Fangball was definitely not for the faint-hearted. It was the second half, and while Alaric’s team had been shining brilliantly at first, their dominance had begun to wane.
Six to four.
Asher’s team held a two-point lead over their opponents, and the clock was ticking mercilessly. Five minutes had already slipped away in the second half, leaving just ten minutes for Alaric’s team to mount a comeback. Except time was not on their side.
"Ugh!"
Violet winced, shutting her eyes as Asher slammed into Alaric again with a force that seemed more personal than strategic.
This wasn’t just competition; it was a grudge match, and everyone in the crowd could see it. Asher’s gray eyes blazed with raw anger every time he targeted Alaric, and it was clear to Violet that he wasn’t just playing to win, but to hurt and humiliate him.
That damn bastard!
Violet’s hands clenched tightly, filled with frustration. Then she sighed with resignation knowing this was all her fault. Asher was punishing Alaric for daring to lay a claim on her publicly.
Alaric probably knew that as well which was why he took hit after hit, but that didn’t make Violet feel any better. Not when she planned on breaking up with him afterwards.
Violet glared at Asher with anger. Just wait until this game is over, you bastard. You’ll get what’s coming to you.
Thankfully, Alaric stood his ground, although he was slower now, weariness beginning to creep in from the relentless battering.
Realizing the need to change tactics, he passed the lunar orb to Finn, one of his chasers and his trusted beta. Finn darted off immediately, the glowing orb secure in his gripper, while Alaric sprinted behind him to cover his back.
Griffin, who was supposed to defend him, was locked in a brutal battle, bracing himself against three wolves that tackled him from all sides knowing he was a major obstacle. But he growled, the sound rumbling like thunder as he tried to shake them off, buying Finn the space he needed to advance.
Despite Alaric’s team’s discipline and strategy, Asher’s side was fearless and reckless. Their own recklessness bordered on dangerous. They left their pit completely unguarded, focusing all their energy on stopping their opponents from scoring. It was a high-risk strategy, but it was working.
At this point, Alaric’s fans were on edge as they cheered and encouraged Finn out of desperation. Violet couldn’t help but join them, anxious as well.
Finn sprinted toward the goal line, unattacked. The path was clear, completely empty. The crowd erupted in cheers, anticipation surging like a wave as he closed the distance. But just as he reached the line, a sharp beeping sound came from the Lunar Orb.
Oh fuck.
His eyes widened, understanding why Asher’s people had not given chase. He didn’t have a choice but to drop the Orb just seconds before it detonated in a small burst of fragments.
The crowd groaned in collective disappointment, their raves replaced by frustrated sighs. Violet sank back into her seat, her heart sinking as well just as the referee’s whistle signaled a reset.
The Lunar Orb was designed to explode after three minutes of no score, forcing both teams to start again from the neutral zone.
"There’s no more time," Lila announced anxiously, her gaze shifting to the countdown clock.
Six minutes remained to close the gap and take the win. Except the seconds were slipping away faster than she could count.
Natalie crossed her arms, studying the field. "They have to pull something big now, or it’s over," she said matter-of-factly.
"But it’s not impossible. If they could score enough passes, they could beat Asher’s team. But Asher would not stay still and do nothing. Such a routine is predictable and easy to break. Not to mention, scoring points based on successful passes is time consuming. Time might run out on them even if they executed it."
Violet didn’t respond, her attention fixed on Alaric sprinting back to the neutral zone, to prepare for the reset. His white fur was matted with sweat and dirt, his chest rising and falling heavily.
Although Alaric and Griffin looked pretty determined, the same couldn’t be said for his team. They were losing morale and Violet couldn’t blame them.
Even as an audience, the repeated setbacks, the relentless pressure, and Asher’s unending assaults frustrated her beyond words. It was quite unfortunate that the spark that had carried them through the first half was fading. But Violet could not let that happen.
