My Hockey Alpha

Nina

My heart shattered into a million pieces when Enzo left.

I wasn’t sure exactly how long I spent curled up on the floor of my bedroom after he walked out. Why did he sleep with me if he knew that it was a bad idea? Why would he knowingly break my heart like this? I didn’t fully know or understand the answers to these questions, but I had no choice but to move on with my life. At least I could take some solace in the fact that my family would be home soon and would no longer be at risk of danger, but the concept of not even having Enzo as a friend anymore broke my heart even further.

At some points during the next few days, I wished that I had just gone overseas with my mom and my brother. Thankfully, however, I still had my friends; I kept reminding myself of that every time I started to resent Enzo for what he did. At the very least, I still had Lori, Jessica, and Tiffany.

I still had my job, too. I picked up a few extra shifts at the diner to keep myself busy.

However, I quickly came to realize that even the diner wasn’t a safe zone when I was working one day and suddenly heard the door open, only to look up and see Enzo standing in front of me.

I felt my heart drop.

“What are you doing here?” I asked, my fist shaking as I gripped the dishcloth I was holding so tightly as though it was my only lifeline. Even just seeing Enzo made me feel as though I would break down and begin sobbing.

“Nina, I really need to talk to you,” he said frantically as he walked toward me. “Please. It’s really important.”

I frowned and folded my arms across my chest. Instead of looking him in the eyes, I stared directly at his chin, unable to bring myself to meet his gaze.

“What is it?”

“Can I talk to you outside?” he asked. “Please.”

to see that there was a look of pleading on his face and a sense of urgency in his

me outside to the parking lot, then stopped and turned to face me

have the power of Claiming,” he

raised an eyebrow. “The power

just a touch. You accidentally turned Matt when you were bandaging

heel. “I really can’t believe that you would show up and fuck with me like this after

my shoulder at him; he was still staring at me with that same frantic, pleading expression on his face. “I’m dead serious,” he muttered. “Look, I know I’ve been an asshole, but

my eyes searching his face for some hint of humor — but there was none. I could tell that

I would be willing

my arm away and frowned. “No,” I said. “Find someone else to help you. When you left me the other day, you forsook any future opportunities for my help or friendship. Get lost.” I turned then and began

“If you don’t want to help, then fine. But if you do, meet us there. I’m begging you, Nina. We can’t do this without you. We need you. I need

me wanted to give him the finger and go back inside, but I couldn’t deny the fact that there was an even

“Fine,” I muttered. “Midnight.”

…

up to Enzo again, I finally decided that

up when he saw me, then came jogging over to me while I tentatively

thank you enough

to

the team. They were all sitting around the fire. Some of them looked