My Hockey Alpha novel Chapter 76

Nina

I got home that night after Enzo drove me home and stashed the strange photograph in my bedside table. I was kept awake for a long time as I puzzled over the photograph and the events of the past day; Veronica’s untimely and unnecessary death, Ronan’s wolf form, and the history of the Crescents and the Fullmoons. Enzo’s father had not only informed me that some war between werewolf factions was looming over this small town, but Enzo also told me that he thought I was a werewolf myself. Between all of those things +and the strangely familiar pattern in the photograph, it felt as though my entire world had been turned upside down for the millionth time since the beginning of the semester.

Eventually, I managed to fall asleep. I woke up early the next morning and rushed to get ready for class; midterms were starting next week, and I had hardly prepared at all with everything going on lately. I would have to spend every spare minute I had studying this week.

After classes, I headed home to gather my things before I would be going to the library to spend the rest of the day studying. My legs felt tired and heavy as I walked up the stairs to my suite, and I was just considering laying down for a brief nap when I walked into my kitchen to see Jessica and Lori both standing there looking confused and worried.

“What happened to you two?” I asked, setting my bag down on the counter.

“Um, you might want to see for yourself,” Jessica replied under her breath, pointing to my room with a shaking hand.

I narrowed my eyes and walked past them toward my room; as I approached, it became obvious to me that my door was wide open… and there was someone inside.

“Mom?”

My mother spun around from where she stood in front of my closet, an almost cheeky grin spread across her face. “Darling!” she said, stretching her arms out as she walked toward me. I stiffened as she wrapped me in a tight hug.

“What are you doing here?” I said over her shoulder. I pried myself free and took a few steps back, folding my arms as I looked around the room. “And what were you doing in my room?”

“I got a call that you got injured a couple days ago,” she said in a sing-song voice. “I had to check on my baby.”

I could feel my heart leap up into my throat as anger bubbled up inside of me. My adoptive mother and I never had the best relationship; as soon as I graduated high school, I couldn’t wait to move out and go to college. Going home for the summer and winter break was always a challenge. We never saw eye-to-eye on anything, and her dismissal of Taylor’s chronic pain only made me resent her even more.

“Why didn’t you just call me like a normal person?” I asked.

My mother tsked and shook her head. “You know, you could be happy that your mother went out of her way to check on you,” she replied. “There’s no need to be nasty.”

I let out a sigh. “I’m sorry. I’m not trying to be nasty. It’s just… unexpected.” I wanted to yell at her, to tell her that I was sick of her crossing my boundaries and sticking her nose where it didn’t belong, but at this point I just wanted to not cause a scene and hope that she would just leave soon without an altercation.

“Well,” my mother said with a huff, folding her arms and looking around my room. “I must say, you’ve decorated this shabby little place quite well… Although, I could’ve sworn I raised you to be a bit neater than this.” She gestured to the side of my bed, where there was a pile of dirty clothes on the floor, and the side table was covered in books and coffee cups.

“I’ve been busy,” I replied curtly. “Medical school and all.”