Chapter 6
Chapter
Six
Lana
It was dark outside by the time I emerged from my new room. It didn’t take me long to realize that I probably should’ve kept more clothes, but I’d much rather buy more than spend another day wearing things that no longer felt like they fit me.
That was Lana from another life, one where I was a trophy and not a person, and I never wanted to feel like that again.
Time to make an order. Grabbing my laptop, I opened the door and headed out, ready to see what the rest of the house was doing.
The doctor said my body would automatically be hungry more often, trying to replenish those lost calories, and he wasn’t kidding.
My stomach was already making itself known despite the pizza I ate with the guys.
At least I no longer felt like throwing up every time I tried to put something in my body.
Progress was progress.
The smell of charcoal lured me outside. I pushed open the back door to find the Wardens sitting around a fire pit. They were nursing bottles of beer, with more resting in an ice bucket on the nearby patio table.
There was a huge grill with steaks already sizzling on top, my brother shaking seasoning over every bit of them.
“It smells great,” I said. Conrad turned around, grinning at me.
“She’s up, boys. Turn up the music now.”
Lennon tapped his phone, and soon music was pouring out of nearby speakers.
“You guys have a nice setup here,” I said as I glanced around. It could probably use a garden, but they were busy guys, so it wasn’t all that surprising.
“We can’t really take the credit,” Conrad admitted. “A lot of this is thanks to the Westgrave Wardens Admin. They like that we have a place to show off, and they keep ours the nicest out of the hockey houses as a way to encourage people to fight to get to the starting lineup.”
“Too bad for them,” Lennon chimed in. “That spot’s already taken.”
“Here, here,” Cade said, lifting his beer for a sip. Then he glanced at me. “There’s beer if you want one. I think there’s some girly shit inside if you’d prefer.”
I rolled my eyes and snagged a beer before falling into one of the empty seats.
I pulled my knees up close to me without a word.
Wilder leaned over, pulling the cap off my beer for me and tossing it into a small bucket by the fire where they were keeping the rest. It seemed they had enjoyed quite a few beers out here.
“Thanks,” I said to him. He nodded once, opening his mouth like he was going to say something, then thinking better of it. I found myself a bit disappointed, wanting to hear what he had to say.
Maybe it was the beta in him that encouraged me to relax near him, but I was genuinely curious to know more about them. We were sharing a space, after all.
“Is this how you guys usually spend your nights?”
“Sometimes,” Conrad answered. “We don’t get a lot of time off, but the coach was feeling generous and gave us the weekend.”
“Oh, let’s not beat around the bush. We all know it’s because Sleeping Beauty here earned us the day off. Right, princess,” Lennon said, giving me a wink.
I couldn’t stop the laugh that bubbled out of me. Maybe it was a dick thing to say, but it was kind of funny. Dark humor was my style.
“You’re welcome,” I shot back.
“You still like yours medium, Lana?” Conrad called out.
“Yes,” I said. “Extra seasoning. You know I like it spicy.”
“Oh, do you?” Mason latched onto that one. Because, of course he did.
I rolled my eyes. “Does that ever work for you? Those kinds of cheesy lines?”
“I don’t even have to say anything for those to work on most.”
“Gross.”
“She’s not exactly a puck bunny, Mason,” Conrad chuckled. “I told you she was going to sweep the floor with you guys.”
It was cracking me up that he seemed so proud of that fact, but he was absolutely right. I wasn’t the type to be impressed by good hockey playing. I grew up around the sport. I could probably skate better than most rookies, though I didn’t find joy in the sport like they did.
I simply liked to skate. I always felt like there was this moment as you glided through the icy rink that was truly magical. It chased away everything bad and let your mind settle. It was better than any therapy I’d ever been a part of.
“What are we having with the steak?” I questioned, realizing they had nothing else on the table or the grill.
“We figured some chips or something would be fine,” Lennon said with a shrug.
I tried to hide my grimace, but failed, which had him laughing at my expense.
His laugh was rich and raspy at the same time, and I kind of adored it.
I shouldn’t be giving these men any kind of attention like this, but I swear it was nice to just be around other people and socialize.
