Page 18 of Scrum Heat

“Fine.” I clear my throat as four sets of eyes turn toward me. “Totally fine. Super stable. Not feral at all, actually.”

“You sure?” Theo raises a brow. “Because I could have sworn I heard you growl at a sock last night.”

“Alright, so maybe I’m a little scent sensitive at the moment. I just… I’ve never reacted like that before.”

“You sure it’s not because your heat’s coming?” Rory asks.

The banana bread turns to dust in my mouth.

“I’m certain,” I tell him. “I mean it. I was just overwhelmed. Probably because of all the stress. And the... testosterone fog that lives in this house.”

Theo tilts his head, eyes narrowing like he’s seeing right through me.

“Or maybe,” he says slowly, “you’re not overwhelmed. Maybe you’re just... reacting tous.”

“What, because you’re all so aggressively alpha?” I laugh, weak and high-pitched. “Yeah. I’m sure it’s that, Theo.”

“No,” he smirks, dragging out the word. “Because our scent matches.”

“Okay,calm down,Pheromone Destiny,” I scoff. “I barely know your names—I’m not about to roll over and start bonding like I’m a rescue omega looking for a forever pack.”

Theo grins. “Yet.”

You know what? It’s too early for this. I’m not entertaining it.

“I need caffeine,” I declare. “And a therapist. Possibly at the same time.”

Finn pats my hand gently. “We can make you tea and set up a group therapy session with Dr. Barley. He’s a licensed counselor and also owns three alpacas.”

I want to ask more about Finn’s experience with Dr. Barley, but then Jax places a spoon down on the counter before me.

“Ah… why do I need a spoon?” I ask him, eyeing it like it might be a trap.

“For the yogurt I’m about to get you,” he says simply, already walking away.

No further explanation, and no unnecessary words from this alpha—just actions.

Honestly? It’s unsettlingly effective.

What’s more unsettling is the fact that despite my irritation… I mightactuallybe starting to like them.

Which is, quite frankly, terrifying.

And possibly diagnosable.

Chapter Six

Frankie

It’s been a few days since I crash-landed into the players’ house, and somehow, I haven’t spontaneously combusted, fainted again, or accidentally scent-bonded with a protein shaker.

Progress.

The boys seem more relaxed now that they’re convinced I’m not about to spiral into a full-blown heat at any moment. I’ve spent most of the time tucked safely inside, just in case—but as I expected, nothing’s gone sideways.

Technically, I wasn’t supposed to leave the house at all. But I know my body, and I know the difference between a hormonal wobble and a heatwave; so I made a quick trip back to the city to grab the rest of my stuff from my old place, dodging a passive-aggressive note from my landlord and packing everything I owned into a single suitcase and a tote bag that used to be white.

Since then, it’s been eating, sleeping, panic-researching the club and pretending I don’t notice the way Theo stretches like a damn show pony every time he walks past my room.

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