Punt: A British Bad Boy Football Romance

by Vivian Wood

  Maddie walked the length of the gym, noticing little things here and there: wear and tear on the weight benches, areas where the carpet was worn and fraying at the edges, even a broken mirror on the wall that had never been taken down.

  Shaking her head, Maddie puzzled over why the Bunker was in such poor repair. She turned over several possibilities in her mind as she walked to the mess hall, her stomach rumbling. Checking her watch, she saw that it was only one in the afternoon. Still lunchtime, she thought with relief.

  When she swung open the door, Maddie found every single pack member staring directly at her. After a second, each male forced his gaze away, making her feel even more conspicuous.

  “Over here, Madd,” Jasper said, standing and waving her over to his table. He sat with Gwen and two other males, all avoiding looking at her. Maddie nodded and headed over to him, feeling horribly out of place.

  “I’ll grab you a tray,” Jasper offered. Maddie noticed that even Jasper refused to look her in the eye, and her stomach fluttered. What the hell was with everyone today?

  Jasper stalked off toward a folding table, where a small buffet was set up. Maddie looked over to Gwen and raised a questioning brow.

  “He told the males not to so much as look at you,” Gwen replied.

  “He what?” Maddie asked, flustered. She felt heat rise in her cheeks at the thought of Jasper commanding the pack about something so personal.

  “Yeah, he’s acting a little overprotective,” the other woman said, her irritation obvious.

  Maddie frowned, feeling irritated herself. She wanted to talk to Jasper about it, but not in front of Gwen and the whole pack. It wouldn’t help matters if Maddie to undermined the Alpha in front of everyone, no matter what their relationship might be in private. Maddie pulled out a chair and sat down, trying not to look as ticked off as she felt.

  Jasper returned, placing a cafeteria tray in front of Maddie and reclaiming his seat next to her. Maddie looked down at the tray to find several large brown lumps, with a pile of greyish-white sludge and a bit of yellowish liquid on the side. Maddie blanched, looking up to find everyone else eating the same thing.

  Maddie couldn’t help comparing the Bunker to the Den again, thinking about the incredibly great woodfire-grilled steaks, decadent pastas, savory crepes, and other dishes that the Den regularly served up. The Den did all the cooking with flair, plus any maintenance, cleaning, or other services the pack needed. They never needed to worry that fresh towels would get to the gym every day, or whether the fax machines would malfunction, or any of that. The Den simply did it all.

  Clearly, that was not the case at the Bunker. Maddie looked over at Jasper, who was also staring down at his tray as if trying to guess at the contents of his meal.

  Pushing her tray away, Maddie stood up. Everyone looked at her, and then pointedly looked away again.

  “Jas?” she asked, pasting a smile on her face.

  “Mm?” he said, poking at his food with a fork.

  “Can I have a word with you in the hallway?” she asked, trying to keep her tone light. Jasper cleared his throat and stood, dropping his fork. He shrugged and followed Maddie out the main door into the corridor. She waited until the door slammed closed behind them, trying to decide what to bring up first.

  “I know you have a lot of questions,” Jasper said holding up a hand as if to ward off the tongue lashing he sensed coming.

  “You’re damned right I do. Why is no one looking at me or speaking to me except you and Gwen?” Maddie asked, crossing her arms and narrowing her eyes dangerously.

  “I might have gone a little overboard in the pack meeting this morning,” Jasper admitted, rubbing the back of his neck.

  “Gwen said you told them they’re not allowed to look at me! Do you know how weird that feels?” Maddie said, exasperated.

  “It’s better than almost getting raped,” Jasper snapped, his face heating with anger.

  “How have we come to the point where those are my options?” Maddie asked, putting her hands on her hips.

  “It’s reality.”

  “That is not a good way to handle the situation! You can’t just go around dictating who I talk to, it’s totally irrational. Besides, I think you’ve made it clear what happens to anyone who attempts to hurt me.”

