Chapter 14
Lily's POV.
I didn't know how I managed to keep dancing during the cheer practice after what just happened in the locker room. Joe had walked right past me like I didn't exist. After everything. After he saved me. After he looked into my eyes that night with more concern than anyone ever had.
I was shaken, and I couldn't concentrate. My steps were off, My timing was trash. And of course, the coordinator snapped.
"You!" he snapped, pointing. "Mittens! If you can't keep up, get out!"
The entire squad turned to stare. I forced down the lump in my throat and nodded slowly, moving to the side. Sonia jogged over to me after we were dismissed and sat beside me in the stands.
"Lily! That coordinator was a jerk. Are you okay?" she asked, eyes wide.
I slumped next to her, tucking my feet under me. "I'm fine," I lied. My throat was tight. "I just… I just don't like things like this. It's so stressful."
"Hey, are you still mad?" she asked, nudging me lightly.
I folded my arms and stared at the field. "Very. You signed me up without telling me. You know I hate this attention."
"You also know you need it," she said. "You've spent too long hiding. You deserve to be seen. To be celebrated, to feel strong. You are Mark's girlfriend now."
I didn't answer her. Maybe she was right. But the only thing I could think about was how humiliated I felt when Joe ignored me.
The friendly match was winding down, and it was almost time for the big game. The one everyone had been buzzing about all week. We returned to the locker room to change into our cheer uniforms. I tried to stay focused, but as soon as I caught sight of Joe across the room, everything fell apart.
He was changing, shirtless, his back muscles flexing as he reached for his jersey. I bit my lip and looked away quickly, but I could still feel my wolf stir restlessly.
Why him? Why always him? Damn. Joe is hot.
"You okay?" Mark asked, coming up behind me and resting a hand on my lower back.
"Yeah… Yeah," I said, plastering on a smile. But the glance he gave me said he didn't believe a word. His eyes flicked from me to Joe. He saw it too.
Mark didn't say anything else, but the tension between him and Joe was undeniable. As we stood on the sidelines, ready to cheer, I watched the team file out. Joe and Mark didn't exchange a word. Not a look, nothing. Even when the teams were hugging each other out as motivation, they didn't hug themselves.
Well, the game began and it was brutal. Every time Joe scored, the other team responded immediately. It was neck-and-neck. The crowd was electric, on edge, screaming with every move.
I noticed something strange.
Mark stopped passing to Joe. Even when Joe was wide open, perfectly positioned, Mark chose to pass to someone else. The coach yelled, veins bulging, but Mark ignored him.
Joe didn't complain. He just played hard. Much better than anyone else on the field. Even better than Mark.
Until the last minute.
Joe sprinted down the field, the ball in his possession. It was their final chance. He glanced sideways, Mark was open.
"Pass the damn ball Joe, Mark is open"
But Joe hesitated, instead he tried to pass it to another player, but it was too late.
A defender on the opposing team slammed into him before he could make the pass. Joe spun, tripped, and hit the floor hard, leg bent at an odd angle.
"No!" I shouted, leaping to my feet. I winced as Joe hit the ground with a thud.
Gasps rippled across the stadium.
And then chaos.
Mark charged at the opposing player and shoved him. Another boy joined in. Then another. Suddenly, fists were flying.
"Oh god," I whispered, heart racing. I scrambled past the railing and onto the court. "Somebody help him!" I cried. I scanned the mess for Joe.
I caught a glimpse of him, limping off the field, his expression dark and unreadable.
"Where are you going?" Sonia asked as I took off.
"I need to check on him," I muttered.
I ran through the back corridor, skidding to a halt at the entrance of the locker room. Inside, I found him sitting on a bench, shirt off again, his leg stretched out in front of him as he examined the bruising already blooming around his knee.
"Joe," I said breathlessly.
He looked up, his face tight, and straightened. "Please leave," he said, but his voice was softer than I'd heard in days.
"Let me help," I said, kneeling next to him. "Do you need ice? Or should I call someone?"
"I don't need help," he replied coldly.
"You're limping," I argued, stepping closer.
"That doesn't mean I need you."
His words stung more than I expected, but I didn't move.
I stood up and sat beside him anyway, but grabbed the first-aid kit off the shelf first.
He watched me in silence as I opened the alcohol and dabbed at the scrape. His breath hitched slightly.
"Sorry," I whispered.
Still, he said nothing.
"Why did you save me?" I asked, not looking up.
His jaw tightened.
"Why report them to the cops? Why fight them? Why go so far for someone you don't care about?"
He turned to look at me, his eyes unreadable. "Because they were scum. That's it."
I didn't believe him, not for one second.
When I finished wrapping his ankle, he stood slowly.
But his leg buckled a bit. I gasped and moved to steady him.
"Thanks."
I smiled, my heart pounding. "You're welcome."
He shifted weight to his good leg. "I should… go."
My pulse quickened. "Can I walk you to the nurse's office?"
He hesitated. The pain in his eyes flickered, then he nodded.
We moved slowly toward the door. But as he stepped forward, his injured leg buckled. He stumbled, and I reached out reflexively, catching him around the waist.
He pressed against me, warm and solid. My breath hitched. His face hovered inches from mine. The air between us pulsed with charged silence.
Our faces were close. Too close.
My breath caught in my throat. I could feel his warmth, smell his scent, that subtle mix of soap, musk, and something that was just him.
His lips were so close to mine, I could feel the heat of them.
I didn't move. And for a second, everything felt right.
But he did.
"I'll be okay," he said softly.
He pulled away abruptly, adjusted his shirt, and walked out without a word.
Again.
Leaving me breathless, shaking. And more confused than I had ever been in my life