Chapter Twenty Five.

Chapter Twenty Five.

I awoke during the middle of the night alone in bed. I had stirred a little over an hour ago when Logan had gotten out of bed and he hadn't returned. The bed was cold as was the room especially without Logan by my side of provide body heat. My wolf whined a little as we had never woken up without our mate by our side.

I rolled over tangled in the sheets onto my back to see that the bedside clock displayed that it was a minute past four in the morning. The room was dark with the only light seeping through a gap in the curtains coming from the full moon outside. A feeling washed over me that I wasn't able to describe, I was nervous and a little frightened as it gathered in the bottom of my stomach.

I swallowed down the lump that had formed in my throat and yawned tiredly. My body ached a little from the continuous training over the past few weeks. The day after Sam's theory had worked I had slowly began to improve with each day and I had even managed to pin Logan a few times to the blue mats that we regularly practised on. My wolf was a big part of my newly developed strength and skill as now that we had come together training had become easier slowly but surely. Logan had allowed us to practice every day for a couple of hours until he had to attend to pack business that I would help him with as much as I could. Today was Sunday and Logan had stated that we would spend Sunday's together resting.

In the past few weeks that I had been training I hadn't heard anything from my dad nor had there been any more attacks on the pack for which I was grateful for. I don't think I would have been able to recover if another pack member were to die because of me.

Logan had got the entire pack training or rather those who were willing to fight training. Women and children as well as those that didn't want to fight were going to be staying in a safe house a few miles away from the pack. It was well hidden and difficult to find Logan had assured me. My mum would be staying in the safe house during the attack that was bound to happen. I wanted her further away due to the fact that my dad most likely wanted her more than me but she had argued that she would be safer with the pack than on her own.

I threw the covers off of my body and slowly got out of bed, the t-shirt I wore rolling down my body and ending just above my knees. The carpet was cold under my feet as I walked over to the door and slowly opened it. I could see a glow from the bottom of the stairs and guessed that Logan was in the kitchen no doubt nursing a cup of tea.

I was quiet as I made my way through the house. My hands running up and down my arms to keep them warm. I frowned a little as I padded downstairs, the house was never this cold and I was sure that now I was a werewolf, I shouldn't feel the cold as much as I was. The wooden floor of the hallway caused as shiver to run through me when my feet touched the floor. I hurried down the dimly lit hallway and stopping as soon as I entered the kitchen.

Logan stood with his back bare back to me in only a pair of soft cotton bottoms that hung low on his hips starring out of the kitchen window and into the woods that surrounded the house. I would have normally taken the moment to marvel at the muscles of my mate but his slumped shoulders and bunched up muscles took me by surprise. I was consumed with concern that intensified with my wolfs feelings adding to my own.

I made my way around the kitchen counter in the middle of the room and towards Logan. I didn't hesitate when I wrapped my arms around his middle and pressed my forehead against his back. Logan relaxed a little under my touch although he was still rigged in my arms. I sighed a little a pressed my lips to his back, allowing them to linger there for a few seconds before sighing again.

"You feel it to?" I whispered referring to the feeling I had felt in the pit of my stomach when I woke up and had now only subsided now that I was with Logan and touching him.

Logan tensed once again and grabbed my hips awkwardly so that he could turn me around in his arms and lift me onto the counter. He stood between my legs with his hands resting on my shoulders and looked down at me. Logan's eyes were slightly dark with a frown crinkling his forehead.

"Feel what?" Logan asked. I could see from the look in his eyes that the he knew exactly what I was talking about.

I hesitated before I spoke knowing that if I spoke about my feelings out loud then it would all become real and I wasn't sure if I was ready for it.

I took a deep breath before speaking quietly, "I feel as though there is a huge bowling ball in the pit of my stomach, my throat feels tight and my hands are sweaty," I exhaled slowly before continuing," I feel as though something bad is going to happen."

Logan to sighed loudly before dipping his head so that his forehead was touching mine. "Me to."

I squeezed my eyes tightly shut, my body tensed and my fists clenched at my sides. I somehow knew that something big was going to happen today and that it would also be bad. Today was no doubt going to change our lives for the worst.

