Chapter 26
Posey is here. Posey Hale is at my game and wearing my jersey.
Walking into the dugout and catching a glimpse of her gorgeous face behind the backstop is the highlight of my college career.
There have been plenty of games where I had friends and family in the stands, and my pack attends almost every game, but I’ve never had a girlfriend in the stands watching me play.
My adrenaline is through the roof, which is the only excuse I have for making heart hands at the girl and bouncing around with an idiotic grin when she does it back.
The need to impress my omega surges through my veins and drives my alpha mad with fierce competitiveness, muscles bunching in anticipation as I shake out my arms. It doesn’t matter anymore that this is just an exhibition game and the score doesn’t count.
The Harbor U Surge are going to win today because I’m feeling the need to show off and show my girl why I’m the top prospect for next year’s draft.
I dress for this game faster than I ever have before and sprint out onto the field to warm up, gulping when I spot Jude talking to Posey.
They both seem calm, but it doesn’t necessarily mean the conversation is going well.
I’ll have to cop to the setup later, and I’m praying she isn’t too upset with me.
After all, I did say someone would be with her the entire game, I just didn’t say who.
When I finally make it to the backstop they’re locked in an intense staring contest, so I slap my hands on top of the short half-wall and whistle long and low, grinning widely when Posey blushes.
It’s all I can do to keep myself from vaulting into the stands to maul her.
My alpha is preening in my chest seeing my number on her perfect body, and I can’t wait until we’re close enough that I can ask her to wear the jersey and nothing else after a game.
“What’s a pretty girl like you doing in a place like this?” I ask teasingly.
Posey saunters down the stairs like she owns the place until she comes to a stop just in front of me.
This is our practice field so there isn’t as much in the way of security as our actual stadium, but it’s still pretty nice.
The school has a lot of generous donors and with this being one of the top programs in the country for both baseball and football, our facilities are much nicer than most.
“This really hot alpha asked me to come watch the game.” She checks a nonexistent watch, humming as she glances pointedly around us. “I really thought he’d be here by now…”
I growl, and she giggles wildly. I keep seeing peeks of this sassy side of her, and I fucking love it. She’s so sexy when she’s teasing one of us. “I’m just jokin’. I’m so excited to see you play!”
My grin widens into a full smile, my cheeks warming the slightest bit. I know I asked her to come, but the fact that she actually did and seems so excited is mind boggling. This girl is one of a kind. “I’ll try to hit at least one home run just for you, gorgeous,” I say with a wink.
Her blue eyes sparkle, turning nearly transparent in the late afternoon sun. “Maybe I’ll reward you if you play well,” she shrugs, inspecting her nails and feigning disinterest.
My body jolts, mouth salivating and cock hardening immediately at just the thought of being rewarded by this perfect omega. “R-reward?”
Posey smirks, eyeing me up and down. My cock thickens even more in response, making me grimace in pain. Getting an erection while wearing an athletic cup is not fun.
“Yeah. A reward. If you play well, maybe you could come home with me after the game?”
I yank at the collar of my jersey, suddenly overheated even though it’s October and the breeze coming off the ocean is downright frigid. “I, uh, like that idea.”
Any composure I had before she got here was shot to hell the second she aimed that coy smile my way, which is really unfortunate considering tonight hinges on me playing well.
Recalling every “get in the zone” speech I’ve ever heard in my life, I finally pull myself together enough to smirk and crook a finger at Posey.
She comes close enough her body is pressed to the boards and I lean down so we’re face to face, a wide-weave net the only thing between us. “Is a good luck kiss on the table?”
Her eyes go wide and dart from side to side, noting all the people already staring at us. “Here?” She squeaks. “Now?”
I nod, thrilled with how the tables have turned. My girl is so confident and I absolutely love it, but it also makes rattling her so much more fun. “Right here.” I chuckle. “Right now.” And then I press my face to the net, puckering my lips dramatically as my eyes close.
Waiting to see if she meets me halfway is the longest few seconds of my life, but then her breath brushes across my face an instant before her soft lips meet mine, and I lose all sense of where I am.
We’re both lucky I can’t pull her through this damn netting, otherwise I’d be tempted to fuck her right here behind home plate.
Now there’s a thought…
Catcalls and cheers echo around us from a dozen different directions, making me smile.
Posey looks slightly mortified when she pulls back, but also as happy as I’ve seen her yet.
It almost makes me wish the twins were here to see it, especially because I don’t have my phone on me to take a picture.
Coach makes us leave all electronics in the clubhouse during practice and games so we aren’t distracted and normally that doesn’t bother me, but right now I would give anything to be able to capture the look on her face and make it my background.
