XV

Accompanying Mateo with his deliveries was an interesting experience, to say the least.

The walk down to the village/neighborhood, where everyone who isn't a part of Mateo's family lives, was a quiet one. Diego and Alejandro pulled two fairly large carts piled high with crates behind Mateo and I, but showed no signs of exertion. They spoke to each other in Spanish, laughing occasionally, but I couldn't understand a word they were saying.

When we reached the expanse of cabins, the atmosphere was much more lively than it was the night the brothers brought me through here. Some people were sitting on their porches chatting, while others were out walking and children ran around chasing each other.

I watched as their faces lit up upon our arrival, and a large crowd quickly gathered in front of Mateo. Men shook his hand, women kissed his cheek, and children fought for his attention, rambling on about whatever they could think of. Mateo crouched down and listened to what every single one of them had to say with genuine attentiveness.

As the hours passed, we made our way through the entire neighborhood, stopping at every house and delivering crates full of meat from the recent hunting trip and vegetables from the garden behind the house. The entire time I was greeted with smiles and kindness. No one seemed to question who I was or made me feel unwelcome, and for that I'm grateful.

Well, almost everyone made me feel welcome. When we delivered to one house belonging to an older couple and their daughter who appeared to be my age, if not a few years older, the daughter stared daggers at me throughout the whole interaction. Not sure what was up with her, but I didn't let it bother me.

At some point, after we had finished with the deliveries, a game of soccer was started by the kids and they roped Mateo into playing with them, which brings us to the present, where I'm standing watching them run up and down the open field. The adults stand off to the side lines spectating while also conversing with each other. Alejandro and Diego headed back up to the house with the empty carts a little earlier, so I'm left alone, but I don't mind.

There's about five kids on each soccer team, and Mateo, to keep things fair, switches back and forth between them. I have to say, it's been eye-opening to see Mateo amongst the people he governs. All of them obviously respect and adore him and their relationship brings a smile to my face.

Speaking of smiles, Mateo's sporting a bright, gorgeous one that hasn't waned since we got down here. It's clear the respect and adoration is mutual.

My train of thought is interrupted by a soccer ball rolling in front of my feet. I look up to see a little boy glance at the ball and then up at me hesitantly. Giving him a smile, I kick it to him, and he stops it with his foot, but then he jumps over it and runs over to me. He reaches for my arm and grabs onto my wrist, pulling me, while also kicking the ball, back into their game.

When we make it to the middle of the field, I make eye contact with Mateo who takes a look at the boy's hold around my wrist and chuckles. The boy releases me and dribbles a little further before stopping and passing me the ball.

I was paying enough attention to know which team he's playing for, so I accept his pass and waste no time taking off running to the makeshift net while dribbling the ball. I'm almost at the goal when Mateo comes out of nowhere and steals the ball from me.

Oh, it is so on.

Switching directions, I chase after him and catch up, successfully stealing the ball right back. Sprinting back towards the other net with Mateo hot on my trail, I know he's expecting me to go for the goal again, so, right as he reaches to steal the ball, I kick it to the little boy who had dragged me out here, promptly causing Mateo and I to go crashing to the ground.

I look up from the ground just in time to catch the boy dribbling the ball a little further and kicking it out of the goalie's reach right into the net. Shouts and cheers fill the air, and the boy runs over to me, pouncing on top of me with his other teammates following suit.

Given the pile of children on top of me and the fact that I'm laughing so hard, I struggle to catch my breathe, but I don't mind one bit. When I glance over at Mateo, he's watching the scene and laughing too—that is, until the rest of the kids run over and tackle him.

*****

The sun is beginning to set when Mateo and I say goodbye to the kids and their parents and begin the walk back to the house. The smile on my face hasn't faded since the soccer game, and Mateo must notice because he says, "I think it's safe to assume you had a good time?"

I turn to look at him. "I did, actually," I admit. "Thank you for taking me with you."

He nods, and silence ensues.

