His Ghost

Date Night. 14

Erikas POV

"Ava, your wolf is trying to help you; draw on her."

In defeat, Ava kicked the bag. She struggled to control her wolf's strength and endurance. At twenty-six, I suspected she never would. I knew the chaos she was going through. I learned about her traumatic first shift and sudden entry into the supernatural world.

In her case, a human government department that worked with supernaturals discovered her. They removed displaced supernaturals from the human world, placing them with their kind. She lost all contact with her old life, much like going into a witness protection program for life. Her family and friends she found out listed her as a missing person, she told me. It broke her heart.

If the old world knew how much had been revealed to humans, it would cause chaos between the two factions.

Her story was particularly harsh, and I ached for her. "Trust your inner wolf, Ava. Your exhaustion means you haven't connected with your magic yet. Your body won't cooperate until your mind accepts it."

"I can't wrap my head around it, Erika; it goes against everything I've ever known. The more we train, the worse I get. Would you like me to rely on some invisible entity in my mind? I'm trying; please don't give up on me."

Tears welled up in her eyes. We had been at this for hours, and her mental state was deteriorating. Her human upbringing made it difficult for her to tap into her wolf's power. She also resisted believing in magic.

"I won't give up on you," I reassured her.

"Listen to your instincts. You're misinterpreting the signals, causing exhaustion and confusion. A shifter relies on their inner wolf for guidance. Once you align with its frequency, it will be easier. Finding the right frequency is like tuning into a radio station."

She was struggling to understand the signals. When she first came to me for help, I hesitated to accept her as my student. But seeing how desperate she was, I agreed. All the other girls who arrived with her had already shifted. They were mastering their abilities.

Besides, it gave me purpose since Carter wouldn't let me do anything else. The group of girls who trained with me every afternoon was growing, so that was my job now.

Carter, Niko, Aiden, Max, Leon, and Guy entered the Gym. Since our last encounter, I withdrew into myself. I told the girls what had happened. They seemed more obsessed with finding me a hookup - but I didn't see the point or care. I realised I was letting others define me. Even the toughest non-conformists would feel pressure in this environment. Pack life was nothing more than passive grooming.

The girls had begun to settle into the Enforcer unit, and in a way, I felt isolated. They travelled a lot with Guy and his team. I knew it was my own head. But I couldn't stop it. Paranoia had sunk in. I was sure by now they all knew I was his mate, and he was making a dick out of the bond and me with Clara. And whoever else climbed into his bed.

Clara was not stupid; my face that night, standing there looking like a jilted teenage girl, gave me away. The fact he never followed me spoke volumes. It was a week before he called. Too late. I lost my temper, and we had not spoken since.

I was tired of fighting him. He had won. All I wanted now was to get my part of the deal with Leon done.

"Take a break, see you tomorrow." Ava grabbed her equipment confidently. Many shifter males had their eyes on her. However, she didn't enjoy the attention like other female shifters.

She paid them no mind, nodding respectfully and leaving. The type of girl I respected, not flirty or giggly. Max leered at her, but my glare warned him to stay away. He gave me a small smile, but I ignored him.