Page 125 of Never Bet Against A Hockey Player

This time, we wouldn’t be going in. We’d be waiting outside with the other families and a few puck bunnies who’d managed to make it through security.

Adrenaline and anticipation were bubbling under my skin, making me jittery. I shifted from foot to foot enough that Gavin gave me an exasperated look.

A few of the players filtered out. Then finally, I spotted August. I was moving before I realized it, desperate for his comfort.

My delta pulled me close, burying his nose in my neck as if he needed this just as much as I did. His scent was even sharper now after a fresh shower, and I couldn’t help but press my nose into his skin, breathing in that delta electricity. The sharp lime, cedar, and basil was making my head spin.

“Don’t hog our omega,” Conrad said, pulling me away from August with a deep rumble of satisfaction the moment I was in his arms. “How’d you like the game?”

“I followed most of it.” It was at least partly true.

He chuckled and pressed a kiss to my lips before Lachlan burst out of the locker room. Then I was in his arms, his scent just as sharp and perfect. He didn’t hold back as he kissed me deep enough that I dipped backward, his strong arm holding me close to his chest.

“That was all for you, gorgeous,” he said as he pulled away, his hair wet and wild, his grin almost maniacal.

“Oh, God.”

Conrad’s words had both of us looking over to see him staring down at his phone, his face a mask of horror.

My stomach sank. “What’s wrong, now?”

He looked up and blinked. “I may have mentioned to my sister earlier about the trial and the heat, and she told, not asked, me that they’ll be at the house tomorrow for a cookout. They want to meet you both and make sure Gavin’s comfortable so they can stay with him during your heat, and they want to support us for the trial.”

“I get to meet my aunt?” Gavin said, his eyes lighting up.

All four of us froze at his words but recovered quickly, Conrad blinking his eyes furiously, his voice cracking as he spoke.

“Yeah, buddy, you get to. She’s incredible. You’re going to love her.”

“And her pack are legends,” he said, getting even more excited.

“Maybe I should rip the Band-Aid off and text Kota and Roxie to come down, too,” Lachlan added.

“Actually, I think they’re already coming. The AHA just sent out a memo,” August said, flipping his phone around to show us. “A couple omegas just went into heat. There’s another pause in games.”

It felt a bit too perfect, and I was afraid to take that as a good sign.

But the fact that two full packs were taking time out of their lives to come show their support, to meet me and my brother and show a united front, meant the world to me. I was no longer the girl hiding away her secrets, not even letting Lydia in when she was the closest thing I’d ever had to a best friend.

“This is great, especially if everyone posts on their socials. Making an online presence that shows we have a village behind us has to help. Just another way to know that we’re going to sweep the floor with that bitch,” August said.

They were making it very hard to fall into my old habits of pessimism.

One thing I was learning was to never bet against a hockey player. They weren’t just determined. They locked onto their goals with ironclad precision, putting everything they had—mind, body, and soul—into making sure they came out on top.

I just never expected them to fight this hard for me.

Chapter

Thirty-Five

Dhara

We’d spent all morning working collectively as a pack, getting everything prepared for the cookout. Even though Lana insisted that they’d get things ready when they got here and not put that burden on us.

Conrad disagreed, so he and August went out that morning to gather the groceries we needed while Lachlan, Gavin, and I cleaned the house like crazy.

Conrad trusted Lana to take care of Gavin while we were gone, and I wanted to get to know them and trust them, too. It would be nice to have people as a backup. People who would keep him safe from my mother.