Chapter 22
Phoenix
“Does this look okay?” I asked the moment I met Lila at the student center.
During the week I’d teleported off campus to the outlet stores up in Sevierville to buy some new clothes.
I was tired of the stuffy, old-fashioned things my parents always made me wear.
Now I was dressed in a pair of form-fitting jeans, brown leather boots, a white t-shirt, a gold and black flannel, and a cute scarf that had little pumpkins on it.
I thought it was the best outfit I’d ever worn, but Lila made a little bit of a face before she broke into a wide smile.
“Well,” she sighed, shaking her head. “You definitely look gay. And a little bit like a hipster somehow.”
“Is that… good?”
She furrowed her brows. “Do a turn so I can see it all.”
I did as I was told, turning slowly on the spot.
“Well,” she said once I came back around to face her. “If your goal was to make Karrick want to fuck you, I think you pulled it off. Your ass looks great in those jeans. It’s a cute basic-white-girl sort of look, but it works on you.”
I felt my cheeks heat up at her blunt assessment. “Basic white girl?” I sputtered, looking down at myself uncertainly. I wasn’t even sure I knew what that meant.
“In the best possible way,” Lila laughed, linking her arm through mine. “Trust me, it’s a compliment. You look approachable and cute instead of like some uptight rich kid whose parents dress him. Karrick’s gonna lose his mind.”
I wasn’t entirely sure how to feel about that, but I decided to take it as a win. We made our way toward the stadium, joining the stream of students heading to the homecoming game. The crisp October air carried the scent of autumn leaves and the distant smell of concession stand food.
“Okay, so what exactly do I need to know about football?” I asked as we approached the entrance.
“Absolutely nothing,” Lila said cheerfully. “We’re just here to look pretty and cheer when our team does something good. Which is usually when everyone else cheers, so we can just follow their lead.”
The stadium was already buzzing with energy, students and families filling the bleachers in waves of gold and black.
We stopped at the concession stand first, loading up on popcorn, sodas, and way too much candy.
I insisted on paying for everything, still riding the high of my small rebellion and more than happy to spend my parents’ money. They had enough anyway.
We found seats about halfway up the home side, giving us a perfect view of the field. I tried not to seem too eager as I scanned the sidelines for any sign of the team, my heart doing an annoying flutter every time I caught a glimpse of someone in a jersey.
“Relax,” Lila murmured, nudging me with her elbow. “You look like you’re about to vibrate out of your seat.”
I forced myself to lean back against the bleacher behind me, trying to appear casual as I unwrapped a piece of chocolate. The sugar melted on my tongue, but it did nothing to calm the nervous energy thrumming through my veins.
The crowd suddenly erupted in cheers, and I nearly jumped out of my skin as the team came jogging out onto the field.
My eyes immediately found Karrick among the sea of gold and black uniforms. He was impossible to miss, towering over most of his teammates.
His Beastkin form made him look even more imposing in the football gear, and I felt my mouth go dry watching the way his muscles moved beneath the tight jersey.
“There’s your boyfriend,” Lila sang under her breath, and I elbowed her sharply in the ribs.
“Shut up,” I hissed, glancing around to make sure no one had heard her. “We talked about this.”
But I couldn’t stop myself from leaning forward slightly, my hands gripping the edge of the bleacher as Karrick lined up with the other players for warm-ups.
When he glanced up at the stands, scanning the crowd, I felt my heart skip a beat.
For one terrifying, wonderful moment, I thought our eyes might meet across the distance, and I had to resist the urge to wave like some lovesick fool.
There was a slight pulse of recognition through our bond as our eyes met at last. Then he turned back to the rest of the team, determined to keep things discreet like we’d planned.
Even so, I could feel his excitement that I was there, watching him play.
“So, explain to me again what position he plays?” I asked, trying to distract myself from the fluttering in my chest.
Lila shrugged, stuffing a handful of popcorn into her mouth. “Defensive back, I think? Or maybe linebacker? Something with back in it.” She chewed thoughtfully. “All I know is he runs really fast and knocks people down, which seems perfect for him.”
I smiled despite myself. That did sound like Karrick.
The band started playing the school fight song, and everyone around us stood up.
We scrambled to our feet, joining in the cheering without really knowing what we were cheering for.
I caught another glimpse of Karrick in the huddle, his massive Beastkin form unmistakable.
My heart swelled with a ridiculous amount of pride.
Even the werewolves weren’t as big as him.
“Oh my goddess, you’re so gone for him,” Lila whispered, catching my expression. “It’s actually adorable.”
“I am not,” I protested weakly, knowing full well I was lying.
The game started, and I quickly realized I understood absolutely nothing about what was happening on the field. People were running, throwing, tackling… it was chaos. But every time Karrick got the ball, I found myself on my feet, screaming encouragement until my throat hurt.
