder ones they’d been on to date. The wolf had somehow thought he’d be able to bite through the vault door. Needless to say, he wasn’t the sharpest tool in the shed, but a phone call to his alpha put a stop to his nonsense.
Even though dealing with packs was Logan’s least favorite thing to do, he’d come to accept it as part of his job. It had somehow gotten even easier the past few weeks. Spending time with Bailey and his friends, having them and his team all in their space, constantly surrounded by people he liked and cared about… it had changed something deep inside Logan he wasn’t sure how to define.
He pushed open the door to the warehouse, only to be met by the faint smell of something off. “Fucking hell. What now?”
“What’s wrong?” Gideon asked.
“I smell something.”
Gideon breathed in but didn’t seem bothered. His sense of smell wasn’t as enhanced as Logan’s, though.
“Smoke?” the oracle said in his ear.
“No. I’ll hunt it down.”
“I thought you had a hot date tonight,” Scout said. He dropped his bag of gear at the entrance and stretched. Then he breathed in and looked around. “I don’t smell anything different than earlier.”
Hmm. Maybe Logan’s wolf was still caught up in being close to another alpha. His skin had been crawling all night. “Bailey’s going to call me when they’re done.”
As if he’d planned it, Logan’s phone rang, and he couldn’t hold back his grin. He held it up, showing Bailey’s name on the caller ID. They laughed at him and started making kissy faces.
“Hey,” Logan said, unable to stop his laugher at their antics. “You done already?”
He heard sniffs on the other end. “L-Logan?”
Logan froze. “Ashley? What’s wrong?”
“B-Bailey’s hurt. B-bad.”
Everything stopped. His smile slipped and his team froze.
“What happened?”
“H-he just went out to take the trash, b-but he didn’t come back. They’re taking him to the hospital.”
“Which hospital?”
“Will is with him. T-there was so much blood.”
Logan couldn’t breathe for a split second; then his training kicked in. “Which hospital, Ashley?”
She answered, but Logan could hear her teeth chattering. “Where are you?”
“Th-the theater. I c-called you as soon as I could.”
“Good. Who’s with you?”
She started crying. “The police are here. And Joey and Heather are still here too.”
“Good. Stay inside. Dasan and Cole are on their way.”
“I’ll go too,” Scout said. “We need a nose on the ground.”
“We’re with you,” Gideon and Aleron said. “I’m driving.”
Logan didn’t argue.
“They’re on their way, Ashley. And we’re on our way to the hospital, okay?”
“He was only gone for a minute to take out the trash. Will went to help him because he was doing it by himself, and it was a lot because we sold a lot of cookies and snacks and drinks to make a little extra money. Oh God, he’s one of the victims now.”
She began crying in earnest, and Logan used every ounce of control he had not to shift and howl out his rage.
“Hey, listen to me, okay? He’s going to be okay. He has to be. How will we get fed otherwise?” Logan had to grit his teeth together and focus on his breathing, but he needed her in control.
She choked out a laugh. “We’ll have to get him some get-well soup. I don’t even know how to make it.”
“We’ll order it from the bistro. Is Detective Alfred there?”
She didn’t answer, but Logan could hear her nodding.
“Pass the phone to him for a minute, okay?”
The detective came onto the line a few moments later. “Alpha,” he said softly.
“How bad?”
“Probable concussion and cracked ribs. His face took the worst of it. He wasn’t raped.”
Logan let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. “Same as before?”
“Looks like it. I’m sorry, Alpha.”
Not as sorry as Logan was. “We’re going to the hospital. Keep the rest of my… keep them together until my team gets there.”
“I won’t let them out of my sight.”
The detective handed the phone to Joey, who sounded even more shaken than Ashley.
“Logan.”
“Hey. Dasan, Coal, and Scout are on their way. Don’t let the girls out of your sight. Understood?”
“I won’t.”
“I’m on my way to the hospital. I’ll be with him.”
“That’s good. He’ll want you there. He was asking for you.” Joey’s breath caught. “I’ll stay with them.”
Logan’s wolf tried to break free, and he forced it back. “I’ll update you as soon as I can.”
Logan ended the call and leaned back into the seat of Aleron’s car. He’d barely processed being led to the vehicle while he talked to the others, wasn’t even sure how he’d managed to get into it, but he had.
Aleron drove faster than was safe, but Logan appreciated the effort. The sleek black car wove in and out of traffic and had them pulling up outside the emergency room before Logan could get riled up again.
He opened the door, but Aleron’s hand on his arm stopped him. “Are you in control?”
Logan growled his reply.
