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.

my roommate a quick hug before sprinting out

was two o’clock in the morning when I arrived at the hospital where Taylor was staying. I was certain I had broken several traffic laws on the way, but thankfully there was no one on the roads with it being so late, so I managed to

room and jumped

just angry with her for not getting Taylor the help he needed and for letting it get

he?”

nurse over, who led us

entered, my heart dropped into the pit of

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

side of his bed. I gripped the bed rail with one hand

said quietly “His symptoms were so severe that the

what’s wrong

aware, he doesn’t seem to have any sort

word of 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

up inside of

folding chair across from it as

was tightening on Taylor’s wrist and I let go before I

tears in her own eyes and her lower lip

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

so much thinner than he had been the last time I saw him. His cheeks were gaunt and his eyes were sunken in. As I reached out again to take his hand and stroke it with my thumb, I could

given me piggy back rides when we were little, now looked as though he wouldn’t even be able to support