*** After training, before our daily run, Oliver assists me with my assignment, holding my feet to the ground as I pull myself up and down using only my stomach muscles. I take a few minutes to catch my breath before moving to my hands and knees for my push-ups. Knowing I will be too winded to attempt any form of exercise after our twenty-mile run. The run was harder today, I thought I was already getting better at it but at the end of our run, I was hurting. Everywhere. My shoulders ached, arms felt like logs of wood were attached to my shoulders, so heavy. My stomach was killing me I felt like throwing up, and I probably would have if I had any food in my belly, and don’t get me started on my legs. I felt a little bad for Oliver, he had to help me walk back to the lodge, supporting me with an arm around my waist while I sipped out of his bottle of water, seeing as I forgot mine in the main pack house the other day after escaping Zayne. My legs are still trembling as I shower
It’s a full moon tonight. For most packs, it calls for a celebration. Dark Woods is no different. I’ve been going strong with my training these past few days. Just when I think I’m getting the hang of it, Naya switches things up. I don’t think she likes me very much. Though I do seem to be getting better, now I can punch and kick like nobody’s business. After my first breakthrough, I realized that if I thought about it really hard, going through the moves, the form, the maneuvers, and every step in detail in my head, I learn faster. In other words, even when I'm not at the arena I think about training, what I learned that day, the mistakes I made, and how can I get better. If anyone had told me a month ago that I’d be able to do a roundhouse kick, throw my weight back without thought, just to break the hold of my enemy, or do a backflip? I’d laugh and call them crazy. But I can do all that and more. I am getting there. I’ve been to the compound a few times with Oliver after tra
I freeze at his words. My fingers, my legs, my breath. Even my heart stopped beating. There’s no way he saw me, he is facing away from me, yeah, he’s probably talking to someone else. “I can smell you; you know.” I can hear the amusement in his voice. Shit. Well, that changes things. Thinking of my options, should I turn around and go back to the party, or play it off, like I just stumbled upon him while taking a walk? “I wouldn’t be much of a predator if I don’t notice when I’m being followed” his voice comes again.I grimaced, clenching my eyes. Right. So, he knew I was following him. I scratch my scalp, embarrassed at being caught. Smoothing down the material of my sweater I come out of my hiding place. “I was trying to be quiet "I admit. “I’ll teach you to hunt prey another time” his back is still turned to me, “Though you shouldn’t stalk prey more dominant than you are, or you might find yourself caught in a snare” I stop a few paces beside him where he’s leaning on the
*** I think about Zayne a lot before I go to bed. I relive our kiss in the woods again and again. The feel of his strong and warm body against mine. The taste of his warm wet mouth, the feel of his tongue as it stroked mine, as my body had tightened, warmed. And those hands, how he had caressed my back, and my hair and inhaled my scent like he’s never smelled anything so intoxicating. I can't believe how bold I'd been to follow him tonight and get so close to him, it's not like me at all. I don't even talk to people or males like him. I wonder what it is about him that makes me feel so much. I blame Lily, she put thoughts like this in my head. I’m lost in my thoughts, with my gaze on the full moon through the opened curtain as sleep drags me away. *** “Alina? Alina? Sweetheart, can you hear me?” the words come slowly, muffled, I blink slowly trying to make sense of it. I feel drowsy and slow. Fierce blue eyes stare at me “Zayne…” I call sluggishly. I rub my left eye sleepily u
When I wake up Zayne is sitting beside me on the bed like he never left, his fingers caress my hair softly, which is what must have woken me up. I have to blink a few times to focus my gaze, “Hi,” he whispered. “Hi” I replied, it comes out scratchy. He gives me a searching look, “How are you feeling?” At his words, I remember how I got here, here being Zayne’s bedroom, me laying in his bed. I remember what happened last night. I blink slowly, feeling like I’ve been asleep for days. I sit up, running the fingers of my right hand through my hair. “Fine, I’m fine” I sighed. “How long have I been asleep?” “Hours, you looked really tired” I shake my head to clear it a bit before looking at the window, though heavy drapes prevent the sun from coming in, it is bright out, past noon already. “Shit" my head falls in my hands "I’m late for practice, I have to go” I try to rise, but I will only have enough time to run back to the lodge and get changed into something practical, no time f
The howl of a wolf wakes me up, I jerk up on all fours, and my legs are tangled in a blanket, I must have dozed off at some point last night. My right cheek feels numb from sleeping on the floor, after trying so hard not to fall asleep, at least there were no unfortunate late-night walks. I throw my blanket on the bed and strip on my way to the bathroom, I didn’t attend training yesterday and I’m already running late today. Great. I wash off as fast as I can, drying my hair and picking out my clothes at the same time. I don’t think I’m going to have time for my special assignment this morning, which means I have to do it before my run right after practice, just great. I quickly shrug on my clothes, a grey top over a sports bra and a pair of stretchy leggings. I brush my still soaked hair into a bun at the top of my hair, securing it with a hair tie, no time for a braid today, I Shove my feet into my sneakers and run downstairs. “Hey” I greet Winnie when I pass by the kitchen. “Can
“Come in”The door shut behind me. I look up at the Alpha, he sits behind his table, a bunch of papers in front of him, and a computer. He frowns when he sees me and inhales stating “I smell blood, Colin told me you weren’t hurt”“I’m fine”“Come here” “I want to stay here” “Alina” he scolds with a glare but I hold my ground.Zayne gets up and walks around the table, I think he’s going to come to me but he stops and leans against the table. His hands are folded as he looks at me.“Fighting Alina?” he looks mad, well so am I. “That’s what we’re learning to do, isn’t it? fighting?” leaning my back against the door, I shrug, expressing nonchalance that I’m not feeling. On the inside? I’m burning. Angry.A scowl on his lips and his glare intensifies “Not against your own pack.”Another shrug of my shoulders, “Well, she started it.”“That’s not the point!” he snapsMy gaze sharpens “Isn’t it? We both fought and she started it! how comes I’m the only one at the headmaster’s office?” my he
I slide out of his arms, arranging my wayward top from his ministrations on his chest, and hop off the table, I can’t look at him or my hands as I escape to the other end of the room, suddenly very ashamed at my lack of control and because I know the tips of my claws would be gleaming with blood for the second time today. “It’s fine” I hear Zayne say. “It’s not fine!” I blinked repeatedly swallowing past the painfully hard lump in my throat, “I’m not fine” I whispered admitting it broke something in me. But it’s the truth, what’s the use of denying it now? I bite my swollen upper lip between my teeth as my sight becomes glassy. “I feel like I’m going crazy Zayne. I’m losing it” I say to the door as tear rolls down my cheek. I don’t hear him but a moment later, Zayne wraps his arms around me from behind and a sob leaves my chest. “Shh… it’s alright princess” he turns me around until my face is against his chest. I don’t hold him back though. I can’t. Not when I just hurt him with th