Page 16 of Pack End Game

I'm glad Zak and I have years left on our contracts because once Deacon inevitably finds out about all of this, he's going to wish he could trade us to the first team willing to make even the most lowball offer. Our team owner really doesn't share Freddie's flair for the dramatics.

"We'll get things handled, sir." Zak nods to the officer and nudges me to get moving again. There's an omega somewhere past this tunnel waiting for us.

"Thanks. And congrats on that last touchdown." Officer Jennings’ posture relaxes. We rarely have issues on the field, so he's not used to this much excitement on a normal game day. That makes two of us.

We pass the officers and hurry down the tunnel, stopping again where the building forks into two hallways. One hallway leads to our locker room and the hall to Freddie's dressing room, the other leads to the coaching staff's offices and a bunch of storage closets.

Why do I have a feeling that Freddie chose the latter?

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Zak asks, frowning in dread as he stares down the hall to the right.

I nod gravely. "Unfortunately, yes. Let's go."

We make it halfway down the first hall before we hear shouting coming from a side hallway. I'm only partially relieved to hear the sound coming from the direction of storage as opposed to a coach's office. I'm too distracted to fully appreciate Freddie's choice because there's a lingering hint of my omega's distress in the air. My nose wrinkles unhappily. Zak makes a bothered grumble from the back of his throat.

All of the exhaustion I usually feel after a game dissipates, bringing a fresh wave of adrenaline in its place. I sprint toward the unfamiliar male shouts and my omega's distressed scent. Zak isn't quite as fast as I am, but he's not far behind.

The shouting stops abruptly, but we still have the scent of our omega to follow. Strangely, the distressed tinge to her scent seems to fade the further we go.

We navigate down several hallways until we reach the dead-end hall where Simon stands awkwardly pressed against a closet door, desperately trying to juggle a camera between his mascot claws as he points it at the red-faced reporter standing a few feet in front of him.

"For those of you just joining us, my camera has been hijacked by the team's beloved mascot, Simon the Sloth. So, this post-game update is coming to you live from inside the Kane & Co. Superdome." The reporter quickly swipes at a bead of sweat on his forehead before launching into an impressively calm recap of today's game.

"Fucking hell," I mumble under my breath.

Freddie was only supposed to round up our omega for a meet-and-greet, not commandeer a live news report with whoever the hell this guy is. My heart is pounding so hard I can't think straight, and that's a serious problem. I'm the head of our pack. I have to be able to think straight and get us out of messes like this.

Zak leans in to whisper so the broadcast doesn't pick his voice up and suggests, "Maybe we should help this guy out."

Knowing Zak got his degree in film, and I've had more media training than anyone on the team, I can guess what he has in mind. I give him a terse nod and move in beside the reporter, who manages to hide his surprise as I join him. Zak wrangles the camera away from Freddie to stabilize the shot, instantly becoming a more efficient cameraman than the guy who was trying to do the job wearing sloth claws.

"Joining me now is quarterback Spencer Mills," the reporter introduces me, turning toward me to launch into a series of questions about the game we just played and my thoughts about our upcoming match against the Crabs.

The questions are easy volleys, which I appreciate immensely. My focus is completely cracked with my omega so close but still out of sight. I need to know her name. As much as calling her our omega feels right, I want to know everything about her. Her name is a good start. I manage to fumble my way through the reporter’s questions, mostly out of muscle memory from answering the same kind of stuff week after week.

Thank my team for working hard. Compliment Coach Lamb. Tell everyone we take things one day at a time, and there are a lot of practices to focus on before I worry about getting Crabs.

That last one isn't what I was trained to say, but I get a chuckle from the reporter, and a full belly-laugh from Freddie, who hasn't moved from the door he's guarding like his life depends on keeping the contents safe. And this is why he was the right man for the job, even if he did make a major scene getting our omega someplace safe.

The reporter does his outro for his report, both of us plastering media smiles on our faces. The moment the red light on his camera goes off, he breaks character and turns to me with a look of unfiltered relief.

"My newsroom is going wild right now." He points to the earpiece in his ear. "They think I set up this whole stunt, and my boss told me to see him the moment I get back to the studio. This shit might end up getting me a raise or a promotion." He looks truly dazed by the possibility.

I smile politely. Honestly, I just want to know who the hell this guy is and why he's here. Does he work with our omega? I should have paid more attention to who was near her on the sidelines, but that first smell of her scent was such a distraction that I couldn't notice anything else.

At least this guy seems pleased because this could have gone the other direction, and I'm not sure how I would have made things right if Freddie had managed to lose this guy his job.

The reporter clears his throat and holds his hand out to me. "Sorry, I should introduce myself. My name is Milo Hunter, reporter for ALFA News."

I reluctantly shake his hand even as my attention strays again to the door behind Freddie.

Some of his previous charm starts to slip away, including his smile, as he cuts his segment. I watch as his friendly demeanor turns into something protective, his chest puffing out slightly as he attempts to defend his coworker. He’s clearly not an alpha; he lacks the natural dominance, but he also doesn’t smell like another omega.

Does our omega already belong to this beta? Do they have a pack waiting for them at home?

She didn’t smell bonded, but maybe they haven’t gotten around to making things official.

My thoughts continue to spiral as I realize he’s still touching me.