"There you are!"
"Goddess have mercy!" Violet shrieked, her heart leaping into her throat when Lila barged into the room like a whirlwind.
Startled, Violet almost dropped the phone in her hand, swallowing nervously. Thanks to her guilty conscience, she felt like she had been caught doing something illicit, though in reality, she had been doing nothing but calming her nerves.
Lila, however, paid no attention to Violet’s frightened state. She stomped into the room with her usual flair, her voice brimming with frustration.
"Where the hell have you been? Do you know I’ve been searching the entire school for you—" She halted mid-sentence, her nose twitching like a bloodhound picking up an unfamiliar scent.
Lila suddenly coughed, waving her hand in front of her face as if trying to clear the air. "What in the moon’s name—did you spray perfume? What is this? It’s choking me!"
"Yes, I did," Violet said with a forced sense of calm, even though her stiff posture said otherwise. Her voice was steady, but inside, she was fidgeting like a cornered rabbit.
Lila kept coughing, eyeing her suspiciously. "Did you fall into a cow dung or something? What’s with this overwhelming perfume? And..." Her gaze drifted down to Violet’s outfit, and her brow furrowed. "Why aren’t you in uniform? What’s with the P.E. gear?"
Violet’s mind raced for an excuse, and before she could stop herself, she blurted out a smooth lie. "There must have been something wrong with the food in the dinning hall. It messed up my stomach, and... I might have, um, sullied myself."
Lila’s concern snapped into place instantly, her eyes widening. "Oh my goddess! Are you okay? Was it that bad?" She rushed to Violet’s side, her tone frantic. "Please tell me no one saw! You’re way too popular now. If this got out, you’d be a headline on the Oracle’s post by tomorrow morning! You would no longer be the purple storm, but shit storm! Hickies! That would be a nightmare!"
Violet forced a smile, though guilt pricked at her heart. "Well, thankfully, I managed to escape before things got worse. Don’t worry, Lila, I had it under control."
At that statement, Lila placed a hand over her chest in visible relief.
"Thank the heavens! That would’ve been a complete disaster."
"Yes, it would have," Violet agreed, though inwardly she added, If it had actually happened.
Guilt tugged at her for deceiving Lila, but what choice did she have? This was the only way to keep the truth buried.
But Lila’s concern evaporated as quickly as it came, her face lighting up with excitement. She grabbed Violet’s hand without warning, her energy infectious. "Quick! We’ve got to head to the field right now!"
"Field?" Violet repeated with confusion in her tone. "I thought we had the mixed martial art lesson in the training hall?"
It was precisely why she had chosen to wear her training gear. Although she couldn’t really understand the difference
between combat skills and mixed martial arts. And the fact that both were taught by Commander Malakai didn’t help matters. Honestly, it felt like this school was determined to push them to the brink.
Lila blinked at her, momentarily puzzled. "Oh, no drills today. Haven’t you heard? Lycan Fangball training begins today!"
"Lycan Fangball?" Violet repeated, the name ringing a faint bell.
She didn’t know much about the sports beyond the basics since her previous school was entirely human, but she had heard of it. It was the most popular sport among werewolves, and apparently, it held the same status at this school. One thing for sure was that the game was beloved for its ferocity and thrill.
"Yes!" Lila said, practically bouncing on her feet. "Everyone’s out there. Even Commander Malakai couldn’t resist the charm of the game. All the cardinal alphas are on the field, and your boyfriend is probably killing it right now! So let’s go!"
"Wait—what?" Violet barely had time to process Lila’s words before her friend grabbed her hand and yanked her toward the door with surprising force.
"Come on, Violet! Your boyfriend needs you cheering him on!" Lila exclaimed as she dragged her out of the room, not noticing the way Violet’s expression changed.
Avoiding Alaric till the moment she broke up with him was exactly Violet’s plan but now, she had no choice but to follow, her thoughts muddled with both dread and curiosity.
Lila hadn’t been exaggerating about how much excitement Lycan Fangball stirred up. Nearly everyone was heading toward the field, and it wasn’t even an official match, just a training session.
By the time Violet and Lila arrived, the bleachers were packed with chattering students, the energy in the air palpable. Violet scanned the crowd, her relief growing when she saw there wasn’t a single spot left in the front rows.
Thank the gods. She’d stay at the back, where Alaric wouldn’t be able to see her or reach her easily.
"I’m sorry, Lila," Violet said, feigning regret, "but if you hadn’t come to get me, we might have gotten better seats."
"What are you talking about?" Lila gave her a strange look, then grinned mischievously. "You’re an elite. The elites have their own special seating."
"What?" Violet froze, her heart sinking.
Lila pointed across the field to another set of bleachers. Unlike the standard white ones crowded with students, these were bright red, standing out boldly as if announcing their exclusivity. They were positioned right next to the field entrance, an unmissable vantage point that practically placed the occupants in the spotlight.
Violet’s stomach dropped. Sitting there would make her as inconspicuous as a turkey on Thanksgiving. Alaric would spot her instantly, and there’d be no way to avoid him.
"Come on!" Lila grabbed her hand, tugging her toward the elite bleachers. "This is where you belong. You’ll have the best view of Alaric from there."
Violet resisted the urge to groan aloud, her inner turmoil mounting as she allowed Lila to drag her closer to what felt like a red-carpet walk straight into her nightmare.