Page 80 of Psycho Shifters

Of course, Ascher ran beside two blonde betas who touched his arms and giggled. They were much taller than I was and built with lean muscles and large curves. They fawned over him, and he grinned down at them, eating it up.

He was so irritating.

I didn’t focus on Ascher long because every cell in my body was screaming in agony and trying to mutiny against the captain. I was the captain.

Things were not well.

Next to Ascher, Cobra and Jax jogged comfortably beside each other. A few beta men and women had tried to talk to them but quickly given up because Cobra scared them away.

Jax was talking a lot, and Cobra didn’t say anything; however, every once in a while, Cobra’s lips curled up in a small smile.

Anyone could see they were perfect for each other, two sides of the same coin. Both loyal and protective, yet one was calm and kind, while the other was psychotic and evil.

Opposites really did attract.

“So, do you have a date for the Ianuarius celebration? It’s always a super big deal in the shifter realm. Everyone raves about it.” Aran grinned like he was looking forward to it.

“No, do you?” I gasped quickly because talking was slowly destroying my will to live.

“Nah.”

There was a long pause as I suffered a mini heart attack from physical exertion and Aran pranced easily beside me.

“So, um.” I gasped and pursed my lips, wondering if we were both thinking the same thing or if I was being presumptuous. I tripped over my tired feet, and Aran’s quick hands were the only things that kept me upright.

“Wanna be my date?” Aran asked, as he caught me from falling.

I chuckled at his overeagerness and nodded in agreement. Here I’d thought he’d felt uncomfortable and was nervous to ask me.

Clearly, the beta was not intimidated by me at all. I really needed to work on re-cultivating my reputation.

Not one person had whispered “saber-toothed bitch” today. At this rate, no one would respect me.

After what felt like an eternity in hell, we stopped running. Although, stopped was a generous term. In reality, my legs collapsed beneath me and I face-planted with relief onto a gym mat.

Limbs splayed, I saw the light of the moon goddess and wondered if she had come to deliver my soul from this awful experience.

Aran laughed and dragged me into a seated position.

The light went away, and I realized I had been lying directly under a skylight. I was still stuck in the shifter realm. The goddess hated me.

Aran said something about getting water and jogged away.

Before I could yell after Aran and tell him to just leave me here to die, two betas sneered, and it took me an embarrassingly long time to recognize they were talking to me.

My blood had been rushing in my ears during the run, and I’d gotten a wind tunnel sensation.

Now that my heart wasn’t exploding out of my chest, my hearing was coming back.

Still, I was so delirious that it was hard to process what they were saying. Truthfully, I didn’t really give a shit, but they were super animated, so I tried to act like I was engaged and not floating away on a high of sweaty pain.

“Have you ever run before? That was embarrassing,” a female snickered above me.

I blinked open my tired eyes. It was one of the blonde betas who had been hanging all over Ascher. Glad she was feeling energized after the run.

Not relatable.

“Not really.” My already broken voice was even raspier because my lungs burned. I tried to concentrate on her pretty face, which blurred in and out of focus.