In Between The Alphas
Chapter 99

I woke up with a gasp; the last bits of my dream leaving as the sleep cleared from my eyes.

Logan rushed over to my side from where he was sitting at the desk and he pulled me into his arms. I buried my face into his neck and breathed in his warm and familiar scent. "What's wrong?" he asked and when I didn't respond he lifted my chin so I was staring at him, "Are you okay?"

"Yes, I think so." I worked on calming my racing heart, "I don't know."

"Was it a nightmare?"

"I- I don't know."I tried to dig deep to remember why I woke up the way I did, "Maybe it's just one of those things where you jerk yourself awake. I don't know but I'm fine."

I gave him a smile but he didn't look so convinced so I decided to change the subject.

"Why are you up so early?" I asked then glanced at the clock, "It's 4: 15."

"I just found myself awake at 4 and realized I had some work to do."

"A little company never hurt anyone right?"

He gave me a smile and held out his hand to me.

"Where are we going?" I asked

I was confused when Logan said we were leaving by 5:30 but I thought there was an emergency. When I saw him drive past the pack house I realized Logan has other plans. I just need to get him to tell me what they are. "We are going to train."

"Train," I repeated and he nodded, "I'm not dressed for training."

"There are clothes in the back."

"You have this entire thing planned, don't you?"

"Well yes, I don't want to give you an opportunity to run."

"I wouldn't have run." I huffed then added under my breath, "I would have feigned sick."

"I heard that."

I smothered my smile when I realized we had gotten to the training facility.

It's a massive two floored building with grey painted walls. There are no buildings around it except for two smaller houses. What surprised me most was that I couldn't hear any noise coming from inside. "Why is it so quiet?" I asked

Logan walked over to my side with a duffel bag slung over his shoulder, "It's soundproof."

"You soundproofed the entire building."

"I had to or else no one would walk in." he held out his hand to me, "Let's go."

The inside was even more impressive than the outside. The reception was tiled all over and there was a middle aged man sitting behind the table. He immediately greeted Logan and I.

There were two doors and Logan told me that one led to where the warriors trained. He led me through the other door and there was a massive cemented gym with everything you could think of. "This is amazing." I blurted out

"This is for pack members to use. Our gym is upstairs."

"Of course you would have a private gym."

"Would you prefer to train in front of everyone?"

"Lead the way."

He led me up the stairs and to a smaller version of the gym downstairs. He handed me some clothes and showed me where the changing rooms were.

I quickly changed into the outfit he picked form me. it was a pair of black spandex shorts and a matching black sports bra with a navy blue tank top to wear over it.

When I stepped out Logan was in fighting shorts but shirtless and he was standing in the middle of a boxing ring that I stared at apprehensively. He gestured for me to come in and I did it slowly.

"I'll go at your pace," he told me, "I promise."

"Okay," I whispered, "I'm ready."

"Make a fist." I made my best fist and he chuckled, "You'll end up doing more damage to yourself than the other person if you throw a fist like this."

He took my hand and corrected the fist while explaining that my thumb should never be tucked under or I'll break it.

"Now punch me," he instructed and my eyes widened, "You won't hurt me; just do it as hard as possible."

I reared my hand back to hit him but before I could touch him he held my arm in a firm grip.

"Don't throw your entire weight back." He said then he stood behind me and showed me the perfect way to throw a punch. He put his hands on my hips, "The movement should come from here not from your entire body." He took a step back and I found myself missing his body heat.

"Now hit me again." I made sure I took all his corrections and hit him as hard as possible. "That was good; again."

I don't know how long or how many times he made me punch him but I was already flushed with sweat.

"We're just getting started baby," he teased

"You suck."

"Who sucks?" we turned and saw Jake walking towards us, "You look like shit Charlie."

"Thank you Jake, you sure know how to charm the women."

He gave me a full teethed smile, "I need to talk to the both of you; there's a minor problem." Logan gestured for Jake to come into the ring but he shook his head, "Not here."

"Take a shower Charlotte; I'll pack up." I didn't bother refusing, I just did as he asked.

I took the fastest shower I've ever taken and put on a pair of sweatpants and a loose graphic tee. When I got out Logan had already packed everything up.

"The northern border," Jake said with a grim smile.

Logan stopped the car a short walk away from the border and we walked the rest of the way.

"What's going on Jake?" Logan asked and his Beta swallowed.

"There was an issue at the border. I don't know how to explain it."

I shivered against the cold and Logan's eyes found mine. He didn't say a word, just took off his hoodie and pulled it over my head. It stopped mid thigh and it smelt like him so that's a bonus.

We followed Jake to the patrol border where a few of the soldiers were camped around in a circle. They stood up immediately they saw us and left the clearing.

They were camped around a tree that had something branded into it. It was a weird insignia and it looks like a weird overlapping circle.

"That's a weird way to draw a circle." I muttered under my breath.

"It's not a circle." Logan said as he took a step closer, "It's a snake eating itself."

"It looks like it's drawn in blood." I said

"It is," Jake confirmed.

"But it doesn't smell like blood." I rebutted, "And if it was blood shouldn't it be dripping down."

"It should," Logan agreed, "Where were the guards when this happened?"

"That's the problem; they don't remember anything. They said one minute it wasn't there and the next it was there; almost as if it appeared like magic."

I reached out to touch it but Jake grabbed my hand in a tight grip.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," he told me, "We didn't think it was blood either until Sven touched it. The moment it came in contact with his hand it started to smell like blood until-." He trailed off with a weird look at Logan. "Where is Sven?" Logan asked and Jake shot me a wary look, "She stays; take us to him."

Jake led us further into the woods and a horrible smell assaulted my nose.

"What the hell is that smell?" I had a sleeve over my nose to staunch the smell and the bile threatening to rise up my throat.

Jake stopped and took a step aside. My eyes connected with 'Sven' and I couldn't stop the vomit that rushed out of my throat.

"Shit," I heard Logan curse as his hand landed on my lower back, "Take her back."

"I'm fine," I managed out even though I felt very dizzy. "What happened to him?"

"He touched it and was fine for a minute until he started smoking. Whatever that was flayed him from the inside out."

I forced my body into a standing position but refused to glance back at the body. Logan seemed to realize because he pulled me into him so my face was buried in his chest. I focused on the steady rise and fall of his chest and his scent instead of the horrid smell of the flayed corpse.

"How many guards know?" Logan's chest rumbled as he spoke.

"Just the five who were on duty with him,"

"Make sure it stays that way."

Logan put his hands behind my thighs and picked me up so he was carrying me in a front piggy back.

"Get someone to move the body; he deserves a proper funeral."