A glance behind her head shows Jude followed her down and is just as enamored as I am, and I shake my head.
How the misguided sad sack thought he could stay away from her, I’ll never know.
Less than thirty minutes in her presence and he’s already calmer than I’ve seen him in months. Maybe even years.
A whistle blows, making me frown. This is the first time I can ever remember not being psyched to start a game, and it’s all because I don’t want to leave Posey.
Yeah, she’s right behind me where I can see her between pitches, but what if something happens and I miss it?
Or what if she gets uncomfortable with the crowd or Jude?
Knowing I can’t be by her side is killing me a little bit.
I’m just going to have to trust our pack lead to take care of her and hope she’ll still be here when the game is over because I can’t afford to focus on it right now.
It’s time to earn that reward.
“You did so good!” Posey’s excited words are the first thing I hear when I exit the locker room, and I smile so hard my cheeks hurt when she dives into my arms with no hesitation. I guide her legs around my hips and spin us around, relishing in her exuberant laughter.
Jude watches us with a look of longing, and I feel for the guy.
He was just trying to protect Posey in his own misguided way and I can’t begrudge him for that, but I also can’t dismiss her feelings about it all when she’s rightfully hurt by his actions.
I have faith they’ll sort it out in their own time, but for now I am desperate to get my hands on this omega in a much less public setting.
The pride in her voice has me puffing my chest out.
“That was all for you, pretty girl,” I murmur in her ear.
I feel the shiver that runs through her and fight back a grin.
Knowing I have an effect on her is borderline intoxicating, even though the effect she has on me is ten times as potent.
I could probably come from her voice alone.
She yawns, resting her head on my shoulder.
It’s only 9 p.m., but between crying over Jude yesterday morning and then running through the school, a late night last night, a full day of classes today, and then sitting through a seven inning exhibition game, I’m sure she’s overwhelmed and exhausted.
I stroke her hair, whispering sweet nothings in her ear as she clings to me.
That longing look is still on Jude’s face, but he waves and hooks a thumb behind him.
I nod, letting him know I’ve got our girl and he’s okay to go home.
He has an early morning class and I’m sure a ton of reading to do before bed, plus I had already planned on taking my precious omega home and tucking her in.
I double check to make sure I have everything and then kiss Posey’s temple, taking a deep inhale of her scent. It’s definitely more subtle now than it was this morning, but there’s a distinctly distressed tinge to it still. “Come on, gorgeous.” I whisper. “Let’s get you home.”
The walk back to the Lighthouse is crowded but blessedly quick despite all the people heading out to post-game parties.
Several people try to stop me on the way, but I wave them off, not wanting to wake my girl.
The fact that she feels comfortable enough to fall asleep on me like this makes me feel like I’m on top of the world, and I don’t want anything to wake her up before she’s ready.
That plan is shot to hell when I reach her door and realize I have no idea where her keys are.
She looks so peaceful and I really don’t want to wake her, so I take the extra two steps and stop in front of our door instead.
The door is unlocked, likely because Jude predicted this and knew I’d be coming, so I’m able to enter without a sound.
Pax is asleep on the couch, Parker is most likely at work, and Jude’s door is closed, but it still feels like I’m holding my breath on the short walk to my room. I really hope Posey isn’t pissed off when she wakes up, but if she is I’ll take her home no matter what time it is.
My bedroom isn’t very big. After all, it’s not like you can get much space in a four bedroom apartment on a college campus, but thankfully it has just enough room to fit my custom bed and a couple of nightstands.
One of the downsides of being a big motherfucker is that regular beds don’t exactly work unless I feel like sleeping curled up in a ball.
I carefully pull back the covers and lay Posey down, admiring how good she looks in my bed.
It’s pretty common for packs to share a bedroom once they’re bonded, and I for one can’t fucking wait for that day.
Sleeping surrounded by the four people I love most in the world sounds like heaven, especially when one of those people is the tempting little omega currently snoozing on my pillow.
Her pink hair falls across the bed like a halo, the pastel color a stark contrast against the deep red sheets.
She’s sleeping peacefully, mouth open the slightest bit as tiny snores fall from her lips.
If I wasn’t already pushing the boundaries by bringing her here, I might be tempted to take a video to play as I fall asleep during away games. Like a Posey sound machine.
My boxer briefs stay on out of respect but the temptation of feeling my omegas bare skin against mine proves to be too much as I slip out of my tee and sweats, climbing into the bed with her and hauling her into my arms.
I fall asleep with Posey’s honeyed scent filling my lungs and the weight of my world in my arms, feeling completely whole for the first time in my life.