6 : Love or friendship

- Where did you eat before?" Mathis asks me. We've never seen you in the cafeteria.

- In the gym. My mother usually makes me packed lunches.

- Lucky for us she didn't do it today then," replies Max.

- She's not here this week and I think my godfather did it on purpose," I say, feeling a little uncomfortable.

Celia's words keep coming back to me and I'm not sure what to think, or how to react to the boys' attention.

- The wisest person you know?" asks Mathis, reacting to my last words.

- Yes," I laugh, feeling the pressure drop.

- And why do you train so much?

I like his curiosity.

- I want to go to dance school next year.

- Really? Which one? Which one? Maybe it's the same as my sister's...

- Atica'Dance

Mathis raises his eyebrows, James turns to me in astonishment but says nothing, and I see Dereck smile without looking at me. My heart warms. I don't know if it shows because James turns his head towards Dereck and Dereck turns his gaze towards me. This joy surprises me and keeps me glued to my seat. James takes my hand.

- How are you?" he worries in a whisper.

- Fine," I say, backing up my answer with a smile.

He releases me, not without leaving a piece of paper in the palm of my front hand.

- Is it far?" asks Max.

- No, it's a thirty-minute drive, but since I'm moving this summer, I'll be even closer. Anyway, I've got to pass the entrance exam first!

Mathis seems satisfied with my answer, unlike Max.

- Do I have another question?" says someone coldly whom I've never heard speak before.

Astonished, I look up in his direction.

- How did you manage to beat the shit out of James?" asks the guy still standing behind Dereck.

- Reed, shut up," James and Dereck growl in unison.

Eyes riveted to his, I understand something I hadn't from the start. Damn wolf! Reed's a wolf and he knows who I am.

- You know perfectly well," I squeak.

- I'd like to know too," adds Mathis.

He diverts my attention and the pressure in my fists subsides. I thank him inwardly for his intervention. I smile at him, blushing slightly as I recall the scene. I glance at James, who smiles back.

I have to be careful with my answer, because if Mathis is also a wolf, the others are human and wouldn't understand...

- In my family, girls are raised like princesses, but my godfather always wanted me to be a fighter too. As a result, he and my father have been teaching me to fight since I could walk.

He raises an eyebrow in astonishment. Reed doesn't look satisfied. What did he want me to say?

- Are they military?

- Well, in a way...

I look at the time on my phone.

- I've got to go and train.

- Can we come and see you?" Mathis asks hopefully.

- Anytime," I answer with a smile.

I clear my tray and bump into James on the way out.

- You did great out there," he whispers.

- Thanks, James.

He kisses me on the cheek and lets me go.

When I emerge from the locker room in my gym clothes, I see Mathis, Max, Eli and Célia in the stands and James on the mats.

- Can I help you train?

- If you like," I laugh. It'll be a nice change from wooden dummies.

He ends up on the mat and our spectators whistle, but just as I get up, he takes me by surprise and I end up on the floor, his body pinning mine to the ground.

- Never let your guard down," he whispers close to my face.

Finally, he gives me a kiss on the cheek and steps aside to help me up. Then I turn on the music to dance for the last half-hour. And my spectators join me for the release dance, and this time James joins in.

Afterwards, I take a shower in the changing room.

- So, do you believe me now?" says Celia, startling me.

- Yes, I know, but I can't give him what he wants.

- Nobody's forcing you to, but cut yourself some slack, and if not James, then someone else!

The same ritual goes on all week: I eat with some of the soccer team and Celia, and some of them attend my training sessions and participate when they can.

James has come back a few times with a bruised face. He won't tell me who he's fighting, or why.

- Tanya. I wanted to apologize for what I said the first time we met," he says, taking me aside.

- Why did you say it?

- You confused me, I couldn't manage my emotions when I saw all the guys at your feet...

- They're not all at my feet. And I didn't want all this attention...

- I know, I'm just an idiot.

- I forgive you.

- Thank you, princess.

Mathis continues to ask me lots of questions to get to know me, and I'm interested in his life in return. Dereck and Reed are true to form. Celia is officially dating Eli. I'm happy for my friend, but I sometimes feel a touch of jealousy towards her happiness.

On the little piece of paper James had discreetly slipped into my hand on Monday, there was his telephone number. We talk every evening, but I also talk a lot with Mathis, who asked for my number straight away on Tuesday morning when he arrived.

It's Friday, I get up and get ready as I've been doing for the past week, but when I go downstairs to have breakfast, there's a syringe and a bottle filled with a violet-blue liquid sitting on the counter.

- Good morning, my beauty, how are you this morning?

- Good morning, godfather. What's all this?

- Your parents are detained for a few more days, but they sent us what they found to calm your she-wolf until your first transformation.

- What is it?

- A serum. Made by a witch the pack works with regularly. It should be able to keep your she-wolf under control.

- Are you going to have to inject me?

- Yes, my beauty, an injection every two days until your birthday.

- Okay, go ahead.

- Give this to James, in case you feel yourself losing control again, he'll know what to do with it," he tells me after the injection.

He gives me a vial and three syringes in a box designed to carry them.

When I leave the house, I already feel lighter, as if a weight on my shoulders has been lifted.

Arriving at the school, I greet our gang of friends and take James aside for a minute to give him what Godfather entrusted to me.

- He said you'd know what to do with it...

- Have you had an injection yet?

- About an hour ago.

- Okay," he says seriously, nodding.

- I'm sorry you have to take the blame," I said, contrite.

- Don't worry about it, princess.

He takes me in his arms for a moment, then we rejoin the group, and Mathis takes my hand to draw me to him.

- Are you coming to the game tomorrow?

- Célia never let me miss one before we met you, so I'm not going to miss one now!

- Would you like to come and see the training tonight?

- Sure, I'd love to," I say, taking in the implication.

His smile widens and I feel myself blushing. The bell rings, but I don't let go of his hand, so he takes the opportunity to interlace our fingers as he walks me to my courtroom.

- I'll see you at the break," he says as we arrive in front of my courtroom.

- I can't wait," I say as he slides his other hand up my back.

His eyes sparkle as he looks at me. He leans toward me and I pull myself up to meet him and exchange a kiss that sends thousands of butterflies soaring in my stomach.

- I don't want to let you go now," Mathis says, resting his forehead against mine.

- I'll see you in a couple of hours, I promise.

One last kiss and I escape his embrace before the final bell rings.