Chapter 28
Chapter
Twenty-Eight
Lana
My exes must have gotten the hint, because the boxes had finally stopped rolling in. Maybe my video was enough to convince them that I was over their weak attempts at reconciliation.
Either way, I was counting it as a win.
The guys were at practice, and I was cleaning up the last of the lunch dishes in the arena kitchen. Soft music filtered through the air, and I sang quietly along, perfectly at peace here.
I was trying out some new snack ideas, rolling the protein bites between my hands and laying them out on the sheet pan. I startled when a thunder of voices echoed into the quiet, meaning that practice was over.
Of course, like usual, the guys stormed in here first. A few of them made comments about how good it smelled, snatching treats right off of the trays that were still waiting to be packaged up for them.
I playfully swatted at hands, but I secretly loved it. It was nice to know they were comfortable with me now, that they genuinely enjoyed everything I made. It made all the hard work more satisfying.
At first, I wondered if it was just because of my pack and my brother that they were nice to me, but then they started coming in here on their own. The guys were chatting and laughing with each other until my pack walked in, and then that now-familiar tension rose back up to the surface.
Disappointment curdled in my stomach, mixing with guilt. I knew they threw got suspended because of me, and I hated that this was still going on.
It settled a bit as everyone went back to their conversations, until the door opened again. An unfamiliar alpha walked in, startling at the obvious wall of angst he’d walked into.
“Chill, I’m just a delivery guy,” he said, shaking his head. “I’m looking for Lana Flynn.”
“That’s me,” I said, drying my hands on a towel and walking over. I didn’t have to see what it was to know exactly who it was from. The fact that they would not leave me alone or take a hint was infuriating. Even though I blocked them, they continued to find ways to get to me.
I wasn’t sure there was anything I could do at this point to convince them that I was done. They were determined, and even I could admit that not all the gifts were superficial. Some of them were meant to mean something.
Just not to me anymore.
I signed the tablet the delivery man held out before taking the thick envelope, swallowing hard. I wasn’t sure how much more clear I could be, and I was afraid that the guys would go beat their asses again.
“It’s from them, isn’t it?” Lennon growled, already moving in to see.
His face was pure anger, and that got the attention of the entire team.
“Who are you talking about?” Murphy demanded. “Is somebody bothering you?”
“Kind of,” I admitted. Then his eyes landed on the envelope in my hand and the very obvious North Crossing Narwhals letterhead they used.
I couldn’t help but feel like they did that on purpose.
As much as they were pretending to take this seriously, it felt like everything was a secret jab at my pack, and I wasn’t having that. They didn’t get to hold that power over us.
“It’s from the Narwhals,” Simms said, looking at me as if I’d betrayed them.
My stomach dipped at the thought. My brother stepped up to try to smooth things over, but it was time to let them in.
“They’re my exes,” I admitted before he could fight my battle for me.
“Now that she’s with us, they think they can win her back,” Lennon spit out.
They studied us for a minute before one of the other guys spoke up.
“You’re telling me,” Simms said carefully. “That these Narwhals are stalking you at this point? Now the fucking fighting makes so much sense.”
“The fight wasn’t even over the stalking,” my brother admitted. He looked at me, unsure what to say.
I no longer found the truth pathetic like I once did. It was never my fault. This was one hundred percent, on them.
“They left me alone for a week during my heat, and I almost died from it,” I said in a monotone voice.
It wasn’t my favorite memory, but if it would erase the tension between the guys, then I was fine with sharing it. The team was like family now.
“She’s not even exaggerating,” Conrad said, voice haunted like it was every time he thought about it.
Now the team was putting the pieces together.
“That week you had to miss?” Murphy questioned.
My brother nodded. “She called me when she came out of it. If she had waited or couldn’t reach the phone, the doctor said she would have died.”
An echo of growls went out, and tears burned in my eyes. I understood my pack standing up for me, but I truly hadn’t expected the team to as well. Not to this degree.
