Moping around the house, refusing to call anyone just so I could sit outside for some fresh air. I made a promise to Jack and wouldn't break that promise if it was in my power. Staying inside was in my power. Not expecting Nickoli for a few more hours, I decided to start making dinner. Not really hungry, but when all else fails and bored as all hell, eating was a great substitute.

Making it to the kitchen as my front door bell rang, I had a moment of excitement before the nervousness hit and worry about who could be at my door unexpected. Creeping around the kitchen door, and slowly made it down the hall and stared at the front door debating whether to answer it. My friends have succeeded in making me into a paranoid wreck. The doorbell rang again followed by a deep raspy voice calling my name. The voice sounded familiar, but I couldn't place it. Lowering my shields, which I chastised myself for not doing at the beginning, to feel with if my senses who it might be. Definitely three wolves and they felt familiar. They were from the pack, that I was certain but I didn't recognize who they were.
This time it was a loud thunderous knock, "Sam, its J.B. Jack sent us over." Now I remembered why the voice sounded faintly familiar. J.B. was the head bouncer from Dmitri's bar. I met him the first time I went to B.B.W.'s, Dmitri's bar and he caught me off guard when he knew my name when I first walked in.

Little more relaxed, but curious, I headed for the front door. "Hey J.B. what are you doing here?" I asked when I opened the door. He was a bear of a man, not as tall as Dmitri, but just as wide and stood behind him were two other wolves that looked vaguely familiar from the barbeque.

"Jack sent us over and said working out to the point of exhaustion may help with your problem." It was amusing seeing a guy that large looking sheepish and embarrassed as he repeated Jack's message.

I laughed, right about now I was up for trying anything that would help lower my libido or at least made me so tired that my body would be too exhausted to even think about sex. "Ok, what does he have in mind?"

J.B. looked relieved with the way I took his Alpha's message. "Well I was thinking about a run in the woods. Not too far, more like the outskirts of your property and with me and the boys here it should be pretty safe."

Opening the door all the way to let them in I said, "You want me to go running with you?" Was he high? "First, I am out of shape. Second, I never ran besides back in grade school for track and field. And third, you are fucking shifters, how the hell am I supposed to keep up?" The idea of going out running was not a good one. There was no way I could make it a half a mile without collapsing, never mind the fact these guys could move and move fast.

My remarks and attitude about running earned me a chuckle from J.B. and smiles from the other two wolves. "We can run at your pace and you never know you may surprise yourself. Go get something lightweight on and we will head out. You may even enjoy the burn of your legs and lungs as you push yourself to farther limits."

I stared at them with disbelief for a minute. "This is nuts," I turned to head upstairs to get changed. "You now there is a good chance you will be carrying my fat ass back home," I added over my shoulder then mumbled to myself not caring if they heard me or not, "I am so going to get you back, Jack, if this doesn't work."

Outside and following J.B.'s directions on making sure I stretched properly before heading off, I did have to admit it was nice to be out of the house and the stretching of my muscle felt even better. I could tell the men were doing it more for me than themselves. In about five minutes they were going to be bored out of their mind, the speed they were going to be running would not affect them one tiny bit.

"I'm going to thank you all now for coming over and getting me out of the house while I still can breathe and not cursing all of you," I said with a smile and truly meant it. There was no doubt in my mind these guys were going to push me past my limit. They did not know me, which meant they had not had a chance to acquire feelings for me. That would end up being a bonus if they did and decided to give me a break, but the look on their faces I knew they were going to push me and push me hard.

The idea of working out always sounded good until the next day when every muscle in your body hurt, and that would be the end of working out. I gotten better since Jack and Lawrence brought over the punching bag and a few other pieces of exercise equipment, but that was used for more when I was frustrated or pent up energy and did not take long before I quit because I was tired or bored.

"It's not going to be that bad Sam," J.B. answered trying to keep the growing smirk off his face.
I snorted, "Said the wolf built like brick shit house with less than 8% body fat," I said sarcastically, "Let's get this over with, lead the way."

Twenty minutes into the run, I realized just how out of shape I was, legs started to burn and the simple act of breathing was hard. It probably did not help that we were not on a trail and leaped over fallen trees and ruts in the ground, giving me that much more to worry about than just running on a flat surface. J.B. stayed beside me when there was enough room and the others kept a few feet in front and behind. Every time I began to slow down J.B. would give me unwelcoming words of encouragement.
 

Another twenty minutes or so and my lungs and legs felt like they were on fire. "Guys, I'm done. I can't go any further," I gasped for air, mouth feeling like sandpaper.

"Here. Drink it slow," J.B. passed over a bottle of water.

Taking the water and slowing down to a walk, I guzzled half the bottle of water down before he took it away from me. Within a few seconds, I regretted drinking so fast as a nausea hit. At a complete stop, I bent over resting her hands on her knees gulping back huge breaths of air.

"Ready?" J.B. asked after giving me a minute to catch my breath. I shook my head and was about to sit on the ground, but he stopped me and pulled me up. "I don't think so, Jack said we work you to exhaustion and that is what we are going to do. We only have a 30 minute run back and you will be home."

If any of them would have had a smirk on their face, I would have told them where to go, but they didn't. If anything, they might have some regret making me run back. "I am so going to get Jack back for this. Well after I am able to move again." My body ached and if I felt like this now, there was no telling what I would feel tomorrow. "J.B. there is no way I can make it home," I hated to whine, and took pride in being strong, but this was just too much.

J.B. and the other men turned away with their heads down, as their shoulders tensed up. They knew something that they did not want me too and by the looks of them, I probably did not either. "Ah Sam, Jack also said that unless you are throwing up and basically dead to the world we cannot help you." I stared daggers at all of them. "And he also said you should know when you are physically exhausted your shields are not up to par, and to get you moving we are to...umm get you motivated," he added with regret.

I was shocked, my mouth dropped open, I could not believe what I just heard, what lengths Jack was willing to go. "You have got to be fucking joking," now I was pissed, "So are you telling me if I don't run you three are going to what...throw lust at me?"

J.B.'s head hung down and I could tell he did not want to answer but did. "Sam, can we please just continue and head back to your place?" That was all the answer I needed. Yes, that was exactly what they were going to do.

Without another wasted word I started to jog in a disgusted huff. For the first few minutes my anger only dissipated the pain of my muscles, before exhaustion and pain came back in vengeances. Lungs burning, muscles weighing down more with every step, I stumbled through the woods. Finally, feet feeling like concrete I tripped over a trig and fell hard to my hands and knees. A hand wrapped around my upper arm to help me up, using the last bit of strength I pulled away and climbed to my feet on my own. I was mad and hurt that Jack would use those tactics against me. It was not right to take it out on J.B., but he was here and Jack wasn't.
The jog back was deathly quiet, the only thing I could hear was the blood pounding in my ears. A few yards ahead, I could see a break in the tree line and a glimpse of my house. Staggering through the last of the trees, I bent over and threw up everything that was in my stomach.
 

"You did great Sam! That's it let it all out," J.B.'s soothing voice came through the pounding in my head while I emptied my stomach while he continued to rub my back. Knees no longer could hold me up, I collapsed. "I got you," he picked me up in his arms and carried my battered body the rest of the way. "Just think next time will be even easier."

Too tired to fight, I said with no venom in my words, "I think I hate you."

Graciously J.B. carried me right up to my room and left me on the bed to rest before they left with, "I will see you soon." Before getting to comfortable, I rolled off the bed and headed for a much needed and deserved soak in the tub that hopefully, would help my screaming muscles.