The Luna Choosing Game

Chapter 0554

I'd promised to be careful, and I would be. But I didn't know how careful I could be when I was swimming out in the ocean, unable to fully take notice of my surroundings.

To have a friend like Veronica, someone I trusted so implicitly, guarding my back, gave me relief without measure.

*Thank you, Veronica," I said. "I mean it."

She nodded.

Near us, about halfway between us and Bridget, Jessica was stretching alone. Watching her, she seemed to be the least flexible of the ground. Perhaps the least athletic? Her deep-set frown seemed to indicate that she was not at all happy about today's event.

"Don't be overconfident," Veronica said softly, so that Jessica would not hear. "Jessica has never flexed her wolf before. We'd don't know what she's truly capable of."

I took the words to heart. Everyone and everything felt like a wild card today. Who knew what the race might bring out of its contenders today?

that I could. Concentrating on myself, I push-pulled my muscles to ready them for the strain I was to ask of them

athlete myself, and my wolf and I weren't so fully in sync yet for me to be overly confident about all this. But when I had worked at the restaurant, I had pushed myself for long hours, on my feet most of the day. That combined with my days-long runs as a wolf,

notice Bridget approach us until she was right at our

"Elva," she said, smiling.

wasn't making a sandcastle exactly. What she was doing was more like moving sand from one pile to another and then back again. She seemed to like the way it felt slipping through

all the sand she'd been holding like she'd done something

did you need, Bridget?" I asked, standing up for

wider, as big and bright as the sun. It almost hurt to

a minute? I have something to show you," Bridget said. Finally, her gaze slid to me.

should be preparing for the race," I

do while we're all competing. Just watching

was frowning, with her brow pulled together. She wasn't very good at hiding her emotions. She was too young. Although she might have come by it honestly. Jane might