My Hockey Alpha novel Chapter 327

Enzo

The night air was crisp but not too cold — just the way I liked it.

There was something about the solitude of the open road and the rumble of my motorcycle beneath me that put everything into perspective.

Nina had been going through a lot, and although I would have loved to be by her side every moment, I figured that she would appreciate having some space to think; especially right then, when she was grappling with the decision of a lifetime. Some paragraphs are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on Jobnib.com. Visit Jobnib.com to read the complete chapters for free.Truthfully, I didn’t want her to terminate the pregnancy. When we originally thought that she was pregnant and the tests came back negative, the amount of disappointment I felt was immeasurable.

I thought she felt the same way, too. But at the end of the day, it was her body, and her decision. And it wasn’t as if her reasons for wanting to end the pregnancy weren’t solid, either. It made sense. It just sucked.

I revved the engine, feeling the vibrations run up my arms as I cruised along the winding country roads. The night sky stretched out above me, studded with stars that seemed to wink in and out of existence. It was as if the universe itself was in a state of unrest, much like my own life.

After driving around for a while, my bike’s gas gauge warned me that I was running low, and I spotted an old gas station upahead

Pulling in, I killed the engine and dismounted, taking off my helmet. The bell above the door dinged as I stepped inside, the smell of oil and stale coffee filling the air.

The cashier, an older man with a bushy beard and tired eyes, looked up from his magazine. “Evening. What can I do for ya?”

“Just need to fill up and grab some snacks,” I said, wandering over to the aisles lined with chips and candy bars.

He nodded. “You got it. Hey, you from around here?”

“Yeah, why?”

He scratched his head, casting a glance toward the window as if expecting to see something —or someone. “Just that we’ve been getting some unusual visitors lately. Strangers, mostly. It’s a small town, so new faces stick out.”

I raised an eyebrow, my interest piqued in more ways than the old man could comprehend. “Unusual how?”

He hesitated, obvious ly weighing whether to say more. “Oh, 1 don’t know. Just… odd, ya know? They come at all hours, mostly late like this. Don’t really buy anything, just ask for directions and leave.”

I felt a knot tighten in my stomach.

Crescents.

The thought jumped to the forefront of my mind. They’d been gone for months thanks to the Alpha King’s efforts, but what if they were back?Or, better yet, what if it was more than just the Crescents? Lewis and his tollowers were still out there somewhere, and for the longest time, I thought that they were taken care of. But lately, I had been feeling a bit unsteady about it. It was as if my wolf could sense a change in the air, like I was being watched.

“Well, thanks for letting me know,” I said, my tone dropping a few degrees.

I quickly paid for my gas and snacks and headed back out to the parking lot. As I was strapping my helmet back on, a rusted old pickup truck pulled out from behind the station and swerved into the road with a screeching of tires, its driver craning his head in the driver’s seat-as though he was looking at me.

For a moment, my eyes locked onto the driver —and I’d swear on my life that it was Edward.

Without a second thought, I jumped onto my bike, turning the key and roaring onto the road. The pickup took off down the highway, and I gripped my handles tighter, giving chase.

My heart pounded in my ears as the bike roared beneath me; I couldn’t lose him, not now.

But just as quickly as 1 spotted him, the truck took a sharp turn onto a dirt road, disappearing into the tree line. Despite my speed, by the time I reached the turnoff, there was no sign of the vehicle. I slowed down, feeling my adrenaline fade, replaced by a sinking sense of dread.

I cursed under my breath, rewing the engine as I headed back onto the main road. My mind raced, echoing with the same word over and over again: Edward. What the hell was he doing here?

The night enveloped me as I pulled over to the side of the road, the engine of my bike purring down to silence. My fingers were almost numb as I scrolled through my phone to find Luke’s number.

As the dial tone hummed in my ear, the weight of the conversation I was about to have started sinking in. Luke was the pack’s scout, keeping us updated on any supernatural activity in the area, but if he knew about Edward and didn’t tell me…

“Hey, Enzo. What’s up?” Luke’s voice sounded through the speaker, breaking my train of thought.

“Luke, tell me you’ve seen or heard something about Edward being in town recently,” I said, my voice edgier than I intended it to be. “I think I just saw him.”

There was a pause on the other end, long enough for me to hear my own heartbeat. “Look, I thought I saw someone who looked like Edward last week, but I lost his trail. I was going to get more concrete info before alarming you.”

My grip tightened on the phone. “And why the hell wouldn’t you tell me something like this immediately?”