Violet whipped her head toward Lila, determination in her eyes. "Where can I get one of Alaric Storm’s jerseys?"she asked, urgently.
Lila’s face lit up at once, a mischievous grin spreading across her lips as though she already knew what Violet was planning.
Lila didn’t even waste a moment as she dashed toward another section of the bleachers. Violet watched as she approached a girl proudly wearing Alaric’s jersey, his name boldly displayed across the front.
Lila leaned in and spoke into her ears, so she could be heard over the noise of the crowd. "Sorry, but the Purple Storm might have a need for this."
The girl froze, her eyes widening. "Violet?" she asked, glancing past Lila as though trying to confirm the identity of the person asking.
With a quick shrug, she pulled off the jersey and handed it over, looking almost giddy to be part of the moment.
"Thank you." Lila appreciated her and returned back.
"Thank you so much, Lila. What would I do without you?"Violet said quickly and took it.
As the players crouched in anticipation of the Lunar Orb’s launch, Violet grabbed the jersey, threw it over her head, and jumped down from the bleachers. The crowd murmured in confusion, their attention now divided between the field and the bold girl standing on the sidelines.
Taking a deep breath, Violet cupped her hands around her mouth and yelled at the top of her lungs. "Alaric!"
Everyone d turned toward her.
Not just the humans, but the wolves froze, their glowing eyes snapping to the figure standing on the edge of the field. Alaric himself whipped his head toward her, his ears perking up as he locked onto her.
Then Violet did something no one expected.
With all eyes on her, Violet launched into an impromptu cheerleader-style dance. She started with a dramatic hair flip, letting her hair swing wildly before she bent her knees and began shaking her hips in exaggerated circles.
Her arms went up, mimicking a cheerleader’s pom-pom wave, while her feet shuffled clumsily in what might have been an attempt at a sidestep.
Lila, ever the loyal partner in chaos, leapt down beside her, joining in as a backup dancer. Unfortunately, their moves were completely out of sync since there was no practice. While Violet was shaking her waist to the left, Lila was thrusting to the right. When Violet did a dramatic spin, Lila tried —and failed — to mimic it, nearly falling on her ass.
It was chaotic. It was ridiculous. And exactly what everyone needed.
The crowd burst into laughter. Even the wolves on the field seemed stunned, some of them cocking their heads in confusion while others let out soft, rumbling growls that sounded like chuckles. The tension that had gripped the game moments ago was suddenly replaced with lighthearted amusement.
But Violet didn’t care that she was making a fool of herself. She owned Alaric that at least. Hence she stayed committed. She bent low, rolled her hips as she swung her arms over her head, and ended the routine with a dramatic leap into a split that had the crowd gasping.
For a moment, the entire field was silent. Then Violet sprang up, threw her arms in the air, and yelled, "Go thunderboy!"
This embarrassment would stay with her for eternity. But whatever.
"Yeah, go thunderteam!" Lila added, pumping her fists in the air, slightly out of breath.
Then the crowd roared to life, a wave of applause and cheers sweeping through the bleachers. The energy was back, brighter and louder than before, the sound deafening.
Violet turned toward Alaric, smiling. His glowing blue eyes were fixed on her, and she couldn’t see his mouth fully due to the mouth gripper, but the corner lifted in what she could only describe as a wolfish grin.
Yes, she didn’t know what wolves looked like when they smiled, but she was certain that was one. It had the same energy as when he was hungry, yet there was something warm behind it that made her heart skip a beat.
But not all the wolves were amused. A certain black-furred wolf stood rigid, his slitted gray eyes burning with barely restrained fury. His ears flattened slightly, his tail flicking with irritation as his muscles tensed. It seemed no matter what he did, his purple queen was intent on defying him.
But Violet didn’t flinch from his stare. If anything, she lifted her chin defiantly. Whatever Asher thought, she didn’t care. This moment was for her thunderboy. And she hoped as hell he lost this match.