My Hockey Alpha novel Chapter 315

“But would that really be what you want?” Jessica asked, her tone cautious. “A secret abortion? It’s a huge decision, Nina. One that you’d have to live with forever.”

“Look,” I snapped, feeling cornered. “I don’t even know for sure if I’m pregnant yet. So there’s no point in having this conversation now.”

Lori sighed, taking a step closer to me. “Fair enough, Nina. But if you are, you’re not alone. You don’t have to go through this by yourself. Remember that.”

“Yeah,” Jessica added. “We’re always here for you, no matter what you decide.”

The intensity of the moment started to thin out, replaced by an uneasy peace. They were right. Whether or not to bring a new life into this world was a monumental decision, one that could impact not just me, but also the man I loved.

“Come on, let’s head back,” Lori said after a moment, gesturing to the door. “Before they start to think we’ve ditched them.”

“Yeah,” I agreed, still feeling somewhat lost in all of this but grateful for the reminder that I wasn’t alone in my struggle.

As we made our way back to the group, though, my friends’ words kept reverbe rating in my mind. What was I willing to sacrifice, and at what cost?

Enzo waved at me from across the crowded bar, a warm, inviting smile on his face. As I weaved my way through the throng of people, the noise level seemed to dip for a moment, long enough for me totake a deep breath before reaching him. When I did, he wrapped his arm around me and planted a gentle kiss on my forehead.

“Everything alright?” he asked, his soft brown eyes searching mine. “Jess looked really serious when she pulled you away. Is something up?”

I hesitated, feeling my wolf stir within me. This could be the moment, the perfect opportunity to lay everything on the table. But at the last second, the words caught in my throat as though something was keeping them from coming out. Some paragraphs are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on Jobnib.com. Visit Jobnib.com to read the complete chapters for free.”It’s just… girl stuff,” I said finally, offering him a reassuring smile. “Nothing to worry about.”

He chuckled, the sound comforting when I really needed it. “Since when do you talk about ‘girl stuff’ with your friends?”

He was teasing, of course. My relationship with Lori and Jessica had been more about how to handle supernatural crises than menstrual cycles or makeup tips in recent history. But tonight was different.

Tonight, the complexities of being a woman seemed to outweigh even the life-and-death situations we once found ourselves in.

“Us girls are full of surprises,” I retorted playfully. We both knew the ‘girl stuff’ excuse was flimsy, but it would hold — for now, at least.

Changing the subject, I asked, “How are you feeling, now that the game is over? Sad?”

He paused, his eyes turning reflective. “Yeah, I’m sad. But I’m also excited, you know? It’s like the end of one chapter and the start of another. New beginnings.”

The words ‘new beginnings’ echoed in my ears, and my handalmost instinctively gravitated toward my belly. But I caught myself just in time, instead letting my hands float up to cup his face.

“I’m so proud of you,” I said, my eyes meeting his. “Taking this leap, going after your dreams —I know everything will work out perfectly.”

For a moment, his eyes seemed to search mine, as if looking for something more, some hidden layer of meaning in my words. But then he smiled, that wonderful, heart-stopping smile that I’d fallen in love with.

“You think so?” he murmured.

I smirked, letting my thumb brush across his stubbly cheek. “I know so.”

His grin widened, and he leaned in to whisper in my ear. “In that case, I want to take you home. Now.”

Nina

The night air had grown chilly by the time Enzo and I arrived at home. I put our pickup truck in park in the driveway and glanced over at Enzo, whose cheeks were red from one last drink at the bar with his teammates.

“Your cheeks are rosy,” I teased, nudging him with my elbow.

Enzo grinned and brushed me off as he hopped out of the truck. “I couldn’t leave the bar without one last toast with my team,” he said.

His voice was cheerful, but there was a hint of melancholy behind it that I could tell he was trying to hide.

Maybe it wasn’t so obvious to everyone else, but it was obvious to me. Enzo was more sad about the end of his time with his hockey team than he was letting on. But I decided not to push, figuring that if he needed to talk about it, he would in his own time.

We headed into the house and flicked on the lights. It was so much cozier inside now that we had renovated the place, and I knew that Richard and Enzo’s mother would have liked it.

Instead of harsh gray walls and sparse furnishings, we were greeted by warm tones and plush furniture. A vase of flowers sat on the dining room table, and photographs of us with our friends hung on the walls.

“You know, I’m gonna be real homesick when I have to leave this place, and I never thought I’d ever admit that,” Enzo said, sinking down onto the large sectional couch.

I couldn’t help but grin. When I had first gotten to know Enzo, hedespised this house. Now, thanks to our renovations and new memories, it had become a haven for us. The ocean view below through the large windows no longer felt harsh and cold, but rather warm and inviting.

“If something is wrong, I’d like you to tell me,” he said before I had the chance to say anything. “This isn’t like you, Nina.”

My heart caught in my throat, torn between the urge to confess and the fear of how that confession might alter our lives forever.

“I’m just.. tired. And not feeling great,” I managed to say, my words edged with a vulnerability I couldn’t hide.

Enzo looked at me for a few moments, his soft brown eyes searching my face. Then, as though deciding not to prod, he simply nodded and held his arms open for me.

The smell of eggs and fresh coffee jolted me awake. I opened my eyes to see the first rays of the morning sun spilling through the window as Enzo carefully navigated the bedroom door with a tray in his hands.

“Thought you could use some pampering,” he said with a loving smile, laying the tray across my lap. “You said you weren’t feeling well last night.”

“That’s… really sweet of you,” I murmured, sitting up. “But you didn’t have to do that.”

Enzo shrugged and ran a hand through his curls. “Of course I did.

And hey, I was thinking later we could go to that mall you really like, do a little shopping and grab lunch. Just you and me.” Enzo’s words made me smile. The idea of spending the day together was comforting, and much needed. But as the aroma of scrambled eggs wafted up to my nose, my stomach churned violently.

With a gasp, I bolted out of bed and dashed toward the bathroom, my hand clamped over my mouth. The food tray toppled over, spilling its contents across the bed and floor.

I barely made it to the toilet before I was violently sick, the scent of eggs now a nauseating reminder of my body’s recent changes-or possible changes.

When my stomach finally stopped its revolt, I leaned against the cool bathroom wall, catching my breath. I felt trapped in my own skin, my body betraying me while my mind swirled in a state of emotional distress.

Steeling myself for the scene I had left in the bedroom, I took shaky steps back, ready to confront the mess, both literal and figurative.

I found Enzo silently cleaning up the spilled food, his brow furrowed, and a solemn look on his face. The sight pierced through me, a painful reminder that, despite our closeness, there was a growing chasm of unsaid truths between us.

He paused his cleaning, finally looking up at me, The smile was gone, replaced by a searching, almost pleading expression.

“Nina, you need to tell me what’s going on.”