My Hockey Alpha novel Chapter 389

But as we headed inside, I felt a little… strange. It was as if I was lighter, somehow. Like something had been weighing me down for a long time, but it was gone now.

I stopped, glancing up at the night sky one last time just before we headed inside. The moon and stars were still casting their gentle glow over the landscape, creating an ethereal image of peace that was somehow palpable.

A thought came into my mind as I looked out at the gardens, and I couldn’t help but smile. Maybe the Moon Goddess had heard my prayers, and that was why I felt the way I did.

“Ready?” Enzo asked, looping his arm around my shoulders.

I nodded as I met his soft gaze. “Ready.”

After finding our friends through the thick throng of people inside, the five of us found a table to sit at and enjoy some of the delectable food that was being served.

It was a nice relief after being on my feet all night, and it felt good to be with my friends, especially knowing that for all I knew, I wouldn’t be seeing them for a very long time after tonight.

“You had us scared for a minute there,” Jessica said as we sat next to each other, sharing a plate of hors d’oeuvres between the two of us.

I couldn’t help but laugh. “Everyone always worries about me,” I teased. “I promise, guys, I’m fine.”

Jessica, although she didn’t seem entirely convinced, nodded and leaned her head on my shoulder. “I’m gonna miss you.”

“I’m just a portal away,” I said, laying my head on top of hers. “But I’ll miss you, too.”

It was true; I would miss my friends. Even though I wanted to learn more about the werewolf realm, about my roots, it felt as if a part of me was missing here. It wasn’t Mountainview. It could never compare, really. And although I would be with my family here, it wouldn’t be so easy to see my friends.

Life could get in the way, just as it always did.

There was no telling how much we would all actually see each other after tonight for the coming months; and after what I had learned about some of the… attitudes toward humans here, it just added another layer of complexity, another obstacle to surmount if we wanted to see each other.

I decided not to think about it, though. Not tonight, at least. For now, I just wanted to enjoy the party with my friends and my husband.

But then, as the night wore on, something unexpected happened. I was the first to notice it, and when I did, I froze in my place.

Lori’s human scent was returning.

The perfume that had masked her human nature, had begun to wane. My eyes widened in alarm, and my gaze darted around the room, checking for danger.

Nearby, it seemed as though some of the other werewolves had noticed the change already, just as I had.

Lori was completely oblivious, but nearby werewolves were already sniffing the air and shooting each other confused glances as they tried to discern the source of the scent.

I had to warn Lori. We needed to reapply that perfume, quickly, and in private.

I slowly stood and began to circle around the table, trying not to raise any red flags-but it was already too late. At a nearby table, another werewolf shot to his feet, sniffing the air as his eyes began to glow. And then, his voice cutting through the din, he shouted the five words I had been dreading the most.

“Does anyone else smell… humans?”

Nina

“Does anyone else smell… humans?”

As the werewolf’s voice rose above the din, Lori jerked her head up, her eyes widening with fear. Realization dawned across Matt, Enzo, and Jessica’s faces, and I knew we needed to act fast. No one knew exactly where the scent was coming from yet, so I needed to get Lori out of here and reapply that perfume before anyone figured it out.

Enzo, always quick on his feet, used his Mindlink connection with me to convey a message. “Nina, get Lori out of here,” he said. “Slowly and casually, so as not to raise any red flags.”

I nodded almost imperceptibly, my heart pounding in my chest. Enzo was right; slowly and casually. All we needed to do was slip out of the party undetected, reapply the perfume, and everything would be fine.

Without a word, I took Lori’s hand and guided her to her feet. She understood immediately, and followed without a moment’s hesitation.

“I swear I smell a human,” the werewolf repeated to his friends nearby, still sniffing the air. “I think they’re close, too.

”

Lori and I picked up our pace, our grips tightening on each other’s hands. There was no telling what would happen if people found out that there was a human here, and I didn’t want to stick around long enough to find out.

But as we walked, the voice carried over to us again, stronger this time. “Hey! Hey you!” he called out.

“Come on, Lori,” | whispered, feeling her tense up beside me. “Just keep going.”

“Hey!”

Together, we began to search the room frantically, our eyes scanning every corner and crevice of the little storage room. I was certain that the vial had to be here somewhere. How far could it have gone, right?

But our efforts proved futile, and our hearts began to sink even further.

“Maybe it fell out at the party,” I finally said, passing my hand over my face. “I’ll go look for it. Wait here, okay?”

Lori nodded, her face pale with worry. “Okay. Please hurry.”

I squeezed her hand reassuringly. “Just stay calm, Lori,” | said, offering her another small smile. “I’ll find it. And if not, we’ll get some help from my parents. It’s not a big deal, alright?”

With a determined resolve, I left the room and reentered the bustling party, where the earlier panic that had begun to bubble up thankfully seemed to be quelled. My eyes scanned the floor as I retraced our steps, searching for any sign of the missing vial.

“Hey,” I said softly as I made my way back to the table where my friends were still seated. “Has anyone seen

Lori’s perfume? It’s missing.”

Almost in unison, my friends’ eyes widened. They all began patting their pockets, but turned up nothing.

“Let’s all split up,” Enzo said, standing and keeping his voice low so as not to be overheard. “It has to be around here somewhere, and we don’t want anyone to find it before us, otherwise it’ll raise even more suspicions.

Alright?”

We nodded, and as Enzo suggested, we split up. I began making my way toward the east of the room, my eyes scanning the floor for the tiny vial. As I searched, though, I was beginning to wonder if it had been stepped on and shattered, which would honestly be a better outcome than someone finding it and realizing that a human was here after all.

And then, I spotted it.

The vial lay on the floor, a few paces away from where I was currently standing. Relief washed over me as I moved closer to retrieve it. But just as my fingers were about to close around the precious container, someone else got to it first.

A tall, wiry man with sharp eyes and a calculating demeanor picked up the vial. I recognized him immediately; it was the same guy from earlier. His expression shifted from curiosity to recognition, and dread settled in my stomach.

“I knew it,” he said to himself.

He held the vial up for all to see, his voice ringing out above the party’s noise, louder than before. “There are humans amongst us, in disguise!”