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? Dun!”

Training (0)

protest as I push myself to sprint faster around the track. The itching across my skin intensifies with each stride, a maddening sensation that refuses to relent. S~ᴇaʀᴄh the Findɴovel.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to

echo in my mind, taunting me with their significance. As a shifter who has never experienced a shift,

fast as wolves, I’ve been

hint of it since that day.

round the bend, my breath coming in ragged gasps. Lisa falls into step beside me, her face

my head, unable to form a coherent response. My breath is too short and my

15:22

Training

body is yearning for it.

more than an enhancement. An aphrodisiac for some, and a hair trigger on anger for the

feel like bathing in the silver moonlight

the problem. Where the fuck is normal,

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

each pounding step. The relentless itching beneath my

full five miles. She’s so sore that I spend an hour every night massaging her

15:22

Ava: Training (1)

know; I lived in

are not what I

moon so fiercely worries me, even as excitement thrums

there in front of me, like

like a

Why can’t I do lunges too?” Lisa protests, her face flushed from exertion. She still hasn’t finished her five

gaze on her. “Life isn’t fair. Get

my friend. I set my hands on my hips, ready to argue, but think better of it. Jericho

in my thighs almost immediately. Each step is a

Ava: Training

up with another wide stride. Dip down. Hold

burn.

in, Breathe out.

to keep my

eye assessing my form. “Lower. Keep