Made in Moonlight

Nineteen

"You know how sorry I am, right?"

I pause, half-way through a push up to frown at Leyla. "I've told you a million times, Leyla. You have nothing to apologize for. How were you supposed to know my drink was poisoned?"

"I should have paid more attention to the barista. I should have trusted my senses more. I knew I smelled something funny."

"Stop beating yourself up." I fall out of my push-up form and sit, cross-legged across from her. "It's not your fault. You saved me."

She shakes her head, sighing. "How are you feeling now?"

I shrug. With one night left until the full moon, I've been training more than ever before. My entire body is still sore from the wolfsbane, and combined with the non-stop training, I might break before the full moon breaks me.

"I'm fine," I say. "I just want to be ready."

"You need to take it easy," Leyla says, eyeing me.

"Take it easy? The full moon is tomorrow, Leyla. I don't have time to take it easy."

"I know, but your transformation is as much a mental game as it is a physical one," she says. "Besides, what good will it do to burn out before the full moon?"

"I won't burn out," I say simply.

I stretch my arms out and turn back to the grass, starting another set of push-ups.

"Whatever you say," Leyla murmurs, returning to her own stretching.

The day moves too quickly. I go through every exercise Thomas and Leyla have taught me, then go through them again. I don't stop until I physically can't keep going.

I collapse onto the grass, my arms trembling with effort. Groaning, I roll onto my back. Every muscle in my body aches.

I stare at the dark sky, at the stars and the moon—almost full, if not for the tiniest sliver taken out of it.

A sudden sadness washes over me. Tomorrow night might be the first night of my new life, or the last night of it.

My heart sinks at the thought. I haven't done enough. I'm not ready yet. I need to keep training, keep stretching—I need to be prepared.

I push myself to a seated position before leaning forward towards my toes, stretching my hamstrings out. A few days ago, I would have been able to stretch all the way to the ground, but now I can barely reach my knees.

I huff, trying again, but my body is still stiff. Every movement hurts.

This sucks. This really, really sucks. All my hard work, all my effort... It was all for nothing. Because, what? I drank some wolfsbane?

I sit back up, pressing my hands over my eyes. My throat burns and I swallow hard, trying to hold back my tears.

I don't have time to cry. Not when this is my last night before my transformation.

I need to keep training. Even if my body doesn't want to, I have to keep pushing.

With trembling legs, I force myself to stand. My whole body sways as dizziness strikes me, but somehow, I manage to stay upright.

"I think that's enough for today."

I turn to find Blake watching me from the porch steps. He wears a loose, gray t-shirt that hides his muscles, and his hair is messy like he's been running his hands through it.

I've barely seen him all day. He's been too busy walking between the cabin and the tree line, carrying all sorts of things—a huge pile of pillows, metal chains, wooden planks.