Page 5 of Howls and Home Runs

We remain together for a few minutes, with her petting me and me savoring her touch, imprinting this moment in my memory. Just us, sweet silence and- whistling? Damn it. Jett Blackthorne.

Jett’s footsteps echo down the hallway. “Quick!” She whispers, removing my head. Letting my body drape over the bench as a normal mascot suit would. The locker room door flies open, his whistling echoes even louder as the shrill notes bounce off the metal lockers.

“Jett!” Lainey gasps as she turns towards the door. He takes one of his earbuds out and smiles at her. A growl forms deep in my throat but I don’t let it escape. Strike one.

“Lainey, hey! I was just picking up my new jersey. It needed some extra stitches.” He flexes an arm like he’s showing off something impressive. His thick mustache tipping upwards with his lip into a smirk. I refrain from rolling my plastic eyes. When Lainey doesn’t preen at the display he changes the subject, looking behind her. “You practicing with Wilder?” Jett’s eyes graze over Lainey’s frame voraciously when she twists to glance back at me before returning to him. Strike two.

“Yep! Coach Reynar told me I should come in and get to know him before the season starts.” I can feel the tension in Lainey’s body as her arms slowly constrict around my head. A bitter taste flooding my taste buds.

“Cool.” Jett grabs his jersey from the rack, tossing it over his shoulder, before stepping into her space. He brushes a stray strand of her fiery hair behind her ear, lingering there for far too long.

“Aren’t you scared to be alone in here? I could stay- help you get familiar with Wilder and the stadium. I know all the cool spots.“ Jett’s tone mocking how she addresses me, Lainey’s discomfort grows. He presses closer to Lainey’s body. Strike three. The growl in my throat escapes and Lainey tenses, her eyes darting down towards my head still in her hands.

“I’m all good, thank you though, Jett!”

He falters at the rejection for just a moment. Before stepping backwards, finally granting her some breathing room, he has the audacity to ruffle the fur between my ears. Asshole.

Lainey’s shoulders relax and her grip on my head softens as Jett and his mustache back away. A mustache I would very much like to rip off his face right now.

Jett whistles while walking backwards towards the locker room door. “He looks better now. More scary. Grrrr.” Attempting a growl while holding his hands up like mock claws, he winks at Lainey. “See you at practice then, Lainey.”

Lainey forces a smile as he disappears through the door. Once closed she lets out a breath, turning towards my body, my head still nestled between her palms.

“That was close.” Fucking Jett Blackthorne.

Chapter seven

Lainey

Ihelp Wilder up, placing his head back on his shoulders.

“I don’t like him.” Wilder growls, his furry lip curls revealing sharp white teeth.

“Jett? Eh, he’s ok. A little handsy and doesn’t understand personal space, but he’s harmless.” Am I trying to convince Wilder he’s harmless, or myself? My brain snaps me back to reality and I put space between us, reminding myself I’m talking to a sentient wolf mascot.

“Are you? Harmless, I mean.“ Wilder almost looks shocked by my statement. Well, as shocked as a foam head could be.

“Lainey, I would never hurt you.“ His voice is sincere and those amber eyes soften while they search mine for reassurance.

Wilder shifts awkwardly at the silence and I watch his movements. They are almost fluid, but a bit robotic if you look close enough. Kind of like an animatronic without all the mechanical bits and sounds.

He’s huge. I’m not short by any means at five feet and seven inches, the perfect mascot height according to Coach Reynar. His head is massive, almost comically so, adding to his already impressive height, making him over six feet tall. His fur is a deep red, just a few shades darker than my own. Tan fur speckles his nose before running down his front. I glance between his paws, my eyes going wide as I realize how enormous they are. Each toe ends with a pointed black claw. Are they plastic? Foam? Some other material that can actually slice through someone?

He’s much more realistic and much less cheesy than other mascots I’ve seen. Like that dumb corn mascot. Who slaps giant eyes and gangly limbs on corn and makes it a mascot?

I giggle to myself and hear Wilder let out a soft laugh that almost sounds like a bark. Looking back up to his face, I observe his long nose and gaping maw. Whoever remodeled him gave him big sharp teeth that do make him look a bit scary, if I’m being honest. Do those teeth work? Could he bite my arm in half if he really wanted to?

Wilder’s tan brows angle inward like he’s furrowing them, still standing before me. He looks kind of like a werewolf in one of the monster books I read recently. It’s kind of hot.

A faint breeze makes me look around his body, only to see that big fluffy tail wagging. I almost reach out to take it in my hands, but Wilder speaks up.

“You’re not scared anymore.” It’s not a question but a statement. He gives a toothy grin as his tail sways more enthusiastically.

“No, I guess I’m not.” Grinning up at him, adding, “You’re not that scary.” Shooting him a wink. God, am I flirting with a fur suit? I really am Loony Lainey.

Fuck it. He’s hot.

Deciding to embrace my loony-ness, I reach up on my tippy toes to scratch behind one of his furry ears. “Good boy.” I tease. Wilder’s eyes darken and he grabs my hand firmly, but carefully in his paw.