Page 31 of Knot Dead Yet

Casimir stepped up next to me and spoke in a quiet tone. “I will be returning to the hotel, and I will check to see if Kienna is in her room.”

“I’m going with you.” I didn’t stop to think about it and pulled on my shirt. Even if Kienna was gone, I had to know.

“I’m going too.” Tiergan whipped on his shirt and stuffed his feet into his boots.

“And me.” Maddox folded his arms and glared at Casimir as if daring him to tell him no.

Kane slid on his coat and shook his head. “We’re not going anywhere at the moment. We need to do some mandatory press time. They’re especially going to want to talk to you, Alderic, and you for your shut-out, Tiergan.”

I didn’t have the patience for the press at the moment. The feeling something was wrong sat heavier in my gut. It was good for the team to get as much press as possible, but Kienna could still be in her room.

“I’ll take the service hall out and check on Kienna myself.” Casimir grabbed his coat and headed toward the door tucked away in the rear of the locker room. The corridor was used by the arena staff and emergency workers. The team always exited to the main hallway and through the jungle of reporters.

“We’ll go after we did some press time,” Kane stated again. Casimir ignored him, and Kane growled with frustration. “Get back here, Velky.”

Casimir shot him a look and bared his teeth. “They’ll want you, Fournier, and Hall. No one will want to talk to me, and if they did, fuck them. Kienna’s more important. If Fournier is worried about her, I trust his instincts. I’m going back to the hotel.”

My eyes widened. Casimir trusted me? I never had a problem with him on the team, but often, he and Kane had a power struggle. Maddox was strong-headed, but he willingly stepped back to let Kane lead as he didn’t want that role. Tiergan would be a good leader too, but his strength was in support. Casimir, on the other hand, didn’t always agree when Kane said something had to be a certain way, and that’s why the pack never formed a tight friendship with him. He had his own ideas and fought for them.

As much as I respected Kane, I was with Casimir on this. “I need to go.”

“We’re dealing with the press first.” Kane raised his chin. His Alpha command reverberated through me. For him, it was always about the team first. He kept us together as a fierce unit and helped make us a force to contend with on the rink. But this wasn’t about hockey.

Casimir didn’t say a word. He opened the service door, stepped through it, and held it agape. He was clearly waiting for me.

Merde. I’d always been the peacemaker, the easy-going one. Never had there been any negative tension between the pack and I. Even now, I wanted to please everyone, but there was one person in the world that needed me the most and she was not here at the arena.

“I’m going to check on Kienna. You know it’s the right thing to do.” I picked up my coat and followed Casimir.

I turned my back to my pack.

My heart hammered and my throat tightened, but I didn’t turn to look over my shoulder. Casimir and I hurried down the narrow corridor which turned and exited by the garage. Neither of us said a word.

Casimir led me to his Porsche and clicked his key fob to unlock the doors. I opened the door and climbed in, running a slightly shaky hand through my still damp hair. Casimir pushed a button to start the engine and tore out of the lot through the service road.

“When last did you see Kienna?” Casimir asked, speeding onto the highway.

“Uh, yesterday at the restaurant. The same as the rest of us.” I had tried so hard to put everyone at ease last night. Kienna had been upset and the Alphas were ready for battle. When she got up to leave, I’d wanted to follow her, but Kane went instead.

“She was upset with her father. Do you know why?” Casimir continued his interrogation with the same intensity he played hockey, and as he whipped around a bend, the same as his driving.

I bit the side of my tongue. The pack had talked about Kienna last night, and Kane had shared his insight. What the pack did together stayed between the pack, but no matter how much we wanted it, Kienna wasn’t ours. She was also compatible with Casimir, and he clearly cared about her enough to risk getting in trouble for leaving without press time too.

“She feels ignored by her father. She doesn’t want to be here in Winnipeg.” It all tumbled out of my mouth. Casimir deserved to know what was going on. “Her heat isn’t making anything easier. She doesn’t want to be with any of us because we’re on her father’s team. She doesn’t want to risk our careersor her father’s wrath. Which is sweet of her, but if she isolates herself from the compatible Alphas during her heat, it’s going to make things ten times worse for her. I can’t stand the thought of her suffering for any reason.”

“I agree.” He grunted. “Has anyone in the pack claimed her?”

“What?” The question took me off-guard. Was he that serious about Kienna?

“Shaw?” Casimir glanced at me. “Or Moreau?”

“No.” I paused and swallowed. “Have you?”

“No. I want her father’s permission to court her first. I must respect not only her but him as well.” His knuckles were white with his grip on the wheel. “Hockey is not my entire life. I would not be risking my career to be with her, but even if it was at risk, I wouldn’t care. She is more important. You understand this. This is why you’re here.”

Light from other cars flickered over his intense face. I knew very little about Casimir even though we’d played on the same team all year. His concern for Kienna was fiercely clear, and I respected him all the more that he was willing to risk everything for her.

“To fear wolves is not to go into the forest.”

---