The gym was nearly empty now, the hum of the treadmill beneath my feet the only sound in the room. The rest of the pack members had filtered out slowly, leaving just Faruk and me. I glanced over at him from the corner of my eye, his powerful strides keeping pace effortlessly, his muscles tense under the sheen of sweat that glistened on his skin. Even after our sparring match, he still looked fresh, while I felt like I’d run a marathon.
I slowed the treadmill down, catching my breath. “I’m done,” I said, wiping the sweat from my forehead with the back of my hand. “I’m going to take a quick shower.”
Faruk gave me a sidelong glance, smirking. “You look like you need it,” he teased.
I rolled my eyes but didn’t respond, too tired to come up with a witty comeback. I grabbed my gym bag and sta
