Chapter 15
1410 Words
Jasmine
I could barely sleep. It seems I'm wide awake an hour before my alarm usually goes off.
I slap my head on the bedside table.
I don't think I slept a wink.
My heart sinks deep into my chest as I go over the events of yesterday for what seems like the hundredth time.
Ethan. Perrin. The accident. His dad.
I just don't get it. My head seems to be exploding.
Ethan's injuries were bad. I mean, really bad.
After Perrin and his dad left the infirmary, I headed back to the nurses break room to see what I could find out. Punctured lungs? Broken ribs? Bones? And what the hell happened to his eye? I had made one of the healers on night-duty for Ethan swear to text me with any updates. I check my phone screen. I hadn't let go of it all night. She hadn't said anything, but I text her anyway.
JASMINE: Any updates?
LORRIE: No, no changes. Stable, but that's good.
JASMINE: Ok, thanks.
Technically I'm not supposed to know any of this. For some reason Alpha Jason's put a lockdown on all information regarding Ethan except to a few of the Ascended and his family. Well, and Perrin of course.
My heart goes out to him. I can't even imagine what he's feeling right now. I adore Perrin, and I know I often joke that he's dating Ethan, not me, it's only because...
It's only because I'm actually slightly jealous of Ethan. It's like they know what each other is thinking before the other says it. They finish each other's sentences. The way they move, the way they train... they're so in sync with each other.
Sometimes I feel that way with Perrin. I mean, we've known each other for years and we've been dating for the last two but... I don't know. I try not to second guess myself. I know Perrin loves me. That's why I feel so bad for him right now. The look of horror on his face when I got off the phone with Kira. It breaks my heart just thinking about it.
I hated watching him pace around the waiting room, just not knowing. Being on the path to becoming a healer myself, I know often the worst part of any healing process is the waiting, and the 'not-knowing.' It's a real drain for everybody.
I didn't see Perrin after he walked off with Alpha Jason. In cases like last night, it'd be really great if Perrin's dad didn't hate my guts. I get that he doesn't like me, but I was there last night for Perrin. Can’t he have seen that? Perrin was going through a lot. He IS going through a lot.
And with everything happening with the challenge coming up--I hate to even think it, and we didn't even talk about it last night. But Perrin HAS to know that Ethan doesn't stand a fighting chance to compete--
What the hell is wrong with me? I'm sitting here, thinking about Ethan needs to fight for Beta when he's in the infirmary fighting for his life.
I'm disgusted with myself. Some healer I am.
I flop around in bed for a few more minutes.
I can't sit here any longer. I'm heading to the gym. I've got an extra hour before my only class this morning and I need to let off some steam.
**
I head out towards the training lodge. I don't really feel like weights today, so I decide to hit the outdoor boxing set. I drop my gym bag and reach for my mits.
Punching something sounds like a REALLY good idea.
And just my luck, there's nobody here. Must be too early. I put in my ear pods, crank the music, and start to take out my aggression on the punching bag.
Leila
I'm slowly running out of steam when I see the training facility through the trees up ahead. Maybe I should hit some weights?
The perfect song hits on my playlist to finish out my run. I'm practically flying through the trees and I pump the volume through my phone's control.
I end up on the edge of the training lodge parking lot. It's still pretty early. Only a few cars are here, but I can see the obstacle courses for Betas and Alphas on the far side of the building. I cool down as I walk through the parking lot, slowing my breath.
This place is amazing.
There's been so much added since I was here as a kid. Obviously I didn't train much, I was only a little kid, but this training facility is incredible. I walk around for a few minutes. It's abandoned with the exception of a tall, auburn-haired she-wolf pummeling the crap out of a punching bag.
I know she doesn't see me. She's got air pods in and is just doing her thing. Good for her!
I walk closer, contemplating the idea of throwing a few punches myself.
The she-wolf suddenly stops, heading swiveling, nose in the air.
She probably senses my scent.
Finding me, her intense, almond-shaped eyes lock onto mine. She pops out an earbud and c***s her head, eyeing me up and down.
"Hi." Why am I so awkward?
"You're new."
"Yup."
"Part of the dating game?" She gets right to the point, doesn't she? But she's direct, just like Dina. I like it.
"I'd rather not be." I take out my own headphones.
She smirks, but questions. "You have no interest in dating the Alpha Dauphin?"
I put down my phone and grab a set of gloves. "Let's just say, fathers are... more coercive than a she-wolf in heat?"
She barks out an unexpected laugh and gives me a smile. "Care to spar?"
I feel an odd sense of relief and nod my head. She's quite muscular, but I can tell she doesn't train regularly. But I also haven't sparred in over a week.
We edge to the nearby sparring ground and begin to circle each other.
After the first few moves, I can tell she's fast and strong, but her accuracy could use some work.
"So you're not here to be a Luna, eh?" She didn't seem to believe me, or otherwise looking for some type of reassurance.
"No. All my father's idea." I grunt as she lands a jab on my shoulder.
"Dads" she muses, dodging my kick aimed at her side.
"I'm not a fan of mine at the moment. I'd rather be training. I'm not sure he approves."
A few more punches. She's an even match for me. My accuracy makes up for my lack of strength. I land a particularly good punch to her stomach.
"Oof!" She puffs, taking a few steps back. I give her time to gather herself. She re-enters the fight.
"So," I huff. "Are you challenging for anything this year?"
She barks out another one of those sharp laughs. "Not hardly. I'm in school now to be a healer."
I stop my punch mid-swing and stare.
"A healer?"
"Yea." Suddenly she's a combination of embarrassment and sheepish pride.
"That's incredible!"
Like other deteriorating facets of werewolf culture, the predisposition for being a healer is also one of the things that seems to be disappearing. My pack in Texas had to pay handsomely for a few healers from the east coast to join us.
"Thanks." We resume the fight.
"That means if you can actually land any of your punches, you can heal me up before you go!"
She seems to take the words as a challenge.
We spar for another half an hour or so before I'm spent. You know it's a great match when there's no clear winner.
We head over to our gear.
"Hey... I know I'm new here, but I don't really know anybody and... I mean, do you do this every morning?"
She guzzles water and looks in my direction. "You saying you want to train again tomorrow?"
"If you don't have patients that need you... well yea, I guess that's what iI'm saying."
"Sure."
"Great!"
I reach for my phone and do a quick stretch. I have no idea how far I've run but I can practically smell the bacon Dina said she's save for me when I got back.
"Hey... what's your name, anyway?"
"Jasmine. Jaz for short. Yours?"
"My friends just call me Lo."
"Ok. Til tomorrow, Lo."
- Writer
