Tangled

181

181

181 Ava: Twenty Laps Around the Track

Muddy Blue Eyes turns back in my direction, and while I can't sense any sort of real respect or care, he at least reclaims a

professional air when he addresses me.

Before he can ask anything important, I have an odd, niggling little bug in my car from what he'd said a few moments ago. "Five miles around the track is twenty laps?" I ask, with a faint frown. 1-what? His confusion is clear in his wrinkled brow and hesitation. "Yes. Twenty laps."

"Not twelve?"

"No. It's twenty. Four laps to a mile

My memory is very clear of my torture during training, and I know that can't be right. "Jericho told us to run five miles, and it was always twelve laps."

"Beta-Mentor Ashbourne?" Muddy-Blue Eyes looks astonished, his brows rising. "Only twelve laps? Are you sure?"

"Positive. He had us count them. The memory of my jello-legs after each lap have me shuddering. "It was torture."

"Torture? She's been blessed by the Moon Goddess for his favor, and she calls it torture," Muddy-

Blue Eyes' partner mutters, looking out the window and bringing his hand to his lips in a gesture of faith I've seen often in Westwood, but almost never in Blackwood. It's always the older wolves who do it. "Pertaps Beta Mentor Ashbourne

oft on newbies? I suggest

soft

and Muddy Blue Eyes shakes his head in a firm negative. Then ! pause, rolling that name over in my head. "Wait. Ashbourne... isn't that Kellan's family name?

"Beta Mentor Jericho is Beta Kellan's father, Muddy Blue Eyes confirms. "When he stepped down as beta to focus on training young wolves, Beta Kellan took his place."

Ah.

The odd feeling between them now makes sense. It doesn't seem like a favorable father-son connection, somehow.

"I see." In a few minutes, I've learned more about the man who spent ages training me and Lisa for hours every day than I did. when he was training us.

Another eye-opening experience.

laps nearly in half, instead of forcing us to run the full five miles-while Lisa and I bemoaned every mile, thinking we were really running five miles- I rub my thighs, fighting against the remembered aches

ranking

miles might have actually

a while, realizing both

other two have long since left, and I shift uncomfortably on the bed. It seems their constant presence has been replaced with these two, which somehow makes everything worse. At least the other ones hated me and I didn't feel obligated to

These two...

before. I know they've

more than once.

I don't even know their

Eyes snorts, before walking to the window and peering outside. "Kind isn't a word anyone uses

Mentor.

Kind is not really a word that fits his crotchety

in his gruff

stiffen, turning to glance at each other. Neither of them say a word, but their faces show

and Selene perks her cars. Something's happening. Maybe they'll explain

one of her ears. I don't mean to; my fingers have been fiddling with them for a

her claws dig into my thigh. Sorry. But my stomach is churning, acid eating through its lining

seems to be done talking, I

"What's going on?"

his head. "No one's injured.

Well, that's good

doesn't answer my

either end of the room Muddy Blue Eyes stays near the window, scanning

pause.

approaches. It must be the new guards, because he shares a few quick words before closing it again, and their footsteps don't leave

is tense.

Whatever happened-it's significant.

on?" I press, unable to ignore the palpable shift in

words

chest. "How

beside me, her hackles raised, sensing

room.

right, that dhampir. This is

only give me the

possibly want with

13