In the Alpha’s Arms

Therapy

“Miss Dillard, punctual as always, please have a seat,” Susan motioned. She’d been Lita’s therapist for the last month, exactly one day after Lita moved into her apartment. But ever since the first visit, she always insisted that Lita call her Susan, to show that her office was a friendly space. But it wasn’t and Lita knew that, simply from the fact that Susan never called her Lita. It was always Miss Dillard.

“So, what’s new on my mother’s agenda?” Lita asked, dismissing any pleasantries at the door. She slumped onto the overpriced leather couch with a scowl.

“Your mother says hello, as always, and once again, I’m here to remind you she only wants what’s best for you. We’re here today to discuss the gym again. It’s important for you to take better care of yourself. Have you found a suitable location? I have a few suggestions that your mother has approved, if you’d like.”

“No thanks, Susan. I found one yesterday. Here’s the receipt,” Lita snipped, practically tossing the half-crumpled piece of paper into Susan’s hands. The woman cleared her throat and cleaned her glasses slowly before taking up the piece of receipt paper in her hands.

“Mmm, there’s no name here. It just says Athletic club on the line item. What’s it called? Where is it?”

“It’s pretty far, but I like the drive,” Lita smiled with an attitude, “Gives me lots of time to think. And I prefer to keep the name to myself. I was told I could select my gym, and I did. It shouldn’t matter where it is. Anyway, I figured the cost would satisfy mother, ensuring I’ve chosen a location suitable for a family of our caliber.” Lita hated to speak that way. It was elitist and implied others were lesser because they were not wealthy. But it was the language both Susan and Lita’s mother loved to hear. It validated that Lita was absorbing their training.

Susan nodded thoughtfully, “Yes, I suppose exclusive gyms don’t need to advertise on their receipts. The word of mouth is sufficient. Yes, I think she’ll be pleased with this.”

Susan tucked the paper into a file folder and grabbed her notepad, “Shall we get started?”

Lita nodded.

“How is your aggression today, on a scale of 1-10?”

Eleven, Lita thought. “Two,” Lita answered aloud.

“And your anger?”

Twelve, Lita growled in her own head. “One,” she sighed, tired of answering the same litany of questions every day.

Susan pointed her nose down at

it was closer to five or six at

sleep? Have you been

many. I’ve been getting about four or five hours of sleep, but after the gym yesterday, I got

the best part is it’ll do wonders for your complexion

She wasn’t encouraging or affirmative. She constantly took little jabs, and sometimes it felt like Lita was listening to her mother in the flesh, with all the elitism and prejudice. But in the end, Lita would happily sit there every day until school started if it meant she could have some freedom. After that, she’d only have to go weekly to maintain her freedom as long as her grades stayed up. And if

clicking sound with her tongue and

full well she had only picked at it for an hour and then drank a

dinner together. When she sat down to

assume I have Brian to thank for your meal? It must be nice, living with such a handsome young man, and at a prime age

not live together. We are on a

Dillard, sometimes we all need a little push here and there.

I enjoy our chats, looks like time is up. Same

A week later

the lack of air. Her lungs didn’t seem capable of pulling in enough oxygen to sustain her. She was so out of shape, it was sad. The two minutes she’d spent running a slow cool down felt like ages and Gymhead, Alex, was no help in that department, smiling like an infuriating idiot as she suffocated

her body at any moment. She was stumbling with each step. In another moment or two, she would probably hit the moving band of the treadmill and embarrass herself completely. Maybe she’d be lucky enough to knock herself

the machine. After a twenty-minute cardio warm-up, a forty-five minute weightlifting regimen in which he claimed you don’t stop, you switch muscle groups, a fifteen-minute water break that ended with the protein bar Alex tossed her, and a back breaking series of exercises designed to teach her body control, Lita was well past the breaking point. She’d stopped feeling her legs thirty minutes ago. It was a miracle the cool down hadn’t killed her.

managed between strangled

understand what kind of personal training this was. Was he spending the last week trying to train her or kill her? She hobbled over to the water fountain and gulped, spilling most of it down onto her oversized hoodie. With how much sweat had already soaked in, she could hardly tell the difference. It was as if her entire body were devoid of all its water at the end of every training session. She couldn’t even be bothered to care if she smelled. Had Alex warned her about wearing layers? Yes. But he didn’t understand why she couldn’t take

week punishing her body. He probably remembered it differently, but the way her muscles tightened and ached, punishment was the only comparison.

a protein bar in her face. She always left exhausted, which helped her sleep and over the last week, it even helped her gain a small appetite as long as she could avoid Brian when dinner time came. Something about exercising was working to pull her out of her own head, she just wasn’t sure if it was

a day. I have to lead a real workout now,” Alex grumbled as he walked away. “Fifteen-minute,

ignoring another of many rude nicknames he’d given her. “I want to stay and watch.” Her foot slipped as she tried to get his attention and she tumbled into him. Thankfully, he opened his arms to help brace her, but she found her face against his chest, only separated from his skin by a thin tank. His muscles were warm and as she pushed away to right herself, she missed it. Why did she miss something so simple as a hug? Even as messy and uncomfortable as that one had been. She didn’t really miss the hug. She missed James. And feeling safe. No part of her was afraid of Alex. He was an

And why do you want to watch other people work out?” His eyes flicked to her wrists for a moment, but they were covered. It was as if he was