I dared to think that the bowling ball in my stomach was because of my dad. I knew that today was the day that he would attack; or rather make his presence known. I felt a little bit sick knowing that possibly in a few hours I may be face to face with the man who ruined my life. Although there was always the possibility that it may not be my dad and something else that was bad may happen instead.

"It's him." I whispered voicing my thoughts.

Logan growled loudly before caging me in his arms that had wrapped themselves tightly around my body so that he held me protectively against his chest. I snuggled myself into Logan's arms so that I was impossibly close and almost hanging off of the counter that Logan had effortlessly lifted me onto moments ago.

I felt safe in Logan's arms; they were strong and muscular but also gently as they held me to his chest. My wolf was content, bathing in his protective hold. I wanted to stay where I was forever with Logan's heartbeat acting like a lullaby to my ears.

"I will never, ever let him put another hand on you." Logan vowed.

"I know." I told him kissing the smooth skin of his chest. I believed Logan wholeheartedly when he said that he would never let my dad hurt me again.

"You're too important to me to lose." Logan spoke softly into my hair.

"I love you." I spoke softly.

"I love you to Mae," Logan spoke as he grabbed my backside so that he could lift me off of the counter. I wrapped my legs tightly around his waist and my arms around his neck on instinct form the action with Logan beginning to make his way out of the kitchen, not bothering to turn off the light. "More than you will ever know."

I was beginning to go back to sleep suddenly feeling the effects of waking up so early in the morning. Logan wasted no time in taking us back to bed where he lay on his back with me still wrapped around him. The covers were pulled over us and it was silently. Logan's heartbeat became even as did his breathing and after a few minutes he was asleep, obviously exhausted with stress.

"I know," I whispered referring to what he had said on our way up from the kitchen, cuddling into Logan who unconsciously tightened his arms around me, "I know."

It was easy for me to fall back asleep despite the feelings within my stomach. Logan's arms around me offered a sense of security. I was safe as long as Logan was by my side.

*

I could feel some one gently shaking my shoulder. I groaned and rolled over onto my side so that my back was to whoever was shaking me. I was tired, I wanted to spend the rest of the day in bed and it didn't help that I had woken up in the middle off the night losing vital sleep.

"Esme." Logan chuckled although I could tell that it was a little bit forced.

I was automatically concerned, my eyes fluttering open and my wolf on edge. The mate connection was now like second nature to me; everything felt natural and came with ease. I was a little bit hesitant in the beginning thinking that I wouldn't know what to do but with my wolf guiding me everything was easy, natural and completely controlled.

"What's wrong?" I asked looking over my shoulder tiredly at Logan who was already dressed in jeans, a t-shirt and his coat. I frowned at his attire wondering if he had been anywhere or if he was going somewhere.

"Everything fine," Logan smiled reassuringly although it didn't reach his eyes, "I've contacted the pack to be extra careful today and the patrols on the border have doubled, we're meeting them in a few minutes at the training field."

I gulped nervously and sat up in bed running my fingers through my tangled hair. I closed my eyes and focused on breathing deeply for a few minutes before opening them again with a new found determination.

"I'm up." I stated.

I rolled off of the bed and onto the balls of my feet with grace. I was quick to carry out my morning routine of showering and dressing in a simple pair of skinny jeans, and long sleeved top and a coat. I wrapped a woolly scarf around my neck before facing Logan who had been casually leaning against the wall by the door since I'd walked out of the bathroom with only a towel tucked around my body.

"Come on." Logan stated taking my hand in his and making his way down the hallway. We wouldn't be training today but I knew that today wouldn't be spent lounging around and relaxing like that past few weeks.

My wolf was on edge, it felt like she was pacing back and forth at the back of my mind. Her restlessness only added to the bowling ball in my stomach that felt heavier than before. Logan could was obviously feeling the same feelings as me judging by the frown that hadn't left his face since the early hours of this morning.

"Are you hungry?" Logan asked as we made our way downstairs.

"No," I shook my head from side to side, "I can't eat."

