My Hockey Alpha

Chapter 233: The Death of a Father

Enzo

At the last moment, Nina shoved me through the portal before I had the chance to try to stay behind. I knew, logically, that Selena was completely and utterly lying when she said that she would let my father and my friends live if I went with her. But my judgment was so clouded from the grief of my father’s imminent death that I wasn’t thinking straight, and if it weren’t for Nina’s quick thinking, I would have made the worst decision of my life.

But at the same time, for the briefest of moments, I resented her for that. I wished that I could have tried, even if it failed. Even then, however, I loved her all the same, and I knew that she did the right thing in pushing me through that portal.

My father and I didn’t always get along, especially after my mother died years before. That didn’t mean, however, that I didn’t love him. In fact, quite the opposite was true: I loved my father dearly. I just wished that I had realized that before it was too late.

And now, I was out of time.

I fell to the ground on the other side of the portal along with my friends. Nina came through just seconds after me and fell down to the ground beside me, panting heavily. The force of our fall caused me to drop my father, and when I came to my senses on the forest floor, I looked up to see him lying on the ground a few feet away. His body was so frail and limp, and I instantly felt panic rise up in my throat as I wondered if the impact was enough to kill him. I scrambled over to him on my hands and knees and grabbed his shoulder, rolling him onto his back.

His eyes were open and blinking, and he was breathing. But he wouldn’t be for long.

though death was giving them the

I knew that he was fully

sounding cracked and dry. “You’re a good kid. I’m sorry I

friends were groaning and coming to their senses. I could hear Matt, Lori, and Jessica speak in confused, but hushed, tones. They were waking up from Selena’s spell and were certainly confused about what happened and where

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Nina sitting up on her knees close to me, but she gave us space and privacy for

dad,” I said. My throat felt as though it was closing around my words, and it caused my voice to come out sounding choked. Part of me wondered if I would die along with my father from a lack of air to my lungs. “I should

possibly done. And besides… I’ve had a good

and I felt my heart drop into it. I felt so heavy that I thought

I could do. Maybe if I had found my father just a day or two earlier, he would be okay now. Maybe if I had fought back against Selena that day that she took my father hostage, none of this

he instantly saw my guilt-ridden face. He reached up and clamped his hand around the back of my neck and held me firmly, forcing me to look into his eyes. His hand was cold and his fingers

this. No one could. But now,

moment. “But how?” I said, almost

mode. Part of me wished that she would have done the same for my father, but we both knew that he was beyond saving. Now, it was just a matter of saying our goodbyes, and making sure that our

realize that now. If you can