Chapter Twelve
Nixie
“Hey! Wait! Slow down!” a voice shouts as Asher and I race across the parking lot. I haven’t come face-to-face with an Alpha that angry in a long time, and all my instincts are urging me to flee.
“Mom.” Asher tugs on my arm. “I think they’re trying to talk to us. Maybe it’s Coach Ray. We need to tell him I need a new mentor.”
I don’t stop, keen to hide in my car, but Asher throws on the brakes.
He digs in his heels and gets the mutinous look in his eyes that I know so well.
My son isn’t trapped by the swirl of emotions clouding my judgment, or by the fact that my scent-match was in that building.
Like an immovable force, Asher slows enough for the man to catch up.
Sweet, sweet hazelnut and chocolate invade my nose, making my mouth water and my heart thump.
Definitely not Coach Ray.
My body freezes. I need to turn around and face him, but I’m afraid if he comes any closer I’ll throw myself at his mercy. Try to soak up his scent. Thankfully, my scent-match stops a few feet away, somehow knowing better than to touch me without permission.
Don’t turn around. Maybe he’ll go away.
Our standoff lasts way too long; the pause full of tension. Asher stares at me with questions in his eyes, but I can’t talk or move, completely frozen to the spot. The hazelnut aroma takes on a burnt tinge that finally releases me, replacing my fear with the innate need to soothe my Alpha.
Fuck. Stupid omega biology. But I am more than my hormones.
Whirling around, I turn to face him, determined not to give an inch.
But the second I see him, all thoughts fly out of my head.
The man is tall, so tall, even without his skates, that I need to crane my neck just to glimpse his face.
No longer obscured by a hockey helmet, he looks familiar, but no name immediately comes to mind.
I don’t really follow the team. I listen to their exploits only through Asher.
One look at his lips has heat flashing through me, and I let out an involuntary gasp that echoes through the parking lot. He’s attractive in every sense of the word, from his strong jawline all the way to… No, can’t look there. My pulse hammers, and I’m seconds away from running for my life.
Scent-match was not on my damn bingo card for today.
Fortunately, the giant stops at a respectable distance away and holds up his hands in surrender. After picking my jaw up off the floor, I shake my head and get control of my hormones. He’s treating me like a frightened animal, and I don’t like it one bit. I’m not afraid of this Alpha… of any Alpha.
Asher clears his throat, and I realize that something needs to be said, so I opt for being direct.
“What do you want?” I demand tartly.
“I just… I.” The Alpha has stunning hazel eyes, which widen in response to my directness.
My vision zeros in, allowing me to see flecks of multiple colors: green, gold, and even some blue contained within a dark grey ring.
They are mesmerizing, captivating, and my traitorous heart whispers that he is the one.
Shut up, stupid heart.
I wait calmly for him to gather his words, knowing all too well how uncomfortable it can be when they betray you. The moment stretches between us, and the longer we’re near, the more his sweet chocolate-nutty scent makes me want to beg for his touch.
I’ll never beg.
“You’re Vonn Keene, aren’t you?” Asher tugs on my arm. “Mom, this is Julius’s packmate.”
“Oh…” The implications form in my brain.
Julius the asshole. Julius, the job ruiner. Julius—is he my scent-match, too?
Asher’s eyes swing back to him, his young face red with anger. He steps between me and the Alpha he now considers a threat, clenching his fists.
“Hey, no. Cut it out.” A cold wave washes over me; I recoil, my breath catching in my throat as I grab his arm, pulling him behind me. “You don’t need to protect me. Get in the car.”
We aren’t far from my vehicle, so I quickly stomp toward it and open the back door, gesturing for Asher to get in. Generally speaking, it’s never a good idea to turn your back on any Alpha, but I can tell by scent alone that this one doesn’t pose a threat to either of us—physically, anyway.
“Mom. No. What if he…” I cut him off with an impatient hum. He glances between me and Vonn, uncomfortable at the thought of leaving me in the man’s presence.
“Don’t you dare hurt her,” he growls in a voice that’s so grown-up I do a double take.