Logan didn't say anything only frowning deeper than before. A small frown made its way onto my face as I pursed my lips, on any other day Logan would had taken me to the kitchen and demanded that I ate breakfast what he would cook for me. This only seemed to add to the worry already building up inside of me.

"Have you told those who aren't prepared to fight to make their way to the safe house?" I asked Logan quietly.

We had made our way outside by now and towards the gym although training would be the least of our worries today. The weather was cold; a small cloud of fog would gather everything time we breathed outwards. The sky was covered in a blanket of grey clouds that weren't dark enough to be carrying rain but enough to create a dull atmosphere which didn't seem to help the situation. I tucked my free hand in to the pocket of my coat to stop it from getting cold.

"They are already there," Logan informed me before adding when he saw that I was about to open my mouth, "your mother to, my mums with her so she'll be well looked after."

I was relieved to hear that my mum was already somewhere safe and far away, "thank you."

Our conversation came to and an end as we entered the training field behind the gym. I was surprised to see so many pack members, many only dressed in a pair of shorts with their bare chest on display and a number of girls dotted around wearing nothing but shorts and t-shirts. I grimaced thinking about how cold they all must be. I spotted Oliver and Jason amongst the crowd as well as Logan's dad who nodded his head towards me.

The light chatter that had buzzed amongst the crowd ceased as soon as Logan and I had come into few. Everyone stood in some sort of order with their backs straight awaiting to hear what Logan had to say. Sam emerged from the crowd to stand next to Logan, a small smile made its way onto the Beta's face when he noticed that I was looking at him. I smiled back a little although I was sure that Samuel as well as everyone else could tell that it was forced.

"Thank you all for coming." Logan began his voice loud and powerful as it boomed across the field clearly. Logan was no longer the smiling and laughing Alpha that enjoyed being teased but the stone faced Alpha who could cause some serious damaged. "I'm grateful for you all coming here on such short notice. As you are well aware there is a threat fast approaching with the aim of taking away our Luna."

My eyes widen when growls and shouts of protests came from the crowd. People began to shout out claiming that they would die protecting their Luna from anyone who proposed even the smallest threat. My wolf was filled with pride and I was stunned into silence, my mouth hanging open a little bit. I was touched deeply by the pack who had yet to formally meet me already willing to die for me but it wasn't something I wanted.

"We have all been working hard to train and fight to the best of our abilities. "Logan continued once the crowd had died down again, "Today, I believe is the day that the threat in the form of your Luna's father will come to us, who declared war the moment he dared to threated her and her mother."

"I wanted everyone to be on high alert, even the slights thing that seems out of place I want you to contact me immediately. Be on guard, watch your backs and remember, don't attack until back up has arrived." Logan quickly dismissed the group who nodded in respect.

I stepped forward before I even knew what I was doing gaining the attention of every one who suddenly looked at me. I blushed under there gazes despite the situation.

"Thank you," I spoke softly knowing that everyone could hear me, "I would never ask you to fight for me, to die for me and I hope that it doesn't come to that today. I'm grateful not only are you my pack but my family as well. I'll protect you as much as I can today just be careful."

I quickly stepped back and into Logan's side where I hide my face in his chest. The sound of footsteps hurriedly moving away filled my ears until there was no sound other Logan's heartbeat.

"The pack loves you," Logan whispered wrapping his arms around me.

"I love the pack." I told him honestly. In the beginning I would never have thought that I would be saying such things but it was true, the pack was my family now and I loved them dearly.

"Everything's going to be-"Logan began only for his entire body to go rigid.

"Alpha, I can smell rogues to the west side of the territory as well as a pack I can't identify. There approaching and fast." The panicked voice of a pack member fluttered into my brain causing me to freeze.

This was it. It felt like only seconds ago that the pack had been stood in front of us but in reality it was an hour or two as Logan and I had stood in each other's arms longer than expected.

I forced myself to calm down. My wolf began to growl inside my head ready to show the man that had cause me so much pain and suffering over the years that we were no longer weak and pathetic. My wolf was taking over a little bit of my self-control that had slipped in my moment of panic. She fuelled my anger and gave me the confidence I needed to stand up straight and not cower at the announcement.

