Chapter 9
CHAPTER
NINE
TROY
Horror crawls through my veins at how terrible humanity can be, and the feeling follows me long after I pull myself away from Pack Mayor’s home at six in the morning.
I dozed lightly last night while my ass went numb in their hallway as I waited for updates from the doctor treating her. I don’t know who this Dr. Walsh is, but he seems to be competent and kind.
Everything he’s told us makes my stomach hurt.
There’s a brand burned into her body, cuts and unhealed bites, two of which she’s rejecting.
The bites are raw and the infection is deep in her veins.
Whoever took her, attempted to bite her by force.
When that information was delivered to us, I had to get up afterward to use the restroom.
I threw up uncontrollably because what monster tries to force something that’s supposed to be beautiful and consensual?
I think I live in some kind of fucked up bubble. It would never occur to me that there are people capable of keeping a woman as their hostage like this. Dr. Walsh said the bruises on her wrists and ankles suggest she’s been held for months against her will, but the brand on her body is older.
He’s treating her as well as he can, but the infection will have to burn its way out on its own. Her spirit will need to decide she’s willing to fight despite her own words that she wanted to die.
She’s still passing large clots vaginally and the doctor is regularly changing her pads out for her.
He’s very respectful of her body and always closes the door to protect her privacy, despite being unconscious.
Easton has been able to pull some information on those who live near the warehouse and plans to dig deeper into their lives to figure out who did this to her.
While it’s possible she was dumped in the country and left bleeding, this is negated by those punks riding around looking for a girl.
Everything is so fucked up, and it reminds me of how vulnerable omegas really are. I’ve heard stories about it and a teammate once told me about some friends of his who are still hoping to find their missing sister.
I don’t know how Levon managed to convince that bar owner not to press charges, but he’s always had a way with people. Thinking about him makes me miss the Dragons, and it reminds me of what a shit friend I am to Caelia.
There just aren’t enough hours in the day for the things I need to do.
Sucking in a breath as I shower and change in my apartment at lightning speed, I’m hustling back out within half an hour after also eating. East is right. I need to stay focused on my career so I can stay in Savannah. I need to be able to pay my bills and have my shit together.
My phone buzzes in my pocket and I ignore it, knowing Pack Mayor won’t call me when I just left them. If there was an emergency, I set their numbers to ring through in order to avoid answering a call I don’t have time for or worse, missing their calls.
Getting into my vehicle has my fingers twitching with stress and anxiety, but I push through it. Whoever this omega is, she deserves alphas who aren’t a goddamned mess. She doesn’t need my trauma spilling over onto her when she’s fighting for her life.
My phone continues to go off like it’s possessed as I drive, and I finally connect it to the Bluetooth and answer without paying attention to who the contact is.
“Hello.”
“You’re a hard person to get a hold of, but that shouldn’t be a surprise when you’re a fucking coward.” Ella’s voice is snide, angry, and nasally as if she’s been crying.
Lyle froze her alimony recently and I’m sure she’s just realizing how much that contributes to her income. Ella wants a cushy lifestyle, she simply doesn’t want the hockey player that comes with it.
For a couple of years, she was able to have what she wanted, but I can’t keep punishing myself over a mistake. The mistake was marrying her and allowing her to run roughshod over my life.
“I have a lawyer, Ella. I’m no longer speaking to you without him,” I reply as I drive. “You’re welcome to discuss your unhappiness with him.”
“You owe me!” she screams at me. “There were years of wondering if you were fucking some puck bunny, Troy. I’ll never get that time back.”
“I didn’t have sex with anyone but you while we were together, Ella.
I was faithful, while you spent my money without truly caring about my wellbeing.
How long am I supposed to suffer for your delusions?
” I ask her. “If you’ve mismanaged two years of your very large alimony payments, that’s not my problem. ”
“You fucked that woman in your hotel room!” Ella sniffles. “There are photos!”
“Where?” I ask, feeling myself grow cold. Bile threatens to crawl up my throat and I cough as I pull into the parking lot for the training rink. Grabbing my water bottle, I take a couple of hard swallows to keep myself from throwing up.
Just the thought of photos of myself in that position out in the world makes my skin crawl.
I don’t think it’s possible because someone would have already told me.
Hell, Lyle is now acting as my council and he would have forced a retraction.
