Page 129 of Break The Ice

I stop, shocked and pleased.

I spoke.

I found the words.

“It is Raider-”

“No!” I say clearly. “This isn’t Raider. My pack mate doesn’t have tattoos, I just told you that. This is Bailey Raines.”

The guy with the tablet flips it around and zooms in. Several people lean in close, looking over his shoulder, but I’ve lost interest now.

“Excuse me, I need to make sure that Raider is okay.”

“Is this the end of his hockey career?”

I turn back, standing up straight and narrowing my eyes. “Whether it is or it isn’t, that is Raider’s decision. My place will be at his side, where I have been since I met him when I was fifteen years old. Whatever he chooses to do, I will support him. Now, I think today has been stressful enough for Raider. If you could return your attention to the game, that would be much appreciated. And no more slander about the actress, please. Raider has been devoted to our pack since we met in high school.”

I don’t know if they listen to me or they’re just bored, but it feels good to finally put my heart into words and defend the alphas I love.

I’m walking away when I spot Kurt, I rush after him, but he’s speaking to someone I don’t know. They look agitated and panicked.

“Listen, I’m telling you, his blades were damaged. They’re checked before every game, the guys check them each proactively. This isn’t left to fate. But Ainsel didn’t do this. You know he’s meticulous about the blades. He would never, ever sabotage a player like that.”

“Look, I don’t know what to tell you. It’s fucked up. But the police are coming for Ainsel. There’s no one else who could have done it.”

“But who was the last person to check them after him? Who was on the security video skulking around the place at two this morning?”

They move out of my hearing, so I only hear the mumbled reply, but it doesn’t make sense. As I watch, they enter the inner sanctum of the team’s rooms where I can’t go.

I stand perfectly still, struggling to breathe.

Someone tried to hurt Raider on purpose?

I reach out, holding onto the wall for support.

The bond opens, and all I feel is terror. It is so strong my knees buckle. I catch myself on the wall, stunned for a moment until I can work out who it’s coming from. The answer terrifies me.

I whip around, scanning the crowds, frantic.

“KIT!”

Chapter thirty-eight

Kit

I stare up atthe nightmare from my childhood. The alpha who made school excruciating. I lick my lips and scramble backwards when he reaches for me. The rough pebbles cut up my palms, but I ignore the pain and keep scrambling. I can’t let him catch me.

If he gets his hands on me, it’s over.

He stands up to his full height, which, sadly, is a good foot taller than me, and huffs as if my scrambling has annoyed him. Freddie puts his hands on his hips in a familiar pose and then swiftly, oh, so swiftly, kicks my upper thigh before I have a chance to register it.

I shout and recoil, scrambling further, but he follows, stomping and leaning over me with pure hatred almost dripping from his eyes. His lips are twisted into a malice-filled taunt, his greasy hair falls over the left side of his face, shadowing it, making him appear demonic.

“Are you trying to get away from me now?” Freddie murmurs. “You better fucking not be trying to get away, Mogel.”

I shake my head, remembering how much worse things would get when I would run. I rapidly go through my options. Raider is hurt. Wren’s in the game. There is no security. At least Callan and Ryann are safe.

Freddie clicks his fingers, and I flinch hard. I haven’t thought about him clicking his fingers for years. But it comes back to me now. I feel like I’m thirteen years old again. The sound, the way he does it. It’s how I knew he was bored, how I knew he would be coming to punish me. That sound means pain, humiliation, and torment. That sound makes my bowels turn to water and brings back every one of my worst memories.

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