“You need to get it together before you go in there. The last thing we want is a hellhound showing up to take you away. That’s not what Bailey needs right now. He needs his alpha.”
Logan pulled in a breath and nodded.
“We’ll be with you, but you can’t lose it. You need to prepare yourself for what you’re going to see,” Gideon said softly.
“I won’t lose control.”
“Good. Then let’s go.”
They’d only made it a few steps into the emergency room when they found Will. His eyes were red, and he had blood on his hands and shirt. Logan sucked in a breath and moved forward.
“Logan,” Will gasped. “He was asking for you.”
“Why aren’t you with him?”
Will’s breath hitched. “I’m not on his insurance. They won’t update me on anything.”
“His parents need to be notified,” the oracle said in his ear. “I’ll handle it. Give me a moment, and then go tell the nurse that you’re on his approved list.”
Logan’s wolf paced inside him, and only Aleron and Gideon’s steady presence at his side kept him from shifting and going through any obstacle between him and Bailey.
Before he could, a nurse opened the door and glanced around the waiting area. She locked on to them within seconds and began heading their way. “You’re here for Mr. Cairn?”
Logan nodded.
“Is one of you Logan?”
Logan stepped forward. “Me.”
“Boyfriend?”
Logan clenched his jaw and nodded. “How is he?”
“He’s asking for you. The doctor said it was okay to bring you back.”
“He’s awake,” Will gasped. He wobbled, and Aleron looped an arm around him and held him up.
The nurse nodded and looked Will up and down. “I’m going to get you a set of scrubs and into a shower. You need to clean up. Logan, with me.”
Logan wasn’t a stranger to following orders, and he followed the nurse without question. Gideon stuck to his side, while Aleron remained behind with Will.
The nurse gave them a look when Gideon parked himself outside the room with Bailey’s name written on the dry erase board on the wall. “I’m staying until the police arrive.”
“You get in my way and you’ll get out,” the nurse replied.
“Understood,” Gideon said.
She opened the door, and Logan followed her inside. He braced himself for what he would see, but it didn’t help. Bailey had a number of wires connected to him, and the heart monitor beeped with a reassuring rhythm. But if Logan hadn’t smelled him… he wouldn’t have been able to tell it was Bailey.
His hair was swept back from his face, which was covered in bruises. His eyes were severely swollen, and he had tape over his nose. Logan wondered if it had been broken. They’d removed his shirt, and Logan could see bandages peeking out from under the sheets.
The nurse gave him a moment before she touched his arm. “He’s pretty out of it right now. We gave him some pain meds to help. He keeps waking up and asking for you, though, so we’re hoping you being here will help him relax.”
Logan nodded and moved closer to the bed. Bailey’s heart had begun to race. He touched his hand and leaned closer. “I’m here. You can rest, Bails. I’m here.”
He didn’t know where to touch but put his hand on Bailey’s forehead.
“We’re going to keep him overnight, but he’ll be okay. We’ll have a counselor come by tomorrow to set up some time with him as well.”
“That’s good.”
“Sadly, we’ve seen this more than I’d like to admit. Take care of him, and just push the button if you need anything.”
Logan nodded. He tugged the chair in the corner closer to the bed and sank down into it. Minutes or hours could have passed. All concept of time faded as he stared down at Bailey, holding on to his hand and praying to whatever Goddess was still listening that Bailey would be okay. And if it wasn’t too much to ask, Logan really wanted her to help him find the incubus so he could rip it limb from limb.
Finally, Bailey’s heartbeat changed. Logan sat up from his slouch and began slowly stroking his thumb over Bailey’s hand. “I’m here. You’re safe. I’m here.”
Bailey opened his eyes and rolled his head to find Logan. He tried to talk but couldn’t seem to form words.
Logan smiled at him and continued holding his hand. “You’re okay. I’m here.”
Bailey tried to move and winced, which drew a hiss of pain from him. Logan reached over and pushed the call button for the nurse.
“Wh-what happened?” The words were a little slurred, but Logan understood.
“You were attacked outside the theater. You’re okay, though. You got away.”
Bailey’s breath hitched, and he tightened his grip on Logan’s hand. “I d-don’t remember.”
“You’re on a lot of pain meds right now.”
“It h-hurts to breathe.”
“Your ribs are pretty beat up. Just focus on me and you’ll be fine.”
Logan concentrated on his breathing, letting himself fall into a slow, measured rhythm.
The nurse bustled in a few minutes later and checked Bailey’s vitals. She asked him a few questions, which Bailey managed to answer weakly before she adjusted one of the IV machines. Bailey slipped to sleep moments later.
“He’s a fighter.”
Logan nodded. “He is.”
