Page 24 of Knot Dead Yet

I instinctively reached for my phone and plucked it off the table beside me. It was nearly six o’clock. Had I really slept that long and no one had disturbed me?

“You’re supposed to do tactic J! What the hell was that?” Kane’s booming voice had me on my feet. The pack along with Casimir were on the ice, every one of them snarling at each other.

“J I swoop in. That’s what I fucking did!” Casimir pointed his stick at Maddox. “He slammed into me.”

“You were in my way.” Maddox skated closer with a ‘try me’ look on his face. Oh shit.

“All of you are distracted. This whole practice has been a fucking waste of time.” Ewan banged his stick on the ice for emphasis. “You all just smell an Omega and you lose your damn minds. We’re going to lose against Chicago if you can’t get your shit together. Fucking Chicago!”

“We’re not losing to those bastards,” Tiergan shouted from his place in front of the net. “Even if I have to hold them off all by myself.”

“You’re not in this alone. We’re a team and we need to work together. If we have to run through the drills a hundred times more, that’s what we’re going to do.” Kane was facing away from me, but I could imagine the glare of authority he pinned on each teammate. A little shiver of delight went through me at the thought of him looking at me with such ferocity.

“We need a break, and it’s almost time for dinner with the bosses.” Alderic skated between the Alphas, slow and smooth. “We’ll get some food in us and then come back to practice. Or—” His gorgeous face lit up as he spotted me, and he zoomed my way. “Kienna! Hi. You’re awake.”

Everyone’s head turned my way. A rush of glee made me want to squeal as their eyes brightened. Why did I feel like a happy puppy with a madly wagging tail?

There was a rush of hellos as they all followed Alderic to the window. I waved, feeling suddenly on the spot. Casimir and Maddox stood on opposite ends of the group, and I could feel my insides being torn in both directions at once. Then with Tiergan and Kane in the middle. Good thing there was a thick pane of tempered glass between us so I wouldn’t be expected to go to one person or another when I wanted all of them.

No, none of them. I was leaving.Get your priorities straight, Kienna.

“Don’t mind me. Go back to your practice.”

“We’re done for now.” Hadn’t Kane been the one to say they were going to run through the drills more? His hot gaze made my stomach flip. “We were going to head to dinner, and we’d love for you to come with us.”

“You can ride with me.” I heard the words Casimir said, but all that sunk into my head was ‘ride me.’

“She’s riding with us.” Maddox shot him a death glare.

“Guys, it’s her choice.” Alderic was, at least, a voice of reason. Ewan rolled his eyes and shook his head.

“Your father will be there.” Tiergan nodded and flashed me a smile. How could a guy look that hunky absolutely covered head to toe in bulky equipment? “Mad said you were looking for Mr. Birk.”

Dad. That’s right. The sooner I talked to him, the faster I could be out of the province. Away from these hotties whomade me lose control of myself in the best of ways. That was dangerous. I couldn’t allow myself to get attached to an Alpha who would keep me in boring Nowhereville.

“Alright.” Yet there was no way I could ride with any of them. I didn’t trust myself. “But without an escort, I’ll have to go myself. Where is dinner?”

“The Wellington. A real fancy place with the best steak,” Tiergan replied. “I’m sure it will be fine if you go with all of us.”

To be crammed in the SUV again with them, my thighs tightened. Bad idea. “I’ll just get a rideshare. Thanks.” I gave them another wave and forced myself to turn away to put on my boots and coat. It suddenly hit me that I had my phone in my hand. My missing phone.

My heart raced as I put in my passcode and it worked. There were a ton of texts and missed calls from my friends. This was definitely my phone. Nothing was taken off it or out from the wallet side. Maybe someone saw my face with my besties on the lockscreen and knew who I was and that my father was the new owner of the Rampage. They could have returned it to the arena, and security or even Esha might have left it beside me as I slept in the lounge. It was the only thing that made sense.

Why did I care how it got there? I had my phone back and it was charged!

I missed what the guys were saying to me and waved over my shoulder at them. Finally some good luck.

Once out of the lounge, I called for a ride and hurried out of the arena. Standing in the cold air would do me some good. No doubt I would have to sit through dinner, but my dad would be obligated to have me by his side and would no doubt want me out of his hair for the rest of his time in Winnipeg. Even if I couldn’t get a flight until the morning, I was on track to freedom.

Free from being stuck in a hotel room for weeks. Free from dying of boredom. And free of the grip of the Alphas whohad triggered my heat. I couldn’t trust my Omega horniness. So the farther away I was from them, the better.

Yet why was my heart breaking at the thought?

CHAPTER ELEVEN – Kane

We couldn’t get showered and dressed fast enough. Our practice had been like skating in a minefield. Everyone seemed to get in everyone else’s face. Maddox especially had it out for Casimir. I still didn’t know what went on between Casimir and Kienna. Nor did I know why it took so long to find her. Maddox never said where he found her or how he convinced her to come back to the lounge.

It shouldn’t matter as long as she was safe. That was my primary concern, but the not knowing writhed under my skin. I was the pack leader. Not that I was the nosy type, but I needed to know everything.

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