Page 142 of Choosing Their Omega

Chapter 47

Miles

It feels really good to show up to practice the next day. Now that the damn Grizzlies are out of the way, we can get back to what we actually enjoy doing and want to focus on: hockey.

The moment we enter the locker room, all of our teammates stand up and start clapping. I stutter to a halt in surprise. I didn’t know how much our teammates knew, and I didn’t think anyone would make a big deal out of it.

“We heard you took care of those cheating bastards,” one of our forwards says.

“Going after an Omega like that?” Another teammate shakes his head. “Lowest of the low. They got what they deserved.”

Everyone’s shaking our hands and clapping us on the shoulders. Nobody is mad that we basically walked off the ice right before a game started. Nobody is angry that we left them without four of their main players, including their captain and starting goalie. Everyone’s just happy for us and relieved it’s all over.

And, of course, pissed as hell at the Grizzlies.

A knot of worry that I didn’t even know was in my chest loosens. Everyone knows that your Omega is your top priority. As an Alpha, it’s your job to take care of your Omega and protect them. But that doesn’t mean our teammates might not have been annoyed at the timing and for being left in the lurch.

It’s a relief to see for certain that they’re not.

We all grin and hug and then Coach stomps in and tells us all right, all right, keep your shirts on, suit up and let’s actually play some hockey, dammit. He acts all gruff, but he hugs each of us after, once the rest of our team has walked out to go on the ice.

We’re so damn lucky. I know that none of the guys I play with would ever stoop as low as the Grizzlies did. They’re all good guys, and I trust them. I know that they’ve got our backs, but they wouldn’t ever attack the Omega mate of another team’s pack just because we got into a tussle with someone. And they wouldn’t let us be so insulting to another team’s Omega in the first place.

It might feel cliché, but it helps me feel good about my life choices, knowing that my pack has good guys surrounding us. Guys who will support us and back us up the right way.

“Did you hear?” Coach Vaughn asks as he accompanies us to the ice. “The entire Grizzlies team is being investigated by the NHL.”

“You know, Lily and the rest of us suspected that the entire team knew about the hit,” Cruz admits. “We didn’t have proof, though, so our lawyers advised us just to focus on the three people we knew had paid off the driver.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised if they turn on their teammates,” Lawson adds thoughtfully. “I mean, those three guys are facing a criminal trial and jail time, and they’re clearly vindictive assholes. It’s what got them into this whole mess in the first place. I wouldn’t put it past them to be bitter their teammates are getting off scot-free and admit they were in on it, if that’s what happened.”

Lawson might be a hothead and he can get into a lot of fights, but I know he would never be vindictive like that. He’s loyal to the core. I’m so damn grateful for my pack, that I found them and they chose me.

My phone goes off and I pull it out real quick to find it’s a text from Lily.

Lily: Ben and I were thinking of you!

There’s a picture attached with the text, showing a massive telescope pointing up to help some stick figures look at the moon.

Another text comes in.

Lily: Practice hard! Love you!

I text her back, my heart swelling with love: I love you too, and I will.

Then I hit the ice, ready to do just that.

* * *

Over the next few weeks we settle back into our routine as we prepare for the playoffs. Just about everything else in our world falls away, and everything becomes about the game.

Cruz continues doing the rehab work for his shoulder with the team doctor, and the reports are that it’s going well. The doc doesn’t think that Cruz will have to miss any more games, as long as things keep up like this.

I’m relieved, both for Cruz and for the rest of us.

I’m trying to work on my own side project, the planetarium, and it’s hard to juggle both that and the practices and games, but I make it work. I especially make time for working on the side project we’ve got going for Lily.

Finally, everything comes together. I’m so excited to show her this. Ever since we got the idea, it’s been insanely difficult to keep from spilling the beans. We know that Lily will love it, but we really want it to be a genuine surprise, so I keep it to myself.

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