"Prrupt." Beau called her as he looked at a stand with jewelry, "Beau?" Logan responded walking over towards her. Beau motioned to what looked like children's jewelry and then pointed at Roe. Logan glanced around and noticed children were wearing similar necklaces around their necks. She also noticed that some of the omegas in the village had their hair braided and their body's covered in an almost toga-like way.

Logan scanned the jewelry guessing she was supposed to pick for Roe. Thinking thoughtfully she then picked a necklace with rose quartz on it with a green crystal. Roe let out a cry of surprise and smiled brightly. "Mama!" She exclaimed happily, she reached for her and Logan having her hands full just decided to lean close. The little girl took her face and rubbed their noses together.

Logan grinned and returned the favor. She heard some whispers come from people at this. But she ignored them. Beau paid for the necklace and then sat Roe down he kissed her forehead and then put the necklace on her. Roe laughed and posed. "Mama! Mama!" She exclaimed, "Roe!" Logan laughed. Beau smiled and picked Roe back up.

Beau then started to head for the cave once more, Logan followed behind feeling like she had helped Beau get a little bit of revenge on these assholes. Silently she swore to herself she was going to take them with her and give them a good life. It wasn't something she expected but they were her family now. She'd take care of them both.

As they walked away Logan was hit in the back by a stone. Jerking forward a bit she swore and turned around to see the alpha from before. "Mama!" Roe exclaimed worriedly. Logan dropped her stick and held out an arm to keep Beau and Roe from walking in front of her.

The alpha growled at her and Logan laughed. "Oh, you little shit!" She spat, "I've been waiting to see your face again." She handed the basket to Beau and walked towards the alpha after picking up her stick. "I'm going kick your ass," Logan growled. "Prrrupt!" Beau called worried. She stood feet away from the alpha who growled more and more.

"Yeah, we're not playing that game. I'm going to beat the shit out of you, you fucking rapist." Logan then hit the alpha with her stick, he fell to the ground clutch his stomach. "Get up!" She shouted, the alpha scrambled to his feet and tried to bite her but bit the stick and Logan threw him off before hitting him with the stick again. This time in the back.

"Get up!" She screamed at him, he tried to get up and fell back down. "Oh come on that's just a love tap! You can hurt Beau but you can't take a real fight!" She shouted at him. "You piece of shit," Logan kicked him over onto his back. She stabbed her stick near his face he let out a yelp. "If you ever come near my mate or my child again. I'll kill you." She growled lowly.

She dropped the rock he had thrown on his stomach. "Here's your damn rock back." Logan then noticed a circle of other alphas approaching and Logan let out the same growl that she did when she first met this alpha. They froze a few of them fell on their behinds. The alpha let out a soft whine from the ground and Logan scoffed walking away.

Beau ran up to her having sat down Roe who followed and hugged Logan's leg. "Mama!" She shouted scoldingly. Logan kissed Beau before reaching down and picking up Roe. "It's okay. It's alright." She told them softly. They slowly made their way back up the hill. Beau kept glancing behind them looking frightened. Logan walked ahead and sat Roe down at the mouth of the cave. She sighed and sat down on a rock exhausted. "Prrupt." Beau looked upset. He crouched down and grabbed at her injured ankle.

"I'm fine." Logan tried to reassure him but Beau took the boot off and looked at the swollen purple ankle. "Okay maybe not." She sighed, Beau, glared at her. "Mama!" Roe exclaimed before going off on a rant. For such a little thing she had a lot to say. Logan sighed and Beau helped her stand up leading her back to the nest inside.

Roe grabbed Logan's boot following closely after. They helped her into the nest and Beau propped her ankle up. Roe grabbed some herbs and mashed them up into a paste on a nearby rock before smearing it on the ankle. She chattered away still sounding like she was giving Logan an earful. She then wrapped a pelt around it tight.

For the rest of the day, both Beau and Roe refused to allow Logan to leave the nest unless it was to relieve herself. Dinner ended up being stew again after Logan managed to convince Beau and Roe to let her out of the nest by showing she wouldn't walk on the ankle. After dinner the three of them curled up in the nest together.

Logan kept her gun close by staying vigilant in case that alpha tried to attack. But the night was peaceful. Beau purred loudly even as he slept looking more relaxed than ever. Roe fell asleep in Beau's arms, every so often she would sleepily reach over to Logan to make sure she was there.

