4

W e've only got a couple of months before the season starts back up and I'm on edge. Practicing hockey isn't the same as playing hockey, even scrimmaging with the team can't take the edge off. I need the roar of the crowd, slamming men I don't care about into the walls, and winning. It's the only thing that can quiet my mind and the demons who take residence in my thoughts.

On the plus side, the team has come a long way and we're looking really good this year. I don't know if we'll take the Stanley Cup, but we should definitely make it to the playoffs. We've been especially hard on Slate. He's the goalie and he really is the best for the job, but he has a couple weaknesses that the other teams had started to notice and exploit. So, we spent a lot of the off season watching his bottom right corner and pissing him off. He plays worse when he's in a bad mood. If the other team gets him worked up enough, all he can focus on is how he would murder them if given the chance, and he forgetsall about the game. Luckily, while the twins are my Omegas and can bring lightness to heavy situations, they can also be the most infuriating jackasses I've ever encountered. So naturally, they've taken their job of pissing off Slate very seriously.

Benny has been spending his time bouncing back and forth between trying to keep me levelheaded and building bridges with Andrei. Andrei is the newest member of my trusted men, both in hockey and with the pack. He came to us angry and broken, and that's something I understand, and we bonded through it. It is strange having someone so young around all the time. Andrei is only eighteen years old, but since werewolves grow so much faster and larger than humans, you can't tell he's not a twenty-something-year-old man.

Pain will do that to anyone, though, and you can tell he carries a desire for vengeance. Benny wants him to be more, though. He wants to push him out of the lone wolf vibes he still exudes at times. If anyone can get him through it, it's Benny.

I finish lacing up my skates and make my way to the ice. Coach and the team are waiting for me and a couple other stragglers. Coach is a big old werewolf who was the best of his time on the ice. He's an even bigger ass than me, but with a heart of gold. He acts like the Alpha of the men and families of the team, taking care of us all. I had forgotten what it felt like to be taken care of, and it's nice. I would never tell him or any other soul, but he's been more of a father to me than my own ever was.

"Alright boys, we've still got work to do if you're done being a bunch of pussies!" Coach thunders at everyone, which means it's time to start drills.

After an hour of drills we'll start running the plays, followed by scrimmaging, ending with more cool down drills. He runs us hard, but he knows what we need—me especially. I'm pretty sure he's researched how to torture men with hockey drills. Then I swear he takes his research, tries it out on us, then amps it up to make sure we wish we were dead. Even if sometimes I still need to skate it off after practice, most of the team nearly crawls off the ice. The newbies are always begging for death at the end of their first week.

As practice ends today, I don't feel the need to keep going so I hit the showers with the rest of the team. Everyone else is amped up for our opening game and there is an infectious thrill coursing through the air. The first game is against my biggest rival, on and off the ice—the Augusta Vultures.

Their Team Captain is Khaos Mokotoff, Alpha of the New England Pack, and my lifelong rival. He was born a year after I was, and our fathers constantly pinned us against each other. Inciting challenges and forcing us to compete with each other over every little thing, causing the rift to begin young.

Being a year older, I was always a step ahead and a little bit stronger. The one time I ever lost to him, my father beat me so badly he had to call a healer. I never lost again.

He was also Imogen's brother. While he and his father were considered upper class, Imogen was not. Khaos' father was a shit mate and prowled around searching the villages for women in heat, and thus, Imogen was born. The scandal was mostly kept under wraps until Khaos ran into her. He felt the family bond with her and approached her. I had never really seen him happy until he found her. He spent all his extra time with her. He'd sneak her and her mother food, clothing and money every chance he had.

Khaos and my father were furious that we were mates. Khaos didn't want her to be subjected to any of the bullshit that came along with being a part of the royal world. My father demanded I reject her as my mate, just because she lived in the village instead of being part of the noble circles.

Khaos still blames me for her death. That's about all we can agree on. So, we take it out on the ice. The league doesn't know the specifics, but they know when they put us together there are always fireworks, and the crowd just eats it up.

