Chapter 18

CHAPTER 18

“ S loane, are you going to tell me what happened?” Piper asks in the car ride to Bram’s house.

I’m in the backseat with her while Owen and Alexi are upfront.

“Also, why am I driving to Nilsen’s house?” Alexi asks playfully.

“Alexi, what would you do if someone pinned Owen to a wall and was trying to grope him?” I ask.

An angry noise leaves him, and Piper smirks.

“Probably kick their fucking ass.”

“I can handle myself,” Owen says.

“Okay, well, basically, that’s what happened,” I say easily.

“Nilsen beat someone up? He can’t get in trouble mid season,” Owen says, turning around to look at us in the backseat.

“It wasn’t Bram. It was Ethan.”

“Who’s Ethan?” Owen asks.

“Jesus fucking Christ. The mascot,” I grate out.

Alexi whistles. “Finnegan the Fox can fight, huh?”

I rub my forehead, and Piper pats my thigh. “I’m sure everything’s fine. Bram said that both he and Ethan are back at the house, right?”

“Right,” I remind myself.

“Listen, I know you have no control over this. I know I didn’t. But if you could go into heat during an easy string of games, that would be ideal,” Owen says.

“Owen,” Piper hisses, and he shrugs his shoulders.

“Like I said, I know she has no control over it. But maybe she could manifest when we’re playing the Jets or the Bruins or something.”

“Don’t listen to him. He’s one to talk,” she says, giving her Omega a look.

Alexi pulls up to Bram’s house.

“Do you need an escort? I’m always happy to take an opportunity to piss Nilsen off,” Alexi says.

“No. This is fine. Thank you again for coming to get me.”

Piper grabs my hand and squeezes. “We’re friends. Whenever you need us, we’ll be here.”

“Thanks, Piper,” I say before getting out of the car.

Before I even have the door shut, Bram is standing outside of his front door with his arms crossed, waiting for me. Alexi and Owen both wave at him, and he gives a nod of respect as I approach.

“Is everything okay? Is he okay? Did they call the police? This is all my fault. I should have been paying better attention. I should’ve?—”

“He’s fine. None of this is your fault. He’s lying down in my bed. There were no cops, and there won’t be,” he promises.

He pets my hair in a ridiculously soothing way.

“How do you know?”

“Because the dick was on probation. No one else in the diner saw, and we cleared everyone out. If anything, Ethan is just worried you hate him now.”

“How could I hate him? He was protecting me. I mean, albeit a little over the top, but it still came from a protective place.”

“You helped him?” I ask, and Bram shrugs his shoulders. “He was a mess, Bram. You fixed all of this.”

“He’s future pack,” he says easily, and I grab on to Bram’s shirt, looking up into his brown eyes.

My sweet, gentle, maybe sometimes grumpy giant.

“You like him?”

“Yes. I like the Beta. Now go make sure he’s okay,” he says, acting like he isn’t an outstanding human being.

I tug on his shirt, and he leans down to kiss me. His earthy scent surrounds me and reminds me of everything we did earlier today.

“You’re a good man, Bram Nilsen. I chose right,” I tell him against his lips before pulling away, leaving him dumbfounded as I head up the stairs to check on Ethan.

I’m not sure what I expected, but him snuggled up on the left-hand side of the bed wasn’t it. The lights are still on, and I proceed with caution.

“Ethan?” I whisper.

“I’m up,” he says, not turning around.

I take off my dress and bra. My panties were lost and not returned after my and Bram’s sexy moment earlier. Instead, I rifle through his drawers. I grab a T-shirt and a pair of boxers that are all too big before crawling into bed.

Once I do, Ethan turns around.

“I’m sorry, Sloane. I promise that won’t happen again. I’m not a violent person.”

“I know you’re not,” I say, brushing some hair out of his face. “You’re mine, and I’m yours. You were protecting me.”

“When I saw his hands on you, I lost it.”

“Is there a reason why?”

“Yes.”

I can tell he’s uncomfortable.

“It’s okay, we can talk about it some other time.” I wrap an arm around him, and he takes the deepest sigh of relief.

