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.”

her face drawn with worry. “Here,”

roommate a quick hug before sprinting out of the dorm and out

I was certain I had broken several traffic laws on the way, but

waiting room and jumped

however, was just angry with her for not getting Taylor the help he needed and for letting

he?”

nurse over, who led us to the hospital

entered, my heart dropped into the pit of my stomach

down his throat, his eyes were

on the floor and running over to the side of his bed. I gripped the bed rail with one hand and

severe that the doctor had to put

know what’s wrong with him?”

sort of tumor or anything like that I furrowed my brow as I continued to stare down at my

Once we were alone, I felt my mother’s

growled, feeling rage bubble up inside of me. “He’s been telling you for years that he’s been in pain,

and sitting in the folding chair across from it as the

tightening on Taylor’s wrist and I let go before I hurt him,

her own eyes

it, then?” I asked. “What’s so difficult about getting your son the medical help

He was so much thinner than he had been the last time I saw him. His cheeks were gaunt and his eyes were sunken

with, who had once climbed trees and played cowboys and bandits and given me piggy back rides when we were little, now looked as though he wouldn’t even be able to support his