“Check out the calves on number six.” Sabs makes a chef’s kiss.
“Hey!” I harrumph moodily. I’ve had enough.
It’s bad enough, having to listen to everyone drool over Adler, but now I have to hear Sabs gush over all the other players too? I reach down to the bag at my feet to grab a pretzel. At least I have snacks, I remind myself. The snacks will get me through.
“Don’t worry.” Sabs snuggles into my shoulder. “You’ve got nothing to worry about. You’re hotter than all of them.”
Her reassurance and the feeling of her warm head against mine makes my pheromones release, punching through the air.
“Keep it in your pants, big guy,” Izzie jokes. “The game’s about to start!”
A flush creeps up my neck. It’s still taking some getting used to, knowing that everyone can smell my pheromones. Orin said that mine will be stronger and more potent because of my late presentation, which doesn’t help.
When a camera pans to Adler, his face appears, blown up on the Jumbotron. I watch him scan the stands, his mouth breaking into a grin when it lands on us—well, Sabs. The camera guy must decide it’ll be fun to show us too as seconds later, I’m scowling back at myself on the big screen. I look like a moody ogre. Fortunately, the camera moves on, zooming in on Sabs. She blows a kiss, exerting her effortless confidence that I’ve always found attractive.
“And it looks like our Ace has found his queen,” the announcer says. “Will she be his lucky charm this game?”
The screen shows Adler again, raising his stick in the air.
And then it’s game time.
TWENTY-SIX
Sabs
Who knew that watching hockey could be so exhilarating? I can see now why having to give it up must have been such a blow to Luca. The arena is buzzing with excitement, hundreds of eyes tracking the puck and players as they shove and push. Gasps, cheers, and words of encouragement reverberate around the stands.
I wipe my forehead with the back of my hand. Despite the chill of the rink, I’m burning up from all my cheering. I peel off my hoody before returning to yelling, with Izzie, in support of Adler.
I keep my eyes locked on him as he expertly handles the puck, aggressively shoving past a brute in yellow.
“Go, go, go!” I scream, jumping to my feet as he shoots across the ice, heading for the net.
I feel all his emotions, so it’s like I’m down there with him. He’s not in a frantic state of panic; he’s driven purely by determination and adrenaline. If he scores, I’m giving him a victory prize that he’ll never forget.
A chorus of wild roars vibrates through the rink as the Foxes supporters rise, the outcome of the game hanging by a thread.Right now, they’re tied with only one minute left on the clock. If Adler scores, they win!
Even Drax seems to be invested in the game. After eating his way through a mountain of snacks, he growled when a defender pulled a late hit on Corbin—a dirty move that left Corbin hobbling. I spotted Nia sitting in another section, screaming in objection. I make a mental note to check in with her soon. I want to know what’s brewing between the two of them, but I haven’t spoken to her since Corbin told us they were going on a date.
“You’ve got this, Addy!” Izzie shrieks, filming the moment on her cell phone. “Keep going!”
“Ace! Ace! Ace!” Pride fills me as the crowd chants my alpha’s name. His blades glide over the ice with the elegance of a dancer, but he reminds me of a shark, ready to take out anyone and anything that stands in his way. He maneuvers around the players, protecting the puck like his life depends on it.
The “Ace” chant begins to feel like a drumbeat, hammering against my ribs. A wave of nauseating dizziness hits me. Maybe it’s all the excitement. I drop my hands, gripping the seat in front of me as the world seems to tilt, and my vision swims. The chanting bodies around me morph into a blurry orange wave, the fox mascot becoming a flickering smudge at the edges of my sight. And then, the bottom drops out of my stomach.
“Sabs?” Drax’s heavy arms are suddenly around my waist, holding me up. “What is it?”
He smells incredible, like fresh laundry and juicy peaches that I want to sink my teeth into. When I look up at him, it’s as if I’ve been dying of thirst yet have suddenly found a river. My perfume floods the air, an overripe cherry that’s so powerful it cuts through the smell of greasy food, making me momentarily question whether I actually applied my scent blocker. I relish in Drax’s touch that elicits a riot of tingles over my skin before my abdomen is hit with an excruciatingly painful stabbing cramp.
“Ouch!” I double over, yelping. Between my legs, a sudden, heavy rush of slick coats my panties. There’s so much of it that I’m pretty sure I’ve soaked through my leggings. Thank fuck I’m wearing black. “Drax…”
The rink erupts in deafening hollering, but I’m too preoccupied to question what they’re celebrating.
“What’s happening?” Drax’s voice jumps an octave, his dark eyebrows pulling together with worry.
The commotion in the crowd around us continues, people jostling and shouting, but something tells me it’s not about the game anymore. The atmosphere has shifted, the palpable tension and unease putting me on edge.
“We need to get her out of here.” Izzie’s sharp voice cuts through the noise. “I think she’s going into heat. Right now.”
