Chapter 17
CHAPTER
SEVENTEEN
TROY
I haven’t been home in three days and I’m itching to see my people. After being away, I consider Pack Mayor my home, and it also solidifies that I can’t ever get traded away from the Iceholes, as fans affectionately call us.
I’ll either be on top of my shit until retirement, or I’ll walk away early. I don’t want to live away from my pack. Their lives are here in Savannah and while I know they’re supportive, it’s not fair to make them travel with me.
I have to stay here.
I got back in really late last night and stayed at my apartment, despite not wanting to. I didn’t want to wake anyone up, and I fell face first into my bed. I was too tired to remember any of my dreams, and now I’m at practice.
We have three days off after this and Coach has a wild hair up his ass about working on the things he wants to tan our hides for.
Honestly, it’s so normal for him, none of us batted an eye.
Any normal person would have cut us loose, but he doesn’t want us to get lazy while we’re on break for a few days.
Or so he says. A part of me wonders if he’s getting pressure from the owner to see more progress. He’s an ex-player himself, and I’d bet anything he wants to see us go all the way to the championships.
Hell, I want that for us too, but this is still a newer team. It can take time, and we’re doing the work to get there.
The puck slides back and forth across the ice as I perform drills, and my blade rhythmically touches it with a click, click, click.
My entire world narrows down to a pinpoint as I skate, only widening enough as I try to get the biscuit past my goalie.
This drill is two-fold, and not only for myself and a couple of other players, but Teagan as well.
Coach wants me to work on my backhand shot to take on a more aggressive role with the team. I’m typically the bruiser and defender, something I’m damn good at. However, he says my ability to fight through the opposing team also puts me in a position to shoot more shots.
Click, click, click. The puck does what I want it to as I gain speed and throw ice at Teagan before following through with my shot.
The quick slide as I stop showers his face with ice shavings, and he slits his eyes in response.
This would get my ass beat in a game with the opposition, but Teagan fights through the blindness and blocks the puck in spite of it.
“Fuck,” he groans. “That was dirty.”
“Coach’s orders,” I remind him, wincing. We are also teaching Teagan that sometimes, shit will go wrong and he’ll need to fight through the pain. I’m telling you, the leadership in this organization is fucking diabolical.
An assistant coach glides over and hands Teagan a cloth to clean off the sheen of ice, while Walker makes a brief sound of sympathy. There’s ice crystals clinging to our goalie’s lashes, and I know that shit has to sting.
“Damn, you’re going to be able to play blindfolded with one arm behind your back by the time Troy is done with you,” he chuckles. “You good?”
Teagan nods, taking a breath as he shakes his head of the brain freeze I just submitted him to. “Let’s go again. I know if this happened during a game, you’d jump all over the punk who did it, but that doesn’t change the fact that I have a job to do.”
“Fuck yeah,” I grin. He’s a tough cookie.
Half an hour later, Coach is calling an end to training, and he whistles for me to skate over.
“You have visitors,” he says, pointing over his shoulder. “I waited to tell you in case you were pissed at them. They watched you for most of practice.”
Skating back a little, I grin as I see Alisa. She’s sitting in a wheelchair excitedly talking to Lyle. They’re all smiling, and it’s clear she has questions about what she watched.
“I’m not mad at them,” I chuckle. “Thanks for letting them through, Coach. Alisa is trying to learn how hockey works.”
“Yeah? That’s refreshing,” he says. “Is she alright? What’s with the chair, Troy?”
My teammates are all leaving the ice, leaving me with a small bubble of privacy for the moment.
“She’s recuperating after some bad shit happened to her,” I admit. “Will you let the team know not to walk alone when they’re headed home from blowing off steam? I don’t want anyone caught up in the city’s chaos.”
“Buddy system?” Coach asks shrewdly.
No one enjoys being tailed, but they will do whatever he asks, even if it means it fucks with their ability to get laid.
“Yes, please. They’ll hate it…”
“These boys will figure out how to scratch the itch despite the buddy system,” he says with a shrug. “Most of them will be ready to fall into their beds. I have no problems exhausting them so they won’t think about getting laid.”
I know he doesn’t. Giving him a two finger wave, I skate backward until I get the eyes on me that I want.
Holding up my hand, I tell them I just need five minutes and return to the locker room to take the fastest possible shower.
Silas will baby me when I get home with a hot bath if he thinks I need it.
