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Selene growls, pacing as she sniffs every corner of the room. Her hackles are stiff. Even though she’s just a dog right now, it’s still intimidating.
That bastard was here, Selene confirms, after sniffing around the bedroom. He won’t harm you. Her lip curls back into a soft snarl. I can smell his regret with every step he took.
I collapse, my legs too weak to hold me up. That refreshed, revitalized feeling is gone. Only fear
remains.
“What am I going to do? I can’t stay here. If he found me, that means Dad can find me.”
Perhaps. Selene stretches with a large yawn. I would not worry yet, cub. You are not as defenseless as you once were, and you cannot run forever.
“But-”
You cannot run forever, Selene repeats forcefully, and I fall silent, struggling against the panic fluttering against my ribcage. One day, you might have to fight
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back.
Fight back?
I’d never imagined fighting back.
How can a wolfless defect fight back?
reminds me, settling on the couch after a few circles. You
do?”
she says simply. Just as you
borrow trouble before it finds you.
***
to let Selene’s words wash over me. Live. Just
she says it like that.
cannot keep going as you have been, though. Your body is soft.
at my lips. “What do you mean?”
arm with her cold, wet
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body as you would your mind. You cannot
her. I’m not completely soft. I’ve had to learn to run. But to Selene,
to shifters. She wants me to get fit. To toughen up, build muscle, increase my stamina. A tremor of trepidation
words.
I need to be able to defend myself. My only chance at
slow nod, I steel my resolve. “Okay.
need to do?”
morning, I approach
week. I spin a vague story about a class I’ve decided to take,
Elkins’s brow furrows in concern, but she
course, dear. As long as
before you leave, I don’t
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A Familiar Scont
you, Mrs. Elkins. I really appreciate
her warm, grandmotherly smiles. “Not a problem, Ava. Just
lancing through my chest. If only she
the privacy of my small living room- push–ups, sit–ups, air squats, a
but I grit my teeth and
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