Chapter 32
Chapter
Thirty-Two
Dhara
The arena was full of people despite this only being a juniors game. It was the first one I’d been able to actually watch of Gavin’s. The season was just getting started for the juniors, and it was much smaller than the main league.
With my mother forcing me to work nights, and Gavin getting pulled at the same time, I never thought we’d be here.
Even though my guys usually helped for practices, they requested this game off so we could watch it together.
All four of us were wearing jerseys with Gavin’s number on the back.
My heart was practically bursting with how excited he was.
He’d worked hard at practice, even getting extra hours in with the guys after school to break in his gear and get comfortable in it.
Honestly, my brother wasn’t just good. He was thriving. Gavin was making friends with the team and just genuinely happy most days. That was more than I could say before now.
It was surprising how little time it took us to stop thinking about our mother all the time.
Maybe forget wasn’t the right word. She simply didn’t get to take over every thought we had anymore.
The fear was gone, and we could actually breathe knowing she was locked away in jail right now where she belonged.
The court had pressed charges for assaulting me. I had no choice in it because the police had responded, and the evidence was overwhelming. Harm against omegas, even by other omegas, was taken seriously.
Not that I would have opposed it for even a second. I was happy she was gone and genuinely hoped she got some real justice in that place. That smart mouth of hers would surely get her into trouble.
The petty part of me wished I could witness someone putting her in her place for once. She craved power and always put herself above everyone else. Power plays in prison would definitely hit differently.
But now wasn’t the time for thoughts of her. It was time to focus on being at the arena with my pack, celebrating our boy.
I loved that they treated everything like an official AHA game. The announcers were here introducing each team. The kids skated out onto the ice, hands pumping in the air as their names were called.
I was on the edge of my seat already, bouncing up and down excitedly as I watched. I’d learned so much about hockey from watching practices, especially since I’d known nothing about it before Gavin told me he wanted to play. I’d done everything I could to make sure he made it to this moment.
One difference between the AHA and the juniors was that there was a whole lot less fighting on the ice. The kids played hard, but they played clean.
Pride was practically bursting out of my chest as Gavin glided across the ice, stealing the puck. He worked well with the team, the right and left wings around him trading the puck back and forth before he sank it into the net.
The arena burst into cheers, but no one screamed louder than me and my pack.
When Coach switched out the players, Gavin took off his cage and took a drink. His eyes immediately sought us out. I waved like a freaking lunatic, but the grin on his face was worth it. He was genuinely happy to see us. That was everything to me.
“They’re playing so good tonight,” Conrad said, putting his fingers into his mouth and letting out a loud whistle before clapping hard as the second line scored another goal. “These kids are going places.”
“Did you see Caleb and Ryan out there?” August asked as he eyed the ice. His grin was bright and I was curious to know why.
“Which ones are they?” I asked.
“The two climbing over the boards now,” August explained. “Caleb couldn’t even stay up on his skates. Coach put him through some extra skating sessions, and he put in the work. Look at him out there.”
“No, don’t sell yourself short,” Lachlan argued, pointing at August. “You got through to that kid. He just needed someone to believe in him, and you did.”
August ducked his head, clearly embarrassed but proud.
“That’s because sometimes you just need someone to push you. Someone did that for me,” August said with a shrug like it was no big deal, even though it was clearly life-changing for him and those kids.
I watched them on the ice now since Gavin was still on the bench. One of the kids stumbled a few times, but his face was set and determined, the fight in him strong enough that you could see it. The other was right by his side shouting at the team and rallying them.
They both definitely deserved to be there.
Caleb might not have the skill that Gavin did yet, but in a few years he’d be skating better than most, and hopefully, just like August, he’d be the kind of player to help out the rookies.
These men were exactly the kind of deltas Gavin needed in his life. The ones who would show him what it was like to be a good man.
The world needed more of those.
When Gavin was back on the ice, I was back on the edge of my seat, watching them absolutely kick ass.
I lost my voice by the third period, but it didn’t matter because tonight made all those years of fighting for my brother completely worth it.
I wasn’t sure if I wanted to scream or cry, but by the time the final buzzer echoed out and the stadium lost it, I was right there with them, screaming my head off, tears running down my face.
August pulled me close, hugging me tight.
“He did so good out there.”
“He did,” I said, wiping my eyes. “And here I am blubbering like a baby.”
“You’re just being a good big sister,” he promised, pressing his lips to my temple. “He’s lucky to have you in his corner.”
“He’s lucky to have us,” I corrected.
“Okay, enough of the sappy shit. Let’s go celebrate our boy,” Lachlan said, letting out a whoop and pulling us out of our seats.
We rushed to the locker room, waiting outside for the kids to start filtering out. We didn’t have to wait long. Gavin was the first to push the door open and run out.
He practically threw himself into my arms, his cheeks red and his eyes shining with excitement.
“Did you see me out there?”
“You were incredible,” I agreed. “I hope you heard us cheering for you.”
He laughed, shaking his head.
“I think the whole stadium did. Not to mention you sound like you’ve already lost your voice tonight.”