Even my agent and PR manager would have done something by now.
“You’re lying,” I finally tell her. “This is a low blow even for you, Ella. Thank you for showing me yet again that the mistake I made was marrying you. I’m the one who wasted years, and I won’t waste anymore. If you need me, speak to my lawyer.”
“It’s true! I’m not lying,” Ella says quickly. “She sent me a photo of her riding your cock.”
“Gross,” I mutter, grabbing my things as I turn off the vehicle. The call will stay connected until I open the door. “Please refrain from sending me evidence of her raping me, Ella. She deserved to go to jail and she barely had her wrist slapped.”
“You were hard!” she cries out. “She didn’t use a condom and then you expected to come home to fuck me?”
“I didn’t want to have sex with anyone after that,” I remind her. “The night she raped me killed my libido.”
I ignore the fact this is a partial truth because I’m very attracted to Lyle, Easton, and Silas. However, Ella is homophobic and believes everything should revolve around her. She doesn’t understand the concept of her boyfriends also being boyfriends.
She had a boyfriend cheat on her with a man when she was younger and I believe that fucked her up.
“You can’t rape the willing,” she snarls.
“Goodbye, Ella. You’re a piece of fucking work, ya know that?”
Shoving open my door, I relish cutting off her scream as the call disconnects.
God, what a fucking bitch.
Blowing out a breath to try to dispel the anxiety of her call, I step out of the vehicle and slam the door shut. As I lock up and begin walking, I argue with myself if I need to text Lyle about this or not. Fuck. He has more than enough on his plate as it is.
A ping rings out from my phone and I pull it out, knowing I may have called Lyle with my thoughts. I know this isn’t how life works, but there’s a reason people say you can feel when people are thinking or talking about you.
Lyle
Why does it feel as if you need me?
My smile helps push away the unpleasantness of dealing with Ella and I text him back. We have a group chat together with Easton and Silas to make things easier, and that’s where he’s messaging me from.
It keeps them all from needing to tell each other things they can simply read instead.
Me
Ella called and I answered my phone. I didn’t realize it was her when I picked up. She called a bunch of times and I started to worry there was an emergency. I was wrong. She’s pissed she isn’t getting any more money.
Lyle
Of course she is. I’ll send over communication to her lawyer that she desist from directly communicating with you.
I continue taking deep breaths as I enter the building and greet the guard, my legs moving quickly to drop my shit off at the locker room. I’m not late yet, but the last thing I need is to piss off my coach.
Silas
Did she say anything else?
Easton
Killing emoji.
Me
East, we can’t kill her.
Easton
Sad face emoji.
Chuckling under my breath, I push into the locker room and drop my bag off in front of my cubby before I reply to Silas.
Me
Ella says Olivia sent her a photo of the night she raped me. I don’t know if that’s possible, but I threw up a little in my mouth at the idea she could have.
Easton
I have friends who can find out if she did this or not. Go kick some ass on the ice. Use that as your therapy if you won’t talk to someone.
Me
Are you calling me stubborn?
Lyle
Yes.
Silas
Fuck yes.
Easton
It makes me want to spank your ass red.
Me
Goddamn it. Erections on the ice are dangerous.
Grumbling under my breath, I get dressed for practice, listening to the chatter around me as my teammates do the same.
“Growls never mean good things for us,” Walker snorts as he pulls on his pads. “Who pissed in your Cheerios, man?”
“Many people, and the sun is barely out,” I mutter.
“Kinky and also gross,” Walker teases me.
“Don’t knock piss play until you try it,” Teagan says absently. The locker room goes silent and he glances up as he puts on his skates. “That was a variation of not yucking someone’s yum and it did not come out right. Please ignore me. I promise I don’t like to piss on people or anyone’s cereal.”
“I would try very hard not to judge you if you did,” Walker chuckles. “Moving on…”
Teagan breathes out a sigh of relief as my teammates grin. Goalies are an odd but fun breed. I make sure everything is put away in my cubby before I check the laces of my skates as I strap them on my feet.
“Let’s go ladies!” Coach yells, making me roll my eyes.
My blade guards snap into place and I stand, ready to kick some ass at practice. My teammates chatter as we walk, and I halfheartedly listen as I think about what I left behind at Pack Mayor’s home. I have a full day here and then tomorrow off before we leave for away games.