Chapter 16: To be his.

Haisley's POV:

I didn’t listen to Amelia as she tried to stop me. I raced towards Luca, ignoring the protests of those around me. 

“Hey, Luca,” I reached him and, much to my surprise, he was lying awake. “Luca?”

“I knew you would come for me,” his usually annoying smirk graced his lips and, for the first time, I didn’t feel irked about it. 

“I am okay, I promise.” Luca said as he was carried by a troller. The game momentarily passed. None of his teammates were willing to play without their captain.

I stood at the last corner of the field, feeling the cool wind whip through my hair as I stared at Luca being carried away. I shifted my gaze to see the rival school, whose coach kept on arguing that someone could get hurt, it's a game and it must continue.

It had been a cruel moment—seeing him on the ground, injured, surrounded by his teammates, and hearing the concerned murmurs from everyone around. For a moment, I had thought I might lose him. My thoughts had spun like a whirlwind, and the thought of him being hurt, not just physically but in a way that kept him from playing, had made my heart sink deeper than I could explain.

I was worried about Luca, I wanted to be by his side and make sure he was okay. I hurried to the care center and saw Luca. When he had caught my eyes in the care center, lying on that stretcher and giving me that look—one filled with something I couldn’t quite understand, maybe a hint of relief or even something more. 

Staring wildly around to see if anyone would catch me, I turned and ran towards where the paramedics took him. The room was empty, except for Luca. 

“You care for me, I knew it.” Luca said with a teasing smile, his voice barely above a whisper.

I rolled my eyes, trying to ignore the burning sensation in my chest. “Shut up, jerk. Now use your werewolf healing and get back on that field. I didn’t come to watch you lose.”

I hadn’t realized how harsh those words might have sounded until I turned on my heel and left the care center, my steps faster than I intended. I didn’t stop to consider that Luca might’ve wanted me to stay or that the tension in the air might have been too heavy for him to shake off easily.

My emotions were always a little too raw around him, but that’s what made Luca different—he brought out sides of me I hadn’t even known existed. But at that moment, I didn’t want to dwell on any of it. I just wanted him back on the field, playing, because that was the only place where he felt like himself.

Now, as I watched him run back onto the field with his teammates cheering, I felt my pulse start to slow. He was fine. He was okay.

“Luca, Luca, Luca.” Everyone chanted. 

The game resumed, the tension in the air palpable. The score was tight, the players were fighting hard, but Luca was a force on the field. My gaze never left him, and within myself, I couldn’t help but feel proud. Even though I'd been a little harsh on him. Luca's moves were different from others and the way he fought to prove himself made my heart beat faster and filled with an emotion I couldn't name.

One minute until the end of the game, the energy was electric. The opposing team had played hard, but Luca’s team was pushing forward with everything they had, both scores still even. I could hear the chants, the cheers, the roar of the crowd, and just as I feared the opposing team would win, Luca had the ball. My breath caught in her throat. He was going fast for it.

The seconds stretched, feeling like an eternity as Luca dribbled the ball, weaving through the defense with his usual sharp instincts. He was determined. I could feel it in every step he took. My heart lurched with a sickening thud.

Then, with rapid movement, Luca fired the ball toward the goal post. Everything seemed to be in slow motion as the keeper raced to catch it, but it slipped his fingers and flew past him, the net rippling as the ball struck the back of it with a loud thud. The crowd gasped loudly before erupting into chaos, chanting and screaming as Luca's teammates swarmed him, lifting him off the ground in a joyful blur.

Victory.

I stood up from my bleacher, both hands on my mouth, as I felt a mix of emotions hit me all at once. Relief. Pride. Joy. And something else, something deeper than any emotion, something I couldn’t quite explain. But there was no arguing the way my heart beat rapidly in my chest. I had never felt like that before and I couldn’t stop my lips from curving upward in a smile.

Luca, with the mic in his hand, grinned widely into the microphone. 

The stadium felt alive with energy as Luca was handed the microphone. The celebration roared around Luca's team, but my focus remained entirely on him. He grinned into the mic, a mischievous glint in his eyes, his voice booming over the speakers.

“I want to thank everyone for their support,” Luca began, his words drawing a few cheers from the crowd. “But, honestly, I couldn’t have done this without one special person.” His gaze shifted to her, and her heart stopped for a moment. He smiled at her like he was about to say something that would change everything.

Natalie, standing nearby, giggled, clearly thinking Luca was about to thank her. Haisley’s chest tightened. She didn’t know why, but the thought of someone else taking that moment from her made her stomach churn.

Luca’s grin widened, and his voice softened. “I’d like to thank this special person. She’s been with me through everything, always pushing me, always making sure I’m at my best.”

Haisley’s breath hitched. The crowd fell silent, waiting in anticipation.

“I want to thank my girlfriend, Haisley,” Luca said, his voice louder now, with such sincerity that it caught everyone off guard.

A collective gasp ran through the crowd. It felt like the world stopped for a beat, the air thick with disbelief, before it was swallowed by the loud roar of cheers. My eyes widened in shock as the realization of what he had just said sank in.