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

Ava Training

my skin intensifies with each

shift, the concept of the full moon’s power

that day in the forest, running almost as fast as wolves, I’ve

of it

Lisa falls into step beside me, her face flushed with exertion. “What do you think he means by that?” she

form a coherent response. My breath is too short

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Training (1)

body is yearning for

all. Even in full–fledged wolf shifters, the moon is nothing more than an enhancement. An aphrodisiac for some, and a hair trigger on anger for the others. They’re a little more volatile, a little more inclined to drink, a little late to sleep.

like bathing in the silver moonlight of a full, round

Where the fuck

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

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

before I do, barely making it the full five miles. She’s so sore that I spend an hour every night massaging her

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Training (1)

know; I lived in

late are not what I expected.

the moon so fiercely worries me, even as excitement thrums

I finish my fifth mile, Jericho’s right there in front of me,

like a whip, making

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

“Life isn’t fair. Get over it. This is a performance–based treatment.”

treats my friend. I set my hands on my hips, ready to argue, but think better of it. Jericho isn’t

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

Training (1)

Dip my body down. Hold it. Back up with another wide stride. Dip down. Hold it. Burn,

burn.

in, Breathe out.

it was to keep my mind from wandering unpleasantly during my

over, his critical eye assessing my form. “Lower. Keep