My Hockey Alpha novel Chapter 509

Nina

I stared vacantly at the gently rippling surface of the pool, watching as the underwater lights cast an eerie blue glow across the water. My feet were dipped into the water, creating more ripples as I slowly swirled them around beneath the surface.

It was incredibly warm out-maybe one of the hottest days we had had so far this summer. But instead of enjoying the refreshing pool water and laughing with my friends, I was crying.

Tears slipped silently down my cheeks, carving glistening paths that caught the light before plopping soundlessly into the pool. I knew that this was pointless and pathetic, that sitting out here wallowing wouldn’t change anything. But I felt trapped, paralyzed by the weight of my spiraling thoughts and the physical limitations of my pregnancy.

My father was still missing—quite possibly dead—and with each passing day, the chances of his return grew more and more slim. The possibility of having to step into his role, of taking on the mantle of leadership that I knew I wasn’t ready for, felt like an iron vise slowly clenching around my chest.

I was no ruler. I didn’t have the poise, the political savvy, the sheer force of will required to guide an entire kingdom through these turbulent times. I was just a kid, really. A medical school student. Barely in the first half of her twenties.

I wanted, in some ways, to return to the way things had been before. Before… all of this happened. Before Mila, before the Schreibers, before the Alpha King, before the shadow entity, the twin bond, the Crescents…

All of it.

But that was selfish of me.

I knew Enzo was there for me, as steadfast and supportive as he had always been. But the undeniable truth was that we hadn’t fully repaired our bond since he rejected me as his mate. Was it even possible to repair it? Had it been heard of before in werewolf history, to fully restore a bond between mates that had pulled themselves apart at the seams?

In an instant, Enzo was beside me, his strong arms enveloping me in a warm embrace. I melted into him, burying my face in the reassuring curve of his neck as the floodgates finally opened.

“I’m s-sorry,” I managed between ragged sobs. “I j-just… I can’t…”

“Hey, it’s okay,” he murmured, cradling me close. His fingers raked soothingly through my hair, his voice as steady and soothing as ever. “Just breathe, Nina. I’m here.”

We stayed like that for what felt like an eternity, my harsh sobs gradually subsiding into quiet hiccups. God, I felt like even more of a useless burden; after all we had been through, after all he had been through, I was sobbing over what- ifs.