My Hockey Alpha novel Chapter 86

Enzo

When Nina first suggested that I tell my team about my true nature, I thought she was utterly insane.

But as I lay awake that night, staring at the ceiling and trying to figure out how I was going to both explain Lisa’s sudden appearance as well as keep her from shifting in front of everyone or telling the truth herself, I realized that Nina was right.

It had been years since I started attending Mountainview University, and equally as long since I had started being the hockey captain. I had known most of my teammates for that entire time, and considered many of them to be my closest friends… And now, with Justin gone because of his werewolf curse, I knew it was only right to tell them.

I just hoped that they would believe me, and that I could trust them not to tell a soul about this.

I woke up first thing in the morning, just after dawn. Lisa was still soundly asleep under the dazing spell I had put on her, and would remain asleep for the next few hours -- which meant that I had enough time to figure out the best way to tell my team about werewolves.

By the time I got dressed and headed downstairs, Jason and his team were already awake and were getting ready to leave.

Jason smiled when he saw me. “Morning,” he said with a friendly smile. “Enzo, can I talk to you outside?”

I nodded and followed the Crescent hockey captain out to the back deck, watching as he closed the sliding door behind us so we could speak privately. He came over when he was done and leaned on the railing, looking at the ground for a moment before looking back at me.

“I always thought that all Fullmoons were just arrogant assholes,” he said. “I thought that we would get our asses kicked during that game and go home feeling like shit, but you guys treated us like brothers.”

“You can thank Nina, really,” I said. “It was her idea.”

Jason shrugged and smiled. “I know, but you, the son of the Fullmoon Alpha, agreed to do it knowing fully well that our factions are supposed to hate each other… And that meant a lot to me. Really. If you ever need anything, my team and I are here for you.”

“Thanks, man,” I said, smiling as Jason clapped me heartily on the shoulder. I paused for a moment, watching as he turned to head back inside, but suddenly had an idea.

“Hang on,” I called out. Jason stopped and turned around as I chose my next words carefully. “Does your team know about…”

“Werewolves?” Jason said, finishing my sentence as my voice faded. I nodded. “Of course they do,” he said. “Why? Does your team not know?”

I shook my head. “Nope. I haven’t told them yet.”

Jason chuckled, shaking his head. “You have to tell them. You guys can’t be a team if you’re not all on the same page, especially if you plan on winning the Half-Moon Tournament. You know that, right?”

I nodded slowly, feeling almost embarrassed that I hadn’t been more open about my true nature with my teammates sooner.

“What?” Bryce said, looking around confusedly from me to Jason, then to the rest of Jason’s team, who were all nodding in agreement with Jason. “This is insanity. You can’t be serious.”

“I am,” I said. “I can prove it. If everyone will please join us outside…”

I pushed my chair back and stepped away from the table. Jason, Nina, and Jason’s team followed, and after a few moments of silent disbelief, my own team followed with Bryce at the back, his arms folded as he muttered about how silly we were being.

We headed out onto the back lawn. Jason and I stood a few feet apart from one another and faced the rest of the group.

Then, giving each other a nod, we both shifted.

As we stood there in our wolf forms, my team was silent for several painstaking moments before it erupted into a cacophony of choice curse words, screams of terror, and excited cheers (the cheers came mostly from Matt). Jason and I stood there like that for a couple of minutes, allowing my team to approach us and touch our fur, our paws, and our ears. My eyes were only on Nina, however, who stood off to the side leaning against one of the tall pine trees, her hands hidden in the pockets of her dark denim jacket as the cool autumn breeze ruffled her black hair. There was a sparkle in her eyes as she looked at me, and for an extremely brief moment, I vividly imagined us -- together -- in our wolf forms. Her fur was red like the sunset, and her eyes were a bright green. Her wolf was so colorful, such a stark contrast from my own silver wolf.

The vision ended just as quickly as it began, but, at that moment, I knew: Nina would have a wolf. I could sense it, and I knew it was close. It would only be a matter of time now before she shifted for the first time.

I knew something else for certain, too.

I had to make Nina mine once and for all, and there was no doubt about it. As I looked at her, smiling at me beneath the dotted morning sunlight breaking through the tall pines, I felt more connected to her than I had felt about anyone else in my entire life. I had to find a way for us to be together.