“Worth it.” I beamed at my brother. This was one of the best nights of my life. “So, how do we celebrate?”
“Winner’s choice,” Conrad tacked on.
“Could we go to the arcade again? I was telling Caleb and Ryan about it. Do you mind if I see if they want to come celebrate with us?”
“Come on, buddy,” Conrad said. “Let’s go find them.”
He put his arm around Gavin’s shoulder, and Gavin led the way. We hung back, letting the alpha take the lead with making plans and making sure the parents were okay with everything.
“So, what do you think? Hockey’s not so bad, huh?” Lachlan teased, gently bumping his shoulder into mine with that sexy smirk on his face.
“I could take it or leave it,” I teased, earning an indignant huff from both him and August.
“Don’t lie. You’re starting to love it,” August said.
“Of course, but only because Gavin is part of it now,” I said.
He didn’t get a chance to say anything back thanks to Conrad returning with two families in tow. There were several kids, likely siblings, along with a handful of betas, alphas, and omegas.
We exchanged pleasantries, but there were too many names to remember. I was already overwhelmed.
Gavin was so damn excited that I couldn’t let him notice, so I pasted on a smile and simply climbed into the car.
All three of the guys noticed right away how uncomfortable I was. I was sitting up front with Conrad when he moved his hand over to my thigh.
“You all right, baby?”
“Yeah, of course,” I said easily. “There’s just a lot going on.”
“You’re doing great,” he promised. “They’re going to love you, and Gavin is so excited.”
“He is,” I said with a small smile, glancing back to where he was regaling Lachlan and August with the details of the game we all just watched.
The arcade was packed. By the time we found a table, there were several more juniors and their families who joined us. Clearly, word had spread.
Of course, the other parents started to lose it over my mates.
A beta woman joined me on the outskirts of the crowd, giving me a small smile.
“Tell me I found another introvert,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest as if it could make her smaller and less visible to the crowd around us.
I nodded my head. “This is a lot.”
“It is,” she agreed. “I usually just sit with my drink, smile, and nod when they need me to. But my pack are the social ones.”
“Same,” I agreed, gesturing toward my hockey players.
“So, you’re the reason we have such famous people joining us here today.”
“Yeah, they’re mine,” I said fondly. “Gavin’s mine, too.”
She scanned the crowd before pointing out one of the kids my guys were talking about during the game.
“Caleb is mine. I can’t tell you how much August has done for my kid. I thought we were going to have to quit hockey.”
“August really liked working with him. He and I both had... we’ll just say rough childhoods, and he had a coach who reached out to him that changed his life. Now he’s doing the same for those kids,” I explained.
“My boy, and I will be eternally grateful that he gave Caleb a chance,” she said as we watched the kids talk animatedly. “I’m trying not to teach him my introvert ways and making sure he stays active.”
“I feel that,” I laughed. “Gavin is somewhere in the middle right now.”
Both boys, plus Ryan, all ran by shouting excitedly. We turned to each other before bursting into laughter.
“I think we’re doing okay,” I joked.
“We definitely are,” she said, nodding along. “Come on. Let’s go snag us a seat. I’m starving.”
August caught my eye as we passed. He raised an eyebrow as if to ask if I was all right.
If our life was going to include being part of this crowd, I was going to have to get to know them at some point.
I just gave him a quick smile and nod before following my potential friend over to the table.
“I’m Katrina, by the way,” she introduced herself.
“Dhara.”
“God, having another hockey mom around is honestly nice. Mostly dads stick around the games. The moms are a bit different, but I never really clicked with the ones who do show up.”
Everybody had kind of branched out into little groups, talking and finding seats. The poor waitstaff was going crazy trying to run drinks and food orders. When it was our turn, we ordered quickly before she rushed off to the next table.
“So, what do you do for work?” Katrina asked.
“I was working two jobs. One is at South Lake Diner, the other over at the arena. I was cleaning the locker rooms at night, but I think I’m quitting that job. I don’t have to work two jobs anymore.”
“Oh my gosh, I love that diner. Lydia, the owner, is phenomenal. I swear it feels like running into an old friend every time I go there. And I don’t say that lightly. I don’t like to talk.”
“She’s amazing,” I agreed before a few of the dads started shouting at the TV. When it calmed back down I turned back to her. “What do you do?”
I wasn’t great at small talk, but thankfully, she didn’t seem to mind.
“I’m a real estate agent.” Then she launched into stories about some of her recent clients and showings, and before I knew it, our drinks had arrived. We ate while we watched the kids run back and forth through the arcade.
I found myself falling into the rhythm of it. Despite my worries, I enjoyed hanging out with Katrina. This felt like a taste of the ‘normal life’ I’d been looking for, and I was enjoying being independent from the pack.
It felt like I lived several different lives. I was Dhara, who took care of her brother. Then I was Dhara, learning to be an omega for a pack. But here, right now, hanging out and chatting with a new friend, I simply felt like myself.
Like I didn’t need anyone to hold my hand or watch over me. I didn’t have to fight for my life. I simply got to exist with someone else.
Maybe this was what moving on felt like.