She becomes jealous

He slips into the practice facility, the echo of bouncing tennis balls filling the air. Non‑human students cluster in the stands, watching while the human players run drills across the courts. At the center of it all, Katarina commands the session with effortless authority.

She notices him the moment he steps into the bleachers. A quick, bright wave cuts through the noise—small, but unmistakably meant for him.

Her tennis uniform does nothing to hide the strength and grace she’s known for. The skirt sits just a little shorter than normal for her, swaying with every sharp pivot she makes, and the fitted polo follows the confident lines of her posture, highlighting the athletic poise she carries so naturally. It isn’t obvious, but there’s an undeniable elegance in the way she wears it.

She keeps glancing toward him, unable to stop herself, but every time her eyes flick his way, the non‑human players immediately notice. Their attention shifts—first to her, then to him—and the scrutiny grinds at her nerves. Her jaw clenches, shoulders stiffen. The smooth rhythm of her footwork turns sharp, almost aggressive. She hits the ball a little too hard, pivots a little too fast, irritation increases.

She’s becomes increasingly annoyed, at the non‑humans for staring, at him for drawing their interest, and at herself for caring so much about any of it.

As he scans the stands, he sees exactly what she’s reacting to. A pair of dragonborn sit rigid and unblinking, their eyes tracking him with unsettling focus. Several elves some are pale as frost, others dark as ebony skinned, watch him with cool, scrutinizing expressions. A succubus lounges with deliberate poise, her gaze lingering on him. A cluster of fox spirits sits near the aisle, their ears twitching, their tails flicking in curiosity.

Their collective attention presses on him like a physical weight, and Katarina feels every ounce of it.

After about thirty minutes, the human players head for the showers, leaving the non‑humans to take the courts. Katarina stays behind, pushing herself harder than necessary, her movements fueled by a mix of pride and irritation. She refuses to be outpaced by them—not today, not in front of him, and not while those eyes are still on her and him.

Despite their supernatural strength and speed, she keeps up, though the effort shows in the tightness of her breath. The more they watch him, the more fiercely she plays.

When practice finally ends and the girls drift toward the locker rooms, an Asian teammate approaches him. She glances around first, as if checking whether any of the non‑humans are still glaring, then slips a folded note into his hand.

“Katie would like you to join her,” she says quietly, her voice low and cautious, as though even speaking to him might draw more unwanted attention.

He moves down the hallway toward the human girls’ locker room, each step echoing too loudly in the empty corridor. The fluorescent lights hum overhead, but the space feels unnaturally still. The farther he goes, the more the silence presses in around him.

Something trails behind him. Not footsteps—something softer, like fabric brushing tile, or a breath that isn’t his. The sensation crawls up his spine. He knows this is a trap; every instinct tells him so. But the thought of Katie waiting pulls him forward anyway.

A faint scent lingers in the air, subtle but unmistakable. It surrounds him, warm and disorienting, tugging at his focus. His body becoming aroused and also his pulse increases. Whatever it is, it’s not natural, and it’s affecting him more than he wants to admit.

He reaches the locker room door just as voices drift through it—Katie’s, tight and strained, and another woman’s, low and commanding. The second voice carries the kind of authority that doesn’t need to raise itself to be obeyed. It speaks to Katie like she’s beneath her, like this dynamic has been established for years.

His shaking hand hovering over the door handle. Whoever is inside with Katie isn’t just confident—they’re someone she fears. Someone she answers to.

He pushes the door open, heart hammering, and sees…