“Phoenix, you might want to tone it down a notch,” Lila said after one particularly enthusiastic outburst. “People are starting to stare.”
I sank back into my seat, mortified. “Sorry. I just got excited.”
“Yeah, I noticed.” She smirked. “So much for keeping things discreet.”
I ducked my head, pretending to be very interested in my popcorn while the heat crept up my neck. “I’m cheering for the whole team,” I muttered. “Not just... you know.”
“Sure you are,” Lila said, patting my knee. “And I’m here because I love sports.”
The crowd roared again, and I couldn’t help looking up. Karrick had tackled someone with such force that the poor guy practically bounced off the field. Even from here, I could see the gleam of Karrick’s tusks as he let out a victorious roar.
“Damn,” Lila whispered. “Your boyfriend is terrifying.”
“He’s not terrifying,” I said automatically, then caught myself. “He’s… assertive.”
“That’s one word for it.”
I bit my lip, remembering how that intensity felt when we were alone together. The way his massive hands could be so gentle despite their strength, how those tusks grazed my skin when he kissed my neck…
“Earth to Phoenix,” Lila said, waving her hand in front of my face. “You’re doing that dreamy thing again.”
I blinked rapidly. “Sorry. Just... thinking about the game.”
“Right. The game.” She made air quotes with her fingers. “Your face gets all soft and dopey when you think about him, you know. It’s like watching a Hallmark movie.”
“Does not,” I protested, though I could feel myself blushing again.
The first quarter ended, and I realized I’d barely touched my candy.
I’d been too busy watching Karrick’s every move on the field.
Even with the padding and uniform, I could trace the powerful lines of his body, the way his muscles bunched and released with each explosive movement.
I was practically drooling just from staring at him.
“You’re doing it again,” Lila sang softly.
“Shut up,” I muttered, shoving a handful of chocolate in my mouth.
During a timeout, the cheerleaders took the field. They were an impressive mix of witches and shifters, their routine incorporating both tumbling and small magical effects that sent sparks of gold and black shooting into the air.
“I bet Karrick loves that you came to watch him,” Lila said, her voice gentler now. “Even if you guys are keeping things quiet.”
I nodded, swallowing around the lump in my throat. “I wish we didn’t have to be so careful.”
“I know.” She squeezed my arm. “But hey, at least you’re here together. That’s something, right?”
Before I could answer, the crowd erupted again.
Karrick had intercepted a pass and was charging down the field, his powerful legs eating up the distance.
He didn’t usually get the ball. Players from the opposing team tried to tackle him, but they bounced off like they’d hit a brick wall.
He crossed into the end zone, spiked the ball, and let out a roar that made the entire stadium shake.
I was on my feet before I even realized it, screaming at the top of my lungs. “YES! That’s my—” I caught myself just in time, clamping my mouth shut as several people turned to look at me with raised eyebrows.
“That’s my... favorite player!” I finished lamely, my voice cracking on the last word.
Lila snorted with laughter. “Smooth.”
I sank back down, my face burning with embarrassment, but I couldn’t stop grinning.
The pride radiating through our bond was intoxicating, Karrick’s joy at scoring mixed with his satisfaction that I’d seen it.
I wanted nothing more than to run down onto that field and kiss him senseless in front of everyone.
Instead, I settled for clutching my soda so tightly the plastic crinkled.
“You know what?” Lila said, leaning closer so only I could hear. “Screw being discreet. Cheer for your boyfriend. There are hardly any witches here and most of them are drunk, anyway.”
I looked around at the crowd, most of whom had already turned their attention back to the field. Maybe she had a point. It felt good to get away with something like this, to be who I wanted to be without worrying about my parents approval.
When Karrick jogged back toward the sideline, he glanced up at the stands again. This time, when our eyes met, I didn’t look away. I raised my cup in a small salute, and even from this distance, I could see his grin widen.
The rest of the game passed in a blur of cheering, terrible nachos that I ate anyway, and watching Karrick dominate the field like the beast he was. Every tackle, every defensive play, every moment he was out there, I felt my chest swell with an almost painful pride.
By the fourth quarter, I’d lost all restraint. When Karrick sacked the opposing quarterback so hard the poor guy saw stars, I was whooping and hollering with the best of them.
“There we go!” Lila laughed, throwing popcorn in the air. “Let it all out!”
And I did. For the first time in my life, I let myself be loud and messy and completely, utterly gone for someone. It felt incredible. However, all that soda was catching up with me.
“I’m gonna run to the restroom real quick,” I said, glancing at Lila as I side-stepped to the stairs. “Don’t eat all my candy!”
“No promises,” she grinned back. “Be fast! The game’s almost over!”
I nodded, smiling from ear to ear as I practically galloped down the stairs. I’d never been so happy.