Chapter 28
28
RONAN
I shrug off another hit and straighten out, focusing on the player trying to escape me.
His glare is vicious behind his visor, but it has nothing on mine.
I’m vibrating, adrenaline flooding my veins as I stalk him, forcing his teammate to abandon him and pass the puck off to someone else in a game of keep-away.
Jasper comes sweeping up from behind me and steals the puck before it meets the tape of the waiting player’s stick.
His pace is unbeatable.
Here and gone in a flash, he carries the puck out of our zone and into Nashville’s.
Spinning in a half circle, I slip past the forward I just blocked from getting a shot off and chase after Jasper.
Dash claps his stick against his crossbar behind me while Landon tears his way up the ice across from Jasper, waiting.
He’s not as fast as Jasper, but he’s close.
Even with a sore knee.
The Nashville defensemen pop up beside me, flanking both of my sides as they try and catch up to my packmates.
I grin on instinct, loving the thrill that follows the chase.
Skating full speed down the ice is the closest to flying I’ve experienced outside of an airplane.
Jasper and Landon stop in front of the Nashville net as Jasper sets up for a shot.
He flicks the puck off his stick, but it bounces off the upper corner of the goalie’s shoulder.
It slides away from the net enough for Landon to scoop it back up and evade the second Nashville player who pushes past me, trying to take it.
The first player doesn’t make it past me before I shoulder him into the boards.
Stick out and ready, I catch the puck Landon shoots to me and send it to Jasper before the player I’m watching has a chance to steal it.
Landon is battling against a defenseman a few inches taller than him, jabbing his elbows out to try and break free.
I can’t get to him without opening Jasper up to the guy on my ass.
The Nashville goalie tracks the puck with an ease that reminds me of the way Dash plays, his gait easy yet controlled.
Jasper surveys the zone before eyeing Eklund, my defensive linemate.
The Swedish powerhouse skates through the slim gap that’s been left open and taps for the pass.
Jasper flicks it off to him and, in a blink, has it right back on his stick.
Landon manages to shove off the player who was guarding him and frees himself up enough to receive an expert pass from Jasper.
Everything moves in slow motion then.
His aim is perfect the way it always is as he snaps a shot off and sends the puck sailing through the only opening the goalie hasn’t managed to close.
It sinks into the top left corner of the netting before the buzzer goes off, loud and proud.
Red light flares as he does a lap around the back of the net and glides to the bench without celebrating.
His stick drags behind him on the ice while he stares out at the stands where I know Briar’s sitting wearing the jersey we got her.
She’s been there from the moment we hit the ice for warm-ups, but fuck, there’s something off with her.
I know it has to do with Landon, and honestly, I’m struggling to keep from giving him a very public beat down right now.
I’ve had enough of his attitude, and seeing Briar hardly managing to clap to celebrate Landon’s goal is my last straw.
From the quick push of Landon’s skates as he hops over the boards and onto the bench, I’m positive it’s his as well.
Jasper joins me as we follow our pack leader and leave the ice.
Coach slaps me on the back while speaking to one of our rookies sitting on the end of the bench.
I drop my body on the opening beside Landon and lean my stick against the boards.
“You’re not in it again.”
“Don’t lecture me.”
“You deserve one,” I bite out.
The puck drops for a faceoff, and our second line sets out to try and add another goal to our three-to-nothing score.
Landon ignores me, fixing his attention on the ice.
I jostle his leg with my knee.
“What did you say to Briar?”
He grabs the squeeze bottle of water offered to him by a member of the coaching staff and squirts it into his mouth.
It’s obviously a stalling tactic, but as the whistle blows and an offside is called, the window we can use to talk grows larger.
“Did you know about her being in my bathroom?”
“Yeah. You’re lucky she didn’t drown you with how shitty you’ve been to her.”
“She had no right to bust into my space,” he snaps.
“Is that what you said to her? You gave her shit for looking after you like a sorry fuck?” I ask, exasperated.
Landon tosses his water bottle beneath the bench and spreads his legs as wide as possible.
His exhale is angry.
“They were supposed to be in an omega-only section. Why was there a fucking alpha there talking to her?”
A light bulb glows in my head as I watch his possessiveness flare.
“You told him off, right?”
“Yeah. I got rid of him.”
“So why did she deserve your shitty attitude?”
