A Trick of the Heart

Logan ran from the room as fast as he could, he didn't want to be involved in the crying that would no doubt be happening in the bedroom he had just left. He had grown up alone, his whole life, he had been that way and he had no idea how to deal with crying women, and he wasn't sure he wanted to know.
He tugged his jacket around and stalked across the hall. Aspen met him halfway waving a book,
" Did you find something new?" he asked taking it from her hand and she nodded
" Some translation book of some sort," she said leaning against the wall and he sighed. He needed a way to end this problem now and forever. These ghouls were becoming bad and urgent mostly because they were getting close to humans without regard for the rules of our kind. All supernaturals stayed away from humans and for the best reason.
" We need to find out where he is, where he's hiding this army" Logan huffed, she frowned and Aspen hissed
" What's wrong " he asked as he drew closer, she leaned into him dragging his arm towards hers.
"Fine. I was hoping to find out more but ghouls are rarely controllable. It takes time and effort that I'm not sure Finn could possess as just a hunter so I was doing some research and I came across the writing that suggests some magical being that can shapeshift like a ghoul but is almost human sort " Logan groaned, the farther they went the more this was getting away from him.
" I need to spar " he muttered and she laughed
" Well I think it's your lucky day, the others are practicing in the courtyard now " Nodding he gestured for her to follow him and she did.
They hurried along the way and into the arena, where it seemed everything was ready. Some men were already sparring in the center. It was a tradition to train and to hold competitions once a year and while they didn't have the previous fervor associated with the yearly events the training was a good way to get in workout and training.
He turned, to face Aspen tugging off his jacket and shirt, she watched him with a wary look.
" I'll be fine" he muttered, she grunted unconvinced and he laughed
" Your utter disbelief is galling and a big bruise to my ego. Besides I'm distracted, and the pain will do me some good. Bring me to the real world" he laughed
" I can't help but be worried, you are my Alpha our heir, and the leader we need. We can't have you snapping your neck because you're distracted" she muttered and he sighed looking her deep in the eyes
" Which is why I don't plan on losing, but you can join me. The assistance would welcome" he replied, as he walked into the arena, nodding to the men who stood around him, they were all big men, some wiry than others but they were all in their prime, Aspen scoffed walking to him
" God no" she leaned into him taking his chain the only memory he had of his mother.
" They are all formidable but, the one to the left, is tricky, he plays with the edge of rules" she muttered and he nodded, smiling that would make things interesting.
" Let's do this" he roared to the crowd and they nodded. They were used to his practice sessions and the fact that he didn't want them to go easy on him.
We entered bowed and the fight was on, the man in the ring – Charles charged at him, gripping at his waist, he twisted him sideways causing him to fall a bit but he was quickly on his feet, Logan's hands clenched, as he watched his feet, his body move. Learning him in that quick moment.
He was favoring his right foot, and taking that information he channeled it and charged always at his right his wolf preening as Charles crumbled to the ground his back touching the wet sand, he hissed but stayed down the crowd cheered in joyous celebration.
" Who's next" he called out and the next man came forward, and they followed the same pattern, he dodged, and took hits that felt like they would kill him but finally, the last man was standing, he smiled cockily, the stupid wolf that he had seen by Emily's door talking to her– Otis. He felt his blood fill and boil
" Alpha " he muttered and Logan pulled back nodding his attention
" Is Lady Emily all right." He asked again, smirking almost like he'd won some sort of personal battle.
Logan could sense the discomfort, it was thick in the air, and he was sure everyone else could scent it too. His wolf growled in annoyance prowling at the surface. He kept still, wrapping his fingers into a tight fist and standing on the balls of his feet.
He tackled and Logan dodged, the next time he flashed his fist past his face, and it connected to Logan's jaw blood spilling out his lips. He winced, that had been too hard and too fast.
His arms came around me, he wrestled, and then his back connected with the floor, he lay there dazed, blood pooling in his mouth, his body felt heavy like lead, and a sting on his cheek had me wincing, He struggled to his feet, stumbling on each leg, hai wolf whined and he frowned something was wrong.
