My Hockey Alpha

Nina

“Okay,” I whispered. “I’ll go with you.”

My mom let out a relieved sigh. Without a word, she rushed over to me and pulled me into a tight hug. I felt myself tense under her touch for a moment before I relaxed and wrapped my arms around her. For a long time, we held each other, crying, and eventually I heard the sound of my brother quietly walking down the stairs.

When I turned around, he was standing in the doorway with his suitcase in one hand and mine in the other.

“You knew all along?” I asked as we waited for my mom to finish packing up some sentimental items and valuables around the house to bring with us.

He nodded, then paused and furrowed his brow. “Yes. Well, sort of. I found out a couple of years ago when mom had a witch come and try to break the curse. I thought she was crazy for a long time, though. Now, I realize that she was telling the truth.”

I nodded, staring at the floor with wide eyes as a million things raced through my mind. “I’ve learned a lot these past few months,” I said. “If you had asked me at the beginning of the semester if I thought werewolves were real, I would’ve laughed in your face and called you a maniac. Now…”

My voice trailed off as I looked up to see my mother standing by the door. Her face was twisted into a look of sadness, and as she gripped her suitcase in her hand, her knuckles were white. “Come on,” she said, opening the door. “We have to go quickly.”

I nodded solemnly and took my suitcase from Taylor. Then, we said goodbye to our childhood home and left.

…

As our mother drove us to the airport, the reality of the situation hadn’t fully hit me yet and I had a million questions. Thankfully, my mom was finally honest and open about everything, and I was able to get some answers.

“So… You knew Richard in college?” I asked. “And Tiffany, and all of the others? Even… Edward?”

My mother smiled a bit at the mention of Tiffany’s name, but her smile quickly faded as I mentioned Richard and Edward.

“Yes,” she said quietly, gripping the steering wheel tightly as she drove. “The Peacekeepers. How did you know about our club?”

“Tiffany told me,” I replied. “She misses you, by the way.”

her, too,” my mom said with a soft sigh. “But it’s been too long. I’m afraid I’m not the same person I was

silent for a moment, looking out the window as the occasional streetlight cast the inside of the car in an amber glow. With each flash of light, mine and

My mother didn’t answer.

out onto the

said, “what are you gonna do

replied. “We won’t be coming back. I’m

widened. “You told me it would only be

my mom choked out through her clenched throat. “I’m sorry. But I had to do what was best for my children. Richard will stop at nothing to get us out of the picture, especially now that the Crescents are making a return. He still thinks I’m a traitor, and he

“He can’t really be

didn’t want to put my brother and my mom at risk anymore. Was I really about to say goodbye to everything and everyone I had come to know and love over the past four years? My friends, my job, my

mom pulled into the long-term parking lot and got out of the car. We had left so quickly that she was still in

as I closed the car door and retrieved my suitcase from the trunk, and every

climbed out of the window? As I stood behind my mother and listened to her arguing with the receptionist while she tried to exchange our old plane tickets for newer, faster ones, I couldn’t stop myself from glancing periodically over my shoulder at the front doors. It was as though I kept

the receptionist relented and let my mother exchange our tickets. She gave us the new tickets and pointed us toward security, where we went through the motions of removing our shoes and electronics while the security guard, a tired-looking

felt so solid now. I felt as though I was walking through a thick mud, and with every step, I sank a little

mother handed our tickets to the attendant, who waved us through the gate with a stiff smile on her

I felt my

It was faint at first, but it grew stronger with every

Enzo’s scent. I was sure of

looked over my shoulder one last

my mother called. “What are you

back to face her and took one more step, but the mud was too thick now. I couldn’t go with her. Enzo’s scent was like a lifeline pulling me to safety, pulling me home. I felt tears begin

“Mom… I can’t.”

leaving in five minutes,” the attendant said. “If you’re not going to get on,

wide and frantic. She rushed toward me and grabbed me by my shoulders, her face pleading. “What are you doing, Nina?” she asked, her voice shaking just