Zane’s POV
“Why the hell is she smiling at them?”
Tyler and I had barely stepped back into the VIP lounge before my eyes locked on her again. The staff had cleared the wreckage, set a new table with drinks, even stacked the plates like nothing had happened. None of it mattered.
My secret was out. Tyler knew, which meant Vivian did too. Saying it aloud—Mabel is my mate—made something inside me unclench. But it didn’t change the fact that she was down there with everyone else. Not with me.
I moved to the rail and leaned forward. The field below was alive with noise, shouts, and laughter. She was in the middle of it, black ears bouncing as she laughed at something one of the players said.
Her smile hit me in the chest.
And it stung like hell that it wasn’t mine.
Those idiots from the soccer team had her full attention. They held her hands like she was a prize, and she let them. T
Mabel’s POV & Zane’s POV“Do we really have to do this here?” I whispered to Ronan as I stepped onto the field, hundreds of eyes burning into my back.“Yeah. You’ll be fine. I’m counting on you.” He gave my shoulder a quick pat before jogging off.My heart slammed against my ribs. Left standing in the center, surrounded by five of our guys and five from the Midnight Guardians, I wanted to melt into the ground.And then Finch knelt in front of me.He took my hand, his head bent low, lips brushing the fur of my palm like this was some dramatic proposal. Gasps rippled through the stands. I stiffened, forcing my face blank, even though my cheeks burned hot enough to fry an egg.“Finch—” My voice cracked.He pressed his forehead to my hand. “I dedicate this goal to Mabel, our team spirit.” His eyes flicked up at me with a grin. “Wish me
Zane’s POV“Why the hell is she smiling at them?”Tyler and I had barely stepped back into the VIP lounge before my eyes locked on her again. The staff had cleared the wreckage, set a new table with drinks, even stacked the plates like nothing had happened. None of it mattered.My secret was out. Tyler knew, which meant Vivian did too. Saying it aloud—Mabel is my mate—made something inside me unclench. But it didn’t change the fact that she was down there with everyone else. Not with me.I moved to the rail and leaned forward. The field below was alive with noise, shouts, and laughter. She was in the middle of it, black ears bouncing as she laughed at something one of the players said.Her smile hit me in the chest.And it stung like hell that it wasn’t mine.Those idiots from the soccer team had her full attention. They held her hands like she was a prize, and she let them. T
Zane’s POV"You call that fine?" I snapped at Vivian through the mind-link, my chest tight as I stared at the field.Mabel laughed while a line of sweaty men knelt in front of her, each one brushing his lips over her hand like she was their queen. My nails dug into my palms. Every kiss felt like someone carving me open from the inside."I know as much as you do," Vivian answered calmly.Her calm only made it worse. My wolf stayed silent, a void where his voice should be, and for the first time in years I felt completely alone. With Mabel, I usually had peace. Now I felt nothing but fire and ice tearing through me.I muttered in my head. Not a good idea. Not a good idea. If I stormed out there, grabbed her, dragged her away… the whole stadium would see."Go down there and tell them to stop," I ordered Vivian.She rolled her eyes. "How, exactly? Without making a scene? You told me to make sure she
Mabel’s POV “Hold still, Iver. You’ll bruise worse if you move.”I pressed the ice pack tighter against his leg. He sat on the stretcher with that crooked grin that made me want to roll my eyes.“There’s no need to be so careful,” he said. “The doc numbed me up good. I can’t feel a thing.”I shot him a look. “The numbness will fade. If I hurt you now, you’ll feel it later.”He chuckled and shook his head, watching me with lazy amusement. For someone injured mid-match, he seemed far too relaxed.Everyone else stayed locked on the game. Ronan barked orders. Trav rushed along the sideline, medical kit open. The roar of the crowd rolled over us, but here, in this pocket, it felt like Iver and I were cut off from the noise.He leaned forward suddenly, dropping his voice. “Where’d you disappear last night? One second we were dancing,
Zane’s POV “You should find her and make sure she’s fine.”I kept my voice sharp over the mind-link, but Vivian’s answer came back cool.“What about her?”My fingers curled into fists under the table. Every muscle in my chest itched to move, to do something. “Vivian.”“She’s a big girl,” she said. “I’m sure she’s fine.”“You’re disobeying me?” My aura slipped, a warning pulse that made nearby Alphas glance my way. I forced it down before anyone noticed too much.Vivian stiffened. Brave, stubborn, but not stupid. She knew one wrong move could split me from Tyler, and none of us wanted that.Still, she wasn’t giving me what I needed. Not about Mabel.“Calm down, Alpha,” Vivian said with an even tone, her words more formal now. “You don’t want your guests suspectin
Mabel’s POV“Coach, wait up!”Ronan froze mid-step as a teenage girl hurried toward him, her ponytail bouncing. She was clutching something against her chest like she couldn’t wait to drop it.Ronan squinted past her, as if expecting someone else. “Where’s Rosie?”The girl’s cheeks flushed. “I’m sorry, Coach. My sister… she found her mate last night.”His shoulders sagged. “So she won’t make it?”She shook her head, guilt flashing in her eyes. She shoved the bundle into his hands, muttered an apology, and darted away before he could say anything else.Ronan stared down at the scraps of cloth and ribbons she’d left behind. His jaw tightened as he dragged his feet to the bench. He dropped onto it with a groan. “I hope this isn’t a sign for the rest of the day.”I leaned closer to Nena. “Who&rsq