(POV: Isabe)


    This girl (Renata) is strange. I have a weird feeling; it seems like she’s pretending the way she acts. Or maybe it’s only in my head because she’s a neer, who knows. I shake my head to dispel these thoughts; I have to give her a chance and not jump to conclusions right away. I’m in the academy’s garden, soaking up some sun before ss. Today, we have a ss on attack and defense; they’re real focused on that. I’m so excited, not real.


    “Hey, Isa,” Lucia says, snapping me out of my thoughts.


    “Hi, Lu.”


    “I’m d you’re finally back from the trip with your parents,” she says, sitting down beside me. We have the same ss today.


    “What do you think of Lena?” I ask, noticing her pensive expression.


    “At first nce, she seemed a bit distant, but I think she must be a good person. Rapha asked us to be friends with her,” she looks at the ground. “It must be tough for her toe to an unfamiliar ce, full of people she’s never seen. Let’s give her a chance.”


    “For a moment, I thought she was pretending,” Iment.


    “Could it be jealousy, maybe?” She asks with a suppressedugh.


    “No,” I hurry to say, “I’ll give her a chance, but the unknown always makes us cautious.”


    “I understand,” she ponders. “But she’s under the protection of the Supremes; we should trust their judgment.”


    “Yes,” I sigh, “Let’s try to make her stay here as enjoyable as possible,” I say confident. “Best Friends?”


    “Yes,” Luciaughs. “How was the trip? Did you meet a lot of new people?”


    “We can talk about thatter; let’s head to ss before they leave without us,” I suggest. Putting an end to this conversation.


    (POV: Jonathan)


    The academy is so boring. Sitting through sses is so tedious; I’d rather be at home watching some anime. But of course, my parents never allowed that. Especially my father being an instructor and coach here.


    I sigh in frustration; ording to him, my sister and I have to set an example, even though we’re just omegas. And Lucia, she still refuses to transform during sses, not only during sses, I’ve never seen her transform at all. I’d like to see what her wolf form looks like.


    “Thinking about which anime now?” Raphael arrives and sits next to me; I’m in the cafeteria, taking a break before heading to another ss in the gym. Today, the instructor will teach more attack and defense techniques in human form.


    “To be honest, none,” I take a deep breath, “I wasmenting having toe here to study.”


    “Unusual not to be thinking about those boring anime shows,” he says andughs at my grimace. “Do you think they’ll hassle Lena?”


    “I think so, Edgar’s group can be very annoying,” I say with annoyance.


    “Then we need to figure out how to keep them off her back,” he says thoughtful.


    “We’ll find a way; she seems to have more than only a pretty face,” I say, trying to calm him down. I know he’s worried because of his brother too.


    “Keep your eyes off her,” he yful taps my head.


    “Are you going to tell me you’re into her?” I ask, astonished.


    “Of course not,” he makes a funny face, “I sense a fondness for her, something more like a sibling,” he exins.


    “I see,” I tease, “Let’s go to ss,” I say, and we walk side by side to the back of the academy to join the ss.N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    (POV: Renata)


    Instructor Lukky exits the room, saying goodbye; it seems like he’s teaching the next ss too. He’s actually pretty nice; the ss went by faster than I thought. And when I realize it, Isabe is already waiting for me at the door. I get up and walk towards her, but I stop halfway and see La sitting with his head down again.


    “Aren’t youing to ss?” I ask, intrigued.


    “Practical sses aren’t my thing,” he says without even bothering to lift his head. I sigh in frustration and leave the room without saying anything more. Following Isabe.


    We walk to a court, and there, I see the same boy who approached me when I arrived. He enters with a group of people, and I follow Isabe to where Rapha, Jonathan, and Lucia are.


    “Ready to take some hits?” Jonathan asks yful, throwing punches in the air.


    “Good morning, everyone,” Lukky appears again before I can respond to Jonathan.


    “Good morning, coach,” we all say in unison.


    “Form pairs,” he requests. “Then one pair at a time wille to the center and show what you know about minor attacks and defense,” he finishes speaking. And I notice everyone finding their partner.


    Rapha and Jonathan be a pair, as do Isabe and Lucia. I don’t know anyone to ask to be my partner.


    “Can I ask the coach to find a partner for you?” Isabe offers.


    I look outside the court and see La approaching. I’m relieved and wait for him to get closer so I can ask him to be my partner.


    (POV: La)


    After I saw Lena walking away, I felt a bit guilty; I promised to be with her on her first day, and I’m letting her down. So I decide to join the ss; I rush to the court. And when I arrive, I see everyone paired up, and Lena looks a bit sad next to the girls.


    “You came only in time,” she says, smiling at me when I approach.


    “What’s going on?” I ask.


    “The instructor asked us to form pairs to show what we know about minor attacks and defense,” Isa exins. And I smile at her in gratitude.


    “And you’ll be my partner,” Lena rejoices.


    “Look at the two useless ones in the academy forming a pair,” Edgar says,ughing at me and now involving her too. I get angry and a strong sense of protection fills me. I put my arm around Lena’s shoulder and hug her, ring at him with anger.


    But I don’t say anything; every time I try to take part in sses, I hear these jokes, and it’s starting to get on my nerves. I won’t let them hurt Lena; I care about her a lot, even though I don’t know where this protective instinct ising from.


    “La and Lena in the center,” the coach shouts after collecting the names of the pairs. Lena and I walk to the center of the court and stand facing each other.


    “No need to hold back,” I tell her to boost her confidence.


    “You got it,” she responds with a half-smile.


    “Go, La!” Isabe cheers, and I get a bit distracted. I only feel a blow to my chin, and I fall to the ground.


    “La, I’m sorry,” Lena kneels beside me.


    “A nobody taking down another nobody, big deal!” Edgar says, stillughing and receiving dirty looks.


    I sense the anger rising in my veins; I look at him with hatred, and I don’t stop.