I love having people to check on me. I’ve video chatted with Alisa a few times while I’ve been gone, and Silas, Easton, and Lyle have kept me up to date in the group chat. They’re showing me more support than Ella and my last pack ever have.
It’s like night and day and solidifying my choice to be all in. Time isn’t a factor when you’ve been living half a life for years.
“I’m beat,” Teagan groans, stretching slowly. “I wanted to go for a drink, but I think you all broke me.”
It looks like Coach’s plan is working well.
“I think we’re all going to bed,” I admit, pushing my feet into a pair of slides. I’m wearing compression socks underneath my gray joggers, and my white long sleeved shirt covers my tattoos.
I’m looking for comfort at the moment, as my body comes down from practice.
“Listen up, ladies!” Coach yells from the door.
I tune him out as his announcement pulls groans from my teammates and grab my bag as I stand to leave.
“See ya,” I say as Coach ends his speech.
Holding up my hand to acknowledge the goodbyes, I walk out of the locker room to find Alisa and our alphas in the lobby area of the practice building.
Alisa looks better today, and her cheeks are flushed with excitement as she waits for me.
Her hair is pulled back in a braid I’m sure Silas is responsible for, and she’s wearing black leggings and a purple sweater.
I think we may have found her favorite color, because she’s also wearing lilac sneakers on her feet.
“Hey guys,” I say, grinning as I drop to my knees in front of Alisa and wrap my arms around her waist. My head ends up in her boobs as I hug her, and Lyle snorts as Alisa’s fingers slide through my wet hair. At least I took the extra time to shower, because I fucking smelled after practice.
“Are you naming my boobs now?” she teases me softly.
I hate to admit it, but I should have chosen a different way to greet her. My teammates wolf whistle as they pass us and I shrug as I lift my head to drag my nose against hers.
“I haven’t earned that right yet, but I plan to,” I breathe.
The scent of her arousal grows heavier as I kiss her lips.
I can’t do a peck on the cheek after not seeing her for so long.
I need just a little more. My lips press against hers again and her fingers tug gently on my hair to keep me there.
My nostrils flare briefly to see how she really is, finding she’s happy today and there’s no sign of bleeding anymore. Speaking to her brothers kind of bummed her out, and they’re supposed to be coming in on Sunday. Weekends off are rare, and I’ll enjoy every moment of it.
I also want to be there to support her in any way she needs as she sees her brothers in the flesh for the first time in way too long.
“I missed you,” she confesses, leaning back slightly to gaze into my eyes. There are yellow flecks in the darkness of her eyes, and I want to count all the different shades within them. I swear, I could get lost in her eyes.
“I missed you,” I murmur, standing up.
“Does this mean I can pack up your things?” Silas asks. Lyle pushes Alisa toward the door, and we follow them as Easton hides a smile from me.
There’s no doubt this is where I was always going to land. I just had to put up a fight about it first like the brat I am.
“Yes,” I drawl slowly. “I suppose it’s time to move in.”
“Fuck yeah,” Easton grins. “Alisa, Troy is coming home with us and we don’t have to hog tie him to make it happen.”
“Consent is sexy!” she calls out without looking too worried.
Chuckling, I have to say that she has a point.
“I’ll go over tomorrow, get a moving company to pack everything up, and break your lease,” Silas continues over our antics.
“You’re breaking out the big guns,” I grin, leaning into him as he drops his arm around my shoulders.
“I’ve had movers on standby for a month,” he shrugs, dropping his voice. “It was only a matter of time before you decided you needed to be closer to us, even without Alisa in the equation.”
“I’m happier when I’m with you guys,” I sigh. “Shit. I didn’t drive today. I went for a run instead.”
“You have a few days off, I’ll have someone pick up your vehicle later,” Silas says easily. I’m not surprised he knows my schedule. We only discuss it if it’s regarding the next time I’ll be able to call, but they all take it in stride.
God, they’re so fucking understanding.
As we arrive at the car, I lift Alisa out of the wheelchair and get inside, tucking her against my side. She snuggles in with a small sigh once seat belts are on, and Lyle puts the wheelchair in the back.
“Do you have exercises you’re supposed to do?” I ask, watching as we pull away from the parking spot.
“The doctor has started strength training with resistance bands. I end up a sweating, miserable mess by the end of it,” Alisa grumbles.
My fingers play with the end of her braid and I say, “Pool exercises can do the same thing without the sweating. Why don’t we go to the rec center tomorrow?”
“Really?” she asks.