I hadn’t realized just how badly I needed it.
Knowing I couldn’t eat only red meat and nothing else, I took another swig of my beer before standing up and heading for the kitchen.
Cooking was always something I loved. That’s why I went into sports medicine in the first place.
It fueled your body and kept you strong and full of energy if you ate the right things.
There was just as much importance in a proper diet for an athlete as there was training. They couldn’t run on empty, and I had a feeling their coach would not approve of today’s food selections.
I started opening the fridge and cabinets, looking through what few supplies they had.
Shockingly enough, there was an array of fresh vegetables inside.
I pulled out cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots, and lettuce, washing them up and chopping them slowly.
It took a few minutes to search through the cabinets until I found a proper bowl, but I eventually found what I needed.
I may as well familiarize myself with this kitchen. These guys were in dire need of my help.
The steaks wouldn’t take long, so I didn’t have time to prepare much more than this. At least I would get some vegetables in them.
“You do know that we are capable of taking care of ourselves, right?”
I glanced up at the sound of Cade’s voice. He had a small smile on his face before he walked past me, reaching into one of the cabinets for a platter.
“I’m not convinced,” I admitted. I was mostly teasing, but we both knew these men had some work to do.
“There’s salad dressing in the fridge as well,” he tacked on, giving me a wink before walking back outside.
Ugh. These men were far more charming than they needed to be.
I snagged the two bottles of dressing that were waiting in the fridge, that thankfully weren’t expired, before heading outside. I put the bowl on the table.
The chopping had taken what little energy the nap restored, but it was worth it.
The guys didn’t exclude me from the conversation, but the moment it turned to hockey players and upcoming games, I pulled out the laptop I’d brought outside with me, firing it up and doing some online shopping that was more than necessary.
I could hardly wear the same outfit for several days in a row.
I hadn’t realized the conversation had started lagging until Conrad rapped his knuckles next to my laptop.
“Sorry, what?” I raised an eyebrow at my brother.
“I was asking what all you needed to replace.”
“Yeah, we hear you literally threw away everything you owned,” Lennon said.
I forced a tiny smirk. “When I cut people off, I do it thoroughly.”
He looked a bit surprised at my answer.
“I tried to warn you,” Conrad sang out.
“Yeah, yeah,” Lennon muttered, rolling his eyes. “We get it. Your sister is a badass.”
I snorted. “Hardly. I’m just not the type to take shit.”
I had only eaten my salad so far, so I finally set my computer aside, picking up my fork and knife. I gritted my teeth when my hands gave out on me, my muscles still so fucking weak. I hated feeling like this.
All I could hope for was that they didn’t notice the struggle as I managed to cut off a single slice. I’d only chopped a few veggies, it shouldn’t be this hard to function.
The guys’ conversation continued around me as Kieran slowly slid my plate toward himself. He chimed in occasionally, making sure the conversation kept flowing, cutting my steak discreetly before sliding it back. He didn’t look at me, didn’t make a big deal about it, simply handled it.
My chest warmed, and I felt even more pathetic for that reaction. Something so simple meant far too much to me after being on my own for so long.
I ate the rest of my food quickly, hoping it would perk me back up. The guys were done, but waited until I finished before taking the dishes back inside.
Such small gestures, done without fanfare, felt like such a foreign comfort.
I followed them in, heading for the sink, but I should have known better.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa, princess. What the heck are you doing?” Mason said when I tried to start dishes.
“She wants to do dishes. She’s not fragile,” Lennon said, giving his teammate a look.
“She can speak for herself,” I said, the sass coming on a bit too strong. It wasn’t his fault, but I didn’t take the words back. He raised a single copper eyebrow before shrugging and walking away.
“How about we work together?” Mason conceded. I think we’d both ruined his chivalrous moment.
My voice softened when I started to explain myself.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to sound ungrateful.
I appreciate the help. I really do. It’s just that I already feel like my life is spiraling out of control and that I can’t do the things I was strong enough to do a week ago.
It’s freaking me out. I’m too independent and strong for this. ”
“We’re athletes. We’ve been through our fair share of gruesome injuries and recoveries. I definitely get that feeling,” he said. “I’ll make sure to keep that in mind. And don’t worry, I’ll show you where everything goes. That way you don’t have to struggle every time you want to help out.”
