My Hockey Alpha novel Chapter 411

Nina

The elderly couple stared blankly back and forth between me and Luke, whose wrist I was clutching more tightly than I realized. Luke’s eyes were wide, unblinking. I was staring at him imploringly.

*Beg your pardon, dear?” asked the old woman, her voice pulling me back to reality. “What was that about a what did she say?” She turned to her husband.

“Something about a portal,” the old man huffed. “Kids these days…” flushed a deep shade of red, instantly realizing I had blurted out secret supernatural information without a second though. “Oh, it’s nothing,” I said stiffly. “Nevermind.”

The old couple exchanged curious glances. Finally, having come to his own senses, Luke jumped in to smooth over my blunder as he began gently guiding me down the hall by my elbow. “Thank you again sincerely for your help,” he told the baffled couple over his shoulder. “It’s much appreciated.”

Once we had rounded the corner and were-hopefully-out of the old couple’s earshot, I grabbed Luke’s arm urgently. “They heard a portal, Luke,” I hissed frantically under my breath. “You and I both know that sound isn’t natural. Mila must have used one to abduct Enzo somehow.”

Luke tugged at his hair in frustration. “But I just don’t understand,” he whispered. “How is this possible? The veil between realms could never be thin enough here to open a bridge.” He gnawed at his bottom lip. “But I guess I could be wrong…*

Hope began to kindle and spark in my chest as adrenaline started coursing through my system. “If you were able to open a portal In that room, do you think it would take us to the same area Mila disappeared to with Enzo?”

“Possibly.” Luke still sounded uncertain, but I could see al look of resolve beginning to settle in his eyes. This was our last chance. It was either this, or inform the police-and they would be no help if Mila was a supernatural being.

I could inform my father, but.. there was no knowing if there was even enough time, and none of us had any idea as to what Mila planned on doing with my husband

Finally, Luke nodded. “I’ll try,” he said. “But we’ve gotta get back into that room.”

Just then, it just so happened that a housekeeper was pushing her cart of supplies down the hallway. I ran up to her, causing her to jump a bit. “Can I help you?” she asked

“Miss, ‘m very sorry to bother you,” I said, “but is there any way you could get me and my friend into room 204?*

The housekeeper looked at me warily. “I’m not sure…

“Please,” I implored her. “My husband was staying here, and he forgot something very important. His… His wedding ring. We really need to look for it.”

For a few moments, the housekeeper looked disbelievingly back and forth between me and Luke. Finally, I slipped my wallet out of my pocket and fished around for whatever I had left in there after we had bribed the security guard, which was…

“Would twenty bucks convince you?” I asked. “It’s all I’ve got.”

The housekeeper winced, but took the cash and tucked it into her pocket.” Fine,” she said. Luke and I exchanged silent grins as she led us over to the door and slid her keycard in, causing the light to blink green with satisfaction.

#Thank you so much,” I said, stepping into the room. “We’ll be out shortly.”

“IT anyone asks. I didn’t do this for you,” the housekeeper said sternly. “Just leave when you’re done. And don’t steal anything.”

“We won’t.” And with that, we slipped into the room, shutting the door behind us.

Luke immediately began studying the room intently while I secured the door. “The magical resonance does feel distorted here,” he said after a few moments. “But it’s just so bizarre…”

“Now isn’t exactly the time for speculation,” I said. “Can you open the portal or not?*

“I think so,” Luke said with a nod. I watched as he stepped into the middle of the room and began going through the motions of opening a portal: his hands out spread, two fingers pointed, moving in a swirling motion. The air began to crackle and fizz, and it was all I could do to contain my squeal of delight.

But then, the portal fizzled out.

“Damn,” Luke said, shaking his hands out. “Let me try again.”

As he continued, I could sense the immense difficulty behind his straining eyes and trembling arms. This was nothing at all like Mountainview, where those with the ability to open portals-like us-could do so with ease, so long as they had practiced.

Luke, a master at opening portals, seemed to be straining just to keep his eyes open.

*I can’t-” Luke grunted, gritting his teeth. “It’s too-”

Suddenly, I stepped up beside him and matched his movements. Luke shot me a wary look, and my head began to spin, but I kept going. “Just keep trying.” I groaned. “I Il help…”

Luke nodded. Together, we funneled every ounce of energy and concentration we possessed into the arduous task of getting this damn portal open. Our movements soon became more fluid, more succinct. It was becoming easier; it was working. To access the complete chapters for free, visit J o b nib . c o m.And then, out of nowhere, there was a fizzling, a whirling, and a bright flash of light…

A portal now stood in front of us.

I staggered under the sheer force of chaotic energy that was unleashed by opening the portal, grabbing Luke’s shoulder to steady myself. Together we peered into the gaping vortex that we had managed to rip open in a place where we never should have been able to.