I looked to Logan for a distraction from my thoughts and found him concentrating hard no doubt ordering the pack to join us at the location of the threat towards the west. The pack wouldn't be left unprotected; some members had been chosen to protect the borders in case of another attack.

"Let's go." Logan's voice was deeper, more animalistic than I had ever heard it before. I looked to see that his eyes were almost black and I knew that like my wolf his wolf was also in control ever so slightly.

Logan ran through the woods with my hand tightly in his. My heart beat wildly in my chest, my throat was dry and my air waves felt as though they were constricted by a sudden lump in my throat, a feeling I was all too familiar with but I forced it aside. Pack members began to join us on the way some running in there human forms and other's running as there wolves. The run to the destination of the pack that I could see already gathered to the west a few feet in front of us was over too quickly.

Logan came to a stop and suddenly turned to me, taking my shoulders in his hands. "If it gets too much, I wanted you to run as fast and as far away from here. I will find you when it's over."

"I... I," I swallowed down the lump in my throat and blinked away the tears, "promise?"

"I promise." Logan whispered before pressing his lips to mine. The kiss was short and sweet, it wasn't a goodbye kiss for which I was thankful for but it was a kiss that said everything and meant everything.

"I love you." I whispered.

Logan had pulled away and now with his arm wrapped tightly around my waist he began to walk through the trees that were littered with our pack members who were glaring a head of them. I clung tightly to Logan side scared that he would let me go.

"I love you." Logan whispered back.

We entered a clearing in the middle of the woods at the same time the bushes and trees rustled on the other side. The air was stolen from me when my father walked through the trees with the same air of arrogance surrounding him. I presumed that it was his pack and the rogues that he most likely paid flanked him on either side, grinning maliciously and eyeing up our pack that glared hatefully back.

I couldn't take my eyes off of my dad who was smiling at me. I had seen that smile on his face many times before. It would litter his face before; during and after any beating he would give me and stay on his face for hours. It was a smile that promised pain in the worst way imaginable and I shuddered. I resisted the urge to turn around and run away from the man that had caused me so much pain.

My dad looked the same as he had the day my mum and I left. He was dressed in a black suit, a white shirt neatly tucked in and a blue tie to match. He looked out of place against his pack and rogues who were all scarcely dressed. The only differences I could see was that his hair had grown wild and unkempt, a beard was beginning to grow and his green eyes looked crazed. A glint in his eyes had appeared that I hadn't seen before.

My wolf snarled loudly, the sound so vicious I was silenced further. She wanted blood and more specifically his blood coating our muzzle, our fur and paws. She took further control and for once I allowed her. She forced me to stay up straight with my head held high, my eyes that were no doubt black glaring at my dad who continued to smile at me ignoring everyone else.

"Hello daughter." He addressed me.

Logan snarled from my side the grip on my waist tightening to the point where it was almost painful. Logan's snarl was echoed by many growls from our pack and my wolf puffed out my chest in pride.

"Leave now and I won't kill you." Logan order his voice filled with promise of death.

My dad only laughed from deep within his stomach, "give me the girl and her mother and we'll leave you alone. No blood needs to be spilt today if you just give me what's mine."

"Fuck you." Logan spat.

"Touchy." My dad grinned despite the anger blazing like fire in his eyes, "I can see that it didn't take long for you to get the slut in to bed."

At the insult something within me snapped. I was no longer the weak girl that would cower under his gaze, I wouldn't flinch when he raised his hand and I was no longer going to stand by an allow him to ruin my life once again. I was stronger and I now had a mate, a wolf and a pack which supported me.

I was in control and I was going to show my dad that he had insulted me for the last time. I was about to get the freedom I craved so badly and the revenge that had been long overdue.

I stepped forward ignoring Logan's warning growl and his hands that tried to pull me back to his chest. My eyes locked with my dads who were dancing with delight at what he no doubt thought was my surrender.

"That's it," he coaxed, "you were always weak and pathetic."

I narrowed my eyes at him, allowing my wolf to gain full control of my body before taking control of the situation.

"I, Esme Winters challenge you Alpha Roger Winters."