Chapter 90 - We’re just friends

EMMA

The kick lands in my chest. The force pushes me backward and I fall. My arm scraps over gravel and my skin peels off. It burns and bleeds as my flesh attaches to the ground instead of my body.

I nearly howl, but bite my tongue. I don’t make a peep as my battered body lies on the ground.

Alex spins in victory and her arms swing in the air. “I win again.” She says in a sing-a-long voice. Alex will take any opportunity to win from me. She’s driven like that.

They always win and I always lose. I’m either too weak, too slow or too exhausted. When I lived in a kingdom full of werewolves I wouldn’t compare myself. What’s the point? I’m human, no human compares to the physical ability of a werewolf.

Dex has trained a group of superhumans. My physical abilities are improving, but nowhere near as fast as I would like. I know that my progress is slower than expected. I notice it in the extra training and the constant shift in routine. I know Dex expected more.

If I don’t improve before the next blood moon, then the whole mission will fail. The responsibility weighs heavy on my shoulders. I carry the fate of many lives.

“Are you okay, Emma?” Kelsey asks from the sidelines of the sparring circle. There is concern pulling her brows in a furrow.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” I say without showing pain in my voice. I’ve become rather good at it. I have to because there is something I’m better at than everyone in Aldea combined.

I have a secret that nobody can know.

The blow to my chest already loses the deep aching pain until it simmers to just sensitivity. My wound has already stopped bleeding and I can feel my skin stitch back together.

I’m better at healing than everyone.

I sit up and cover the blood on the ground with a layer of gravel. “Just a bruised ego,” I say with an awkward chuckle. I dust the gravel from my clothes. It sticks to the sweat soaking my shirt.

“No way,” Alex says and walks towards me. Her green eyes are filled with annoyance. My face flushes under her scrutinizing gaze.

“I could hear your body scream when I landed that kick.” Alex clamors as she gestures to the place of gravel where we started. “You flew nearly eight feet.”

I shrug my shoulders casually. “It wasn’t so bad.”

Alex lifts her top and shows her bruised hip. It’s blotted with deep purple and yellow edges. “This is from when you got that lucky hit. That wasn’t nearly as good as this one.”

I’m surprised that Alex is still that bruised. She was right, it was a lucky hit. The first one after five months. Not that I won the match, but in a way, I did have my first victory. Alex had been sour ever since.

“I just don’t bruise easily,” I say and it’s one of the biggest lies I’ve told thus far.

Lying is not something I have ever condoned and now it’s getting easier with the time passing by. Maybe one day I’ll believe my own lies. The biggest lie I’ve told is that in no world I would fall in love with a werewolf.

Alex crosses her arms and her green eyes are burning with ferocity. “Show me your chest.”

“What? No.” I say and turn to the sideline to get some water. Sweat is dripping from my face and a river flows down my back. Everything is soaked into my shirt, the fabric is heavy and disgusting.

Alex follows me with a scowl. “Why not? Just show me your chest.” She shrugs her shoulders like the request is only casual.

Kelsey jumps up from the bench and hands me a bottle of water. “Just show her, you know she won’t let this go.”

I take the water from Kelsey and roll my eyes. “Fine.” I lower the hem of my shirt to reveal my unscathed skin above my bra.

Alex analyzes me with her unwavering, scrutinizing gaze. Her lips are pressed in a firm line. I fear that one day she might figure it out. Of everyone here, Alex is the one who’s the smartest and most suspicious. She’s also a sore loser and not dealing with injuries like she is winning in her perspective.

“Are you made of metal?” She eventually grumbles.

Kelsey chuckles and throws a towel to her face. “You’re just jealous.”

I slowly exhale when the crisis is diverted. I wipe the sweat off my face and hand and pour water over my skin and hair. I clean away the remnants of blood on my arm. My skin is burning up and doesn’t cool when I sit down.

“Someone is burning up again,” Kelsey calls and giggles.

“Again?” Alex asks after she chugs half a bottle of water.

They watch me as I wave my hand to cool down my burning skin. It doesn’t work. The red flush reaches my wrists and is hot to the touch. “I don’t know either, I never had this.”

