Page 31 of Baseball and Shifters

“I know you’re ready to run, Firefly, and that’s okay. Just one thing before you go. Will you go on a date with Lucas and I tomorrow night? You don’t have to answer now, but if you want to, meet us in the lobby of the boys dorm tomorrow at six.”

She bites her lip and I have to fight the groan that wants to slip free.

My mate is so damn sexy.

“I’ll… I’ll think about it,” she finally says and I smile.

It wasn’t a no.

“That’s all I ask, Firefly.” I take a step back, giving her the space she needs to escape.

She doesn’t waste a second, fleeing down the hall. But just before she disappears through the door, she glances back. And that one look is all I need.

Rachel

If someone had told me a month ago that in just a few weeks I would not only be away from my father’s house, but also going to college and potentially gaining my freedom, I would have been ecstatic. However, if they’d also told me it would take less than two weeks of being on campus before I found not one, but two of my four mates, I wonder if I would have even come. That thought alone is enough to nearly break my heart. I may have never wanted mates but now that I have two of them, the thought of losing them makes my chest feel heavy and my stomach flip.

Could I actually want my mates?

No, that’s a dangerous thought. I can’t even protect myself from my father. How am I supposed to protect them too? My swirling thoughts overwhelm my system as I sprint for the treeline. As soon as I’m beyond the trees, I let the shift take over.Once in fox form, I curl up in the back of our shared mind and let her take over for now.

Try as I might to relax and forget about everything going on as I give up control of my body, my brain just won’t shut up. As we run, I catch sight of my tails. Only two of my fox tails remain the same. My once-uniform auburn tails now clash against the newest one, banded in bold black stripes over vivid orange fur. The one I’ve already seen matches Lucas’s wolf, so this second one obviously matches Bastian’s tiger.

Well, Father always wanted me to be a tiger. Now I have a tiger tail. That has to count for something, right?

Would Father forgive me if he knew one of my mates is a tiger?

Unlikely. Besides, if he did, I’m sure it would have strings. He may say I could keep my tiger if I rejected all my other mates.

That thought is worse than losing all of them. Having to choose one of my mates over the others would surely kill me. I already feel an undeniable pull to Lucas and we’ve barely spent any time together. I can’t imagine breaking our bond. There’s no scenario in which that ends well for me.

I had hoped I could avoid this very situation by never finding my mates. But even as vigilant as I’ve been, it appears destiny wouldn’t allow it. It was silly to think my luck would hold out forever. I should’ve known it was only a matter of time before fate stepped in.

I always thought finding my mates would be awful. A death sentence for all of us. And I’ve allowed that fear to dictate my actions since I was a little girl. But whenever I’m in their presence, I can’t help but feel a glimmer of peace. It’s stupid, but I can’t help but wonder what life would be like if I could have them. We don’t even know each other, but the little time I’ve spent with each of them in private has made me feel things I’ve only read about.

When Bas asked me to go on a date with them I was shocked, but with him standing so close, it was hard to remember all the threats my father has hurled at me over the years. I wanted so badly to say yes. But then Father’s voice filled my ears.

“You do not want to accidentally discover any of your mates. You will not like the consequences.”

Bastian wants me to go against years of conditioning and I don’t think I have it in me. I’m not strong enough to go against Father’s wishes. He’s already stopped by the academy unannounced once. He caught me in between classes and I don’t know how he knew but he was convinced I was hiding something from him. At least my mark from Lucas is easily covered. I’m not sure what he would’ve done if he’d known I found my first mate. What if the next time he finds out about Lucas and Bastian? I haven’t even seen the mark Bastian left. Based on Lucas’s, I can only imagine how noticeable it is.

That thought spurs me into action. It is time to head back to my room and come clean with the girls. Maybe they can help me figure out how to cover this mark and deal with my mates. Coming back to the forefront of our shared mind, I stand and jump out of the pile of leaves we were rolling in and make my way back towards the dorms.

I shift back as the edge of the tree line comes into view. I’m becoming addicted to these runs. I’ve let my fox free more since I moved here than I have in all my years at the manor. For the first time in my life, I actually feel safe to do so.

“There you are,” Trent’s smarmy voice startles me and he laughs when I jump at his unexpected arrival. “I’ve been waiting for you to come out of hiding. You’ve gotten good at avoiding me, sneaky little fox. But after what I heard at practice the other night, I’ve decided this little cat and mouse game is tiring. It’s past time I get my hands on you.” He reaches out to touch me with a wicked smile playing on his face.

I jump back, dodging and narrowly avoiding his touch.

“What are you talking about?” I stammer.

“You mate by touch. Means it’ll be easy to tell your mine.” He smirks and my stomach drops. “I see you’ve added another sucker to your harem. Such a slut.”

He tsks and shakes his head as he circles me like a shark. I cower slightly under his predatory gaze. When he’s standing in front of me again he stops facing me and cocks his head slightly.

“Hell, you don’t even need my mark. If you want another dick, I’m more than happy to show you mine’s better than theirs.” He moves faster than I expect as he leaps across the distance between us.

Suddenly a massive black wolf explodes from the trees, dark fur bristling, muscles rippling as he launches himself into Trent. I stagger back as Trent flies like a ragdoll, and the wolf plants himself in front of me, a low, rolling growl rattling in his chest. Scrambling to his feet, Trent scurries away, but not before shouting, “this isn’t over.”

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