  “I’m doing the best I can, okay? I’ve never had to protect a female from something like this before. There’s never been anyone to protect!” he said, throwing up his hands.

  27

  “Just… okay. I see why you did it. But next time let’s talk it over before you decide something that affects me like that, Jas.” Maddie cocked her head, trying to get a sense of what he was feeling and thinking.

  “Fine,” he said, his jaw tensing. He didn’t like taking orders from anyone, even when she was being as nice as she knew how to be. He turned to go back into the mess hall, but Maddie stopped him.

  “That’s not why I pulled you out here.”

  Jasper hesitated before he turned to face her.

  “What’s going on with this place? The food is disgusting, there are no lights anywhere, the gym is all run down…” Maddie ticked off the problems on her fingers.

  Jasper was silent for a long moment, studying her face. At last he sighed and shook his head.

  “We’re not sure. Things have been this way for several years, since before… since Ennis was still Alpha. Gwen thinks he messed around with the Faery magic that makes up the Bunker, screwed it up somehow.”

  “So, what, Ennis does some mumbo jumbo and suddenly the food tastes bad and the lights get dimmer? That doesn’t make sense,” Maddie said.

  “It’s not that. The Bunker no longer makes any food, so the pack takes turns cooking meals. Obviously today is a poor example of the concept.”

  “And the lights and everything else?”

  “The Bunker doesn’t do maintenance anymore, either. We catch up with it when we can. Basically the only thing that still works is the cloaking shield, and even that can be hit or miss sometimes.”

  “Who’s in charge of organizing maintenance and meals and all this stuff? Your procurer?” Maddie asked.

  “We haven’t had a procurer in years,” Jasper admitted, rubbing his neck again.

  “You— you haven’t—” Maddie broke off, the pieces suddenly coming together. The military uniforms, the dead lightbulbs, the lack of personal flair in the dorms. There was no one to order and bring in the most basic necessities, much less personal items for the pack members.

  Maddie closed her eyes for a moment, calling on the fragility of their truce to keep herself from shouting at him. It wasn’t exactly negligence, but it wasn’t a good way to run a pack either. No doubt Ennis McDonough had driven off the last procurer, and Jasper had simply never appointed a new one.

  “Okay,” she said, opening her eyes again. “Okay. This is something I can fix.”

  When Jasper looked at her with a blank expression, Maddie stomped her foot and huffed.

  “Look. You and Gwen obviously have your hands full with trying to control the pack and the security business. You have no procurer, and no one around to fix all the little things that need doing. I, on the other hand, have nothing do to. If I’m going to be here, I might as well be useful.”

  Jasper pursed his lips, weighing the idea.

  “If that’s what you want,” he conceded at last.

  “It’s not about what I want,” she started, pointing a finger at him. “And don’t you try to get me off topic.”

  Jasper shrugged, noncommittal.

  “I’m going to need someone to assist me. And access to the pack’s funds. What’s my budget like?” she asked, already starting a mental checklist of items to be purchased.

  “We have more money than we could ever spend, but…” Jasper trailed off.

  “But what, Jasper? This is not an optional service. These Shifters aren’t in the military, they’re part of a pack. A pack is like a family, each personality brings some
thing to the table. How can your pack serve you if they’re not allowed to have their own personality, their own belongings?” Maddie asked, flinging an arm to indicate the blandness of the gymnasium.

  “I was just going to request that someone I trust be the one to escort you. Kellan, or Kopelli. Just to be on the safe side,” he said, cocking an eyebrow in response to her outburst.

  “Fine!” she huffed, giving him a scowl for no reason other than the fact that she’d been enjoying being the reasonable one for a minute there.

  Jasper looked amused for a second, shaking his head. Maddie’s face flushed and she glared down at her feet.

  “Are you coming back in?” he asked, waving a hand toward the mess hall.

  “No. I think I’m going to visit Sadie,” Maddie said.

  Jasper’s head snapped up.

  “The human?”

  Maddie nodded.

