LEILANI ***Under Editing***

⚫Chapter 7⚫

"What if your friends hate me?" Kenna asked me as we walked through the mall. "Impossible," I told her. It had been a few weeks since Kenna and I had met and today I was introducing her to my friends. Not just my best friends, but also our new clan, which included Jasper and his friends.

We had already been at the mall for roughly an hour, but Kenna had just got here. I went over to the other side of the mall to meet up with her. We were now heading over to the food court where all of my friends were currently gathered.

"It's just that you guys all seem to be very close. I don't want to intrude." I stopped walking and turned to look at her. "Kenna, you won't be intruding. I've been wanting a-" I closed my mouth knowing that I shouldn't finish that sentence. I had been wanting a human friend for a while now and now that I was in university, I felt like it was time. Not just someone I briefly spoke to on campus, but someone I could get to know more and hangout with. Someone who could even hang out with me and my friends and maybe even come to my house, if my parents ever permitted it.

"You've been wanting what?" she inquired. I shook my head in response. "Nothing, come on."

Whenever we were on campus together, which was pretty much everyday, we always found time to see each other. Whether it was a quick conversation in the food center, or us walking each other to our classes. Most of our communication was through texting, but I wanted to hang out with her outside of school. The possibility of that would depend on my friends, but most importantly my parents. I had decided to introduce her first to my friends. I would worry later about introducing her to mom and dad.

As soon as we arrived to the food court, my eyes went straight to my friends, who were occupying three tables. They were laughing and eating as we approached them. As soon as Nathan spotted us, he looked at me with uncertainty.

"Guys, this is my friend Kenna," I introduced her. "Hey," everyone greeted her. One by one Indigo, Saph, and the others introduced themselves to her. They were very warm and welcoming, although Nathan and Blaike weren't; especially Blaike.

When I told them about her a few days ago, he tried to shut down the idea immediately.

"Leilani, I don't think that's a good idea," he had said. "Why not? You guys can't be my only friends forever. I am literally going to have to marry a man some day. A human," I added knowing fully well that my mate was Elias, who happened to be a werewolf.

"Yeah but we're werewolves. We don't hang out with anybody but our own."

"That's true, but I'm human, Blaike. I'm not one of you guys," I said not realizing how hurtful it had sounded.

"Leilani," Nathan chimed in. "No, listen to me. I will forever love you guys and have you guys, but I need human friends. I need people I can relate to; who understand me."

"She's right boys. She needs some human friends, at least one," Saphira chimed in. I looked at her with gratitude. "Yeah, but to be friends with someone means to trust them. There are a lot of evil people out there in this world, Leilani. You have to be very careful with who you become friends with."

"I get what you're saying Blaike, but maybe you're overreacting a little bit. It's not like I'm befriending a whole group of people. It's just Kenna, this sweet girl who just moved here recently. She's been so nice to me and I can actually see us being life-long friends," I said.

He sighed in defeat. "Fine, just Kenna. And you better tell your parents about this. I'm certain they'll be on my side."

I took my seat and Kenna took hers next to me. "You guys are all very good-looking," she said with a chuckle. "I feel a bit intimidated." I looked at Elias to see him smirk. I rolled my eyes at his arrogance.