Unknown:Good. I was worried you’d make this boring. Good luck, Little Bird. You’re going to need it.
Making my way into the locker room, I am pleasantly surprised that the majority of the team is already dressed. All except two players.
Sasha Volkov and Holden Woods.
Two members of Pack Ars Mortis.
If I were a betting woman, I would assume that Dominic Hart, the equipment manager, is also late. Un-fucking-acceptable. Tardiness was something that my father despised above all else.The same goes for me. The banging of the locker room door I just walked through draws my attention.Speak of the devil and they shall appear.There is a disgustingly attractive smirk on the forward’s face, one that completely contradicts the look on everyone else’s here. Especially the one coming from the defenceman. Unlike his, Holden’s is all ire. Venom intertwined on a face that has been chiseled by the gods themselves.No, Lennon!I cannot find these men attractive. It said right in the very contract I signed yesterday. Fraternization with any of the players is strictly forbidden. I will not lose my chance at holding my father’s baby in my hands for a man. I clear my throat, leveling him with a glare.
“Mr. Woods. Mr. Volkov. You are late.”
Holden’s smile only widens, the arrogant bastard somehow managing to add even more fuel to the fire that had been burning since I read the messages earlier. I’m in a mood. As much as I tried my best to smile my way through walking in here, I’m on edge. The last thing I need is for Holden Woods to test my almost non-existent patience before I’ve even started the damn day. Ignoring me, he walks over to his locker and casually begins stowing his belongings away. Stripping off his shirt, he pulls on his shoulder pads, hiding the wide expanse of his chest, artistically perfected with black and gray ink. Seriously, who gave him permission to look like that? Sasha follows suit and I have to physically look away because I don’t think I’ll survive seeing him shirtless. He’s got that broody bad guy thing going on, and my little heart can’t take it. Instead, I focus on the lockers behind Holden, then grit my teeth when he continues to ignore me. Like I am not his coach. Well, fuck that.
“Woods!”I shout, drawing the attention of the entire room. If I can handle a courtroom, I can handle a locker room. At least I hope. The chatter around us silences, but my eyes remain locked on Holden’s back, and when he finally stiffens, I know that heknows I mean business. Deathly slow, he turns to face me, an almost shocked look on his face.Good.
“Team meeting is at six-thirty. Practice starts at seven. It is currently six-forty-nine. You and Volkov are late,” I say, double checking my watch before squaring them both with a look. One I’m sure my father would be proud of. When they say nothing, I decide to make an example out of them. If this is going to work, I’m going to need to be taken seriously. While I anticipated pushback, I can’t have the defenseman and the forward screwing this up. It will affect everything. They’re too important. Not overly irreplaceable, but they are highly sought-after and I’m nothing if not competitive. They belong here as much as I do. It seems they want me to prove just how much.
“You know the standard. You also know that standard applies to everyone in this room. I don’t care how good you are, how many goals you’ve scored, or how good you look to the media. When you’re on my time, you’re mine, and I hate people wasting my time.”
I wait for an answer, pleasantly surprised when Holden gives me one short nod.
“Volkov. Did you hear me, or do I need to spell it out for you?” I turn to look at the Alpha, who’s already glaring daggers at me. Fabulous. “You’re staying after practice. One hour laps. If either of you has a problem with that, my office door is open and you can tell me all about it on your time. But for now, we have work to do. Are we clear?” My eyes bounce between the two towering figures before me, but I don’t budge. Omega or not, they’re going to learn that I will not bow to them. In fact, it’s they who’ll do the bowing. Especially if they go out of their way to make this experience harder than it needs to be.
Several beats pass before Sasha finally nods. It’s only slight, but it’s something. While there is still a note of surprise in Holden’s features, I don’t miss the heat hidden beneath themask he’s wearing. Whether that's from anger, embarrassment or something else, I can’t be sure. Truthfully, I don’t want to know. It's not like I can do anything about it.
If I’m going to enforce the rules, I have to lead by example and follow them.
Something I seem to be reminding myself far too fucking often.
Gods help me survive this season.
Finally, I turn back to Sasha. That storm brewing in his eyes has only darkened. His body radiates fury. A lesser Omega would bear her neck. Show submission. Get down on her knees to suck the Alpha’s cock like the good girl she is. Make herself smaller.
But that isn’t me.
I have faced far scarier men than Sasha Volkov. He doesn’t scare me. At least that’s what I tell myself. The corner of his mouth tips up, and I swear I can’t tell if the man is planning my murder or wondering what I look like naked. Frankly, neither option exactly inspires me. Maybe it’s just an agreement and I’m reading too much into it. Something I’ve learned to do in my career. Reading people is half of my job. Am I always right? No. But you can’t deny instincts. And my instincts are screaming at me to run. Leave. Stay far the fuck away from these men. But I can’t. I have a job to do. Whatever this season has in store for me, I sure as hell hope I make it out in one piece. Because something is telling me that surviving this and surviving them are two very different things.
Chapter Five
Holden
I’m impressed.
I didn’t think the little Omega had it in her.
She’s feisty, that's for damn sure. Though I’d be lying if I said it didn’t make my cock throb beneath the protection cup I’m wearing. Because you’ve got to protect the goods from stray pucks and all.Somehow, I don’t think it’ll be enough of a barrier to hide the proof of what thinking about our new coach is doing to me. I didn’t know she had it in her to put any of us in line. I had assumed she’d be another simpering Omega, one that we could remind who’s really in control when it comes to her, but I was wrong.
We underestimated her.
Kind of figured as much after Sasha almost shattered his phone reading her response to our text messages. He may not like the defiance in her, or that grit Omegas don’t seem to have when standing toe-to-toe with an alpha, much less two of them. But I sure as fuck do.
It will be so much more fun to watch her break that way. To watch as all her little pieces shatter at our hands. And that strongwill of hers she seems to love so much, will be nothing more than a thing of the past. Because once we have her right where we want her, she’ll be begging for all kinds of mercy.
Mercy we will not give.
I’ll admit, it stings knowing Patrick’s daughter is a means to an end, but I’m hoping those thoughts fade into background noise the minute we have her on her knees with my cock in her mouth, while my mates fuck her from behind. Whether Sasha likes it or not, it’s happening. Once he sees past all that rage clouding his judgment, he’ll come around. And if he doesn’t? Well, he’ll learn real fucking quickly to enjoy watching from the sidelines.
I won’t deny that those exact thoughts were playing like a film reel in my mind as I jerked off in the shower this morning.
