Page 142 of Scrum Heat

Finn’s pacing, still buzzing from the last kick. Theo’s stripping his jersey off, Ollie and Ben are bickering about what needs to be done to make a point to Denton Vale, and Rory’s got his head down over a clipboard, talking strategy with Coach.

I just sit.

My back’s against the wall, taped hand resting on my knee as I listen.

Not to the noise—but toher.

Frankie’s bond thrums steady in my chest, low and grounding: a heartbeat inside my own. She’s out there, somewhere; watching and worrying. I haven’t looked for her. I don’t need to.

I canfeelher.

“You’re playing clean, but they’re playingfilth,” Coach Carter says, clapping his hands to catch our attention. “So don’t meet them there. Do you hear me?”

A few of the guys respond with tired nods. I don’t move an inch.

“They’re testing the ruck every time,” Coach Graham steps in. “Offside. Sealing off. Hands in after release. Refs missing it all, which meansyouneed to be louder. Make them notice. Make themwatch.”

Theo mutters something under his breath, and Finn swears quietly as he pulls tape off his arm.

Then Rory steps up.

“You’re doing better than they want you to. That’s why they’re pushing,” he says. “That’s why they’re targeting us.”

I swallow hard as he looks round at each of us.

“They’re trying to bait us into a red card. One fight, one swing, one loss of control, and that’s the narrative. The ‘unstable pack’. The ‘omega disruption’. Thescandal.”

Theo breathes heavily through his nose, and I watch as Finn rubs a hand through his hair.

Rory’s voice lowers. “But that’s not who we are. Not anymore. We don’t give them a story—we give them ascoreboard.”

Coach Carter wraps up the breakdown with a grunt. “We’re holding, but not by much. Don’t get sloppy. They’ll come in meaner second half.” Then he sighs and pushes toward the door. “Be right back. Checking tape with the booth.”

He leaves. The room quietens down for a minute, with some of the guys dispersing around us. I push my head back against the wall—

And then the door opens again.

Frankie slips through wearing a staff lanyard, a denim jacket, and phone in her hand. She shuts the door behind her quietly, and looks at all of us—and then at me.

Her scent wraps around me instantly, and I swear I feel my ribs expand just breathing her in.

Frankie steps forward, keeping her voice low. “I know I shouldn’t be down here. I just… wanted to check in.”

Theo’s already half-smiling, and Finn’s face softens completely. Even Rory relaxes a little.

“You’ve got two minutes,” he tells her, weary but steady. “Coach won’t be long.”

She nods. “I just… I had to come and see you, or at leasttry.Because I canfeelit. You’re on edge—all of you. I get it. So am I. But obviously, it’s different, since you’redoing it. You’re holding the line while they’re baiting you, constantly. They want chaos, they want instability—but you’re giving them control.”

She looks at Rory, then Theo, then Finn, then finally, at me.

“And I know they’re watching. The OSC. Probably with little notebooks and red pens and entire spreadsheets of reasons to shut this down.”

“Helpful,” Rory sighs.

“But they haven’t gotten one yet,” she continues. “Notone. You’ve been fouled, hit late, talked at, baited—and you’ve stayed standing. That matters. They’ll see that.”

She moves to Finn first.

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