Chapter 8

The rest of the week I trained hard. I ran every day, either with Ezra, Alfie or Lila and Brayleigh. Each day, they pushed me harder and harder. I remember the morning after my run with Ezra that I collapsed to the ground. I had run with Alfie that morning. It was just him and I.

Alfie was ruthless. He made us take a new track, one that extended all the way around Takiani. He told me it was the trail that the tracker wolves run, as it went along the borders of the pack. It was a long run, the longest one I'd ever been on.

But I loved it.

Alfie pushed me and pushed me. He wouldn't let me slow down and only let me get faster and faster. He raced me, purposely getting me angry to try and bring out my beast's fire. He said it worked, but he said it didn't work enough.

After the run, I had to sit down. I was panting hard, my heart was beating so fast that I felt it in my throat. My arms and legs were tingling with energy.

I felt different. I felt great. Something I hadn't felt in a while.