It doesn’t take me long to fall asleep, and when I wake up in the morning, I’m not just snuggled up with Ethan, but between both him and Bram.

I feel nearly whole.

I feel like poor Max has taken a back burner with helping his image out. Though his press has been good lately, I still have alerts on my phone when any of my guys are mentioned. Even if Serenity Jade wants to write speculative articles, there’s been nothing more on me and Max. If anything, most of what I’ve seen out there is people hoping he stays on the team.

Maybe I’ve been avoiding him, which makes me feel even more guilty. Especially because I can’t help but to miss him.

He and Bram don’t get along, and I’m with Bram, so being around Max almost feels like a betrayal in a way.

It’s silly, but it’s also not because when I’m around Max, I have an amazing time. He’s easy to talk to, handsome, funny, and there’s a connection there I can’t deny.

But there’s only so much I can ask of Bram, and this would be taking it too far. I know I can be selfish sometimes; it’s part of the territory of being a single child and an Omega. But doing this feels hurtful, which I just can’t swallow.

Yet I have to do my job.

So here I am, waiting for Max to meet me in my cubicle so we can talk about the fundraiser for Phillip, Liz’s husband.

There’s a tap against my cubicle wall before he takes a seat in the vacant chair next to me.

“Hey there, stranger,” he says, and I give him a watery smile.

“Hey. Been busy. How about you?”

“Actually, getting along with the team. Well, most of the team minus Nilsen, fucking dick.”

“He’s not so bad,” I say, wanting to defend him in earnest, but we aren’t public knowledge yet.

“He hates me, and I don’t even know what I fucking did. But that’s besides the point. Everything is going pretty well, if my brother would let off my ass a little bit. My PR lady seems super happy with all the footage lately. Thanks for that,” he says with a smile.

“You’re welcome.”

“Sloane, are you okay?”

I rub the back of my neck and nod. It’s just the end of the day, and everything is wearing off. I need to go home and relax, maybe take a nice bath or do some of the things on my checklist.

“Yeah, sorry. Just tired,” I reply, and he furrows his brows and nods.

“We can work on this later. You should go home and take care of yourself.”

“I promise I’m fine. I have everything planned anyway. It’s pretty straightforward. We have the home game against Vancouver. And right after, we’ll hold the fundraiser in person and online for Phillip with you handling the social media aspect.”

“Perfect, I can do that. Are you sure that you’re okay?”

“Yeah, I’m good. Just a lot of balls in the air right now. I know we have a few weeks, but I’ll get everything organized. You’re doing a great job with your image all on your own,” I tell him, hating the last sentence.

I feel like such a horrible friend.

He seems dejected but just nods his head. Dammit, I know I’m being so weird; I want to talk to him like I used to, but I pull myself back.

“Alright, well, I’ll see you around.”

I give him a soft smile, hating that I know I’m making him feel awkward.

“Yeah, see ya,” I say, packing up my bags and getting up to go home for the night.

I have planning to do, and it doesn’t involve former playboy goalies.

Definitely not.

I sneak Ethan into my apartment, though I don’t think my dad would really care if we were dating. It’s just truly none of his business. It’s been a few weeks since the diner incident, and he’s been odd. Almost like he’s afraid if he touches me wrong or says the wrong thing, I’ll go running for the hills.

I meant what I said in Bram’s bed, and of course I want to know about his past but only when he’s ready.

Bram and my father have been super busy with the hockey season picking up. I see him when I can, but he still calls me or texts me every night. How he’s able to make me feel special no matter where work takes him is exactly why I know he’s the right Alpha for me.

Even if there is another Alpha on my mind, one that absolutely shouldn’t be.

“Sloane, sweetheart, I don’t think this is all necessary.”

“It is, keep chopping,” I tell him.

“We can feed you just fine. You don’t have to do all this work.”

“They’re my favorite comfort foods, just the way I like. If we have them frozen and you can put them in a crockpot, it will be great for heat meals. The less that has to be done during my heat, the better.”

“Whatever makes you happy.”

“Good, this makes me happy.”

“Are you alright?” he asks me, and I huff out a breath.

“Why does everyone keep asking me that?” I snap, and I swallow back the attitude. “I’m sorry. I didn’t sleep well, and I feel bad about Max.”