“Tell me you eventually beat their asses off the ice,” Murphy said, looking at my brother and pack.
“Oh yeah,” Mason grinned. “We tore into them and reminded them that if they tried to call the cops, we had plenty of evidence that she could charge them with neglect.”
“Neglect?” Murphy said, shaking his head. “That’s fucking horrible. I have a feeling there’s way more to the story, too. I’d never leave my omega when she was out of it like that. The AHA protects that.”
“There isn’t a single excuse for what they did,” Lennon agreed.
“You’re right about it being far more than a missed heat,” I said.
“They barely came home in the last three years. I spent almost every day by myself, while they were handling their careers. Yet, they didn’t want me to work.
There was always some excuse, made up event, or they had to do some team bonding bullshit. ”
Murphy burst out laughing. “There’s no way. They’re fucking liars.”
Conrad agreed. “They were just so wrapped up in themselves they couldn’t see what they were losing.”
It didn’t matter anymore. As long as they left me alone, I’d return this letter to sender as soon as I got the chance.
Wilder
By the time Friday’s game rolled around, the team was back to its normal camaraderie. I was glad, because we’d been playing like shit and Coach was about to lose his mind.
At the end of the day, we were absolutely at fault. We knew it, owned it, but we weren't sure how to make it up to them.
Once Lana explained her story, everything shifted. The team was on her side in an instant, and the hate for the Narwhals intensified.
“It’s the beast,” Murphy called out as I walked into the locker room, cupping his hands around his mouth to project his voice. I grinned, happy to not be shunned anymore.
At one point, I hated that nickname. It always felt like it was a jab, like I worked out harder just to match alphas in physique when this was just my body. My omega loved it, and I was learning to as well.
“Hey, Murph,” I said, dropping my bag down on the bench.
“Congratulations on the omega. I can’t believe you guys landed Lana.” He was amused, giving me a teasing side-eye. If it was anything else, I might have had to cause more tension.
I gave him a dry look, instead. “We didn’t land anything, but she is ours.”
He smiled. “You’re damn lucky to have her. She’s great.”
“She really is,” I agreed easily.
“I can’t believe those fucking Narwhals had her,” Simms said as he sat down on the bench next to us.
“I looked it up a bit. They were together since they started out in college. She was on their arm during every hockey event. She looked happy then, but then they started going alone. I can’t imagine leaving my omega home like they did. That’s fucking disgusting.”
“Exactly,” I agreed. “Imagine having a girl like her and then never checking in on her again. I think they genuinely expected her to always be there waiting for them. Their egos must be enormous.”
They continued gossiping as I pulled on my gear. The rest of the guys trailed in slowly. Lennon was joking with one of the guys, Conrad talking to one of our younger players. It felt normal again in here.
Coach walked in with his usual pep talk.
“I want a good, clean game,” he demanded, giving our group a pointed look that said we were damn lucky to still be on his team after the stunt we pulled.
As usual, I tuned him out, doing my breathing exercises that calmed my mind. That way, when I went out there, I was ready.
The Cliffside Canines were some of the best in the league, and I knew better than to underestimate them. My name was called, and I blinked my eyes open, realizing that they’d already started filing out.
Kieran gave me a look that clearly asked if I was alright, and I gave him a sharp nod, following them out into the tunnel.
My entire demeanor changed when we walked past and found our girl waiting to send us off. Each one of us leaned down, stealing a kiss before heading out onto the ice.
I loved that she didn’t have to hide anymore. Coach stopped to say something to her, gesturing for one of the security guys to come over, likely to lead her up to the team suites where she belonged.
Each one of our names rang out in the arena as we swept out onto the ice, music and cheers echoing out. I lived for this.
The first-line started to move into position when something shifted in the arena. The cheers were gone now, replaced with screams and some sort of chant.