“By the gods,” Luke panted. “Mila must wield incredibly powerful magic to accomplish this alone..* He shook his head before squaring his shoulders with determination. “You stay here and contact the others. I’ll go.”

Panic shot through me at his words. “Like hell I’m staying here!” I said. “I’m going with you.”

*Nina, but you-”

At his hesitation I stepped directly into his path, my fists planted on my hips. Pregnancy be damned-| wasn’t about to sit around waiting while Luke was going god-knows-where in search of Enzo.

*Nina, you can’t.” Luke urged. “I know how you get lately going through portals, what with the baby and all. You’ll make yourself sick.™

But I refused to budge. We glared at each other, unblinking, for endless seconds. Finally Luke huffed out a frustrated breath, raking both hands through his hair.

“You’re impossible..” He trailed off, muttering under his breath. “You werewolves with your fated mates and bullheadedness. Fine! But you stick close to me, got it?”

I nodded, adrenaline coursing through me. Side by side, our hands locked onto each other in unbreakable support, Luke and I jumped through swirling chaos.

With an impossible whirling followed by a bone-jarring thud, reality took form beneath our staggering feet again.

1 gasped, falling to my knees. My fingers dug into soil-moist, warm soil.

Humid air clogged my heaving lungs as tropical birdsong and insects engulfed us. I hardly registered the strange, exotically vibrant jungle scenery through the whirling in my head.

“Nina…” Luke’s voice suddenly carried through the throng, shaky and full of fear. I looked up to follow his voice, but that was when I felt it: an icy blade against my neck, and a strange voice that I had never heard before.

“Who are you?”

Enzo

The silver ropes were gone. I had been freed.

Like ice thawing, sensation began seeping back into my numb limbs. I curled and flexed my stiff fingers, a revelation slowly dawning as a presence flooded into my mind. She had cut me off from my wolf with the silver… but now our reunion crashed through me with the suddenness of a tidal wave.

“Let’s fucking kill her,” my wolf growled.

He didn’t need to tell me twice. I threw my head back and allowed my wolf’s ancient strength to flood into me, filling every cell. Flesh turned to fur, hands to sharp claws, bones twisted and muscled grew.

I had been severed from this half of myself for too long, but now I was whole again.

Once I had shifted, I let out a wild howl and charged at the mass of green and red towering above me, images of her blood-soaked body tearing through my mind…

But she was too high. I snapped at her, and she just grinned down at me, swirling a glass of red wine in her hand. Above me, all around, cheers erupted; the horrible audience from before. They had returned to witness something.

Witness what?*

“Very good, my champion,” Mila purred, her scarlet red nalls tapping rhythmically against the armrest. “I see you’ve come back to your senses now. Feels good doesn’t It?*

let out a low growl and paced away, my eyes scanning the blackened room. The door that thad entered through before was smooth and seamless, but there was a metal gate across the room.

hoped that it wasn’t silver; maybe I could smash my way through it and escape.

“See how he paces like a caged beast.” Mila cooed, her voice carrying easily through the impossibly high room. “He’s fierce, isn’t he?” Her words were met with more cheers, twittering, pounding. Beasts and animals. I felt like one of them in this moment. with so much rage coursing through me that it was. almost blinding.

“Look at me, Enzo.”

I Ignored her. Like hell I’d look in those eyes, I thought to myself. But then there was a snap, and I felt my head twist, my body prostrating. I looked up, and I saw her standing now at the edge of her platform, her hand raised.

“I said, look at me.”

I was frozen. What sort of ancient magic did she possess? It was unlike anything I had seen before. When she finally released me, I shuddered, but obeyed this time-for now.”

“I would be a fool to mate with a warrior who cannot hold his own in battle,” she called out. “And so, we’ll beg in our trial.” More howling, cheering, yelping and pounding.

Her smile turned savage as she beamed down at me, her features flickering menacingly in the light of the torches. “The rules are simple. Fall, and you will die-nameless and pathetic. Succeed, and earn glory. Succeed, and you will become my mate.”

I nearly laughed aloud and began pacing again, searching for some sort of escape. Mila was insane; surely there was some crack in her facade.

After all, this was exactly why dragons had faced extinction-nonsensical deadly rituals, culling numbers from each generation. Mila would be no different, and I wasn’t about to her drag me into this mess

But then, suddenly, a pounding seemed to vibrate the stones beneath my feel, A cross the expansive room the iron gate rattled upward, redirecting my attention instantly. Mila’s voice echoed from above, and her words struck me like a knife to my gut.

“Tave your opponent, my hunter! And embrace destiny!”

My steps halted abruptly. Was that… a bear?