“In. Now,” I demand at the same time that Vonn says, “I promise.”
With a last glare, Asher slides into the back seat, and I gently close the door. But of course, my obstinate son isn’t having any of it, and he pops it right back open. Fine.
His little show makes Vonn’s lips quirk into a smile, flashing me a glimpse of the most devastatingly handsome dimple before he schools his expression. Time to get this show on the road.
“Look, I’m not sure what you want, but we need to be going,” I tell him, ready to escape from everything he represents.
“Please, please give us a chance to make this right,” the gorgeous man begs. “I know you and Julius got off on the wrong foot, but he didn’t know you were ours.”
Ours.
The word makes me seethe. I don’t belong to anyone, and I’ll never be some damn Alpha’s property.
I know I should jump in the car and drive away.
Honestly, it would be the easiest thing.
The sanest thing. But the thick chocolate and hazelnut coming off him forces my hand.
I want to walk away, but I can’t while he’s so sad.
“It doesn’t matter what foot we started off on.
You shouldn’t have to apologize for him.
No, my son doesn’t have the best gear. I’m working on it.
I wanna give him the best of everything, and in time I hope that I’ll be able to.
But for now, we’re doing the best we can.
All I want from you is for you to go back and tell Coach Ray that Asher needs a new mentor because he won’t be working with Julius Keene ever again. ”
“I understand.” Vonn’s voice breaks, and he stuffs his hands in his pockets as though he’s trying very hard not to reach out for me. He chews his lip, then speaks again. “Would it be all right if I take him on instead?”
I know I should say no, but he’s just too damn sweet, my heart melts.
“Do you think you can make the experience enjoyable, educational, and positive for him?” I narrow my eyes, but even my serious glare doesn’t dim the way Vonn lights up.
“Yes. Anything. Asher is a great player, and I’ll make sure he’s ready for the exhibition.” The Alpha bounces in place. “Can I hug you?”
With a shake of my head, I step back, and to my great surprise, Vonn accepts my decision. He stares at the ground, kicking some rocks gently with his toe. I may not be ready for physical touch, but my omega instincts demand I give him something.
“Here, give me your phone.” His head snaps up, surprise written all over his face. “I’m going to put my number in. And for your part, you’re going to keep this professional. You will not text me about anything that isn’t hockey-related. Okay?”
“Okay,” Vonn promises, pulling his phone from his back pocket and passing it to me.
The metal is warm from his skin, and I nearly purr, wanting to rub it against my cheek.
The urge to scent mark is nearly uncontrollable, and I bite my cheek.
The pain helps break the instinct, thankfully.
Scent marking a phone. Now that would be embarrassing.
“Can I take you both out to lunch? My treat, I would love to get to know you better.”
The offer is too damn tempting
“No, let’s see how mentoring goes right now. It’s important we not get too entangled. For Asher’s sake.” After quickly typing my number in as ‘Asher’s Mom’, I pass the phone back, careful not to let our hands touch.
His jaw locks, and I can see he wants to argue. To fight me on this, but to his credit, Vonn nods jerkily then steps away.
“Okay. I respect that,” he agrees, though the pitch of his voice deepens. “Can you text me when you’re home safe? Otherwise, I’ll worry until I see you again.”
The sweetness of his request makes me hiss out a breath, my perfume bursting around us. He lets out a strangled moan, stepping forward. Instantly, I jump back and grab the door handle, yanking it open with a loud squeak.
“I will,” I whisper, retreating quickly into the car and closing it with a gentle click.
For a moment, his hand presses against my window, so big and powerful. I can’t help but push my much smaller one against the glass, wishing for his touch. It’s been so long since anyone’s embraced me outside of a heat other than Asher and Cassia.
Asher shuts the back door, and I jump, immediately moving my hand away to start the engine.
“Vonn Keene is going to take over mentoring you,” I tell him, putting the car in reverse.
The Alpha in question stares forlornly as we back out and drive from the arena. As we go, I can’t help but glance in my rearview mirror, surprised to find him still standing in the same spot, staring as we disappear.
He may be my scent-match, but that doesn’t mean I have to claim him.
Right?