He stretches his leg out and hisses, glaring at his knee.
“She didn’t.”
“You can apologize tonight, then,” Jasper says, hovering over us from behind.
“She’s coming to the house?” Landon growls.
Jasper lifts both of his brows.
“What’s wrong with that?”
“Nothing. I’ll be in the gym burning off the rush.”
“No. You’ll be with the rest of us doing whatever it is we decide to do,” Jasper states.
Landon’s lip curls slightly before he rolls his jaw.
“And what are you going to do?”
“Montgomerys, get your asses on the ice now. Enough gossiping,” Coach demands, waving a hand over the boards.
We rush to listen, conversation abandoned for the time being.
Something tells me there won’t be any reason to revisit it after we’re done here.
Landon’s growing more bothered by Briar as the days go on.
His ire toward her is dulling, and I’m fucking excited to see how weak he grows tonight.
“Are you sure you don’t want us to drive you?” I ask, hovering in front of my omega.
Briar offers me a soft smile and nods, stroking my bare arm.
My dress shirt was left abandoned in my bag in exchange for a plain shirt.
“How about you bring me home on your bike later instead?”
“Fuck, Petal. Don’t tease me.”
“Would I do that?” she teases, batting her lashes.
I want her to come home with us right now, but Clover, the omega who’s currently trying to intimidate me with a narrowed gaze, is adamant about being the one to drop her off at our place.
The pregnant woman beside her is shy, cowering slightly.
Jasper, Dash, and I keep a healthy distance away from her.
I tug at the hem of Briar’s jersey, rock hard in my slacks with how perfect she looks in it.
“When will you be done?”
“I’ll have her to you as soon as we’ve dropped Sadie off,” Clover answers for Briar.
“We’ll wait as long as it takes,” Jasper says, stepping up to press a kiss to Briar’s cheek.
“Being with you is our only plan for tonight.”
She flushes, that warm lemon scent sweeter than I’m used to.
“Are you sure it won’t be too late? I can imagine you’re all tired.”
“We’ll survive,” I grunt.
Clover snakes an arm around Briar’s.
“On that note, it’s time to go, Bee.”
“I’ll text when I’m on my way. You all played amazing, by the way. I wasn’t expecting you to be so fast, considering how big you are,” Briar rambles, looking at all three of us.
My knot swells, precum soaking into my briefs as I nod in response to the naturally innocent compliment.
I’m still ramped up with adrenaline, and with her so close, wearing our pack name on her back, I’m already close to falling into a rut without hearing how fucking big she thinks we are.
I take a step back before my scent shifts to expose my arousal and hold myself in check.
Jasper’s voice is deeper than normal as he says, “Thank you, love. We’ll see you soon.”
Yeah, he’s fucking hard as shit too.
Our perfect omega nods excitedly and allows her friends to tug her away and toward the hall that will take them back up to the public exit.
I swallow past the lust that’s grown thick in my throat.
“Landon’s outside already?”
Dash sighs.
“Yeah. He was the first one out.”
“What did he say to her on the ice?” Jasper asks.
I tame my anger with a deep inhale.
“Not sure. But he was an asshole.”
“Do you think tonight is still a good idea?” Jasper leads the way to the player-only exit, where our SUV is parked.
“We need to give him a nudge,” I state.
Jasper slows his pace slightly, matching mine.
“How?”
“He wants her. His denial is bullshit,” I say.
Dash hums his agreement while Jasper shifts to stand in front of the both of us.
We freeze in the parking lot, waiting for him to speak.
“What do you suggest we do?” he asks, hope bright in his eyes.
I wet my lips, glancing at where our SUV sits, the engine running and headlights illuminating the parking lot.
“We know his routine. Let’s use it to our advantage.”
“Be careful, Ronan. We can only push so far,” Dash warns.
I shake my head, anger beating at my chest. “I think I’m about done with being careful. If my option is having Briar be a member of our pack or pushing Landon an inch too far, I’m going to choose the first option. Pack leader or not, he doesn’t control us. Briar is my fucking omega, and I’m not waiting around for him to pull his head out of his ass and risking losing her because of it.”
“I’m willing to give it a try,” Jasper agrees.
I clasp a hand to both of their shoulders.
“Fucking good. Tonight will either change things for the better or for the worse. I’m ready either way.”