“Thanks,” I said, a bit shocked but pleased. “That would help a lot.”
“So tell me a little bit about yourself, since we’re going to be housemates for a while,” he said as he filled the sink with soap and water, grabbing a sponge from under it. I made note of where it was as we started the dishes. Thankfully, it wasn’t much, just plates, silverware, and a few bowls.
“You mean you haven’t done your research already?” I teased.
“Okay, how about I tell you what I know, and you tell me how true all of that is,” he countered. “You’re considered hockey’s princess.”
I groaned as I took a plate, rinsed it, dried it off, and set it on the counter to put away.
Stalling at its finest. “I truly hate that nickname. It was one they gave me when I was little, when they were still dragging me to all the games and using me for just about every press conference. Well, me and Conrad. I don’t think he escaped the hockey prince title either. ”
“Oh, we know,” Mason chuckled. “And we tease him about it relentlessly.”
“I’m glad he has you guys,” I said, serious now.
“You have us too,” he promised.
He was quiet for another minute, washing out the bowl I’d used for the salad before handing it over and giving me a curious look. “Do you really think they won’t notice that you’re gone?”
“I don’t know what he’s told you,” I started. “But no, I don’t think they’re going to notice. I just… I think I really need to know how long it takes them. Even if it takes months.”
“Months?” he said, shocked.
“I met them when we were still young. That whole scent compatibility thing seemed like such a big deal in high school. They were the star hockey players, and I was the girl they only wanted in their lives so they could meet my dads, I’m sure,” I said with a bitter laugh.
“That had to be their endgame. Meanwhile, I was in love.”
“They fumbled,” he muttered.
“My dads were legends, and it wasn’t the first time someone used me to get close to them.
I was the easiest connection. They were different back then, too.
I never felt like they were using me. They worked hard to make sure I felt like I mattered.
They would bring me little gifts and tell me sweet things.
I was so easily wooed back then, I guess, and after a while, we just stuck together. ”
“Girl, we never judge ourselves for past relationships,” Mason said. “I’ve had a few that would definitely make you question my sanity.”
“I was just a teenager who thought she knew everything about the world and thought they were the perfect escape from parents that made it feel like I was suffocating. College was fine. They still kept me close. They always helped me through heats and were sweet to my omega. Then once they snagged a spot with the Narwhals, it was like everything shifted. Suddenly, they were the ones with status and attention. They were the golden boys of North Crossing, then they were the starting lineup, and I was just in the way.”
My stomach twisted at the thought.
“You are not disposable. Don’t let the ego of someone whose dick is as small as their empathy make you feel like less,” Mason said.
I choked out a laugh.
“You know it took them at least three years to finally make me have an orgasm.”
It was his turn to lose it now, his eyes practically glowing with excitement. “Are you kidding me? Okay, now I need all the tea. Maybe it’ll make you feel better.”
He wasn’t wrong.
“I wish I was kidding,” I said, shaking my head. “They literally tried to blame me like I was the problem. Then they had an issue when I figured it out myself with a vibrator.”
He threw his head back, cackling. “I see they fuck as good as they play.”
“Oh my gosh, you should see them after they lose a game too. Always acting like it was a personal affront. They’d get angry, stomping around the house for literal days and reassuring each other that they were never the problem.
I’ve never seen three men so thoroughly in sync with each other, but so out of touch with the world. ”
“Well, I can tell you that in the hockey circles, they are not exactly known for being team players. They’ll do just about anything they can to cause chaos and win.
They think that makes them good players, but really, it’s just poor sportsmanship.
They have the most penalty box stays of anybody I’ve ever met. ”
“Accountability is not something they’re used to.”
“Fuck that,” he said. “The moment this is out and Conrad kicks their asses, they’re going to learn what real accountability is.”
“Good. I think they could use several wake-up calls, but I’m not going to be the one to do it. I’m done with them.”
“I can respect someone who cuts people off when they do them wrong,” he said. “And I look forward to the day they get to see just how badly they fucked up.”