My Hockey Alpha novel Chapter 533

Nina

The warm summer breeze brushed across my skin as I stood on the patio, clutching my robe tightly around my body. Laughter and splashes echoed up from the pool below, where our friends were already gathered for our big end-of-summer party.

I should have been down there too, soaking up the very last rays of the season. But something was holding me back—a nagging sense of self-consciousness that had only grown more intense as my baby bump had blossomed into full view over the past couple of months.

Letting out a shaky breath, I slowly undid the sash at my waist and shrugged off the robe, revealing the vibrant red bikini beneath. My hands automatically moved to cover the taut swell of my belly, my fingers brushing over the stretch marks that had begun to form on my skin.

It wasn’t that I was ashamed, necessarily. Pregnancy was a miraculous thing, a journey I knew I was blessed to experience. Still, putting myself on display like this in front of all our friends felt…

Daunting.

As if sensing my hesitation, a pair of strong, familiar arms suddenly coiled around my waist from behind. Enzo’s warm chest pressed flush against my back as he nuzzled against my neck.”Everything okay over here?” he murmured, keeping his voice low so only I could hear.

Tilting my chin up to look at him, I managed a thin smile.” Yeah, just… I think I should probably go back in and change into my one-piece bathing suit.”

Enzo blinked at me and cocked his head to the side. “Why?

You look hot in your bikini. Especially…” His hands wandered over my belly, and he shot me a wink.

“I worried my lower lip between my teeth, trying not to seem too bothered by it. “It’s just… I don’t know,” l muttered.

Enzo sighed and shook his head. “If you change, I’ll be upset. You don’t really want to hide your beauty from the world, do you?”

“Alright, alright,” I finally said, turning in his arms to meet him face-to-face. “But if anyone says anything-”

“Who here do you think would say anything?” He gestured to the lively party; our friends and pack, some other friends from around town and campus, and even my brother had made a visit from the werewolf realm.

He was right. No one would bother me. And if they did, I knew that Enzo would put an end to it before the words even left their lips.

“You’re right,” I said. “Let’s—”

Before I could finish, a loud whoop from the pool cut me+15 Bonus

off as Matt came barreling up out of the water, showering us both with a spray of droplets.

“Hey, lovebirds!” he called out, leaning on the side of the pool and pointing to the cooler. “Beer me?”

Enzo rolled his eyes and laughed at the same time, gently disentangling himself from me to grab a beer from the cooler. He popped the lid off and handed it to Matt. “You’d better not spill it,” he said. “Not like last time.”

Matt smirked. “No promises.”

The rest of the evening passed in a whirlwind of splash fights, juvenile chicken contests, and stories swapped over lukewarm beers and wine coolers. More than once, I caught myself thinking of the Schreibers, only to quickly distract myself with another slice of pizza or a joke. I wouldn’t let myself worry about that right now.

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