Page 4 of Choosing Their Omega

“Right. You weren’t looking where you were going.” Cruz arches an eyebrow to show how little he believes that statement. “You wouldn’t be the first puck bunny who tried to craft her own meet cute, you know. If you want an autograph, you can wait in the lobby like everyone else.”

“What are you talking about?” My temper flares a bit at his tone. “I’m not a puck bunny. I’ve never even been to a hockey game before tonight. If I’d known that the players were the kind of guys who assumed every woman alive was desperate to sleep with them, I would’ve just stayed home with a book instead of letting my friends drag me here.”

Cruz blinks, then looks like he’s trying hard not to laugh. “Definitely not a bunny. You’ve got claws.”

I fold my arms. “And you’ve got to be kidding me.”

Cruz actually grins at me, and my stomach does an inconvenient flip. “Hey now, sunshine, no need to keep taking swipes at me.”

“Sunshine?”

“Well, clearly, given the attitude.” The man actually winks at me.

He’s lucky his handsome. And charming. “I have to go. Excuse me.”

I walk around him and start to head to my car again, but Cruz calls after me, “So, how’d you like your first hockey game?”

I think about that for a second. Cruz isn’t wearing his jersey. He’s wearing a nice, fitted black suit and carrying a large bag with his gear. He might not know that I know who he is. But even if this is my first hockey game, you don’t forget a handsome face like that.

“The Titans were great. We were excited they won. But the captain needs to watch his offsides.”

I actually don’t know what ‘offside’ is, even though the refs called it a few times, but Shay told me that Cruz needed to watch his offsides after the second period, so I just hope she knew what she was talking about.

Cruz’s jaw drops, and he looks genuinely offended for a second before his face lights up with playful understanding. “Oh, she’s busting out the real jokes now.”

“You bet I am. Always save the best for last.” I smirk at him and turn away to walk to my car.

“Please don’t take my sunshine away!” Cruz sing-songs at my retreating back.

I keep walking, but I can’t help the smile that spreads over my face, even when I bite my lip to try to force it to stop. A fun time with friends, and a hot Alpha teasing me in a way that almost seemed flirtatious? Maybe this day hasn’t been so bad after all.

I know an Alpha wouldn’t really be happy with a Beta, or at least not just a Beta, in the long-term. But I don’t see the harm in a little fantastical daydreaming as I drive my poor struggling car back home.

My bubble is popped for good, though, when I get up to my apartment door and see the note left for me there:

You’ve got three days to move out or I’ll put your stuff on the street myself.

~ Jerry

Everything feels like it’s crashing down around me, and tears spring into my eyes.

I’m being evicted.

Chapter 2

Cruz

“Pick up the pace!” Coach Vaughn yells as we run through our drills.

I know he’s not talking to me. I’m the fastest one, leading the pack. Not just my pack of Knox, Miles, and Lawson, but the entire pack that is our team. I never settle for anything less than excellence from myself, and I hope I inspire that in the others we play with.

I pass the puck to Davis, going through the motions of the passing drill. I must fire the puck off with a little more power than I should for a morning drill, because my shoulder twinges.

I ignore it. It’s nothing, I’ve just gotta keep using it so that it just works itself out, like when your foot falls asleep and you have to walk on it again to get the feeling back into it. There’s no way I’m going to be the guy who went and complained to the team’s medical team because my shoulder twinged a couple of times.

The team depends on me. We all depend on each other—that’s the definition of a team. But I’m the damn captain. I have to set an example, and that example will never be ‘give up and complain.’

“Hustle, hustle!” Vaughn yells, clapping his hands.

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