Back home that evening, everything is uncomfortably quiet. The guys all went out to get rip-roaring drunk and I'm just not in the mood. I can't pinpoint what's going on with me, but something feels off. It has for about a couple weeks now. Like something is coming, something big, but I can't tell if it's good or bad. India hasn't been around lately, so at least I have that to be thankful for.

Since we've got the weekend off, I let the guys know I'm going to head to the pack and check on everyone. A nice long run there, being able to feel needed for a day, and a long run back, will do me good. I take my clothes off and drop them in the laundry room for Matilda, our housekeeper. If I destroy any more clothes right now, she's going to pummel me. She may be smaller and older but don't let that sweet little old lady act fool you, she can hold her own.

My wolf surges forward without a second thought. Wild cream-colored fur sprouts all over my body as my bones crunch and realign accordingly. Even after so many centuries, the whole process still amazes me.

When I do visit, I like to arrive at the pack unannounced and at odd and different times. I want to ensure security is doing their job and keeping everyone safe. I approach with my thoughts blocked so they don't hear me, but I immediately feel the presence of someone. Just as Brutus calls out, "I can smell you Alpha but nice try!"

Shifting back, I accept the cloak in his outstretched hand. "Brutus what are you doing on duty tonight?" I ask, curious as to why my fill-in leader of the pack has resorted to working a security shift.

"Ah just covering for Rodger. You remember they had their pup and he's taken a more active parenting role than most. We wanted to embrace it and let him enjoy these moments."

Nodding I clasp him on the shoulder in greeting. "I agree with your decision. I don't want our pack to uphold prehistoric notions and cease to grow and evolve. Make sure they have everything they need. Anything else to report?"

He shakes his head and tells me of all the day to day normalcy that's taken place in my absence. If they don't have anything for me to do, I'll have to come up with something. We may even research that giant ice rink I was thinking about. Either way I'm going to enjoy this day with my pack before I head back for the city tomorrow.

As we make our way into the common area of the pack homes, people of all ages come out to say hello. It's still strange to be in charge of people in this way. For so long, leading the army, it was all brute strength and order. It wasn't a family.

Our pack has grown so much that we've almost reached a point that we're going need to build more pack houses. They're nothing fancy by any means, but each family has their own cottage style home with all the necessary amenities. I splurged a little bit, a couple years ago, and built a clubhouse for the pack. It's got a gym, a movie theater, a sauna, a pool for the summer months, and a playground for the pups.

Just as the thought crosses my mind, my ears are assaulted by about a dozen little voices coming my way. One of my favorite things about our pack is all the pups. They come running at me in both forms. Some in their human form and others in their wolf form. Seeing how happy and well taken care of they are brings me the greatest sense of pride.

I couldn't keep our pup safe; I will make sure these children never know of those struggles.

As they reach me, I'm tackled to the ground. Hands and feet and paws are everywhere. Laughing while they giggle and attack me. I roll over, lift myself to my knees and toss Brutus my cloak.

In an instant I release my wolf. I'm hopping around and nuzzling them. Hopping turns into wrestling for nearly an hour. The parents begin to gather their young ones when there's only one little girl left. She's so small, she's probably only three or four years old. She reaches her little body onto her tip toes, takes my snout in both of her tiny little hands, and pulls me into a hug that I didn't know I needed. "Good boy," is all she says, and then she's skipping away to her parents.

Shifting back, and pulling the cloak back on, I'm feeling lighter than I have in ages.

The rest of the day passes mostly uneventfully. I talk with Brutus about all the new developments within the pack, which isn't much. We go over some requests that the pack had and make plans to bring them to life.

Some of the older boys, and probably the men, requested a basketball court. The woman requested a paved track around the property for them to walk the little ones in strollers, skate, and ride bikes.

Just because we're werewolves it doesn't mean we want to live like animals all the time. Well, a few people do sometimes, but to each their own.

The day goes by so quickly that it feels like I've barely arrived when I notice the sun beginning its descent. Walking back to the edge of our lands, I hand Brutus my cloak, and take back off towards home, still thinking about that sweet little girl and all the pups. They make all of it worthwhile.