Chapter 6
Knox
The hotel lobby seemed to have erupted into pure chaos.
Twenty-three hockey players, coaches, and staff crammed into a space meant for maybe half that, all arguing with the lone female desk clerk who looked ready to cry.
If it was any indication of how her day had been going judging on the smudge mascara, she was one more incident away from quitting
"What do you mean you don't have our reservations?" Sullivan's voice could probably be heard in the next state as he gruffly yelled at the desk attendant.
The front desk girl’s lip gave an honest to God quiver as she spoke to my coach. "Sir, the system crashed when the storm hit. We're doing our best, but we only have twelve rooms available."
Twelve rooms. For thirty-plus people.
I stood near the windows, watching snow fall so thick I couldn't see across the street. The blizzard had forced us to land in Denver, but barely. The plane had shaken so bad on descent that even I'd gripped the armrests. But that wasn't what had me on edge.
It was Harper.
She stood by the luggage, arms wrapped around herself, shivering despite the lobby being stifling hot. The emergency suppressants she'd taken on the plane were failing. I could smell it from here, vanilla and something darker, richer. Her natural scent breaking through despite everything.
Every Alpha on the team kept glancing at her, nostrils flaring. They might not consciously realize what they were responding to, but their instincts knew. An Omega going into heat.
My Omega.
Well not mine.
Not yet.
"Alright, listen up!" Richards clapped his hands. "We're bunking up. Three to a room for players. Coach gets his own. Support staff doubles up."
"What about Dr. Graves?" Morrison asked.
Everyone turned to look at Harper. She straightened, trying to look professional despite the flush creeping up her neck.
"I'll share with whoever," she said, voice steady.
"Like hell," I muttered, moving forward. "She gets her own room."
"There aren't enough rooms, Maddox," Richards said tiredly.
Harper shook her head. "Then I'll sleep in the lobby."
"No one's sleeping in the lobby." The desk clerk looked panicked at the thought. "We have one suite left. Two bedrooms, shared living space. That's it."
"I'll take it," Harper said quickly. "Someone can share…"
"Maddox will share it," Sullivan announced.
The lobby went silent.
"Coach," my voice sounded unsure as hell even to my own ears.
"You're already suspended. You're technically not even supposed to be here. So you get what you get." His look was pointed as he called me out in front of the team. "Unless you'd prefer Dr. Graves share with Peterson? Chen? One of the other Alphas who've been eyeing her all day?"
My hands curled into fists.
The thought of any other Alpha near her right now...
"Fine," I ground out.
Harper's eyes widened. "Coach Sullivan, I don't think that’s a great idea."
"It's settled. Maddox, Graves, suite 1247. Everyone else, figure it out."
She looked like she wanted to argue more, but another shiver ran through her, and I saw her jaw clench. The heat was coming whether she wanted it or not.
The elevator ride to the twelfth floor was silent agony. My hand was biting into the hand rail as I tried to get a grip on my senses.
Harper stood in the far corner, as far from me as possible in the small space. But proximity didn't matter. Her scent filled the elevator, sweet and needy and fucking perfect.
"This is a bad idea," she said as I unlocked the suite door.
"Probably."
The door to the suite gave way and I found myself surveying the room. It was actually really nice, and the lighting seemed to offer way to romantic of a mood. There was a fire place against one of the far walls and a huge television hung against another.
Before I could utter another word to her, Harper immediately went to the far bedroom, closing the door firmly behind her. I heard the lock click.
Good girl, I thought.
I dropped my bag and went straight to the windows, cranking them open despite the blizzard. Cold air rushed in, but it barely cut through her scent. It was getting stronger by the minute.
My phone buzzed with a text from Coach Sullivan. Keep your hands to yourself or you're done. Permanently.
I wanted to laugh. Keep my hands to myself while sharing a suite with an Omega in heat? Might as well ask me to stop breathing.
A sound from Harper's room made me freeze. A whimper, soft but unmistakable.
Then another, louder.
"Harper?" I moved to her door. "You okay?"
"Go away." Her voice was strained.
"You need help, Harper."
From the other side of the door, I heard her gently bump against the door."I need you to stay the fuck away from me."
Harper was in distress, and I could even smell that. It was making me feel dizzy and even hornier than I could imagine being.
"The suppressants aren't working," I said after a long beat.
Harper gave a soft sight."No shit."
"This is going to get worse."
"I know."
"Let me…"
The door yanked open. Harper stood there, and Christ, she looked wrecked. Hair tangled, skin flushed, eyes glassy with fever. She'd changed into shorts and a tank top, probably trying to cool down, but all it did was show me how her skin glistened with sweat.
"Let you what?" she demanded. "Tell me how you're going to fix this? How you're going to save me? I don't need saving, Knox."
"You need something," I said, trying not to breathe through my nose. This close, her scent was devastating. "Your heat's hitting hard and fast. That's dangerous without..”
"Without an Alpha?" She laughed, but it turned into a gasp as another wave hit her. Her knees buckled.
I caught her before she fell, pulling her against me. The full contact was like touching a live wire. She was burning hot, trembling, and the smell of her…
Fuck.
The smell of her made my vision blur.
"Don't," she whispered against my chest, but her fingers were clinging to my shirt.
"I'm just going to help you to the bed."
"Knox," she almost seemed to whimper my name and it made my dick twitch.
"Just to the bed. You need to lie down."
I carried her to the bed, trying to ignore how she felt in my arms, how right it was. She curled immediately into a ball, whimpering as another wave of heat crashed through her.
"It hurts," she admitted, voice small.
"I know."
"It's never been this bad."
"That's because," I stopped myself.
"Because what?"
Because you're meant to be mine. Because your body recognizes me as your mate. Because fighting it is making it worse.
"Because you've been suppressing it too long," I said instead.
She laughed bitterly. "I've been suppressing it since I was sixteen. Never had a problem before you."
"Harper…"
"God, why did it have to be you?" She rolled onto her back, staring at the ceiling. "You're everything I've avoided. Violent. Possessive. Completely uncontrolled."
Each word was a knife twisting itself deep into my gut, but I couldn't argue.
She was right.
"But you make me feel…ught," She cut herself off, pressing her palms to her eyes. "It doesn't matter. We can't. I won't."
"Then what are you going to do? Suffer through this alone?"
"Yes."
"That's dangerous and you know it."
"It's better than the alternative."
"Is it?" I moved closer, sat on the edge of the bed. "Is it really better than letting me help you?"
She looked at me then, really looked at me. Her pupils were blown wide, more black than brown, and her chest was heaving with each breath.
"If you help me," she said slowly, "I'll never forgive myself."
"Why?"
"Because I'll want more. And more will destroy everything I've worked for." She rolled away from me. "Please, Knox. Just go. Lock your door and let me handle this."
I stood, every instinct screaming at me to stay, to help, to claim. But she was right.The two of us fucking could destroy everything. We could burn everything down around us.
"There's water in the mini fridge," I offered. "And if it gets too bad…"
"It won't."
"Harper," I whispered her name one more time.
"Go, Knox. Please."
I went. Closed her door, then mine. Sat on my bed with my head in my hands, trying not to listen to the sounds of her suffering just one thin wall away.
This was going to be the longest night of my life.
And we were only just beginning.