Page 50 of Beary In Love

"More than okay." Logan reached behind the seat, his fingers finding the blanket he'd stashed there days ago. He pulled out the small bouquet of wildflowers - purple lupines and golden poppies he'd gathered the night of the festival. The blooms were still fresh, preserved by the coolness under his seat.

"I, uh, picked these for you the night of the festival," Logan said, his voice lower than usual. "Was gonna give them to you then but... well, the timing wasn't right. But after what you did back there though..." He cleared his throat. "You were amazing, showing up that witch. I just wanted you to know how proud I am of you."

A blush crept across Serena's cheeks as she accepted the flowers, bringing them to her nose. The sight of her smile made his bear rumble with joy.

"Logan Steele, you big softie," she teased, but her voice was warm. "Who knew you had such a romantic side?"

"Don't go spreading that around." He grinned and reached over to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear without thinking. "I need to maintain my tough guy image."

The way she leaned into his touch, just slightly, sent his pulse racing. Her eyes met his, that familiar spark between them stronger than ever.

"Your secret's safe with me." Her fingers brushed his as she lowered the flowers. "Though I might need more evidence to properly evaluate this romantic side of yours."

"That can be arranged." He let his hand linger near her face for a moment longer before putting the truck in gear.

Once they arrived back at the sanctuary, Logan watched in amazement as Serena worked her magic. Her hands moved with precise confidence as she mixed the potion, the same determination in her eyes that he'd seen at Beatrice's shop. The sweet, herbal scent of her brewing filled the air.

"Hold this," she said, passing him a vial of shimmering blue liquid. The glass was warm against his palm.

One by one, they administered the remedy to the sick animals. The fox's fever broke first, then the deer started eating again. Even the sluggish raccoon perked up, chittering excitedly.

"Look at them," Logan said, unable to keep the pride from his voice. He rested his hand on the small of her back as they observed the animals' recovery. "You did that. You figured out the counter-potion all on your own."

Serena shook her head, but he noticed she didn't step away from his touch. "I couldn't have done it without you believing in me. And letting me practice here these past weeks-"

"Stop selling yourself short." His voice came out rougher than intended, his bear pushing forward with the need to make her understand. "Sure, having space to practice helped, but this gift? It's always been in you. You just needed someone to remind you of that."

The afternoon sun caught her glasses as she looked up at him, casting golden highlights in her gray eyes. "You make it sound so simple."

"Because it is simple." He turned her to face him, his hands settling on her shoulders. "You're brilliant, Serena. Always have been. Anyone who made you think differently was dead wrong."

A smile tugged at her lips. "You know, for someone who claims to keep things simple, you can be surprisingly insightful."

"Don't let that get around either." He winked.

The way she looked up at him through her lashes made his bear hum with delight. She was finally starting to see herself the way he saw her - brilliant, capable, and absolutely extraordinary.

Serena's eyes lit up suddenly, her gaze fixed on his face. "Wait - I have an idea." She slipped from his grasp and darted to her workstation in the workshop, nearly knocking over a feeding bowl in her excitement.

Logan smiled at her enthusiasm. This was the Serena he remembered - the one who'd spend hours perfecting a potion back in high school, her hair falling loose from its ponytail, muttering formulas under her breath. He leaned against the workbench, watching as she grabbed ingredients with precision.

"Pass me that moonflower essence." She pointed without looking up from her mortar and pestle.

"Yes ma'am." He handed her the bottle, deliberately letting his fingers brush against hers. The slight catch in her breath made his bear growl with pleasure.

"This should create a barrier that'll resonate at the same frequency as shifter magic," she explained, crushing dried herbswith quick, efficient movements. "Even with his fancy new tattoos, Silas will have to work twice as hard to break through."

The scent of crushed herbs mixed with her natural vanilla perfume, making Logan's head swim. He forced himself to focus on her hands instead - quick, capable fingers measuring drops of silvery liquid into the mixture.

"There's my clever witch," he murmured, more to himself than her.

She paused, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. "What was that?"

"Nothing." He straightened, stretching his shoulders. "Just thinking out loud about how we're going to kick Silas's ass with whatever you're cooking up."

The potion turned a deep, midnight blue, sparking with tiny silver flecks. Logan helped her carry it to the fence line, watching as she painted intricate runes that seemed to sink into the wood.

"Hold this steady," she instructed, balancing on her tiptoes to reach a higher section. Logan stepped behind her, one hand on her waist to steady her, the other holding the fence post.

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