  “I was thinking that she’s probably scared out of her mind, and lonely on top of that. I want to make sure she knows that we’re going to take care of her.”

  Jasper’s eyebrows raised, surprised.

  “I’ve never known you to be nice to a human,” he said.

  Maddie shrugged, looking down at her feet.

  “This is a special scenario. If the girl gets too freaked out, she’ll run. If she leaves our protection, someone’s probably going to start asking questions about her getting knocked up and disappearing for a while. It’s better for the pack if she stays here with us, and easier if it’s of her own volition.”

  “That’s smart,” Jasper said, impressed.

  “I do have good ideas from time to time,” Maddie said with a smirk.

  “Do you want me to come with you to greet the girl?”

  “No. I think she might be more comfortable with a female. Other than Gwen, I mean. Gwen probably scared her worse than anyone.”

  Jasper chuckled, nodding in agreement.

  “Alright, then. Let me know if I can help with anything.”

  Maddie nodded, thinking aloud.

  “Actually, you can. I think we should get a more comfortable room set up for Sadie. Somewhere other than the infirmary, I mean.”

  “In the dormitories? Do you think that’s a good idea?” Jasper asked, frowning.

  “Let’s set her up in the room next to Kellan’s. He can guard her easily that way, and she can get to him anytime she wants. It will give her a sense of security. Maybe even help them bond a little.”

  Jasper cocked his head, giving Maddie a considering look.

  “What?” she asked, raising a brow.

  “Nothing. It’s just… you’re good at this.”

  “I’ve trained as a procurer with the Louisiana pack,” she said with a shrug.

  “No, not that. I meant that you’re a good Beta. A natural.”

  Maddie didn’t know how to respond, flushing at his compliment and his reference to her as his Beta wolf. She let the moment draw out, her tongue in knots. Finally Jasper gave her a soft smile and turned to leave.

  “I’ll get the room cleared for the girl,” he said.

  “Sadie. Let’s call her by her name,” Maddie said.

  Jasper’s smile broadened, revealing that dimple Maddie had come to love so well.

  “As you wish, mate.”

  He headed back to the dining hall, leaving Maddie to wonder what he could be thinking. Shaking her head, she decided that she’d probably grow old before she ever really understood what went on in Jasper’s head.

  Rather than think on it any longer, Maddie took a deep breath and headed to the infirmary.

  28

  Maddie knocked softly on the infirmary door. When no response came, she pushed the door open and stepped into the space. The large room was set up with four hospital beds, each with a curtain that could be pulled for privacy. At the moment, only one curtain was closed. Everything was stark white and spotless, reminding Maddie of an emergency room. Not the most friendly atmosphere, to be certain.

  Clearing her throat, Maddie hesitated.

  “Sadie?” she asked, uncertain.

  A sniffle came from behind the curtain, then a quiet voice answered.

  “Yes?”

  “My name is Maddie. Can I come in?”

  “O-okay,” the girl replied.

  Maddie stepped up and pulled the curtain aside. The human girl sat cross-legged on the hospital bed, huddled under a number of blankets. She was younger even than Maddie had expected; no more than twenty-one at the most.

  The other surprise was her beauty. She had fine, delicate features and soft olive skin. Immense cocoa eyes, rimmed with tears, were framed by dark lashes. The girl’s dark hair was waist length, longer and fuller than any Maddie had ever seen. It spilled about hers slight frame, making Sadie seem even younger.

  “Can I sit with you? I thought we could talk for a few minutes,” Maddie said, gesturing to the bed. The girl nodded, running the back of her hand against her cheek to brush away a stray tear. She shivered, which made Maddie notice how cool the room was. Shifters were mostly hot-blooded, and clearly no one had thought enough to turn the temperature up for the human.

  “Just a second,” Maddie said, looking around. She spotted a thermostat on the wall after a brief search, and cranked up the heat.

  “It should warm up in here in a few minutes,” Maddie said, turning back and taking a seat next to the girl on the hospital bed.