Alex chuckles as I suffer the heat. “Except last month and the month before that.”

“Don’t forget the month before that.” Kelsey points out with a giggle.

“Oh right.” Alex draws while nodding with mock consideration.

They both laugh at my expense. The sound is loud as it travels over the backyard. This is a bit of how it’s been for the past four months between the three of us.

Kelsey can be aloof to a fault and it makes for humorous situations. Alex is just too serious sometimes and it can make her an easy target as well. They are at the center of ridicule just as much as me.

“It‘s like your hot flashes have the same monthly cycle as your period.” Kelsey comments with a snort.

“Are you sure you’re not in menopause?” Alex follows.

Kelsey gasps and her eyes widen. She hits me in the arm where my skin is still sensitive. “Maybe it’s hormones, are you pregnant?”

I grimace and Alex waves it off. “Nah, we checked.” Alex made me pee on one of those pregnancy tests two months ago. She wanted to make sure that I wasn’t carrying a *‘mutant’.*

“Maybe you’re just horny,” Kelsey says, her brown eyes are pensive and dead serious.

My face flushes and I look away from their gaze. “Kelsey.”

“No, maybe she’s right,” Alex says and sits down on the bench beside her. Her long legs stretch out and she leans back. “I get very frustrated when I don’t get laid every once in a while.”

“You haven’t been with any of the guys here since you arrived.” Kelsey points out, as if this is vital information.

I can’t believe that they are discussing my sex life.

“Don’t tell me that the last *being* you slept with was the *mutant* prince,” Alex says with a grimace that makes me think that she might get sick.

Hadrian is not just the last, he is the only one who I slept with. He’s the only one who could make me feel aroused. He’s still the one who arouses me in my dreams. I dreamed about him again last night and it had me soaked when I woke up. *Hmm, maybe they are onto something.*

Kelsey wiggles her eyebrows at me. “Maybe you should make a move on Dex during the bonfire this weekend.”

I roll my eyes at her. This is not the first time that she suggested this. “We’re just friends,” I say for the millionth time. Apparently, they both believe the absurd idea that Dex and I are going to be an item. “Dex has no romantic interest in me.”

I had to warm up to him and basically everyone here. I was not ready to let go of my life in Sanguinem. But everyone has been welcoming and has accepted me into their group as if I’ve always been part of it.

Dex has been very supportive and I found out that he can be funny and caring. I appreciate how he handles his leadership and how he treats the people in town. I consider him a friend just like Alex and Kelsey.

“Oh, but he sooo does!” Kelsey beams like this the best thing ever. “He follows you like a puppy.”

“Remember when you wore that blue dress last week that made your tits look good?” Alex says as she shimmies her chest to make her point.

My eyes widen and the embarrassment cannot flush my face anymore. I had to get new clothes because mine didn’t fit well anymore. The dress was something I had still lying around and I thought it wasn’t that bad, but apparently it was.

“I saw Dex adjusting himself when you walked by and he made me run three extra rounds,” Alex says, leaning into me with her hand perched at the side of her mouth.

“The least you can do is reap the benefits,” Kelsey says with a shrug.

An arm falls over my shoulder and I notice the dragon tattoo on his arm. “What benefits?” Dex asks with his smooth voice. Dex always gives out casual touches. I’m not the only one who he does that to.

I don’t feel anything at his touch, so I never think much of it. There is no heat, but also no recoil.

Alex crosses her arms and sucks her teeth. “Look at who we have here.” She gives me a pointed stare and her eyebrow slightly rises. “We were just betting on how long it would take for you to show.”

I can feel the attention they put on me, even when I look away.

Dex looks around our little group with a guarded smile. Dex is definitely a topic of ridicule for the girls. “I’m just making sure you don’t go too hard on each other.”

Kelsey giggles and covers her mouth. “You should tell that to Emma. She makes everyone go hard.” She wiggles her eyebrows at me and I escape from Dex’s arm. I’m already fighting this heat inside me, I can’t handle their teasing jokes too.

Carter approaches from a distance, he jogs toward us and his face is serious. “Dex, a stranger arrived in town.”