“You would?”
“Yeah,” he nodded, squeezing me tight. “You’re my guy. Having you there pretty much guarantees we’ll win.”
“Fine,” I said, looking up at him. “But you better give me a jersey to wear or something if we’re gonna really flesh out this teenage dream we’re living.”
He chuckled, pressing a kiss to my forehead. “You got yourself a deal, baby.”
Chapter 14
Silver
The crowd roared as I led the football team out onto the field. The energy from the packed stands washed over me like a physical wave, and despite everything going on in my life, I felt my spirits lift. This was what I lived for. The roar of the crowd, the anticipation before kickoff, and the weight of the team’s expectations on my shoulders made me feel more alive than ever.
I turned back toward the stands, my eyes scanning the sea of faces. It took less than a second to find him. Ash sat in the front row of the student section, wearing my spare jersey—lucky number seven—looking adorably out of place among the screaming fans around him. When our eyes met, he gave me a small, nervous wave, and I couldn’t help the grin that spread across my face.
“Yo, Captain!” Karrick’s massive paw landed on my shoulder pad. “You gonna stare at your boyfriend all night or are we playing football?”
“Fuck off,” I laughed, shoving him playfully. “I can do both.”
“Just don’t let Moonhaven catch you distracted,” he warned, though his brown eyes were amused. “Their quarterback is a cocky bastard who’ll exploit any weakness.”
I glanced across the field at the opposing team. Moonhaven College’s players were warming up, and even from here I could see their quarterback. He was a tall werewolf with silver fur, and he was eyeing our team with obvious disdain.
“Let him try,” I said, rolling my shoulders and feeling the satisfying pop of my joints. “We’ve got this.”
Coach Flannery called us into a huddle, his gruff voice cutting through the ambient noise. “Alright boys, you know the drill. Moonhaven thinks they’re hot shit because they won their last three games. Let’s show them what happens when they underestimate Widdershins.”
A chorus of agreement rose from the team. I caught Daisuke’s eye across the huddle, and for once, the kirin gave me an approving nod. We’d been running the plays I’d designed all week, and even he had to admit they were solid.
“Silver,” Coach barked. “You’re calling the plays tonight. Show me why I made you captain.”
“Yes, sir,” I replied, feeling the familiar surge of adrenaline that came with game time.
We broke from the huddle and took our positions on the field. I glanced back at Ash one more time, and even from this distance, I could see the obsidian bracers glinting on his wrists as he clapped along with the crowd. The reminder of what we were dealing with tried to creep into my thoughts, but I pushed it aside. Right now, I needed to focus.
The referee blew the whistle, and the game began.
Moonhaven won the coin toss and elected to receive. Their werewolf quarterback caught the kickoff and immediately started running, his supernatural speed making him a blur across the field. But I’d studied their plays, knew their patterns. I signaled to our defensive line, and they shifted formation. Jackson, our fastest cornerback, anticipated the move perfectly.He intercepted the werewolf mid-stride, tackling him hard enough that I heard the impact from where I stood.
The crowd went wild. I looked back at Ash and saw him on his feet, cheering along with everyone else, though his clapping was slightly awkward with the bracers. Something warm bloomed in my chest at the sight.
“Nice call, Captain!” one of the linebackers shouted as we took offensive positions.
I lined up behind center, scanning Moonhaven’s defensive formation. They were playing aggressive, clearly trying to intimidate us with their size. The werewolf quarterback was prowling the sidelines, arms crossed, watching me with those predatory eyes.
“Blue forty-two! Blue forty-two!” I called out, my voice carrying across the field. “Hut!”
The ball snapped into my hands, and I dropped back, scanning for my receivers. Karrick had broken free on the right, his massive form surprisingly agile as he charged down the field. I launched the ball in a perfect spiral, watching as it sailed through the air.
Karrick caught it with ease, tucking it against his chest as he barreled toward the end zone. Two Moonhaven defenders tried to take him down, but he shrugged them off like they were made of paper.Touchdown.
The crowd exploded. I pumped my fist in the air, then immediately looked for Ash. He was jumping up and down, his face lit up with genuine excitement. Gods, he was beautiful when he smiled like that.
“Earth to Silver!” Daisuke’s voice snapped me back to reality. “Stop making googly eyes at your boyfriend and focus.”
“I am focused,” I protested, but I couldn’t wipe the grin off my face.
The game continued, intense and brutal. Moonhaven wasn’t going down without a fight. Their werewolf quarterback was as good as advertised, making plays that should have been impossible. But we matched them point for point, and I found myself falling into that perfect rhythm where everything just clicked.
