My Hockey Alpha

Nina

It was almost as if something possessed Enzo when he tried to kiss me in the locker room. At that very same time, I felt Cora’s presence inside of me. As I watched him walk away, I could feel her sadness permeate through me.

“What was that?” I said out loud once I was alone.

“I’m really sorry,” Cora said, “but I wanted to test something. I released a little bit of my scent to see if it would attract him, and it did.”

I shook my head. “First of all, warn me before you do that next time,” I replied in my mind after realizing that I would seem utterly insane if someone came in and saw me talking to myself. “Second… Does that mean I’m his mate after all?”

“Not necessarily, but it is interesting. I’d like to try it again, if I can gather the strength.”

I bit my lip, thinking about Cora’s proposition as I gathered my medical supplies and walked out of the locker room into the completely empty arena. Her proposition was tempting, but… Maybe Enzo was right about his fated mate. If this mystery woman really was his fated mate, then maybe it would be cruel of me to try to drive them apart.

…

That night, I went to work at the diner. It felt nice to return to a shred of normalcy as I walked around taking orders and cleaning tables, and it was just busy enough to keep me occupied instead of thinking too much about Edward and Enzo.

Toward the end of my shift, however, James came in and sat at the counter. I hadn’t seen him at all since I overheard him in Edward’s house. He seemed a little haggard, and looked like he was wearing yesterday’s clothes, which was out of the ordinary for him as he was normally very clean and put-together.

“Hey,” I said, hesitantly approaching as my mind raced with a million possibilities. Was he secretly working with Edward and was coming to spy on me or lure me elsewhere? Did he know that Edward’s disappearance had something to do with me and he was going to try to get revenge on me for making his secret lover vanish?

But, neither of those things happened.

“Hey,” he replied, sitting down in front of me. “I’m craving a burger.”

I nodded, pulling out my notepad. “One burger coming right up,” I said, jotting his order down and sticking it through the kitchen window for the cook.

James was silent for a moment. He looked like he wanted to say something, but he seemed to be choosing his words very carefully.

off for a moment before picking back up. “Werewolves, huh?

red I became, offered a friendly smile. “It’s okay.

I rubbed the back of my neck nervously and let

shrugged. “I guess. Although, I always wondered what was up with

records reminded me of the times that James had shown them to me. Aside from Tiffany, who apparently knew all along and never would have revealed something like

a chance someone stole them or something? I mean, it’s a pretty big deal for this

think that I was the one who snitched, do you?” he replied, poking his index finger into the center of

an extremely good friend since I’d met him. He didn’t even seem to be aware that

of course not,” I reassured him. “I know you

burger and placed it on the counter in front of him. When I turned

he going to come in and accuse me of flirting with James now, just

I release a little

out loud without thinking. Both James and

his mouth

replied. “I’m just

convinced, but regardless, Enzo sat down next to James. James glanced up

get you

such a way that it was all too reminiscent of the way that he used to look at

I wrote his order down on my notepad, then tore the

and Nina?” Enzo

cruel again? Was he going to ask why I was talking to James? For some reason, a

slowly turned around to face him.

a chocolate milkshake too,

a small sigh of relief. “Coming right up,” I said, managing a small smile before I scurried over to the milkshake machine. I made his milkshake extra thick just the way he asked, and added a swirl of whipped cream and a cherry on top before setting it down in front of him. He mumbled some words of thanks as he took it and began to sip. Much to my surprise — and my relief — he stopped staring intently at me and instead pulled out his phone

gonna go now,” James suddenly said,

still sitting on his plate. “Do you want a box or

appetite,” he said, tossing a wad of cash down on the counter.