Another pause. “I did tell Nina.”

My stomach dropped. “You told Nina but not me?”

“I didn’t want to cause unnecessary panic,” he tried to explain, but each word only fueled my growing irritation.

“That’s not your call to make, Luke. I’m the one who decideswhat’s ‘unnecessary,” especially when it involves someone like Edward.”

I heard Luke take a deep breath. “I get it. It won’t happen again.” I was about to launch into another lecture, but then I caught myself. Why was I so mad? Was it really about Luke keeping things from me, or was it about Nina and the secret she was almost keeping from me?

“Look, Luke, I’m sorry,” I finally said, easing my grip on the phone. “It’s been a tough couple of days. But please, no more keeping things from me. We have to be transparent with each other.”

“Understood,” Luke said, the relief evident in his voice. “Be careful, Enzo.”

“Always am,” I replied before hanging up. But as I mounted my bike and headed back home, the word ‘careful’ kept replaying in my mind. With Edward possibly back and secrets clouding my family life, being careful seemed like an impossible task.

The drive back was a blur. My thoughts raced with every twist and turn of the road, each one like the complications knotting up my life. Finally, the house care into view, a beacon in the night, but instead of feeling relieved, my gut tightened.

I pulled into the driveway and killed the engine, lifting my helmet off. Before I could even reach for the doorknob, the front door swung open. It was Nina, her eyes a mix of relief and concern.

“You’re back,” she said, her voice tinged with something I couldn’t quite place.

Nina

I hung up the phone with my mother, and a newfound revelation washed over me.

Maybe my mother was right; maybe I could do this alter all.

“I know, I know,” I admitted, feeling the sting of his words. “I messed up. With this and the pregnancy, I’ve been… I’ve been lost, Enzo.”

His face softened, but the dis appointment remained. “But Nina, being lost doesn’t mean you have to go it alone. You should have told me.”

I sighed, my eyes welling up with tears that I refused to let fall. ” You’re right. I should have. I’m sorry.”

His gaze softened further, but he didn’t move to comfort me.

The gap between us felt like a growing chasm, and I felt like it was all my fault; all thanks to my reluctance to be open, to share my fears with others.

“I just wish you would be more open with me about stuff,” Enzo said quietly, leaning against the kitchen counter. “It’s been getting worse, Nina.”

I nodded slowly. “I know. Ever since…”

My voice trailed off. We both knew what I was going to say: ever since.. well, everything, I had been growing more and more reluctant to talk about things. It was as if I thought it was best to deal with everything internally, to not burden anyone else with my pain. Hell, I didn’t even know my reasons for it. It just felt like second nature at this point.

But that wasn’t the only thing on my mind tonight. My decision about the pregnancy still loomed large in my mind, and I was excited to share.

I paused as Enzo’s eyes met mine, a mingling of curiosity and caution in his gaze. “You’re looking at me like there’s something else you need to say,” he said quietly.

I bit my lip, glancing at the flickering flame of the nearby vanilla-scented candle, its soft glow casting shadows on the walls.

That was when I heard her—my wolf, a constant presence in the background of my thoughts, pushing her way to the forefront. “Are you absolutely sure about this, Nina?”

I closed my eyes for a split second, allowing my mind to open up to her. It had become a second nature of mine to feel her presence in recent months, something that I never thought I would say.

“‘m not completely sure how it will turn out,” I admitted. “ButI think I’ve made my decision. It feels like it’s for the best-for everyone”

“You know the decision you’re making will affect more than just you and Enzo. It affects the pack, too.”

“I know,” I acknowledged. “And I’ve thought of that. In the end, this will make all of us the happiest, at least in the long run.”

“Nina, are you alright?” Enzo’s voice broke through my reverie, snapping me back to reality.

Pulling my thoughts back to the here and now, I managed a smile, one that I hoped would reassure him. “Yes, I’m more than alright. Let’s sit.”

His hand felt warm and familiar in mine, a pleasant reminder that no matter what, we always had each other. Despite our occasional strife, our love never wavered, and that was what always kept me grounded.

I led him to the couch, its plush cushions seeming to beckon to us in the dimly lit living room.

We both sat down, turning to face each other, our knees almost touching. For a fleeting moment, I took in the details of him-the way his shirt clung to his frame, how his soft brown eyes held onto mine like I was the only thing anchoring him to the earth.

“In the spirit of being more open with each other,” I began, watching his face intently as I spoke, “I’ve made my decision about the pregnancy.”