Chapter 61 Dante Begins Hunting
Dante POV
The moment Micah walked back onto the field, I already knew something had changed. His shoulders were tighter than usual. His eyes avoided everyone, even when teammates called his name during drills. And the way he kept rubbing his wrist right where I had held it earlier didn’t escape my attention either.
Max stayed close to him. Too close. Every time Micah drifted toward the sideline, Max drifted with him. Every time Micah looked like he might break under the pressure of the whispers spreading across the team, Max stepped in like some kind of shield. My jaw tightened slowly. Interesting.
I didn’t interrupt practice. Not yet. Instead, I watched. Observation was always the first step. You never rushed a hunt if you wanted to catch the right prey.
The rumors had already started circulating around campus. I could see it in the players’ behavior phones lighting up every few minutes, quiet conversations that stopped the moment Micah walked past. Someone had dropped a seed online. And now everyone was watering it.
I pulled my phone from my pocket and opened the post again. Alison’s message was still there. “Funny how some people reinvent themselves when they run away from their past. Secrets don’t stay buried forever.” Cryptic. Vague. Carefully written. Which meant whoever planned this knew exactly what they were doing.
My eyes drifted across the replies. Speculation. Rumors. Wild guesses. But buried between them were something far more useful. Patterns.
“Coach?” I glanced up. My assistant stood nearby, clipboard in hand. “You want them to run the formation again?” “Yes,” I said absently. He nodded and jogged back onto the field. But my mind wasn’t on the formation. It was on the leak.
Because things like this didn’t happen randomly. Someone close to Micah had fed Alison information. Someone who knew enough about him to make that post believable. Someone inside the circle.
My gaze drifted toward Max again. He stood beside Micah near midfield, speaking quietly to him while the rest of the team reset for the next drill. Micah looked pale. Max leaned slightly closer, his voice low enough that no one else could hear. Protective. Concerned. My fingers tapped slowly against the side of my phone. Interesting.
After practice ended, the team began filing toward the locker room. Laughter. Conversation. Normal noise. But the tension surrounding Micah cling to the room like smoke. A few players glanced at him when they thought he wouldn’t notice. Others didn’t bother hiding it. And Max? Max stayed right beside him.
I waited. Timing was everything. I let the room settle for a few minutes before stepping inside. The moment I entered, the atmosphere shifted instantly. Conversations died down. Phones disappeared into pockets. Micah sat on the bench near his locker, staring at the floor like he wished it would open and swallow him whole. Max stood beside him. My eyes settled on that detail immediately.
“Everyone out,” I said calmly. The players blinked in surprise. “But coach..” “Now.” No one argued twice. Benches scraped against the floor as the room emptied quickly.
Within seconds the locker room was nearly silent. Except for three people. Me. Micah. And Max.
Max didn’t move. He crossed his arms instead. “I think he’s had enough attention for one day.” I closed the door slowly behind the last player. The click of the lock echoed faintly.
“I didn’t ask your opinion.” Max’s eyes narrowed slightly. “I’m not leaving him alone with you.” Micah flinched slightly beside him. That reaction didn’t escape my notice. I stepped closer.
“Why?” Max held my gaze. “Because he’s already under enough pressure.” My voice stayed calm. “Pressure from what?” Max hesitated. That was mistake number one.
“You know exactly what I’m talking about,” he said. “I know someone leaked something about him online.” Max’s jaw tightened. “And?” “And I intend to find out who.” Max scoffed quietly. “Good luck with that.” I studied him carefully. His posture. His tone. His eyes. People always revealed more than they realized.
“You seem very invested in this situation,” I said mildly. Max’s eyebrows lifted. “He’s my teammate.” “Only that?” Max’s expression hardened. “What’s that supposed to mean?” I stepped closer. Close enough that the tension between us sharpened.
“It means,” I said quietly, “that people who care too much sometimes make mistakes.” Max didn’t blink. “Are you accusing me of something?” “Should I?” The silence stretched dangerously thin.
Micah finally spoke. “Stop.” Both of us turned toward him. His voice was shaking. “This isn’t helping.” Max’s shoulders softened slightly. “Micah—” But I interrupted. “Leave.” Max looked at me. “No.”
I smiled faintly. “You’re very stubborn.” “And you’re very controlling.” “Perhaps.” Max didn’t move. “Say whatever you need to say in front of me.” Micah’s anxiety spiked instantly. “No, Max.” But I had already made my decision.
“Fine.” I turned slightly toward Micah. “Come with me.” He blinked. “What?” “My office.” Max stepped forward immediately. “He’s not going anywhere alone with you.” I tilted my head. “Is that concern for him?” Max didn’t answer.
Instead, he grabbed Micah’s arm gently. “You don’t have to go.” Micah looked trapped between us. His eyes flicked back and forth like he was trying to calculate the safest option. “I—” I reached forward and took his other wrist. The moment my fingers closed around it, his breath caught. Max noticed. His jaw tightened instantly.
“Let him go,” Max said. I ignored him. “Micah.” He looked up at me slowly. “Yes?” “Come with me.” Max’s grip tightened protectively. “Micah, don’t.” Micah’s pulse fluttered wildly under my fingers. Fear. Confusion. And something else. Trust.
Slowly, Micah pulled his arm from Max’s grasp. Max stared at him in disbelief. “Seriously?” Micah didn’t meet his eyes. “I just… need to talk to him.” Max looked like he wanted to argue. But something in Micah’s expression stopped him.
“Fine,” Max muttered. He turned toward me. “But if he walks out of that office looking worse than he does now…” His voice hardened. “We’re going to have a problem.” I smiled faintly. “We already do.” Max didn’t laugh. Instead he stepped back toward the door.
But before leaving, he looked at Micah one more time. “Call me if you need anything.” Micah nodded weakly. Then Max walked out. The door closed behind him. Silence settled into the locker room again. Micah’s breathing sounded uneven beside me.
“Am I in trouble?” he asked quietly. I released his wrist. “No.” “Then why do you want to talk?” I studied him carefully. Because the truth was simple. Someone close to him had betrayed him. And I intended to find out who.
“Walk with me,” I said. Micah followed. We moved through the hallway toward my office, the fluorescent lights buzzing softly overhead. His footsteps were hesitant. Mine weren’t.
When we reached the door, I opened it and stepped inside. Micah paused at the entrance. “You’re not going to yell at me, right?” I almost laughed. “No.” He stepped inside slowly. I closed the door behind him. Then I turned the lock. The click echoed in the quiet room. Micah’s eyes widened slightly.
“Why did you lock it?” I leaned back against the desk. Because the hunt had already started. And the easiest way to catch a liar… Was to watch how they reacted when the walls started closing in.
“Sit down,” I said calmly. Micah swallowed nervously. And obeyed.