Different.

Chapter 11: Secrets

Chapter 11

Secrets

My muscles ached, I was covered in bruises, I had a killer migraine, and to top it all off I was highly irritated and ready to snap at the first person I saw.

Underneath all of that, I could feel it. I could feel my body, my mind, and my shifting getting stronger, tougher, more resilient.

But at home, things were only getting worse. My mom didn't care what I did all day so long as I came back before midnight, but that wasn't what made life so unbearable.

My mother had taken up the habit of bringing back drunk men at night when she thought I was sleeping, and more often than not she paid even less and less attention to me than what tiny bit she already did.

Each night it was a new repulsive excuse for a man, and every time I buried myself in the covers and tried my hardest to escape into the all-consuming sleep that constantly evaded me.

The supply of what little food that wasn't spoiled that we did have around the house was gradually dwindling since she went out to eat and didn't bother to bring me anything, but it wasn't as if that was exactly far off from her usual behavior.

On top of all of that, I'd been training hard with Asher for weeks now, and although my physical and mental abilities were getting stronger, my irritating relationship with Jenna stayed pretty much the same.

Her: a bright bundle of happiness and cheery attitude that made it impossible to decide if I wanted to shove a fork in my eye or hers, and me: a sullen, gloomy, unfriendly shadow in the back of all the conversations that went on.

Alexander and her seemed to get along decently well, but honestly I think he only paid so much attention to her because he knew she pissed me off.

"So how's your shifting training going?" Jenna asked as she munched on a carrot.

"Is there a reason why you eat like a middle aged rabbit in the dead of winter and ask about fifty thousand fucking questions everyday or is that just a bonus on your charming personality?" I answered her question with a sarcastic one of my own, giving her a cynical smile.

Alexander spit out his food across the table and had a coughing fit to hide his laughter.

Her smile didn't even budge.

"Tough day huh?" She asked, as if she totally understood.

Oh my GOD and she's being nice about it.

"I'm not hungry anymore," I said suddenly, too exhausted to try to deal with her, and got up, dumping my tray in the nearest trash can and leaving the lunch area as soon as possible.

I knew I was being harsh and she didn't deserve that, but I'd apologize later once I wasn't feeling like I was about to explode. Or maybe already had.

I'd gotten familiar with the training room, the lunch area, and the hall where Akshana was when she wasn't critiquing me.

But other than that, the rest of Valerod was a labyrinth.

Easier that way to be alone.

I wandered down darkly lit halls and narrow corridors, twisting and turning deeper and deeper into the earth. Eventually my feet picked up the pace on their own and I was running.

My legs already felt like noodles from training, but I didn't care. I just wanted to be alone. Away from everyone and everything.

I'd been running for several minutes, and I was probably deeper down in the ground than would've made me comfortable, but I hardly noticed.