The next morning came and Logan heard some movement near the mouth of the cave. Snapping awake she cocked her gun, as the figures rounded the corner Logan was about the pull the trigger until, "Gramps?" Logan asked relaxing. "Logan!" Her grandfather exclaimed looking relieved, he also looked tired. Juniper walked in behind him and eyed the small pile in the nest. "You work fast Logan." She joked, Logan laughed. "Yeah, she's Beau's kid so I adopted her." She said, "What's her name?" Her grandfather's eyes sparkled staring at his new grandchild. "Roe," Logan said.

"That's a good name." Juniper said nodding, "It means blessing." She explained, apparently hearing the voices both Beau and Roe slowly woke up. Roe let out a cry and jumped near Logan frightened, Beau moved in front of both of them automatically. Logan's Grandfather took a step back when Beau hissed and Juniper stepped forward and spoke. Beau listened and slowly relaxed, Roe looked between Beau and Juniper and relaxed.

Juniper looked at Roe and pointed to Logan. Roe's eyes widened and she started shouting. Beau looked to Logan and pulled on her arm shaking his head. "What did you say?" Logan shouted over Roe, "I told them we're here to take you home." Juniper explained just as Roe collapsed into Logan's arms and sobbed. "What did Roe say?" Logan asked rubbing her back, her grandmother sighed, "She said that we can't take you. You're her mom." Logan felt her eyes soften and she hugged both Roe and Beau. "Tell them I want to bring them with me," Logan said kissing both of them on top of their heads.

"Logan, are you sure? It can be a hard transition into the modern world." Her grandfather spoke up, "I'm not going to take them to the city Gramps." Logan said softly, "I'll have a cabin built nearby. When Roe gets older she can decide if she wants to come back here or go off into the city like I did." Logan explained, "But for right now, it's not safe for both of them." She said sadly. "Beau didn't have a mate before me." She looked up at her grandparents, Juniper stiffened and sighed. Her grandfather's eyes widened. "That's terrible." He said sadly.

"If that's the case, then, you know it's likely that Beau mated with you to protect himself and his child." Juniper spoke up, "What?" Her grandfather looked startled, "It's a common practice, Oakley." Juniper spoke to Logan's grandfather. "Especially if the abuser is still around." She remarked glancing at the cave mouth. "He is." Logan sighed, "Also it doesn't matter why Beau and I ended up together. I had a choice, he didn't make me mark him. I did it on my own." Logan shifted a bit. "If you're sure," Oakley mumbled looking conflicted, there was a mixture of pride and concern. "I'm very sure," Logan said smiling at Beau

Juniper nodded in understanding and then spoke to Roe and Beau. They looked up from their slumped-over positions startled. "I'm not going to leave my mate and child where they're mistreated," Logan spoke instructing her grandmother, Juniper repeated her words and Beau let out a happy cry and sobbed. Her grandparents helped Beau and Roe pack things.

Beau fretted and fritted about trying to pick and choose what he wanted to take with him. While there wasn't much here. There was a lot that couldn't be taken. Most of the food was left behind in the end. Beau grabbed other things that looked like trinkets and furs.

It was at this point that Juniper noticed the necklaces and braids. "Logan." She called as Logan hopped about gathering her things, "Yeah?" She asked. "Do you know what the necklaces and braids mean?" She asked, "I have a general idea." Logan replied, she guessed that braids and necklaces meant they were a family somehow. "They're marriage and adoption rights. We do the same thing at the Western Tribe." Juniper explained, "Oh really?" Logan said calmly, "That's neat." She said stuffing some things into her bag.

Juniper was quiet, "It'll be difficult." She said softly, Logan paused. "What am I supposed to do then? Leave them here?" She asked staring down at her bag. "Where that bastard is? Where people allow perverts to take advantage of someone who can't fight back? Where someone gets mistreated because of being mute?" Logan asked looking up at her grandmother. "I'm not stupid. I figured out a while ago why Beau did what he did. I don't blame him." Logan said firmly.

"It's not like I had any real direction in my life anyway." Logan added with a sigh, "At least now I have a mate and a kid. We can be a family and I can take care of them." She said with a smile, "Logan." Oakley sighed hearing this. Logan had been having a hard time, a really hard time. Her doctor suggested that maybe going out into nature would help. She supposed the doctor was right. She never liked the city that much anyway. It was too crowded, too loud, too much.

