Chapter 28
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Jonah felt like he needed to reconsider asking Taron for ideas for dates.
When the shapeshifter had mentioned the company's recreational baseball team having a game, Jonah had figured it’d be similar to any normal baseball game.
Cheap food, quality entertainment, and a relaxed atmosphere he desperately needed after the night prior.
And while the food was cheap and surprisingly delicious, the atmosphere wasn’t what he considered relaxed in the slightest.
The minotaur up to bat looked like he was carrying a club instead of a regulation sized bat. Jonah leaned closer to Emmett, eyes glued to the massive thing as the minotaur made a few practice swings to warm up.
“Is that regulation?”
“Beats me,” Emmett replied quietly. He looked just as fascinated as Jonah. “I’ve never been to a baseball game before.”
The only games Jonah had ever been to were human-only. He wasn’t sure what he’d been expecting with a bunch of supes playing the game, but somehow, it wasn’t this.
The crack of the bat hitting the ball was nearly earsplitting, making both Jonah and Emmett jump, and to everyone’s shock, instead of sending the ball flying, it exploded right there over home plate in a flurry of yarn, plastic, and leather.
The small crowd watching all went silent, and the minotaur looked down at the mess in confusion before turning to glance at his coach with a questioning expression.
Jonah couldn’t see the coach in the dugout, but he must not have been happy because the minotaur gave him a sheepish grin in response.
After some whispering between the umpire, the pitcher, and the catcher, they seemed to come to a mutual decision and the umpire called out, “Strike one!” as the pitcher jogged back to the pitcher’s mound.
The minotaur’s next attempt was significantly softer.
Too soft. He barely moved his bat, and sent the ball skittering along the ground instead of actually trying to send it to the outfield.
The shortstop, a werewolf from another pack, went chasing after it with the eagerness of an excited puppy, ending up on all fours as he chased the ball.
He caught it in his mouth, then ran when the rest of his team tried to get him to throw it to someone else.
The minotaur ended up crossing home plate at a light jog because no one could get the ball back.
“Do all werewolves do that?” Jonah asked between chuckles.
Emmett mock scowled at him. “No! Just… some of us…”
That made Jonah laugh harder because he could tell just from Emmett’s expression that he was one of the werewolves who would chase a ball like the shortstop had.
“It’s instinct!” Emmett insisted, fighting a grin.
“Damn it, Dylan! Drop it!” the coach shouted from the dugout as the werewolf ran from the griffin umpire at top speeds. He was too busy cackling to hear, his gaze locked over his shoulder on the griffin.
“He’s gonna get tackled,” Jonah whispered, watching in fascinated amusement as a gargoyle from outfield darted for them, knocking the werewolf off his feet so hard, they flew a couple of feet through the air before landing hard in the grass.
The crowd collectively winced in sympathy as the ball was snatched away from the werewolf, and he was sent to the dugout with a slight limp and his head hanging low.
“Aww… poor guy,” Jonah cooed, fighting back a laugh.
Next up to bat was a supernatural Jonah didn’t recognize. He leaned closer to Emmett to ask, “What kind of supe is that?” low enough that he wouldn’t be overheard by nearby supes in the small crowd.
“Loquit,” Emmett explained. “Otherwise known as treefolk. One of the only species I’m aware of that gets their nutrients from the sun and not food.”
“They’re photosynthetic?” Jonah exclaimed, surprised. He’d never heard of that before.
The supe that looked like a giant tree with arms, legs, and a face, picked up a bat that looked more regulation than the one the minotaur had, but the minute he picked it up, it expanded and vines and leaves started sprouting off it, making it more plant than bat.
The loquit looked down at the bat with a frown, and seemed uncertain about what to do next.
Someone had to switch it out with a metal one in order for him to take his turn.
He managed to get to third base, but he totally cheated by growing his legs to make them longer and literally stepping over the other team.
Jonah heard a groan from the dugout, and he and Emmett both laughed out loud at the obvious exasperation coming from the coach.
“Oh, crap. This’ll be good,” Emmett grinned as the next player came up to bat. This one was a demon and looked almost taller than Emmett.
“Why? What do you think will happen?” Jonah asked, snagging a handful of the popcorn Emmett had in his lap.
They’d picked up some concessions that were thankfully within Jonah’s budget and had been snacking throughout the game.
Not necessarily a hearty meal, but Emmett wasn’t complaining, and Jonah was just happy he could return the favor and take Emmett out for once.
The demon had a regulation bat from what Jonah could tell, but when he swung it in a few practice swings, it moved so fast, the sound was delayed like he was moving it faster than the speed of sound.
“He’s either going to explode the ball like before, or it’s going to hit like a bullet for whoever catches it. It’s a good thing they’re all wearing wards.”
Jonah blinked in surprise. He hadn’t noticed any wards. It made sense, though. Being hit by a ball at that speed could kill someone.
The pitcher, who Emmett had told him was a lion shifter, pulled his arm back and made it look like he was throwing the ball, but faked out at the last second and threw it again after the demon had already made his swing.
