Page 45 of Undeniable
I’d forgotten how I loved this, and I silently scolded myself for throwing a pity party and giving Bailey a hard time about not wanting to come with her.
A yell leader howled through the speakers.
The people in the stadium followed suit, the howls exploding from every throat, primal and wild as if we were a pack of wolves following our alpha of the Lakemont pack.
The first drumbeat cut through the howls before the marching band appeared from the tunnel like fire spirits emerging through the fog on a humid night, their glow necklaces creating an ethereal light as they converged onto the field.
The second drumbeat was louder as the howls faded into the background.
The crowd began the wave as thousands of red-and-gold glow bracelets shone like embers, floating and flickering in the dim light.
The band began to play the school song as a spotlight blazed on one of the band members. A petite woman dressed in a crimson-and-red uniform held the mic in her hand as the stadium went silent.
“My pulse is banging in my ears,” Bails said.
Like her, I was caught up in the excitement as though someone had put a spell on me. The night sky was clear. The humid air was cool, and I felt as though I was in another world where magic happened and my problems vanished.
“From the heart of Texas,” the singer began. “Where the legends grow, Lakemont Wolves are ready. Let the whole world know.” She swung her mic around the stadium, giving fans their cue to howl.
Thousands of faces, including mine, were pointed at the sky as everyone howled at the moon, though if the moon was out, it wasn’t visible from where I was.
The singer continued, “Red and gold flying high and proud when the wolves are hunting, victory’s drawing near.”
The crowd erupted. HOWWWWWWWL!
Bailey leaned in. “I love this night.” Then she howled.
Each verse got louder as I got lost in the magnetism of a tradition that had dated back many years. My pulse raced, my heart thumping with every drumbeat. There was nowhere else I wanted to be than right here, howling my ass off. Because I felt weightless, free, and for the first time in forever, I was flying high.
Bails and I draped arms around each other, singing and swaying. I was sure the entire city of Lakemont could hear us and feel us too.
By the final verse, the singer yelled, “All together now!”
The stadium of fans shouted, “Go, Wolves! Go, Wolves! Let the howling ring! Lakemont pride in everything!”
As the song faded and the band marched off the field, the rustling and shifting of people leaving their seats resonated in the air.
“Come on,” Bails said too excitedly. “We want to stay on the outer perimeter. The players will circle the field before they pounce.”
I broke out with a wild laugh as whistles and howls once again blasted into the air.
The girl next to me said, “I think I might pass out.”
I had to agree with her. I felt like I’d taken enough Molly to forget where I was and what I was about to do. Then again, I’d never tried the drug. I’d only seen in movies what Molly could do to a person.
Bailey and I jumped over the railing.
My heart was in my throat as my feet touched the field.
Bailey grabbed my hand. “Let’s get closer to the tunnel.”
I yanked my hand out of Bailey’s. “No, we’ll stand right here. Near the tunnel, we’ll be squashed.”
“But I told Erik where I would be.”
Suddenly, my excitement bled out. “You did what? If he knows where you are, then Lucas will know too. Did you tell Erik I decided to come?”
“I promise I didn’t,” she said. “Please, just come with. The team doesn’t stick together. They’re running around. They only have ninety seconds.”
