My Hockey Alpha novel Chapter 381

“Seriously?” she hissed as she inspected the golden

-colored liquid inside. “I’d have to hide who I am just so I can mingle with some hoity-toity racists?”

“Look,” I said with a sigh of regret, “Nina and I want you there, but it’s just the way it is. You can thank the last Luna for that one.”

“It’s just one night, Lori,” Jessica said gently. “You could try it, couldn’t you?”

Lori paused, seemingly considering. Then, nodding, she handed the vial back. “I’m only doing this because you almost died, Jessica, and I’m not letting you out of my sight,” she said. “But never again. ‘Kay?”

With that settled, we set our plans in place. I would be returning to the werewolf realm with Lori, Jessica, Matt, Luke, and the rest of the team, aside from a few who volunteered to stay to keep an eye on the town while we were gone. As we all parted ways, I watched them go, pocketing the vial of perfume again. It would take a bit of preparation before any of us could go, but I looked forward to it.

Matt, however, approached me, pulling me aside.

He raised an eyebrow and looked at me with

* curiosity. “Enzo,” he started, his voice low, “if the people in the werewolf realm are so anti-human that one of our own would have to hide her true nature, why did you even want us to come to begin with?”

I hesitated for a moment, trying to find the right words. I thought about saying that it was just for fun, but Matt was smarter than that. He could always tell when I was lying. “I want us to go as a pack,” I admitted. “I want to show the other werewolf packs that we’re a united front, a force to be reckoned with. I want us to be… taken seriously.

Because we’re not, at the moment.”

Matt’s expression shifted, and he looked thoughtful. “Enzo,” he said slowly, “just because our pack isn’t taken seriously in the werewolf realm doesn’t mean that it’s not real. We have a strong bond, and we’ve faced challenges together. We don’t need external validation to prove our worth.” Some paragraphs are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on Jobnib.com. Visit Jobnib.com to read the complete chapters for free.His words struck a chord with me, and I couldn’t help but feel a pang of guilt. “You’re right, Matt,” I admitted. “I may have been too focused on how we’re perceived by others. I didn’t mean to imply that our pack isn’t real or strong. It’s just..”

Matt nodded, his expression softening as he interrupted. “It’s okay, Enzo,” he said. “I understand where you’re coming from, but I think we should go to the festival for fun, not to prove anything. We should enjoy the experience and celebrate our pack’s unity.”

, I chewed the inside of my cheek, nodding as I ran a hand through my hair. “I know,” I said quietly. ” You’re right. We should.”

For a moment, Matt just looked at me, before he nodded himself. “Don’t worry, Enzo. We’ll prove them wrong anyway. But you don’t need to invite us to fancy parties for that, okay?”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “I guess not,” I said. ” But it’s not just that, I promise. Nina and I want you guys there. Because if we’re going to be spending more time there, we want you guys to be a part of it, too.”

Matt’s eyes brightened slightly, and he grinned, pulling me in for a tight hug.

“That’s the spirit, Enzo,” he said, clapping me on the back as he pulled away. “It’ll be nice to go back to the werewolf realm without some crazy lady trying to kill us all.”

I laughed again. “Yeah. It sure will.” Matt and I parted ways, but I couldn’t help but wonder as he walked away if it would really be that simple after all.

And, more than anything, I couldn’t help but wonder if someday, somehow, it wouldn’t be some ‘ crazy lady’ destroying our pack-but rather me, with my inexperience as a true Alpha.

Nina

Enzo had left last night to rally our pack, and although the distance between realms made me nervous, I had been too busy helping with the preparations for the Moon Goddess Festival gala to think much about it.

Polly and I were sitting in the kitchen, stringing together handmade garlands for the party. It felt a little bit like my mother had really just set us up here to force me to make a friend, but I didn’t mind.

Polly was sweet, and she was good company.

Polly, with her bright blue eyes and infectious enthusiasm, looked up from the ribbon she was tying and smiled at me. “Nina,” she said, her voice filled with curiosity, “tell me more about you and Enzo. You two seem so perfect together.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “Enzo and I have been married for a little while now,” I said. “He’s my fated mate. We’ve got a baby on the way, actually.” Polly’s eyes lit up with excitement as she reached for another ribbon. “That’s so cool,” she said. ” You’re so lucky to have found your fated mate, and at such a young age, too.”

I nodded, choosing not to elaborate on the entire convoluted history between me and Enzo-how I hadn’t even known I was a werewolf, and yet I somehow managed to find him nonetheless.

“Yeah,” I said with a smile. “It’s been great. We’re both really lucky.”

Polly sighed dreamily, her gaze distant for a moment. “I hope to find my fated mate someday,” she said softly, a wishful look in her eyes. “Someone who will love me unconditionally and be there for me no matter what.”

“How old are you, Polly?” I found myself asking.

“I just turned nineteen,” she replied.

I nodded, giving her a reassuring smile. “You’re still so young,” I said. “You’ll find someone. I promise. Just enjoy being young and single.” Polly’s face lit up, and she nodded enthusiastically.

“I will,” she said. “My mom didn’t meet my dad, who’s her fated mate, until they were in their thirties.”

“See?” I said. “You’ve got time.”

Polly and I continued chatting as we finished up the garlands. But, eventually, with all of the hustle and bustle in the house, I wound up getting a bit overwhelmed. It seemed as though my help was no longer needed once the garlands were finished, and so I stepped outside to see if I could find that offering yet.

But as I stepped out into the gardens, something caught my eye. It was Tyler, sitting on a bench with his head in his hands. Again.

I approached him, concern evident in my voice. ” Hey, Ty, what’s going on?” I asked, crouching down beside him.

Tyler looked up, his usually bright eyes filled with a sense of sadness. “”Nina,” he said, his voice tinged with a hint of melancholy, “Angie and I broke up after all. She said she fell in love with that other guy. So I guess we’re done.”

“That was amazing, Nina!” he exclaimed, his eyes shining with joy.

I shifted back, a bit out of breath but exhilarated. ”

Told you,” I said with a smirk. “Feel better?”

Tyler grinned and went to respond. But before he could utter any words, the sound of twigs and leaves crunching underfoot alerted both of us, and we jerked our head up to see our mother approaching.

* And her face was red with fury.

“What are you two doing?” she asked.

“Shit,” I whispered to myself, knowing that she’d freak out over Tyler’s condition, despite his recovery. “Mom, it’s not a big deal,” I said, stepping forward.

“It absolutely is a big deal,” she interrupted. ”

Tyler, get inside.”

“But mom—” Tyler began.

But our mother wouldn’t hear it. She shot Tyler with a warning glare, and he obeyed, stalking toward the house. We both watched his tall form disappear; the ease in his shoulders had faded once again, turning to stiffness and anger.

“Mom, it was just a short run,” I said. “Angie broke up with him, and…”

She turned her stern gaze on me, and my voice trailed off. “Nina, you need to start thinking like an adult,” she hissed. “You’re pregnant, and your brother is still sick. You should have asked me.”

“Mom-”

“No, Nina,” she hissed again. “I don’t want to hear it. If you can’t even be responsible with your nineteen-year-old brother, then how can you be responsible with a… with a… baby?” she finished, gesturing toward my belly.

I gasped, clutching my belly. Before I could come up with a retort, my mother took off, following Tyler back into the house with a determined stride.

Tears came to my eyes as I watched her go. But I wasn’t mad at her-how could I be? After all, maybe she was right.

Maybe I was irresponsible after all.