The response was immediate and more violent than Jonah had expected.
The demon tossed the bat, taking off after the pitcher who grinned like a maniac as the demon screamed at him.
“I told you to stop doing that, Magnus, you piece of shit!”
Magnus shifted into a full blown lion, dodging out of the way and pouncing on the man as he slid in the dirt in his attempt to turn around.
Jonah reached for Emmett automatically, squeezing his leg as claws and fists came to blows and the rest of the team swarmed to separate them.
None of them could make any difference, though, not until the coach came stomping out of the dugout.
“Is he… human?” Jonah asked, in awe as the much smaller man marched right up to the fighting pair and shoved between them, grabbing them both by the ear to get them to stop and listen. The pair immediately settled, grimacing and nodding as the coach scolded them like children.
Emmett took in a big sniff, then nodded. “Yup. Fully human. And a total badass, too. Not sure I would’ve been brave enough to get between those two brawlers.”
Neither would Jonah. He stood to get a better look as the coach growled low enough that he couldn’t hear what was being said, somehow managing to chastise the entire team without an ounce of magic to back him up.
“That’s amazing,” Jonah breathed.
He didn't have much of a problem around supes anymore, Emmett had worked hard getting him comfortable at Spellbound, but to be that confident that he felt secure enough to step between two fighting supes? He wasn’t sure he’d ever get to that point.
Another werewolf came up to bat once they all went back to their positions, and Emmett made a curious sound as he sat a little straighter. Jonah sat back down next to him, taking a better look at the wolf in question. “Is he in your pack?”
“Yep. That’s Levi. I didn't know he played baseball. He’s always been the quiet one.”
He hit the ball with only enough force to send the ball into the outfield without breaking anything and took off like a shot around the bases without getting distracted along the way while the other team scrambled to get the ball and tag him out.
Jonah could barely track him, and when he slid through a homerun, he and Emmett both cheered.
The rest of the game was just as chaotic, and Jonah was suddenly glad all he could afford was a recreational team game.
He got the feeling a normal league game wouldn’t have been nearly as fun.
He and Emmett were still laughing as they made their way to Jonah’s truck, sharing their favorite parts of the game.
Jonah felt more relaxed than he’d felt in weeks, since his parents first gave him that ultimatum to find a real job and he accepted a position at Charmed Away.
Yes, he still had a lot to figure out, but right now, he was just plain happy.
“You’re planning dates more often,” Emmett declared as he practically bounced to the passenger door and slid inside. “That was awesome.”
“I agree,” Jonah laughed. “Honestly, I was a little worried at first, it was kind of chaotic, but that was half the fun. Taron has good date ideas.”
“Ooh, can you imagine if we played with our friends? I feel like Taron would shift in the middle just to cause chaos,” Emmett grinned.
“Yes, and you’d chase the ball like a puppy,” Jonah teased, then yelped as Emmett lunged for him and licked a big swath across his face. “Ugh, Emmett gross!”
“That’s what you get for calling me a puppy!” Emmett shot back, still smirking. “It’s werewolf instinct to chase small things running away from them.”
His tone shifted enough to catch Jonah’s attention, and he swung around, wide eyed as he took in Emmett’s hungry expression.
“You like to chase things, huh?” Jonah asked breathlessly. The idea was both terrifying and arousing. Jonah wasn’t sure which feeling to latch onto.
Emmett made a low growly sound, drawing in a deep breath and reminding Jonah that he could smell when Jonah was aroused.
“Someone likes that idea,” Emmett purred. He put a hand on Jonah’s thigh, sliding it up in a sensual caress that made Jonah’s half hard cock swell in his jeans. “Are you into primal play, Jonah?”
“I-I don’t know what that is,” Jonah stammered, lifting his hips in an attempt to get Emmett’s hand where he needed it most. Emmett didn’t take the bait, squeezing his thigh instead.
“It’s where I chase you through the forest and do dirty things to you when I catch you.”
When. Not if. Because there was no way Jonah could outrun a werewolf. The idea didn’t bother him as much as he thought it would.
“I… I think we should start with the regular stuff first,” Jonah murmured, already breathing heavily at the thought of Emmett pouncing on him in the woods and having his wicked way with him. He didn’t think he had a big bad wolf kink until now.
Emmett hummed, leaning in to lick a stripe up Jonah’s neck. “Is that an offer? Because I don’t want to take advantage while you’re still hurting.”
Jonah’s heart melted at the sincerity in Emmett’s tone. He was flirtatious by nature, but he wasn’t going to push if Jonah wasn’t ready.
Running his fingers through the fur at the back of Emmett’s neck, he tugged him closer, sucking on Emmett’s tongue when he opened up for him.
Emmett groaned, trying to get closer, but they were already squished against the door as it was.
There wasn’t anywhere near enough room in the cab of the truck as they needed.
“Let’s get out of here,” Jonah suggested between kisses. “If I’m going to be fucked by a werewolf, I want there to be a bed involved.”
Emmett growled in agreement, nipping at his neck just hard enough to make Jonah shiver.
“Drive fast.”