  “Thanks,” the girl replied. Her voice was flat, toneless.

  “So…” Maddie started, awkward. Silence lapsed for a few moments while she gathered her thoughts. “I’m not really sure where to start. I know you must have a lot of questions.”

  The girl shrugged, looking down at where her hands lay twisted against her rounded belly.

  “We’re going to move you out of here,” Maddie offered, deciding to start with the changes first.

  “To where?” the girl asked, shooting Maddie a nervous glance.

  “To an actual room. It’s creepy in here,” Maddie said. “Besides, you deserve some privacy.”

  “Oh.”

  “Don’t worry, though. I’m going to move you next door to Kellan. He’s going to watch out for you.”

  “Oh,” the girl said again, a blush creeping across her cheeks.

  “Is that okay? I can get someone else for you if you want,” Maddie offered.

  “No! I mean… I—I think Kellan is fine,” the girl stammered.

  “He seems really nice. I don’t really know him, but Jasper says he is a good protector,” Maddie said.

  At the girl’s questioning look, Maddie rushed to explain.

  “Jasper is the Alpha, the head of this group. I’m his mate. Wife, I guess you could say.”

  “Oh. That’s nice?” the girl said, almost asking a question.

  Maddie sighed.

  “It’s complicated. But I’m new here, too. I’ve only been here a few days.”

  “But you’re… one of them?” the girl asked, blushing.

  Maddie smiled, nodding.

  “Yep. I’m from New Orleans, though. You know more about these males than I do, honestly.”

  The girl’s eyes dropped to her pregnant belly.

  “I’m not going to ask you about that. If you want to tell me anything about it, you can. But I won’t pry,” Maddie assured her.

  Sadie looked up at her, a sad half-smile appearing.

  “You’re the only one who doesn’t want to know,” the girl said.

  Maddie nodded.

  “It’s not my place to punish whoever did this to you. I’d rather help in other ways.”

  “Like what?”

  “I want to get you settled in here. You’ll need clothes, and eventually you’ll need things for the baby. I don’t know, whatever you need. Even if it’s just someone to talk to.”

  Sadie nodded, silent but thoughtful.

  “Is my baby going to be like… like you?” she asked.

  “A Shifter, you mean?”

  Sadi
e nodded.

  “I can’t say for certain, but I think so. Our genes are very dominant.”

  “Does it hurt when you become a wolf?” the girl blurted, anxiety plain on her face.

  “Not at all. It feels really good. Like when you wake up from a nap and you stretch your muscles. It feels a lot like that.”

  Sadie looked relieved.

  “That’s good. I didn’t like to think that my baby would be hurting all the time,” she said.

  “We don’t start to Shift until puberty anyway, so that’s a long way off.”

  “I guess there’s no instruction manual for humans having Shifter babies, is there?” the girl joked. Maddie chuckled, shaking her head.

  “No, but you’re not the only human carrying a Shifter child. My brother’s mate is human, and she just found out that she’s expecting.”

  “Really?” Sadie asked, perking up.

  “Yeah. Her name is Tessa. She’s a little scared too, but I think she’s excited. She and my brother really love each other.”

  “That must be nice,” Sadie said, her voice quiet.

  Maddie cocked her head, a thought forming in her mind.

  “I could give you Tessa’s phone number or email address if you’d like to talk to her about baby stuff.”

  “I don’t have a cell phone or a computer,” Sadie said.

  “No big deal. I’ll get you whatever you need. You don’t have to be cut off from the outside world here. The pack just wants to make sure you’ll keep our secret and that the baby will be with his or her own kind. We don’t want to imprison or punish you.”

  At Sadie’s skeptical expression, Maddie sighed.

  “The males — they just don’t know what to do with you. It might take a little time, but we’ll find a middle ground. I promise.”

  Maddie felt Sadie’s uncertain gaze, felt the girl taking her measure. After a long moment, she nodded.

  “Okay.”

  “Alright.” Maddie stood, ready to start working on her other projects.