"It’s time," Natalie said with such charged tone that Violet perked up from her seat, her chest tightening with excitement and nervousness. There was no denying the thrill that coursed through her veins, the anticipation almost too much to bear.
While this was just a scrimmage, and not an official match, it hardly felt like it. The stakes were equally high, the atmosphere high and the energy from the surrounding bleachers glaringly obvious.
Students cheered and howled across the field, shaking the air. Violet had never experienced anything like it. Her toes curled in her shoes as the excitement ran through her veins and settled deep in her chest.
Divided into two teams from amongst themselves, the players looked every bit as fierce and competitive as they would in a championship.
Alaric and Griffin were on the same team, a formidable duo with Alaric maintaining his role as the runner. His snow-white form was full of confidence as he lowered himself into a prepared stance, while Griffin loomed close by as his stalwart defender.
On the opposing side, Roman had taken up the same runner role and crouched in anticipation. Asher stood close by, his piercing eyes fixed intently on Alaric.
Violet couldn’t tear her gaze from Asher, her stomach turning. The tension between him and Alaric was so thick it was almost visible, a battle waging between them even before the game began.
It filled her with such unease because even a blind man could see that Asher had something to prove, and Violet couldn’t shake the feeling that Alaric was his target.
"And here we go," Natalie murmured, her gaze locked on the central pit. Her tone was ominous, as if she knew this game would be a battlefield.
The sharp whistle blew, splitting the air like a knife. Violet barely had time to process the sound before the players moved as one, their fur bristling, muscles coiling. The pit hissed loudly, steam shooting out as the Lunar Orb burst into the air like a firework, its glowing surface spinning wildly.
And then all hell broke loose.
Both teams launched themselves toward the Orb with ferocious snarls, colliding mid-field in a flurry of fur and muscles. It was chaos incarnate.
Violet’s breath caught as Alaric broke through the pack, his speed blinding as he leapt high above the rest. His mouth Gripper snapped securely onto the Orb with a satisfying click.
"Yes! Go, Alaric!" Violet shouted, jumping to her feet without realizing it.
But her voice was drowned out by the thunderous roar of the crowd as Alaric hit the ground running, pivoting sharply to avoid an incoming tackle. His movements were impossibly fast as he sprinted toward the opposing team’s side.
"Violet!" someone called, pulling her attention away for a moment.
She turned to see Lila approaching, her hands full of fan gear that was almost absurd. Two small flags, one blue with Alaric’s wolf emblem, and the other red with Griffin’s, fluttered in one hand. Around her neck was a scarf customized in Alaric’s blue, and in her other hand were pompoms sparkling with the same color. This had to be a nightmare.
Violet’s jaw dropped. "What... Lila, where did you even get those?"
Lila shoved the pompoms into her hands with no ceremony. "Come on, you ridgid peacock. Your boyfriend is on the field making moves, and you’re standing here like a statue. Cheer for him!"
Violet hesitated, the pompoms feeling strange and awkward in her hands. "I—I don’t..."
Her words faltered as she saw Lila’s glaring face. Violet swallowed. God, that girl was scary sometimes.
However, when Violet looked around, she saw she was not alone. The crowd was in a frenzy with students waving banners, flags, and scarves. Some had painted their faces, while others waved LED lights and wore customized jerseys. They blew whistles and air horns, their excitement spilling into every corner of the stadium.
Even the normally aloof elite students were caught up in the spirit, yelling themselves hoarse. Violet swallowed hard. There was no room for shyness here.
She began to shake the pompoms hesitantly, her movements stiff and awkward. Lila rolled her eyes but grinned, her own cheers deafening. However, it didn’t take long for Violet to catch the feverish energy around her, and soon she was shaking the pompoms with genuine enthusiasm.
On the field, Alaric moved like a storm, weaving effortlessly through defenders. The crowd erupted as his team executed three flawless passes, earning them a point. Violet didn’t even realize she had grabbed Lila until the two of them were jumping up and down, screaming in excitement.
"Now he just has to score!" Violet shouted, her heart hammering against her ribs as the Orb was passed back to Alaric.
Her voice trembled with both anxiety and exhilaration."Come on, thunderboy. Show us what you’re made of."
But just as Alaric crossed the scoreline, disaster struck. Asher came out of nowhere, a black blur slamming into Alaric’s side with bone-rattling force. Violet gasped as Alaric was sent sprawling, the Lunar orb slipping from his gripper and rolling loose across the ground.
The crowd groaned in unison, boos erupting from Alaric’s supporters. Asher, however, was unbothered. He snarled at the crowd, a defiant sound that might as well have been a taunt hurled at them. He then scooped up the Orb and passed it to Roman.
Roman caught the Orb mid-stride and bolted toward Alaric’s pit, his team rallying behind him in perfect formation. The green wolf might not be as fast as Alaric, but he was equally a force to be reckoned with as he dodged Alaric’s defenders
Alaric recovered quickly, letting out a deep, guttural snarl as he locked eyes with Asher. It was clear that Asher had targeted him intentionally, but this was a game after all.
The both wolves exchanged a silent challenge before breaking into a sprint with Asher going to support Roman, and Alaric intent on intercepting him.
Natalie turned to the now crestfallen Violet, her smirk showing no sympathy. "And that, my dear, is Fangball."