After a few minutes of walking, I decide to do away with the peace and quiet, as nice as it is, and start another conversation. "So, it seems you're a pretty good soccer player," I compliment.

The corner of his lips tilt up. "I've been playing ever since I was little, well, when I could. My parents were mainly focused on preparing me to take over as Alpha so I hardly had any time for anything else."

"That must've been hard," I surmise.

He shrugs. "It was, but at the end of the day I realized that being Alpha, especially of a pack like Las Estrellas, was something that I needed to take seriously and do everything I could to prepare myself for."

I'm quiet as I contemplate his words and try to imagine what it must've been like growing up being trained to be Alpha. "I guess I should give you some credit—my brother too. I never really thought about how hard it must be preparing to be Alpha. Seth's training started later than yours, I think, when he was around fourteen or fifteen."

"He changed then, like a lot. I was only like nine at the time, but I noticed it right away. He never laughed as much as he used to, and he wasn't as nice to me anymore. I got used to it after a while, and, since then, we were never as close," I finish, getting upset at the memory. I've had plenty of time to mourn the person my brother once was, but it still hurts.

Mateo gives me a sympathetic look. "I'm sorry to hear that. Preparing to be Alpha becomes very draining. I'm sure he didn't mean to start treating you differently."

"You're probably right," I sigh. "But it's honestly whatever at this point. I left Saint Ives, and I'm never going back."

In an attempt to either lighten the mood or at least change the subject, Mateo decides to comment on my soccer skills. "You're pretty decent at fútbol yourself."

I smile, blushing just a tad. "Yeah, soccer is one of my favorite sports. Baseball and lacrosse too."

"Hm, I've never played lacrosse before."

"Oh my Goddess, we'll have to play sometime. It's so fun!"

He chuckles at my enthusiasm. "How long have you been playing?"

"Only like three or four years, but I fell in love with it the first time I ever played."

"I see. Sometimes I forget how young you are."

I roll my eyes. "I'm not that much younger than you, Mateo."

"Are you sure? A decade seems like a lot of time to me."

"I'm not a child!" I assert, huffing in frustration.

"You're barely an adult either," he counters.

I stop walking, glowering at him and clenching my fists at my sides. He stops walking as well and turns to face me. "You know, you can be so aggravating sometimes, and I don't appre—" I cut myself off when I take note of the smirk on his face.

Oh, that's right.

He gets off on riling me up. He said so himself. And, being the idiot that I am, I took the bait and fell right into his trap once again.

At that thought, the greatest idea ever pops into my head, and I know, as I put it into action, it's gonna totally throw him off and flip the script.

"You know what? You're right, Mateo."

"Oh am I now?"

"Yep," I concur, inching closer to him. "I am young. So young and innocent and naive and pure."

At my words, the smirk instantly drops from his face and his eyes heat.

Just the reaction I was looking for.

"But you like that about me, don't you?" I look up at him, standing so close that our chests are almost brushing. "Admit it, it's not just my defiance that gets you going is it? It's also the fact that you're ten years my senior."

He peers down at me, engaging us in a fierce staring contest, his eyes practically burning a hole through my skull with their intensity.

I sigh, looking away and stepping past him. "It's too bad though. You know, since I'm so young, we couldn't possibly—"

I don't get the chance to finish my sentence because Mateo startles me by grabbing onto my wrist and spinning me around so we're face to face again. His eyes are still on fire, but only now have I become aware of his labored breathing.

"You're playing a dangerous game, Savannah. You might consider quitting while you're ahead, because, if you keep talking, I can't promise what I do next will be very tasteful."

I remain silent, not daring to pull away or say anything that will set him off any more.

After a minute of neither of us making a move, the heat in Mateo's eyes vanishes, and he drops my wrist like it's on fire.

He shakes his head and clears his throat. "I apologize," he mutters quickly before stepping around me and ascending the steps to the house three at a time.

Goddess, what am I doing?