My Hockey Alpha novel Chapter 419

Luke aimed a corkscrewing bolt at my face. I caught it against my shoulder as I twisted aside. The impact drove me back a step with a snarl. Had to make this look convincing.

I rushed him full-on once again, plowing through another sizzling bolt of electricity. My bulk crashed into him, knocking us both down in a thrashing tangle of limbs.

I snapped at his neck, but he pressed a palm against my chest. The jolt singed my fur, but hardly more than that; he was holding back. I flung myself off of him with a fake yelp of pain, causing the crowd to swell.

We gained our feet, panting theatrically as though we were actually fighting. I licked an oozing claw-gash along my foreleg. Not bad for round one. The energy in the arena had reached a fever pitch.

Now to start act two.

I shot forward again. Luke tried to backpedal, but I was too fast. My jaws latched onto his writhing arm. I bit down just hard enough to pierce the flesh of his human disguise, but not hard enough to cause him any real pain.

Luke shouted. He blasted my shoulder repeatedly with his sparks, making it appear as though I had been forced to release him. I circled around, limping theatrically and letting out pained whimpers. Had to play up the fight, make it seem real. Soon, though, it would be over. And no one, not even Nina, would be the wiser.

I felt bad having to keep her in the dark, of course, but it was for the best if only Luke and I were in on it. Last night, when Nina had been fast asleep, we had whispered our plans.

“Get him! Tear that mongrel’s throat out!” Mila screeched from her viewing stand. My lips peeled back in a menacing snarl. Sure, keep shouting, you lunatic bitch.

Luke took advantage of his brief opening, driving me back with concussive shots. I yelped as a bolt scorched my flank. Snarling, I launched straight into another charge. He tried to check my rush with both hands pressed outward in a sizzling current.

“I’m so sorry, Nina,” I thought to myself. But she couldn’t know that it was all an act. For good measure, I even grabbed Luke’s shoulder with my jaws and shook him like he was my prey before flinging him away.

His limbs splayed lifelessly when he hit the ground. The arena erupted into another cacophony of roars.

I threw back my head, letting out a howl of victory. Inside, though, I desperately hoped that our ruse worked-that Mila and her faithful servants really believed I just took Luke’s life.

And I hoped that Nina would forgive me for playing her like this when she eventually discovered the truth.