The fight was push and pull and he just had to pull hard enough and push better than this idiot did.
He steadied his stance and called to his wolf, it growled deeply and felt the muscle in his neck stiffen as it did, reaching for its strength as the added muscle bulked, the alpha he was facing looked at him, his eyes widening with fear and confusion and he felt good about it. This time he let Otis come to him, he charged towards Logan like a bull and gripped his waist, and tossed him away the crowd roared their approval, he roared his fury rushing at him but Logan grabbed at his waist spun him one way then and another when he tried to grab him again but Logan used his knee hitting him in his groin, and he moaned. Logan dropped him to the floor, pressing his knee over the man's throat
" Yield," he said, Otis coughed, struggling against his hold so he strengthened the choke
" Yield" he growled, Otis relaxed into the floor his body giving way to the strength,
He stood from his body stretching out his arms as Aspen jogged to meet him. He felt eyes on him and from a small glimpse saw Emily, he stood straight trying not to preen like a sucker,
"That was masterfully done" she muttered and he shrugged
" I was in the mood for it " he huffed and she sighed looking off to where Emily was staring off into the distance, with the book that Aspen had given him in her hand. She looked like she wanted to read it and I was almost tempted to let her.
She looked at me and stiffened when he gazed back at her looking away from him, she dodged into the nearest wall and he smiled she had escaped swiftly, but he wondered just what she thought she was hiding from
" Oh for God's sake you can swallow her if you want to I'm not sure what the hell you're doing" Aspen muttered,
" I'm not doing anything, I just I'm wondering–" he paused unsure how to explain himself or if he even should at this point.
" Go, talk to her and come back later" she muttered and stalked away from him.
He glanced around the now empty room and looked at all its corners.
He stalked to the table where he left his book and clothes. The book was missing as he had expected but his clothes were still there and he grabbed them and put them on, he'd take a shower once he was ready. He moved down the corridor she had shuffled into and looked around, he could hear her of course although she was in some sort of desperate effort to be quiet.
He made his steps loud enough that she could likely hear them and then he paused at just the point that he had scented her where she stood still in hiding and pressed against the wall her breathing harsh and almost feral.
" Oh get out of the wall " he grumbled and she froze falling out, her face turning beet red like apples which made her even more embarrassed so she blushed even more. It was a whole production that had him almost laughing at that point but he refrained from doing so.
" Aren't you supposed to be in bed?" he asked and she pried herself out of the wall, she laughed a tiny almost too high sound that was a sign of her discomfort at being found.
" I was in bed, but then I couldn't sleep and so I decided to walk" she drawled and he scoffed looking at her with brows arched.
"Uh-huh. That's why you're with that book" he asked nodding to her hand, she glanced down and winced as if she was just realizing she still held the book in her hands. She was fidgeting as if trying to decide what story would be best to use to get herself out of it.
" You shouldn't be touching people's things " he whispered and she scoffed
" It's not like your name was written on it " she mumbled, she was right about that and all of a sudden he didn't know what to say to her so he sighed stretching out his hand. She dropped it in his palm reluctantly and he nodded turning away from her. She grabbed the waistband of his shorts, startling him to pause, he didn't turn back to face her, just stood there waiting for her to say what she wanted to
" I want you to teach me" she muttered and he turned to face her
" And just what is it you want me to teach you" he asked and she sighed
" I want to fight, I want to be good enough to help with whatever this crazy thing is that we've found ourselves in"
She hissed and he sighed
" And why does it have to be me " he asked, he shouldn't even be asking this. He should have said no immediately but like a fool he stood there obsessing over her reason and what she would say that would be reason enough for him to accept her.
" Because you kicked my ass last time," she said and he laughed unable to help himself
" I'm sure Aspen can do a good job" he muttered and she sighed
" I want to be the best. I don't just want good. You are the alpha which means you are the best and I want the best. "