Page 31 of Friend
Chapter Seven
Time
I’d had at least an hour to dwell on my thoughts before their movie finally ended. By the time Bianca and Cory walked back out into the food court, I’d had plenty of time to ruminate on just how terrible this situation really was.
A hormonal, puberty-driven, testosterone-filled, teenaged wolf on steroids. It was a dangerous combination. He’d be far less able to control his emotions than usual, and I hadn’t had high hopes for him to start with.
Which meant that at every moment alone with him, Bianca was at risk too.
‘It’s fine.’ Kiania stopped taunting me long ago. ‘They’re just walking out now, though they spent most of the movie talking rather than watching.’
What in the world would they have to talk about?
Then I spotted them. They stood too close for comfort, but at least he wasn’t touching her. My attention lingered on his bulging biceps.
Fake.
And also, he could probably crush Bianca’s skull. Why couldn’t she stand further away?
Something must have been obvious in my expression, because when the two returned to the food court, and Bianca spotted me, the slight grin faded from her face. She stopped walking and then, to my utmost horror,touchedhis arm.
He stopped at her request, glancing down at her, and I wasn’t sure what she said, only that she pulled out her phone and sheepishly smiled at him, before Cory frowned.
He was the biggest faker I’d ever seen.
It was more than obvious that she was ending the date now, which, even though it pleased me, also made my heart race in fear.
How would he react?
But he didn’t lash out. He didn’t even glare at her angrily. Instead, he nodded solemnly. Then, with a look of utmost sincerity, he took her hand in his and kissed her knuckles.
I pressed my hands flat on the table. Hetechnicallywasn’t doing anything wrong.
And she hadn’t started crying yet.
In fact, it was quite the opposite. She watched after him in a certain way as he moved past her, shoved his hands in his pockets, and strolled toward the exit. It was that look she’d get when she was on the verge of changing her mind about a person.
I didn’t like it.
She waited until he’d left the building before she made her way to me.
“What’s wrong?” she asked, slipping into the seat across the table. “What did you find? Is he all right?”
“Stay away from him,” I told her. Technically, I didn’t have the right to give her an order, but I’d hope she’d listen. “He’s using steroids.”
“Steroids?” Bianca pressed her hand to her mouth. “Are you sure? But why—”
“Stay out of it.” I already knew what she was thinking—she wanted to help him. “This was his choice.”
It didn’t appear that she was placing much weight in my words, and her gaze lingered on the door. “But this could ruin his whole future. He’s depending on his sports scholarships and internship so he can take care of his little sister.”
Yes, it was a sad situation, but I couldn’t let Bianca get involved. “That isn’t your business. I’ll take care of it.”
I had no choice. It was my job to monitor shifters, and, despite everything, I didn’t want to see him fail in life either.
“We’ll see what happens.” Bianca nodded, almost as if we’d come to some sort of agreement. “We have to catch him at the right moment, or he’ll be defensive.”
I shook my head. There was no ‘we’ in this. “No.”
