Page 218 of Loving Ladybug: Part One
The screens flashed and music played as they announced Gwen. Everyone cheered for her and pride filled me. Here was my little Firecracker, playing in a Knights’ game.
Like she’d always dreamed of.
She looked as beautiful in that Knights’ jersey as she had in the blue dress at the wedding. More. If anything, the pink pads and mask suited her.
Anger flashed through me as I was called in for a line change. The possessive alpha wanted to be there to protect her from Austin.
While the hockey player part of me knew that Gwen could handle herself, the alpha part worried about her getting injured. I was absolutely certain that her ex wasn’t going to go easy on her–nor were his brothers.
“I’ve got her,” Dimitri murmured as he took my place.
I knew he did. Dimitri cared for her like a sister. Clark was out there, too. Still, I itched to protect her, and I huffed in annoyance as I took my seat.
Coach Atkins gave me a look. “You’ll get your chance.”
My hands fisted in my gloves and my belly tightened, as Austin immediately jetted across the ice.Get it, get it.She deflected the shot with ease. He said something to her and skated off.
“Asshole,” I fumed. How dare he?
A few seconds later, number 17 was back at her and she caught it.
“Get back in there.” Coach sent me in with Vickers, since Jonas was still with Dean, given they were mates.
I skated out and went right into play, protecting the net and chasing those assholes around. When the ref blew his whistle and play halted I skated over to her.
“Hey, Firecracker, looking good,” I told her.
“Hi, Big Guy. Hey, Vickers.” She waved.
“We’ve got you,” Vickers told her.
Play restarted and eventually we were called back out, but we were back in soon enough. As the minutes on the clock ticked down, it was evident that the Gears’ forwards had orders to score. Number 17 came at her fast and hard. Back on the ice, I swatted the puck away from him toward Nia.
“Not today, fucknugget,” I muttered.
Nia took it in their end, scoring another goal, bringing us 4-0.
I chased her ex around the goal, Vickers coming around the other side. Gwen was ready at the side of the goal, tripping him ever-so-subtly as he skated by, sending him sprawling.
The ref blew the whistle, but no penalty was called.
“Whoops. I didn’t see you.” Gwen’s voice dripped with innocence as she patted the goalpost.
I was called back off. Nakey and Dimitri went in. Her ex came at her again, and I could tell what he was doing. Back when I first met her, she was struggling a little glove-side, and we’d worked on that.
Something he didn’t know.
With the grace of a dancer and speed of an ultra-bullet, she deflected it. Her ex caught it on the rebound, and she sent it right back. There was no doubt he was pissed as he went right for her again, smacking it hard.
She dove, catching it, and everyone cheered. He got pissed and Dimitri threw him down. He got up and moved toward her. She poked him with her stick as Clark shoved him.
“Look at her go.” Jonas sat down with me. “She could be as good as Dean in a few years. Better even. I love it when she gets feisty.”
She was sparkling tonight.
“Is Dean okay?” I asked.
Jonas nodded. “He should be–and Verity’s with him, so he sent me out here to help protect Ladybug.”
