My Hockey Alpha

Nina

“Nina… Taylor is in the hospital.”

I felt my heart drop as I registered what my mother just told me over the phone. Everything, from the Half- Moon Tournament to the Mad Wolf serum to Luke’s sudden transformation, seemed like nothing now.

“I’ll be there as soon as possible,” I said hastily, hanging up as a knot formed in my stomach.

“Nina? Is everything okay?” Enzo asked from behind. I turned around to see him still standing by the fire, looking at me with a concerned expression on his face. Luke was pulling on a pair of jeans behind him, but was also looking at me as he did so. It felt odd to see Luke with an actual expression on his face, and for there tobe meat and flesh on his bones, but right now it hardly registered to me.

“I-I have to go,” I said, taking a few steps backwards. “It’s my brother. He’s in the hospital.”

Both Enzo’s and Luke’s eyes widened. Enzo jogged toward me. “I’ll take you on the motorcycle,” he said.

“No,” I replied. “I’ll borrow Lori’s car I’ll keep you updated, though. Just focus on Edward and the Half-Moon tournament.”

Enzo nodded, and before either of them said anything else, I turned on my heel and ran back toward the campus. Lori was thankfully still awake when I got home, playing a video game on the TV

“Can I borrow your car for the night?” I asked breathlessly as I ran through to my room and began stuffing clothes and toiletries in my backpack.

Lori paused her game and turned around on the couch to face me. “Uh… Sure, I guess?” she responded. “Is everything okay?”

“It’s my brother,” I replied, running out of my room with my bag haphazardly packed already. “He’s in the hospital.”

keys out of her purse, her face drawn with worry. “Here,” she said, tossing

will,” I responded, giving my roommate a quick hug before sprinting out

the hospital where Taylor was staying. I was certain I had broken several traffic laws on the way, but thankfully

the waiting room and jumped up when I burst

angry with her for not getting Taylor the help he needed and for letting it get to this point. I was

he?” I

over, who led us to the

entered, my heart dropped into the pit of my stomach like a ball of

was hooked up to so many machines. There was a breathing tube down his throat,

of his bed. I gripped the bed rail with one hand and squeezed his

sorry,” the nurse said quietly “His symptoms were so severe that

wrong with him?”

shook her head. “We’re running a blood panel as we speak. His x -rays came back inconclusive. As far as we’re aware, he doesn’t seem to have any sort of tumor or anything like that I furrowed my brow as I continued to stare down at my

apology before leaving, shutting the sliding door behind her to give us privacy. Once we were alone, I felt my mother’s hand on my back. I shrugged her off

come to this,” I growled, feeling rage bubble up inside of me. “He’s been telling you for years that he’s been in pain, and you did

and sitting in the folding chair across from it as the methodical beeping of the machines and the

wrist and I let go before I hurt him, my hands shaking. “You did nothing and now he’s

me,” my mother whispered. There were tears in her own eyes and her lower lip was quivering.”

then?” I asked. “What’s so difficult about getting your son the medical help he needs before it devolves into

sob catch in my throat as I looked at her and I quickly looked away, back down at my brother. He was so much thinner than he had been the last time I saw him. His cheeks were gaunt and his eyes

had once climbed trees and played cowboys and bandits and given me piggy back rides when we were little, now looked as though