The Night Child

Chapter 1

Dakota

My heart pounded in my chest as I kept the rhythm of my fists steady. The two oddities battled each other for a consistent beat within my ears as I continued dealing my punishment onto the rough leather of the bag swaying before me. I had been in here for three hours now and I knew I was not getting tired any time soon.

Why did she have to step in and get in his way? Forty-eight. Forty-nine.

My breathing was ragged and my arms burned with each strike. Why did I let her?

Once I got to fifty I took off down the training ring, my legs shaking as I pushed myself forward. I darted around the makeshift obstacle course Q had left for me before he took off to whatever task the Alpha had called him away for. The course was crude but challenging nonetheless and had given me a run for my money more times than I could count in the two days he had been gone.

Anticipation in showing him how well I had managed it while he was away ate through my core and I pushed myself to finish the course quickly. A few fumbles later and a handful of curses made their way from my mouth and I was back at the bag starting over at one. I wasn't sure how long I had kept going. Only that I knew I was not going back until Q had returned.

I hated being here. Not particularly in the gym. In fact I spent most of my free time in this training hall. I had spent all of my youth learning to become a warrior, not that it had mattered much, I still couldn't shift, but learning to fight had become my main source of lessons once I was old enough to understand why I would need them.

The pain in my chest tightened as I fought back the tears threatening to fall free. Once he did catch me the fighting lessons became obsolete. I could fight back. I could throw my weight into my punches and scream myself hoarse but it never made a difference. The punishment was always the same.

Forty-six. Forty-seven.

Blurred images of vague memories swarmed around me as I tried to steady my breathing once again. His thick, slimy hands wrapped around my neck, pawing at me. Furniture broken, smashed and shattered used as weapons in the torment.

Why did I have to endure such pain? Such awful memories that ate at my mind. Why did she have to step in? I could have handled it. I can always handle it.

Blood rushed through my veins pounding in my ears. My back was drenched and this time when I went to take off for what I could only assume was my 100th lap my foot slipped on something pooling on the mat and my whole world was turned upside down. The air was knocked from my lungs, the world seemed to slow as I had tumbled backasswards onto the ground and sprawled out flat on my back.

The rush in my ears throbbed and morphed into a dulling headache and my muscles refused to move an inch. I gave a half hearted sob and stared up at the lights above me. This is it, This is where I die.

"Oh don't be so dramatic, It solves nothing"

The feminine voice snapped out of the dark entryway causing me to flinch in surprise. I didn't need to glare in her direction to know who it was but the action definitely made me feel better. That was until I really looked at her.

I had to blink through the spots I had begun to see before her typical dark aura blurred around her. Unlike most hers was dark black with spots of reds and purples. Most had a mist but J.L. had her own unique thick cloud that stormed after her wherever she would go. I tried never to stare at the air around her in fear it would raise her to question me. Jean Louise questioned me enough on her own. I didn't need to add in the additional questions about what funny colors I was seeing today.

It wasn't the intoxicating cloud around her that gave me pause today. It was angry and throbbing like it usually is after a routine like this weekend and no less scary than her average day, no I paused at the nasty red welt outlining her eye and the deep red gash along her cheek. He had struck her. No, it was worse. I took in the clothing she wore that was different from the outfit I had just seen her in hours before. She wore a baggy flannel and sweatpants trying to cover as much of herself as possible. She has pulled the flannel closed. I knew no doubt that If she took it off, the brutal trail of purple marks were lining most of her chocolate brown skin.