“You feel like you can’t be his friend because of Bram?”

“Not necessarily that.”

“You’re attracted to Max and can’t be around him because of Bram?” he asks while he chops carrots.

“Bingo.”

“I might also be in this very specific and ridiculously loyal club as well.”

“I feel bad,” I say as I run my skincare routine sheet through the laminator and add glue dots to the back so I can post it on the mirror.

“Do we know why he hates him anyway?”

“I haven’t been brave enough to ask,” I admit, and Ethan nods his agreement.

“Me either.”

“We’re a little pathetic,” I admit, and Ethan laughs.

“I’d say Bram has been there for both of us when we really need it. Not to mention we’re both really into him. Max is a friend, nothing more. We’ll figure it out.”

“Hmm,” I say, not completely agreeing or disagreeing.

I get up and glue my skincare routine to the mirror before going back to my binder and seeing what else I may need to add.

“Sloane, I don’t think you need a manual.”

“Oh, yes. I definitely need a manual. It’s all of my favorite things, things that soothe me. Not to mention how to use my washer and dryer and how much detergent.”

“That seems very specific,” he replies.

He’s throwing the sliced vegetables into the freezer bag, and I sigh.

“If you put too much, they don’t smell right, too little and they don’t get clean. It’s a fine balance. I don’t know what I’ll be like in heat, but I can guess that I might be a little particular.”

“Nothing wrong with knowing what you want.”

I hum at his words and go back to printing out and putting a video link on how to use and remove a diaphragm. You can truly never be thorough enough. While I know Bram and Ethan are more than happy to be in my heat, I can’t seem to give up complete control. I need to know everything will be perfect, and even if I can’t communicate, they’ll know what I need.

My phone buzzes with an incoming call, and I pick it up.

“Hello?”

“What are you up to tonight?” Bram says in a sleepy voice.

The Foxes somehow beat the Lightning tonight, and I know he took a few hard hits.

“Ethan is over, and we’re working on heat stuff,” I reply.

Ethan arches a brow as I place the phone on the desk and hit the speaker button.

“You’re on speaker,” I tell him.

“She’s making me make Crock-Pot freezer meals for her heat,” Ethan says, throwing me under the bus.

“Sloane, you don’t have to worry about any of that shit. We’re more than capable.”

“It has nothing to do with you being capable,” I tell them both.

Ethan looks confused, and Bram sighs over the phone.

“Whatever gives you peace of mind,” Bram concedes, even though he can’t see my smug smile over the phone.

“Are you sore? I saw you take that hit tonight,” I say, trying to keep the worry out of my voice.

Ever since the night of the diner, it seems like we’re all relatively unified as a pack, but nothing has moved forward. I can tell Ethan and Bram have a connection besides me being the tether between them.

But it seems like Ethan might be keeping Bram at a distance as well.

Knowing that they’re both going to be there for me during my heat is the only thing settling my nerves and not making me spiral. We don’t have to be bonded for my heat, or maybe I have more time than I think and things will speed up.

“I’m fine. Icing my shoulder,” Bram responds and yawns over the phone. “When I get back, the three of us should do something.”

“I’d love that,” I agree easily. “I wish you were here.”

“Me too. Don’t go crazy with the planning. We’ve got you. Have a good night, you too, Ethan,” Bram says.

“Night,” both Ethan and I chime at the same time.

I hang up the phone, and exhaustion whirls through me.

“Is that your last bag?” I ask as Ethan makes sure it’s airtight and labels the bag with a Sharpie before tossing it into the freezer.

“Last one.”

“Let me wash my face and get my pajamas on. Stay the night?”

He swallows thickly but nods his head as I get ready for the night.

By the time I finish everything I need to do, Ethan is waiting shirtless in my bed, looking uncomfortable as ever.

I climb under the sheets and rest my head on his chest. While I’m all about respecting boundaries, the wall Ethan has put up is bullshit.

“I’m not going anywhere, Ethan,” I promise him, my eyes getting heavy.

He squeezes my shoulder, but I swear before I fall asleep, I hear him whisper, “That’s what they all say.”