My Hockey Alpha

Nina

“It’s nice outside. Will you go on a walk with me?”

As if my heart wasn’t already racing enough, it felt like it was going to burst out of my chest when Enzo asked me to go on a walk with him. I hesitated to respond, wondering if this was some horrible prank concocted by Lisa. But he seemed genuine, and I was curious to see what he wanted to talk about. Maybe he would tell me that he decided I wasn’t his mate and that he would leave me alone now.

Maybe he would tell me that werewolves and talking skeletons weren’t real, that all of this was just a joke and that my skeleton bodyguard was just a normal guy wearing a costume. It was unlikely, but wishful thinking never hurt anyone, right? “U-um… Sure,” I responded, still clutching my bag tightly.

Enzo smiled a real, genuine, handsome smile that made my heart skip a beat. I couldn’t deny that he was handsome.

“After you,” he said, stepping out of the way and gesturing down the stairs. We walked across the quad and toward the entrance to the little garden that was located between the two dormitory buildings. Other students sat on the benches in the sunshine as they studied, read books, and chatted with friends. I liked to come here often in between classes to get some fresh air and look at the flowers. Right now, there weren’t as many flowers since it was autumn, but the fallen leaves on the ground and the fall decorations still made for a nice atmosphere.

Our shoes crunched on the pebbly trail as we walked together in silence for a bit. I continued to clutch my bag nervously while Enzo walked casually with his hands in his pockets. Eventually, he stopped under a large cherry tree and turned to look at me. I swallowed, unsure of what was to come.

Enzo stared at me with his soft brown eyes, which practically sparkled in the sunlight, for a few moments before speaking.

“I really like you, Nina,” he said softly, taking a step toward me.

I swallowed again and unconsciously took a step back, not knowing what to say. Wasn’t he back together with Lisa? This had to be a prank, and a mean one at that! What had I done to deserve this sort of treatment, other than to be so silly as to think that the school heartthrob Enzo Rivers would ever genuinely like me?

Enzo stopped and looked at me with a furrowed brow, cocking his head a bit to the side.

he said. “You

lip as I tried to come up with a response. If this interaction was being recorded from somewhere in order to humiliate me some more on Twitter, I wanted

painful expression. His normally stoic face, with his sharp jawline

and there was a

bit. “I know you left the other night to be

I saw you after the game with her, and I saw your hickey. I won’t be with a playboy who can’t even commit to me for ten minutes.” Enzo’s eyebrows knit together for a moment, but then a smile started to spread across his

left you the other night to sleep with Lisa?” he asked, chuckling

the same direction as her and disappear for

over his shoulder and lowering his voice, leaning closer to me so no one would hear, “there was a shifter out

close to the party?” I said, temporarily forgetting about Lisa. “You don’t

appearances of shifters in the area generally seemed to be localized to wherever you are at the time, it’s becoming pretty obvious to me

“But… why?” I asked.

shrugged. “I’m still trying to figure that

of a silence between us. A couple of students walked by holding hands, talking about what to do after class today. For a moment, I wished it could be that simple for me; to just be able to openly

Enzo finally said after the students walked past, “what do you say? I really like you, Nina. I

partially from excitement and partially from

my feet. “But I saw your hickey. Even if you’re not sleeping with her, you’re sleeping with someone. I may not be the prettiest girl on campus, but I do have some self esteem, and I won’t lower myself enough

again, then let