Tangled

104 Ava: Training (I)

The best way to deal with all the confusion involving feelings?

Exercise.

Jericho watches in approval as I push myself past my limits, determined to grow stronger. New bruises appear and disappear each day as my supernatural healing kicks in. Lisa, on the other hand, is covered with them, in various stages of healing.

I’m determined to ignore everything about Lucas and Clayton for as long as I can. It’s easier to just… not deal with it all.

Healthy? Probably not.

But hell, I’m just going to settle for making it through each day for now.

An odd, itchy feeling doesn’t stop all day. Lisa smacks at my hands every time I begin scratching at my neck and shoulders. My belly looks as if it’s been clawed by a raccoon, though the marks fade within half an hour each time.

IN Ave Taning (0)

“You have to stop that, Ave. You’re driving yourself insane. The more you scratch, the more you’ll itch. Just take some Benadryl.”

“Fast healing means a fast metabolism. Benadryl won’t even touch it, and I don’t know wolf dosing. I’d have to go to a healer to figure it out.” I’ve explained this to Lisa before, but her exasperation over my scratching overcomes minor details like that.

It doesn’t bother me. I repeat myself as often as I need to. I just worry that other wolves in the pack might

bother her.

So far, Lisa hasn’t gone anywhere without me. Between the guards always nearby and Kellan’s presence every morning before training and every afternoon after, we haven’t done anything outside of our apartment. Even our food gets delivered.

Lisa’s company is amazing, but we’re both going a little stir–crazy.

That might be what’s wrong with me.

“Full moon’s coming up,” Jericho announces out of nowhere, and I almost jump ten feet in the air.

That’re you doing?

Ava Training

to sprint faster around the track. The itching across my

significance. As a shifter who has never experienced a shift, the

fast as wolves, I’ve been desperate to

of it since that

my breath coming in ragged gasps. Lisa falls into step beside me, her face flushed with exertion. “What do you think

form a coherent response. My breath is too short and my

15:22

Ava: Training

my body is

is nothing more than an enhancement. An aphrodisiac for some, and a hair trigger on anger for

do I feel like bathing in the silver

lately is just bizarre. That’s the problem. Where the fuck is normal, and how do I go

another lap, Jericho’s voice booms across the track once more. “Faster! You think you can outrun your enemies at

channeling my frustration into each pounding step. The relentless itching beneath my skin keeps me from hitting a

five miles. She’s so sore that I

15:22

Training

lived

changes of late are not what

that I yearn for the moon so fiercely

there in front

cracks like a whip, making me

Lisa protests, her face flushed from exertion. She still hasn’t finished

on her. “Life isn’t fair. Get over it. This is a

at the dismissive way he treats my friend. I set my hands on my hips, ready to argue, but think

my thighs almost immediately. Each step is a challenge, my muscles screaming in protest. I grit my teeth, determined

Ava: Training (1)

body down. Hold it. Back up with another

burn.

in, Breathe out.

lose myself in this than it was to keep my mind from wandering unpleasantly during my run.

his critical eye assessing my form. “Lower.