My Hockey Alpha



The mansion was alive with laughter, clinking glasses, and lively chatter. I was immersed in it all by Enzo's side, but my focus sharpened when Tyler walked in, a radiant smile on his face and a girl on his arm.

She was tall, slender, and had a vibe that screamed 'effortlessly cool'.

"Hey, Nina," Tyler said, guiding her over to me. "This is Angie. Angie, this is my sister, Nina.*

Angie grinned, revealing a perfect row of white teeth. "Hey. Nice to meet you."

"So, you're the mysterious Angle," I said, offering them both a smile.

Her eyes seemed to twinkle. "That would be me. I've heard so much about you, Nina. The legendary sister."

"Legendary? Tyler, what stories have you been telling her?" I joked, but my eyes were drawn to the unique pendant she wore. It looked like a wolf's tooth, intricately set in silver.

"Oh, just that you basically saved the world," Tyler said, giving me a wink.Nôvel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.

I blushed. "I did no such thing. And besides, you weren't even there."

Angie's laugh was genuine and contagious, and I found myself instantly liking her. "I will say one thing, though," she said. "Tyler wasn't lying about your looks. You're really pretty!"

"Aw, thank you, Angie. I like you already."

We continued to mingle, and Angle seamlessly blended into the family. It was easy to see that Tyler was smitten, and I was genuinely happy for him. But as the evening wore on, the excitement began to take its toll on me.

"I'll be outside for a bit," I whispered to Enzo, who was deep in conversation about hockey with a distant cousin of mine who I had never even heard of.

He nodded. "I'll find you."

The garden was cool and quiet, and I finally felt like I could breathe. I settled on a wrought- iron bench, surrounded by the aroma of roses and the sound of a distant water fountain. The atmosphere was soothing and tranquil, a complete contrast to the buzzing energy inside. As I sat there quietly, my eyes closed, listening to the sounds of the garden and the music wafting from inside, I let my mind wander onto other things: the baby, Enzo, my parents.

I didn't know how to feel about my father's insistence that I come here and live with him. It was tempting, yes, but I loved my home in Mountainview. But then again, after today, I had been reminded of what it was like to be surrounded by family.

Was it possible that I could juggle both, somehow? Split my time between Mountainview and the werewolf realm? Or would that just add another layer of unnecessary complexity to it all?

"I believe that you can make it work at home, on your own," my wolf's voice chimed in, soft and gentle in the back of my mind. "It's what you've always done, isn't it?"

I shrugged, no longer started by her presence in my mind. "Maybe. Or maybe I should try to do something new for once. Open up a little."

But my wolf, ever the pragmatist, growled softly with disagreement. "And what if no one understands when you do open up? What if they see you as a basket case?"

My eyes shot open. My wolf's words gave me pause. It wasn't unfamiliar territory for us to disagree; she was, after all, often speaking what was lingering in the back of my mind. But was that how I really felt? Did I really, deep down, refuse to open up about my trauma because I was worried that doing so would drive everyone else away?

How ridiculous was that?

Before I could come up with an answer for my wolf, I heard the sound of footsteps approaching. I looked up to see Enzo headed my way, his hands in his pockets and a slightly

concerned look on his face.

"Hey," I murmured as I scooched over on the bench.

"Hey," Enzo said, taking a seat next to me. "Everything okay?"