I couldn’t make out the words they were saying, but it had the people around them riled up, calling out for security to lead them off. We stood frozen on the ice, watching as they were escorted out.
There were even signs in their hands, the only word I could make out as they waved them around was ‘delta’.
What the fuck was going on? My gaze shifted to the VIP box where I knew Lana had to be. I didn’t feel as safe leaving her alone anymore, but at least our security was good here.
Though… maybe not good enough. How the hell had they made it in the arena?
Coach was livid as we skated past, ranting loudly to security.
“What the fuck was that?” Lennon growled.
“Something for after the game,” I said, gritting my teeth. We had to focus or it was over before it started.
The game was a bloodbath and not in our favor. My head wasn’t in it anymore, worry for my omega clouding it. Not to mention, the whole thing was so strange I couldn’t seem to let it go.
One of the Canine’s alphas tried to take me by surprise, shoving me toward the glass.
They might have bulk on me, but I sure as fuck had size, and there was no way I was letting some asshole alpha shove me around like this.
After a quick stop, I spun on my skates, slamming him with enough force that the impact left him stunned.
“Don’t fucking touch me,” I growled, putting every bit of force into those words.
After that, the game went from unfocused to brutal. Every one of us took the hit as a personal challenge, pushing back more than ever. Now that we’d worked past the tension in our team, we were a force to be reckoned with.
We weren’t the only ones fired up. It didn’t take long for the Canine’s to retaliate for the scuffle I had with their alpha. Team loyalty tended to run high, and this was no exception.
By the second period, more than a few of us had been in fights. Coach looked like he was about to lose his damn mind. The rest of us weren’t much better. It went beyond the first-line and into the rest of the team.
The entire arena was unsettled. The crowd was screaming again, more people escorted out. I guess that group wasn’t alone.
“First-line, you’re back in,” Coach called, sending us out onto the ice for another round of hell. Sweat had my base gear clinging to my body, and I nearly tripped on my skates as my focus fell to the crowd again.
By the time the game ended in defeat, I was almost relieved to head for the locker room.
I was in a trance as I hurried through my routine, pulling off my sweaty uniform, tossing things in the laundry, and taking a quick shower.
All I wanted was to be close to my omega, maybe curl up with a book in the library, whatever worked.
Unfortunately, we didn’t stick together tonight, and I wasn’t the first one out. Kieran and Cade had already claimed her by the time I got to the kitchen.
Their car wasn’t even in the lot anymore when I headed that way.
Jealousy sliced through me for the first time since being in the pack.
I wasn’t sure why I was so caught up in it tonight, but it was enough that my pack noticed through the bond.
Their reassurance came back, a soothing balm to the sharp frustration.
“Hey, what’s going on?” Mason said, startling me from my inner brooding.
“I think I’m just now realizing how hard this pack thing is. Sharing fucking sucks.”
“So you noticed the alphas stole our girl too,” he joked, but I could see tension on his face too.
“Yeah,” I admitted. “I think that game and the fight got me worked up. And what was with those people getting kicked out before we even started?”
Something passed across his face, and he frowned.
“An anti-delta group, apparently. News of Lana switching teams got out, and they’re blaming the delta from the Narwhals, painting some story about how we’re dangerous. I guess he got into it on the ice last week, and they’re using that and our brutal game against us all.”
All my jealousy seemed so irrelevant now as I stared at him. “Are you kidding?”
“I wish. They were calling for us to be kicked from the AHA.”
My stomach turned. Without even thinking about it, I pulled Mason into a hug. “We aren’t going to let that happen. You’re part of this as much as I am, as much as any of these motherfuckers are. They won’t win.”
“I’m not sure who I am without hockey,” he admitted into my shoulder, giving into the hug and holding on tight for once.
It wasn’t intimate. This was just family. I could feel his appreciation through the bond, and I tried to send as much calm as I could back to him until I felt it myself.
“Come on,” I said. “Let’s get home and talk to the pack.”