Page 1 of Finding the Forward: Part Two
Chapter One
AJ
The stench of horny omega smacked me in the face as I slipped into the Knights’ locker room at the training center. As an omega player’s alpha packmate, I now had access to some of the restricted places here–including the locker room code.
Hopefully, Verity’s panicked recount of what happened between her and Grif on the bleachers was overstated. Maybe I’d find him at practice as usual, asking his teammates how to patch up their fight.
Deep down, I knew I wouldn’t.
My belly sank as the door closed behind me. Rotten and sour scents entwined with lust, arousal, cozy sweaters, and rain. For a moment, I flashed back to when I’d gone to Grif’s and found his apartment awash in these same scents–minus the sweaters. Back when I’d discovered him passed out on his bed with a bottle of bourbon and an empty container of heavy-duty omega blockers.
“Fuck.” I punched one of the metal lockers. Pain coursed through my hand and I shook it, hoping no one noticed the small dent.
No. Not again. Never again.
I stalked through the locker room. Where the fuck were they? Urgency tugged at me. It was only a matter of time before a trainer, equipment manager, or someone came in.
Grif had Dean pushed against the wall of the training room, his teeth sinking into Dean’s pale pectoral right by his tattoo. Dean moaned, still in his skates and gear. His green eyes were wild with desire, his strawberry blond hair falling into his freckled face.
My belly dropped further. While this was infinitely better than what I’d found back then, it still posed a problem. This wasn’t the day for Grif to come out as an omega, especially without the pack contracted.
Hopefully, Jonas noticed something was wrong and came looking for them. If I was to contain this, I had no time to spare to get him. Since he was currently on the ice, I couldn’t text him, either.
Leaving them for the moment, I threw open the door to the storage area. Relief shot through me as I found plenty of scent-removing cleaning products. Giant container of de-scenter sanitizer in hand, I walked back into there, where Grif held Dean to him.
“What the fuck did you two just do?” I growled, more worried than annoyed. If those two had bonded each other, we’d have a whole other set of problems to deal with.
“Dean loves me.” Panic filled Grif’s voice as he turned to look at me, his taller, huskier frame protecting Dean, angst in his green eyes.
Shit. I was in over my head here.
“I know. He loves you so much. I love you, too,” I soothed. No, now wasn’t the time for scolding. It was time for patience and understanding.
That’s what this was ultimately about. The hidden omega part of Grif wasn’t feeling loved, secure, or understood. We let practicality get ahead of his needs because we often forgot he was an omega, too.
My heart squeezed. I’d been a bad alpha to him. Fuck. Because what Grifwantedand what heneededwere two different things. I’d gotten so tangled up in his wants I hadn’t tended to his needs like I should.
“AJ, why are you here?” Dean’s expression went sheepish. The two of them reeked of sex and each other.
“To save your asses.” I turned and kissed Grif, his red beard soft as I ran my hand through his hair. “I love you and was worried about you. Right now, I need you and Dean to hit the showers. Now.”
As they left, I sprayed down the training room with de-scenter. Then I got the de-scenting soap from Dean’s locker and brought it to them as they kissed each other in the shower. A bite marked Dean’s chest–as did one on Grif’s cock.
Shit. They’d bonded.
Right now the bigger problem was how the locker room smelled. I sprayed down the locker room and showers, and then I hit the training room again. My eyes stung from the industrial strength cleaner.
Where the fuck was Jonas? He should have felt them bond through his bond with Dean.
I put their clothes and Dean’s skates in a garbage bag, doused them in cleaner, and tied it off. If it ruined anything, well, it was only money.
The door opened as I shoved it awkwardly in Dean’s duffle.
Silas, a slim, middle-aged beta who was one of the equipment managers, looked at me. His nose scrunched. “Are you supposed to be in here?”
Shit.
“I’m AJ, I’m Dean’s other alpha. He’s sick. Can you get Jonas–now? Please?” I asked, trying to keep calm, as I zipped up the duffle and put it on the bench.