The past few days with Beau and Roe... Logan had smiled like she hadn't in a good long while. Sure Beau used her, she wasn't stupid. But he helped her get her smile back. Something she thought she wasn't going to get back ever. So she was grateful to both of them. After getting everything packed, Roe grabbed Logan and led her to where the nest had been. She then began peeling off the pelts around her ankle.

When it was pilled off Logan noticed the swelling was gone and the ankle looked better. Roe looked proud of herself and grinned at Logan, she then looked at Juniper and spoke. Juniper's eyes widened, "She said that she learned how to take care of Papa like that so she'll take care of her mama too." Juniper translated. Beau had been in the back of the cave not paying attention when he looked up curious.

"Beau," Logan called, he walked over towards her and she stood up hugging him. She then scooped Roe into her arms as well. "Let's go home." She said, her grandmother translated for her easily. Beau and Roe nodded. Everything was finally packed up and Logan rebraced her ankle just in case. As they left the cave there was a large group standing there. A woman with crystals around her neck stood tall above everyone else wearing what looked to be a fine silk robe. Unlike the rest of the villagers, her skin seemed to be much paler. But her hair was still that very same copper-red.

Beau and Roe's eyes widened and they immediately dropped to their knees. Juniper, Oakley, and Logan didn't. Juniper because she refused, Logan because she couldn't, and Oakley because Juniper said not to. Juniper stood in front of the group and greeted the other woman in their tongue.

"There will be no need for that Westerner." The woman spoke formally, "I will speak this tongue." She added before looking at Logan. "I want to speak directly to Rue's beloved." She said narrowing her eyes. "Who's Rue?" Logan asked, "Your mate. I suppose it makes sense you don't know his name. He cannot speak." The woman explained. She looked smug when she mentioned Beau's inability to speak, however.

Logan looked at her grandmother who seemed upset, "What does the name mean?" She asked, "Ruined or broken." Juniper spoke through gritted teeth, Logan gripped her walking stick tightly. She then leaned down and had Roe and Beau stand up. They seemed hesitant but complied with Logan's direction. "My mate is not ruined or broken." Logan said calmly, "He is beautiful, which is why you will call him Beau. Keep the name you gave him out of your mouth." She demanded. The woman sneered, "He has had another alpha's child and he cannot speak. How is he not ruined?" She asked.

Oakley growled lowly, "The poor boy was forced to have that child! How dare you!" Logan's grandfather shouted, "Shame on all of you. Treating someone poorly because they're a little different. The Northern, Southern, and Western tribes and villages are not like this!" The woman glared, "Watch your tongue outsider." She spat, "No, you watch your tongue when you speak to my mate." Juniper stood in front of Oakley. "Watch your tongue when you speak to my grandchild as well." She growled protectively. The two older women glared at each other before the woman in silk scoffed and turned her head.

"Your grandchild has beaten mine within an inch of his life." She haughtily, "Oh that explains it." Logan scoffed, "How do you intend to make up for this?" The woman spoke over Logan, "Easy, I'll hunt him down and finish the fucking job." Logan spoke, the woman's eyes widened. "Your grandchild is a rapist and a coward. He's also very weak. I don't fight regularly and you say I beat him within an inch of his life? Really?" Logan mocked, "If he's so easily broken or ruined shouldn't he be thrown away? It's for the good of the village after all."

"You come into my village and mock my people's ways-." The woman started to lecture. "What ways! I participated in most of them. I gifted my mate clothes, I braided his hair. I wear this necklace. I braided my child's hair, I chose her necklace. I protected my family!" Logan shouted, "Don't act like this is some cultural bullshit!" The woman was silent.

"Your sniveling little shit just came running crying about how I beat the hell out of him. I tried letting him go once when he showed up. Then he threw a rock at me. So I beat him with a stick!" Logan called out the woman. The woman's face was red, "Leave my village!" She shouted, "We are you dumb bitch! Do seriously think I'd let my family stay here?" Logan shouted back. "Fucking hell!" She complained.

"He's just using you!" The woman shouted like a toddler. "Well, I hear I'm a pretty big tool so that's fine." Logan joked with a grin. The woman looked confused and Juniper chuckled and translated. The woman in silk's face became a darker shade of red. Logan then turned and with Roe and Beau in tow, she began to walk off. "Never return here!" The woman shouted as they walked off. "Don't want to! Your village sucks!"