Chapter 27
Damien
The buzzer sounds, and the crowd goes wild. Another goal for the Royal Alphas.
We are on fire tonight! I’m running on a high right now. The Flaming Flamingos are out for a win, getting a chance for more shots than I like. I’ve blocked twenty so far tonight. Twenty!
While our defense might be on the weaker side tonight, our forwards and centers are killing it. We’re winning three to nothing.
We’re about to begin our final period of the night. I might be getting too cocky, but I don’t think they have enough time for a comeback.
During intermission, I skate off the ice. “I gotta piss,” I tell Dean as I waddle my ass to the locker room.
“Get it out now. We need no distractions from you tonight. We’re so damn close, I can taste it.”
“Damn right.” I grin.
I strip off as much gear as I need to pull my dick out and pee before heading back over to my locker. I know we’re not supposed to be checking our phones during games, but there’s no way I can go a few hours without texting my girl.
There’s a two-hour time difference. I know she went to Carson and Reid’s game tonight, but she should be back at their place by now.
Grabbing my phone, I mean to pull up Addie’s contact when I see there are five missed calls and three unread texts.
“What the fuck?” I mutter, checking my texts.
Carson: I know you're most likely on the ice right now and won’t see this until after the game, but Addie is in heat, and she’s freaking out. She is demanding you be here. We’re trying to settle her, but nothing’s working.
My heart drops into my stomach as panic rises inside me. Addie is in heat, and I’m a four-hour plane ride away. Not to mention in the middle of a game.
Clicking on Carson’s contact, I call him.
He picks up immediately. “Thank fuck.”
“How is she?”
“She’s sleeping right now, but she’s sinking deeper into her heat with every hour.”
“Fuck.” I hiss, running a hand through my sweaty hair.
“Damien?” I hear her soft, sleepy voice. “Damien, is that you?”
“Shit.” Carson hisses.
“Put me on speaker.”
“You're good.”
“Hey, Cupcake. How’s my girl doing?”
“Damien,” her voice breaks right alongside my fucking heart. “Where are you? I need you.”
“I know, baby. I’m on my way, okay? I need you to be a good girl and let Carson and Reid take care of you. Try to get some sleep, and I’ll be there before you know it.”
“Hurry.” She’s crying now, and I fucking hate it. I don’t like hearing her cry, and I sure as hell don’t like being the reason.
“I will. I’m going to change and head right to the airport.”
“I don’t want to go through my heat without you,” she whimpers.
“You won’t, Cupcake. I’m going to be there, I promise.”
Hanging up the phone, I quickly start to get undressed.
“What the hell are you doing?” Dean asks. “We gotta get back out there.”
“Change of plans. I’m leaving.”
“What the fuck do you mean you’re leaving?!” He demands.
I toss my gear into the locker, not giving a fuck if it fits, as I grab my clothes.
“I have someone who needs me.”
“We need you! We’re going to lose without you.”
“Romano is good. He’s got this, but I have to go.”
Grabbing my phone, keys, and wallet, I start to head to the exit when my dad calls my name.
“Damien!” he shouts. I turn to see him looking at me with confusion. “What the fuck are you doing? Get back in your gear and get on the ice.”
“With all due respect, Sir, no can do.”
I push the door open and start toward the exit again when my dad chases after me.
“Damien,” he growls, grabbing my arm. “What is going on? Where are you going?”
“Nashville.” I turn to him with panicked eyes.
This isn’t how I wanted to tell my dad about Addie and me, but he’s clearly not going to let me go without an explanation.
“Why the hell are you going there? And in the middle of a game! Start talking, boy,” he growls.
“Addie is there.”
“So?”
“And she needs me.”
“What could she possibly need you for that's so important that you need to leave in the middle of the game?” He looks at me like I’m crazy.
“She’s in heat.”
He looks taken aback. “Since when is that your—” His eyes widen with realization. “You two are together.”
“Yup,” I give him a forced smile. “I know that's not what you want to hear right now, but it’s a fact. I’ve loved Addie for years, and she is my scent match.
I’ve known since she was eighteen. I’ve put off being with her because of the game, because of what the world would think about our family.
But I’m not doing it anymore. Addie is the most important thing to me.
More than hockey. She needs me, and I’m going. ”
He licks his lips, running a hand over his head, clearly in shock. “Scent matches,” he whispers. “I–woah.”
“Can we talk about this when I get back? You can yell at me all you want then. Right now, I need to get to the airport and on the next flight to Nashville.”
“Yell at you?” his brows pull together. “Damien, I’m not going to yell at you. Am I shocked? Yes, but she’s your scent match. It doesn’t matter to me that she’s your stepsister. It’s not like you two really grew up together. She’s your Omega, and she needs you. Go. I’ll get Romano to fill in.”
“Really?” It's my turn to be shocked. “You’re just... okay with it?”
“I have to be,” he chuckles. “You’re my son. Your happiness means the world to me.”
“Well fuck.” I let out a laugh, pulling my dad in for a hug. “That is not how I expected this to go.”
“Let’s just keep this between us for now. The last thing I need is for your stepmother to find out and make our lives hell.”
“Agreed.”
“Now go. Get out of here.”
“Thanks, dad.” I grin, feeling a hell of a lot better than I did a moment ago.
I race to my car and throw it in drive.
The ride to the airport isn't too long. That's not what I’m worried about. It’s the fact that it’s nearly nine at night, and I don’t have a ticket.
Parking my car in the overnight lot, I bolt into the airport and to the nearest airline check-in desk.
“I need to be on the next flight to Nashville,” I demand, my chest heaving as I struggle to breathe.
The attendant blinks at me, eyes wide.
“You’re Damien Clark,” she says in awe.
Of all the times to have someone fangirl over me.
“Sure am.” I force a smile. “Now, can you do something about getting me on the next flight to Nashville?”
She looks down at her computer, types something in, and shakes her head. “There are no flights with our airline leaving tonight.”
“Okay, well, what about another airline? I don’t care who I fly with, as long as I’m out of here as soon as possible.”
“Umm.” She types again. “There is one leaving in a half hour. But the ticket is first class, and it’s five thousand dollars.”
I pull out my wallet and slap my credit card down on the counter. “I’ll take it.”
I’d spend a million dollars right now, no fucking joke, if it meant I’d get to Addie in time.
There is no price tag when it comes to her.