Chapter 72 THE INSANITY OF A MAN ON EDGE
MERRIELYNN.
It was Sunday night, and there was obvious excitement in the air as the next home game approached.
I stood at the edge of the bleachers, my clipboard in hand, focusing on the scene before me.
I was quickly fitting into the role of editor of the school paper. It wasn’t so bad after all.
“Hey, Emorie!” I called out, gesturing towards the players as they burst on to the field with infectious energy. “Get a shot of them coming out! The crowd loves this moment.”
She nodded, her camera already set. She began capturing the thrill of the players high-fiving each other as they ran past.
I looked around, spotting the colorful billboard signs that lined the field. “Don’t forget those signs! They really set the vibe for the game,” I reminded her, pointing to a particularly vibrant one that read, “Go Team!”
As I walked around the seating area, I noticed parents and fans decked out in team jerseys, their faces filled with anticipation. “We need some shots of the fans, too,” I said, smiling at a group of kids cheering enthusiastically.
Emorie’s camera clicked away, and I felt a rush of pride knowing our school paper would capture all these moments for everyone to relive.
The energy was electric, and I couldn't wait for the game to begin.
The players fell out, and the cheers from the crowd were deafening as the cheerleaders took their places, adding to the excitement.
While everything was going on, I decided to take a seat and that’s when I felt something wet.
Oh. No.
I quickly got on my feet to examine my shorts and I gasped when I saw red. I felt a wave of panic wash over me.
“Mere?” Emorie called as she ran to me, looking at the stain. “It’s bad,” she added and that only made me feel worse.
“Sorry,” she smiled nervously, looking around to make sure no one was watching. “But you need to get changed. The boys' locker room is right there. Go!”
Nodding quickly, I rushed toward the locker room.
Once inside, I went into the first stall I saw and cleaned myself up, wadding up a tissue to handle things till I could get to my bag.
I popped my head out, searching. A pile of folded towels and sweats sat at one corner of a bench close to me. Reaching over, I snagged the first thing my hand could reach.
A pair of clean sweats. \]
I slipped them on, having to fold the waistband over several times just to keep them from sliding down.
“Come on!” I whispered to myself as I glanced at the door. After getting changed, I felt somewhat presentable.
Before I stepped out of the locker room, I froze when I laid eyes on someone.
He was standing by the sink, sipping something from a bottle and then grimacing like he was having a chemical reaction.
He set the bottle down on the floor and heaved hard.
Then his head snapped to me so suddenly, I almost flinched.
“What are you drinking?” I asked, my curiosity getting the better of me. I could see that I startled him, but he quickly recovered.
“It’s nothing,” he answered, straightening. “Just a weird energy drink.”
“No energy drink would make you look like you’re about to explode,” I said, stepping closer. “Seriously, what’s in that?”
He sighed, clearly getting annoyed. “I told you, it’s just an energy drink. Mind your business.”
I’d heard that quite a lot in the past, but I wasn’t backing down now. “You look like you’re about to turn inside out.”
He shot me an irritated glare, and I could see his frustration bubbling through. “Fine. You wanna know? It’s an elixir I got to weaken my wolf. Happy?”
“What?” I asked in surprise.
Was he insane?
“What matters is that it’s working, okay?” he snapped, his patience wearing thin. “Can you just drop it?”
I didn’t know what to say. I was shocked that Cormac would go to such lengths. “Doesn’t that thing have side effects?” I asked, unable to hide my concern.
Cormac’s jaw tightened, his eyes narrowing, but he didn’t offer me an answer.
The silence spoke volumes, and I concluded that it most likely did have side effects.
Hell, he could barely even keep it down.
“Can I see it?” I asked, stretching my hand.
In an instant, he turned away, ready to shut down the conversation. But I wasn’t about to back down. I reached for the bottle roughly, my fingers wrapping around the plastic as I tried snatching it from him.
We scuffled for a moment, my grip tightening as he tried to pull it away. We kept up the struggle until suddenly, the liquid sloshed over the edge. A sharp gasp escaped my lips as it spilled on my hand, the burning sensation making me jerk back.
“Oh goddess!” I exclaimed, snatching my hand as I winced in pain.
Cormac’s demeanor shifted instantly as he noticed my distress. “Let me see it,” he said, concern creeping into his voice.
I cradled my hand, wincing as I looked at him like he was crazy. “How could you possibly be drinking that?”
He drew back slightly, his eyes thinning.
“It’s better than what my situation could make me do to you,” he replied in a grave tone.
“We had an agreement,” I told him. “You backed out of it. None of this would be happening if you hadn’t changed your mind last minute.”
His expression grew even heavier as he met my gaze. “Well, now you know why,” he said with a small shrug.
Silence fell as he took my hand in his, studying my injury.
He was suffering, and for what? He thought he was doing me a favor?
“We should put it back on,” I suggested, breaking the silence. “Our deal.”
Cormac immediately shook his head, but I wasn’t going to take no for an answer.
“This isn’t up for debate,” I insisted, my tone firm. “I’m telling you I’ll do it, and all you have to do is accept it and set a date.”
He looked so tense, and I watched him closely, praying that his stubbornness wouldn’t win this time.
There was no point.
I’d rather get it done with and put it behind me. The silence stretched on and I held his gaze, seriously hoping he would finally feel the same way.
After what felt like an eternity, he nodded his head.