My Hockey Alpha novel Chapter 467

“Where’s that lovely wife of yours?” she asked. “Is she still sleeping in on a Saturday morning?”

The words hit me like a punch to the gut, momentarily causing my breath to catch in my throat. I swallowed hard, my fingers tightening around the edge of the countertop as I struggled to find my voice.

“Be honest,” Mila cooed. “It’s alright…'”

“Nina’s… we’re not…” I trailed off, unable to continue speaking. It felt as if a knife had been driven into my throat, rendering my voice completely lost. I couldn’t utter the words, no matter how hard I tried. Or maybe I just didn’t

want to.

The woman’s smile faltered, her brow furrowing as understanding dawned on her face.

“Oh, honey… I’m so sorry,” she murmured, shuffling her feet nervously behind the counter. “I didn’t mean to pry.” I swallowed again. “It’s alright.”

The woman sighed. “Well, it’s a damn shame… You two were just the cutest couple. What happened?”

I opened my mouth, grasping for an explanation, but then Mila’s voice cut through the fog once more.

“Come to the woods, my darling. Follow the path until you reach the old oak tree. I’ll open a portal and bring you home, where you belong.”

Home. Yes, home sounded good. Anywhere but here, really. Anywhere but surrounded by this painful memories and stinging words.

Blinking rapidly, I rose from the stool, fumbling in my pocket for a few crumpled bills to leave on the counter.

“Thanks for the coffee, but I’ve gotta go,” I mumbled, turning away from the woman’s concerned gaze and all but running out of the diner.

“Wait-I didn’t even give you the coffee yet! Hey, wait! Your money!” the woman called after me, but I didn’t hear her. I burst out of the diner and into the warm air, and then I ran in the one direction I knew.

Toward Mila’s voice.

I found myself frozen in place at that moment, caught between the desperate yearning to go with her and the fleeting remnants of my own free will.

Our eyes met then, and something deep within me sparked to life—the tiniest flicker of resistance that had me turning to cast one last, lingering look over my shoulder.

And for the briefest of moments, the veil lifted, and I saw with searing clarity the path that had led me here. No, I couldn’t do this. I had to go back to Nina, back to where I belonged-

But then Mila’s arms were around me, and the fog rolled back in, muffling that small, insistent voice until it faded into silence once more.

Yes, this was where I was supposed to be.

With her.