Page 359 of His Hungry Wolf

His Cursed Mate

Preface

Titus

Entering the stands of the practice facility, I wondered if I had made a mistake. Watching Nero go through training camp with his new NFL team, it took me back to my best times in high school. Sure, I was never the player that Nero was, but the comradery, the competition, I missed it.

I really didn’t give my time on East Tennessee State’s team a fair shot. I clearly didn’t give it all I had. I’m a wolf shifter. Other than Nero, everyone else on the team was human. It didn’t feel right to go all out.

In high school there were more than just two of us and the rest of the team knew what we were. It felt different at East Tennessee. But sitting in the stands seeing everything I missed out on, it feels like I should have done more…

“Woah!” I said as Nero’s head snapped back after getting a forearm to the neck by a mountain of a man. “What was that?” I asked no one in particular.

Settling myself a few feet from the other spectators, I watched Nero gather himself. He wasn’t known for his ability to control his temper. But I had to give him credit. Training camp had been grueling and never ending. The old Nero would have shifted by now and ripped out someone’s throat. I didn’t know how he was staying under control.

Nero looked like he was about to explode as he stared down the guy who cheap-shot him.

“Stay calm, Nero. Hold it together,” I said under my breath.

Nero looked up into the stands. He heard me. It was an impressive distance. He had to be a hair’s breath away from shifting. Was I about to witness the end of his career before it even started?

No. Brushing himself off, Nero gathered himself and retook his position on the back line.

The next play had again been run for Nero. This time he cross-stepped another player, jabbed, and then darted toward the open field. He was almost free and clear until Mr. Cheap-shot came out of nowhere and took out Nero’s feet.

“Did anyone see that?” I yelled jumping to my feet. “This is training camp. He can’t be taking out his legs like that. This is insane!”

Apparently Nero agreed, because instead of just taking it like he had the last time, he ripped off his helmet and went after him. It took half the team to separate them. In the end, Nero let them.

It was unbelievable how much restraint he was showing. I don’t even know if I could resist shifting after a dirty play like that. But Nero did. He was a better wolf than I was even if it didn’t stop his coach from sending Nero to the showers.

“You’re new here, aren’t you?” a guy said from beside me.

“What?” I snapped turning towards him.

“That’s your buddy down there?” the guy asked with a smile.

“Yeah. What about it?”

“You should let him know that he’s playing with Big Mac.”

“Who? The guy with the cheap shots?”

“It’s best if your friend keeps out of his way.”

“Maybe Big Mac should say out of my friend’s way. He doesn’t know who he’s dealing with.”

“I don’t think Big Mac cares,” he said with a chuckle.

I looked back at the field focusing on Big Mac. Yeah, the man was big. But so what? Nero’s wolf was bigger. Nero had to be thinking the same thing because waiting for him in the truck after practice, Nero entered still boiling.

“Not yet,” Nero said as I reached for the ignition.

“What’s going on?”

“You were watching, right?”

“You talking about the last two plays?”