Chapter 74 Chapter 74

Ella's POV

I woke the next morning practically being crushed by Leo. His leg had

found it's way over my stomach and his arms were wrapped firmly

around me. Silas had somehow wriggled between us and both of them

were sleeping soundly.

I would have left them to sleep peacefully but Leo's leg was basically

just one huge chunk of muscle and consequently incredibly heavy. He

was also holding me in a way that trapped my hand and the numbness

was intense.

"Leo," I said prodding his cheek. "Leo."

He grimaced and then slowly opened his eyes.

"Can you free me?" I asked. "Only I can't breathe and you're lying on

my hand.”

He smiled and rolled, placing his hand on Silas's back so that he moved

onto his chest and stayed completely dead to the world

I was then able to sit up and yawn.

"Fuck," I said stretching my arms out, "I forgot how much room there

isn't on this sofa.”

Leo laughed, "At least we only had Silas tonight."

"It's 6 am. Cato will be up and demanding breakfast soon," I said

getting up and stumbling into the kitchen

"That kid certainly has an appetite,” Leo replied.

"He's grown about an inch in the last month. That's probably why," I

said.

"I should get up too,” Leo said, "I've got to be at the base at 7 am.”

I looked at him and furrowed my eyebrows, "Why?"

"I realised in Seattle my men need more gun training,” he replied. "We

need to be as good as Martinez's men who have been using guns since

before they could walk."

I sighed, "Oh yes. The impending doom. How could I forget.”

"I'l need to be there all day so Max will be here but I might come home

at lunch,” he added.

I nodded as he stood up, Silas still in his arms.

"Now..what do I do with the sleeping child?" He said.

I laughed, "Put him in his bed. Cato will undoubtedly wake him up

within half an hour but he looks too peaceful to wake now."

Leo kissed him on the head before carrying him up the stairs, leaving

me to start making enough pancake mix to feed an army of hungry

children and one hungry Alpha.

Leo's POV

At 7 am sharp, my men were lined up neatly and silently at the training

camp in the base, awaiting my instruction. They had been given their

guns weeks ago but today was going to involve intensive practise and

they needed more ammunition. So Blair, Luca, Ollie (the head army

commander), a dozen other commanders and I walked along the lines

of soldiers, handing out magazines and cartridges

"Today is going to be different to your usual training," I said as I

reached into the box and handed a solider two magazines for his

shotgun before moving onto the next, "Usually I look for improvement.

Today, I want perfection.”

As I handed him his ammunition one of the soldiers looked up at me

and I briefly made eye contact. I vaguely recognised him from

enrollment out of the junior training programme and into the army a

few weeks ago meaning he had only just turned 17. His face was

youthful and his eyes nervous and jumpy. He was just a boy stood

amongst all the other men

I reached into the box and handed him an extra round

"With hard work and practice, you will get there," I said to the army but

looking him in the eye with a reassuring smile.

I then continued along the line.

"There are five stations focussing on: long-distance targets, moving

targets, defending yourself from a shooter, fast reloading and finally,

shot-wound focussed first aid. You will spend two hours in each and at

the end of the day will only be released if you have perfected all five,” I

announced. "Anyone who hasn't will stay until they have.”

Some of my men were deployed around the territory guarding the

borders and outer villages in case of an attack but that still left a

thousand men here today. That meant 200 men at each station and the

entire camp at maximum capacity. It was a large scale operation and

within two minutes of ordering the men to the station, the place was

filled with the firing of guns.

"Do you really think we'll get them good enough in one day?" Blair

asked me as we watched over.

"They're all fit, young, intelligent and disciplined,” I replied. “If we can

be the best army in the world with knives and fists, we can do the same

with guns.”

"But Martinez's men have years on us," he replied.

"Years of using guns, true. But they are just a gang of thugs. They don't

know teamwork and strategy and initiative. When the ammunition runs

out, what will they do then? Who will have the upper hand?"

Blair nodded, "I hope you are right, Alpha.”

Rule number 1 of being Alpha: don't show your fear.

I smiled and put my hand on his shoulder, "Now get back to training

those men."