Page 18 of Never Bet Against A Hockey Player

A shrill whistle echoed out, startling me. Coach was waving over a new player and the kids who had been running drills on the ice.

The man was lithe and graceful on his skates. I couldn’t make out his features but the kids were already freaking out so he must have been another well-known player.

For the first time tonight Gavin looked my way, his eyes wide and excited. The guy turned and followed his gaze and the world stopped.

It was him. August Steele was here.

I was moving before I realized what I was doing. My brain was strangely silent as I navigated down the bleachers and right up to the glass.

August was moving, too, ignoring the coach and kids and heading for the boards. We moved through the arena until we were finally, face to face.

“It really is you.” His voice was so deep now, his delta presence strong enough to steal my breath. Lime, cedar, and basil tempted me as it swirled between us.

For the first time in years, my own scent answered in kind, perfuming between us. His eyes widened as it hit him. My brown sugar, cinnamon, and warm spices scent mixed with his fresh and tart scent, mixing into something mouth watering and all consuming.

“August.” The pain in my voice had him moving, pulling me closer until he was holding me off the ground, arms squeezing me tight.

“I should have known you were mine,” he said. His own voice was choked with emotion. “You have been for years.”

“I’m so sorry. Mom locked me inside when you left and I found out later she orchestrated the entire promotion.”

“I know, firecracker,” he said gently. The old nickname hit me right in the chest. The man from my past wasn’t just a friend.

He was my delta, a scent-match.

Fuck.

He set me back on my feet and I swiped at the tears I didn’t realize were rolling down my cheeks.

“Wait,” he said, glancing at the ice then back at me. “Why are you here? Do you have a kid? A pack?”

Now the pain in his voice mirrored mine.

“Gavin,” I said simply. My brother was young back then, only about five.

“Then where’s your mom?” he asked carefully. I looked away from him, afraid of what he’d find on my face.

“She’s still around. I live there so I can keep an eye on him.” Such an understatement for the level of shit I went through daily.

“I should have come back sooner,” he said, pulling me in again. “I left you with her.”

“I’m fine,” I lied, glancing up at his face. He looked so different now. His eyebrows were darker, he’d gauged his ears, the black circles making his dark hair and green eyes stand out. Tattoos decorated his skin and his jawline was as sharp as ever.

He was gorgeous. Put together and successful, everything I’d never had a chance to be.

“You’re not fine, but you’re going to be, firecracker.”

Chapter

Six

August

“What’s going on here?” Conrad, my teammate and new roommate was looming over us now, hovering just close enough to be uncomfortable as his eyes darted between us. There was accusation in his eyes, and hurt.

What was his connection to my omega?

“Dhara?” a much younger voice cut in, pushing Conrad and me both aside to get to Dhara. She opened her arms and he folded into her embrace, face turned toward us. This fierce, little kid glared at me and my roommates, ordering us silently to back off.