Page 7 of Full Body Hit: Part 2
“Whoa,” the looming creature said, and it was only then that Chase recognised Auston.
Chase pressed a hand over his heart, feeling it race behind his rib cage. “Holy hell. You scared me.”
Auston had his hands up as if he were about to get shot. “Sorry. I just—”
Sammy shouldered between them. “You just what?” he asked sweetly.
Chase shuddered at the tone. Sammy was terrifying when he pretended to be nice.
Auston took a step back. “Uh…just wanted to see how Chase was doing.”
Chase straightened. “Oh. Um. I’m fine. Thanks for, you know…”Taking care of me. The words were too awkward and vulnerable to voice.
“It wasn’t a problem. You’re sure you’re good to play, though?”
The tentative smile that had been on Chase’s face dropped right off.
Right. Auston was just checking to see if Chase would be a liability.
Sammy saved him from responding. “Are you a medic, now? Because that’s who cleared him.” Never mind that Sammyhad been complaining about the concussion protocol not being careful enough just yesterday.
Auston backed up another foot. “I’m not…I was just…”
Sammy didn’t seem impressed. “Mmhm.” It was amazing how much sarcasm he could pack into that noise.
Chase let himself be dragged away, protesting when he was out of Auston’s earshot. “Hey. He was really nice to me, you know. He took care of me, fed me, he—”
“Oh, he fed you?” Sammy repeated. “What a saint.”
“No, dude, he really was nice. He said sorry to me and everything.”
Sammy raised an eyebrow. “For what? Being a dick?”
“I honestly think those were his exact words.”
Sammy snorted. “Well, let’s see if he actually stops being one.”
From behind, Noah caught up with them. “Sammy, come on. Give the guy a break. Or at least the chance to see if he means it. He’s part of the team, whether you like it or not.”
Sammy’s only reply was a roll of his eyes.
Auston, however, didn’t appear to be done.
It was nice to be on the ice, even if it was just practice. Chase had missed a game the previous night and would probably miss at least two more before he was fully cleared, but he knew he was lucky to be in skates so quickly.
The boys were happy for him too, jostling him as they waited for the first drill to begin. Noah skated at him rapidly, slowing at the very last moment to bump his shoulder.
Chase flopped against the boards dramatically, picking himself up to return the favour when Noah was yanked away from him suddenly.
“What thefuckdo you think you’re doing?” a voice said, a clap of thunder.
It was so distorted with an Alpha growl that Chase almost didn’t recognise it as Auston’s, but it was definitely him, hand fisted in Noah’s practice jersey, eyes glaring down at him.
“Um…” Chase tried to intervene, but Auston wasn’t done.
“He’sno-contact. He has afuckingconcussion. You can’t—”
Noah pressed Auston away. “Dude, I barely touched him. We were just playing around.”
