34

T hey won the game, and I'm trying to be excited, but the episode with India really just sucked all the good energy out of the evening. I was so excited to see him after the long week of away games.

"Hey, you okay?" Zoey asks.

"Yeah, sorry, my drama was a bit of a buzzkill."

"Pssh, it's okay. It's not your fault. I still can't believe all that. You sure he's really leaving her, and it wasn't just a line?" she asks, not understanding since I can't tell her we're mates. So I just nod.

"Well, I'm sure you guys have some talking to do, at least, so I'm gonna go ahead and head home. Text me if you need anything," she says while giving me a hug before she heads up the steps.

"Text me when you're home safe," I holler up the steps to her.

I sit alone for a little while before a strange, but familiar, man plops down next to me. At first, he looks kind of distracted or confused before he seems to try to figure me out. He's not an unattractive man at all. I mean, he's not Roman. They're built similar, but where Roman has lighter hair, blue and green eyes, and golden skin, this man seems sharper. His black hair is slicked back, and grey piercing eyes, with lighter skin and a face that's all hard angles.

I feel like I should be afraid of him, but I'm not. There's another one of those weird feelings that doesn't make any sense. Not the warm, fluttery, and electrical feelings I get with Roman. Something other. I don't know how to explain it. It's kind of like how I feel around Andrei.

I don't know how long we've been lost in thought, assessing one another, when I realize he looks even more confused now himself, all the cocky guy energy he sat down with has dissipated.

"Um, can I help you with something?" I try to ask confidently, but it came out more meek than I intended.

He shakes off whatever strange emotion he was feeling and cracks a wicked grin. "So you must be something special to nab yourself a player like Razboinic."

The way he says it makes me feel even slimier after the India situation, but I try to keep my face neutral.

"Let me rephrase the question: Is there something useful I can help you with other than gossip? You don't exactly strike me as the gossipy type, but I guess I've been wrong before," I say with a shrug of indifference.

The laugh that breaks through his lips startles the both of us, which makes me giggle. How long has it been since someone has laughed, if it startles them when they do?

Once he's regained his composure, he extends his hand to me in a gentlemanly way and says, "I'm Khaos. Khaos Mokotoff. I'm the team captain of the Augusta Vultures."

I extend my hand, meeting his, trying to place him.

He leans in and leaves a light kiss on the top of my hand, which feels all wrong when I realize who he is.

"You played against them the first home game!" I nearly yell, snatching my hand away from him, "You were the one that hit him!" I snarl, backing away from him. He looks far too pleased with himself that I finally recognized him.

"And you're the one that was dragged screaming from the arena. I had to meet the little woman that cared so deeply for a giant brute like him." He has an almost sleazy tone, but it doesn't feel genuine.

Again, my brain is telling me I should be afraid of him, but something inside me says otherwise. Just because I'm not afraid of him doesn't mean I'm going to hang out with someone who could hurt Roman like that.

"I think you should leave." I say, crossing my arms over my chest.

He doesn't respond, and he doesn't look like he has any plans of leaving.

Not until one of the employees comes to lead me to the locker room area. I'm thankful for the escape. I just want to see Roman. Too much has happened this evening.

It feels like forever before he comes through the locker room door, his hair still dripping water from his shower. In two giant steps, he's swooping me in a circle and into his arms. I can't help the giggle that escapes me, as I'm filled with the warmth and electricity only he can give me.

I release a deep sigh and snuggle closer as he nuzzles into my neck and mumbles, "I'm so fucking sorry, Leera. I'm so sorry for putting you in that position."

I try to hold on to my anger, but I just can't. Not with him. "I want to be mad at you, but I can't. But I also never want to feel like that again. You have to tell her," I say, trying to reign in my emotions, "she almost made a scene. Basically, she called me the other woman in front of everyone around us. I stood up to her and got her to leave me alone this time, but I don't think I'll be as lucky next time." I finish, feeling small. Well smaller than I am.

He holds me closer and continues to apologize.

"That's not all." I say quietly.

At that, he pulls his head back to look at me and asks, "What do you mean?"

"Khaos came over to talk to me at the end of the game. He just said he wanted to meet me, and he kissed my hand. But he looked at me funny. Like I confused him."

Roman seems to think for a moment before his expression darkens with something that might be worry.

"I think . . . I think he might have felt a bond with you . . ."

"WHAT?! I don't want more than one mate!" I say a bit too loudly, forgetting we're still in a hallway in a hockey arena.

"Let's get you to the car, and I'll explain what I think it was," he says.

"Can't you just tell me what's going on now?!"

"While there are many werewolves here, there are also a lot of humans. Not to mention, if we don't get out of here soon, the press will catch up with us after our display tonight."

Crap, that makes sense. So I nod and take his hand as he ushers me through the building.

He stops in front of a shining silver Mercedes. I've never found cars to be any level of attractive, but of course this man would own a car that feels sexy.

"I don't remember seeing this one in your garage." I say, and he opens the passenger door for me to climb inside. I'm about to drop in when I see my name stitched into the seat in pink embroidery.

"It's brand new. I had it custom ordered when I couldn't get the color silver out of my mind." He's proud of himself, but he also looks worried, waiting for my response.

"Why is my name on the seat?"

"Because this is our car. No one else will ever ride there but you, sweetheart."

And dammit, if my heart doesn't melt a little more for this man.

Once I allow myself to fall into my seat, I see all the little pink features he's added, and I'm just in awe.

He rounds the car and climbs in himself, and he just looks at me for what feels like forever.

"Do I have something in my teeth?" I joke, which brings him back to reality.

"I just still can't believe you're real. I don't think I'll ever believe it," he says, shaking his head as he starts the car.

"Okay, so this weird bond?" I press, smashing the moment we were having to smithereens.

"Right, so wolves don't only have mate bonds. There are pack bonds. And there are . . . family bonds."

I scrunch my eyebrows in confusion.

"I've never met Khaos before, how can I be his family?"

Roman's head drops, nearly resting on the steering wheel. "There's more to the rivalry between Khaos and I, than hockey." He begins, and I just wait for him to continue.

Heaving a heavy sigh, he continues. "Khaos is only a year younger than me. Our fathers put us against each other all the time. He grew up in my shadow, but I was never crude to him or anything . . . we just never could meet eye-to-eye after growing up constantly competing against each other. It ended up causing abrasion between our parents as well, and our lack of friendship grew into an angry beast," he says, shaking his head.

"Imogen was his little sister. He was blind with rage over our mate bond. He didn't want her to be sucked into the royal pieces of our world that involved me being the commander of the army. He tried to keep her from me, just as my father tried to keep me from her. Then, when she was killed, he blamed me—justifiably so. So with you being my reincarnated mate, you share the same soul as Imogen. He feels her within you. It probably scared him, like it did me. But since a family bond isn't as strong or sacred, his reaction wasn't as strong as mine."

My mind is reeling. I just got used to the idea that I might be a freaking werewolf with a seven hundred year old mate, and now I learn his seven hundred year old arch nemesis is basically my brother.

I don't even know what to say.

"Um, okay. Can we add that to our table of conversations for later? Wait, where are we going?"

"After a win, especially at home games, the boys all go out and party. I thought we could go back to my place and watch a movie or something, unless, of course, you want to go home," he asks.

"Are you sure you don't want to go to the party? I don't want you to miss stuff just because of me. I'm just not really good with that kind of energy yet. Zoey tried taking me to one, and I had a panic attack before she could finish her first drink."

His eyes never leave the road as he caresses the side of my face, and I can't help but lean into him when he says, "Everything I need for the rest of my existence is right here."