His Queen

Chapter 17 : Exhaustion

"Faster!"

My legs pump, my arms swing, my breath comes in ragged pants. I can run no faster. Everything inside of me screams. Sweat drips down the sides of my face as well as my neck and back.

"I thought I said faster!" Ash practically yells from the center of the field that I run around. She stands there buffing her nails while I work my ass off, every once in awhile she will look up and yell some order, usually telling me to go faster.

For majority of this morning I have been ordered to run laps to, as Ash put it, regain my endurance. What a load of bullshit. I've been running for at least and two hours at my top speed, which in my weakened state is apparently not up to Ash's standards. My bare feet are covered in sores and cuts, curtesy of the rough ground.

I run another lap before stumbling and falling to the ground. All the life that I had left in my body dissipates as I lay there. Grass presses against my cheeks while I fight exhaustion. This form of torment is new to me. I am not prepared for this physical exertion.

I hear Ash stomp over to where I rest. I groan as I prepare myself for another lecture on how weak I am, how I need to work harder.

"Well that was better then I expected. I thought you'd only last an hour." I hear her say with sarcasm.

My only reply is a weak grunt as I peel my body off of the warm grass. I look up to find Ash studying me but then she quickly scowls and turns away, resuming her nail inspection. I'm starting to think she has an obsession.

The sun is in full bloom above our heads, casting it hot rays upon us. I can already tell that today will be a hot one. It is probably already 80 degrees and it hasn't even hit noon yet. My clothing was not a suitable choice for this warm of weather, hopefully Ash would conclude our training session so I could go back to Maya's and take a cool shower. A shower sounded delightful. I had been too exhausted to shower yesterday evening and I had accumulated many days worth of dirt since I was first cleaned at the medical compound. A bathing session was long overdue.

"I swear on my life this nightmare better be over." I tell Ash as I hoist myself up off of the ground not caring that grass and dirt stains covered my clothes.

Ash turns and looks at me with a funny face, almost amused at my words.

"Today is over, but tomorrow the real fun starts." She states with humor that is unreciprocated on my part.

"I'll look forward to it!" I say with a big fat smile plastered onto my sweating face. I was very thankful that werewolves avoided sunburns because I would probably have a face the color of a tomato by now. Spending this much time under the sun was never my first option.

"Oh I'm sure you will enjoy it, Ali. Now let's go before you drop dead from heat stroke although I can't say I'd miss you too much." Ash says with a sneer before wiping some invisible dirt of of her flawless skin. Her focus now diverted from me giving me the perfect opportunity to flip her off before following her trail.

Ash has gotten on my nerves the more time I spend with her. It's constant bickering and rude remarks testing my self control. Every move I make she ridiculous. To her I am an imperfection that she wants to make right. I am some dirt under her nails that needs to be taken care of.

"I saw that." She says a few seconds later and I scoff.

She slows her strides and starts to walk along side me through the dense forest. Ash adjusts her hair before turning to look me right in the eye.

"I know that this probably isn't your first choice for time spent but I promise that it will pay off. You don't have to like me but Rhysand said you wanted to train with the best and I will not disobey my alphas orders." She says nonchalantly as if it's no big deal that she continues to talk arrogantly. "He has told me nothing about you or why you are here so excuse my behavior, it is only a result of being left in the dark."