Page 75 of Choosing Their Omega

“Never.” Shay winks at me.

We pick up Andrea and park just in time to make it to the game before it starts. Shay volunteers to grab us snacks while I get Ben settled in our seat, Knox’s jersey now pulled over the rest of my clothes. As I pull it over my head, I realize I’ve somehow already lost my hair clip, my hair falling into my face.

Damn it, every time.

I feel oddly flushed, but I’m sure that’s just because of the rush to get here. The cold air of the rink sinks into my lungs and helps me feel more clear-headed and focused.

The music starts and the lights darken to announce the players, and I grin and cheer.

It’s time to watch my Alphas do what they do best.

Chapter 23

Lily

This game is so much more intense than I remember any of their other games being.

“Is it just me,” I lean over and ask, “or are both teams kind of intense tonight?”

“The Grizzlies are their biggest rivals,” Andrea replies. “They’re both gunning for the cup this year and the Grizzlies can kind of play old-school.”

“Old-school?”

One of the Grizzlies sends a Titan into the boards and the crowd yells, cheering or booing in response.

“Hitting hard and often,” Shay explains.

I wince. “Are the guys going to be okay?”

“They’re tough, and they give as good as they get. They know what the Grizzlies are like.”

I nod, but I can’t help the instinctive worry. It’s not that I doubt how tough my Alphas are. I know they can defend themselves, on and off the ice. I just can’t stop also wanting to protect them. I might be the Omega, but I still want to protect and take care of them in my own way. Especially with Cruz’s shoulder giving him trouble.

I’m on the edge of my seat the entire game as the Titans and the Grizzlies go at each other like… well… like titans and grizzly bears. I can see what Andrea and Shay were talking about with the whole ‘old-fashioned playing’ thing.

Nowadays, hockey players and fans value things like technical skill over checking ability. Puck handling and skating skill are celebrated more than the ability to slam someone into the boards. But historically, that wasn’t the case. At one point, some people went to hockey games hoping to see blood on the ice.

The Grizzlies sure seem to want to continue that tradition.

I’m not a fan, personally. I think you can be tough and show off what an Alpha you are without needing to resort to that kind of dirty play. But the Titans don’t let it get to them. Cruz gives Lawson the assist, and Lawson scores in the second period after a first period of nothing but frustrating misses.

The Grizzlies tie it up right before the end of the second period, sneaking a goal past Knox, and we’re tied up, one to one.

I can tell Knox is frustrated as the second intermission begins and we get up to get more snacks. I wish I could rush to the locker room and reassure him. He’s stopped a lot of tricky shots on goal this game, and I know all of our fans are on his side. Like all of my Alphas, he’s just hard on himself.

It probably doesn’t help that there are a lot of Grizzlies fans in the stands tonight. I find myself bristling, uncharacteristically prickly over it. I want to get up and tell some of those fans booing Knox to knock it off or I’ll show them a real fight.

“Down, girl,” Shay teases me quietly.

I try to laugh it off, but it is weird. I’m not what you’d call aggressive. First I was daydreaming and lost in thought, losing track of time, and now I want to pick a fight. It’s so weird.

The third period starts, and I focus back in on the ice, feeling like a string has wrapped around my heart and tugged.

Our team hits the ice, ready to give it all they’ve got. Cruz especially is on fire, zooming around the ice, passing the puck and snatching it back again, skating circles around the Grizzlies.

The others quickly pick up on his energy and seem to catch a second wind, flying down the ice, working in sync. I find myself grinning and whooping. I feel like I’m going to catch on fire from their energy alone.

Cruz gets the assist again, this time passing it to a player named Scott, and I shriek at the top of my lungs as he scores. I know this is why Cruz is such a good captain. He’s not hogging the puck to try to get the goals. He’s not captain because he’s the ‘star’ of the team, he’s the captain because he knows how to support everyone else and help them shine.

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