Page 20 of Never Bet Against A Hockey Player

At first the redhead looked defeated.

“You can do it, Caleb. He’s right,” the other kid said. He was a bit bulkier than the first, his eyes dark and fierce. He didn’t need this demonstration but was a damn good friend.

“Thanks, Ryan,” Caleb sighed, swiping sweat from his forehead and trying again. This time, he didn’t fall, his arms were out to balance him as he tried to stay upright.

“Tighten your core, tense your muscles and get a feel for it,” I instructed, putting my hand on his chest and back, shifting his weight. His face was so determined I couldn’t help but feel a bit proud.

Maybe there was something to this program. I needed something more than playing hockey. It was a way to outrun the memories of Dhara, but now she was here. And this? This might just help me keep myself along the way.

I had a problem with going all in with things and letting everything else fall away. With Dhara, I stopped caring what my dad said or did, stopped caring about grades or anyone else. She had all of me.

Then when she was gone, I was lost. Barely surviving, taking my father’s ‘tough’ lessons as I spiraled further into frustration and depression.

Once I was thrown into hockey it stole my attention, gave me something new to hyperfocus on so I couldn’t feel anything else.

Now my attention was torn between my default of hockey and the omega sitting across the room that was my scent-match.

Evans and Flynn absolutely complicated things, and there was clearly a whole lot we had to figure out, but none of that mattered.

All I could focus on was that she was here.

Coach’s whistle blew, and I was relieved to see Ryan and Caleb skating to join the group. Caleb didn’t slip, even if it was a bit shaky. Coach shot me an impressed look, but I didn’t dwell on it. These kids just needed someone to believe in them, like someone believed in me.

Now that he had the kids back in one group, they started going through drills and talking about upcoming games. I was going to have to do my research.

Coach explained that the juniors played their own games, had their own playoffs, and they were a huge part of being a Renegade. I just hadn’t expected to like it the way I did.

I imagined coming in here and dreading the extra load. I already had enough on my plate, and now I was going to have to keep track of kids, too.

The only reason I didn’t fight it was because it beat going back to my empty fucking apartment night after night, dreaming of the omega that I thought I’d never see again.

When my last coach mentioned trades to the Renegades, I was hopeful. I had jumped on it faster than they expected.

This was my chance to find her. She had no socials, no contact info to be found online. My omega was a ghost to me so far.

Until now.

It felt like it took hours for the juniors’ practice to be over.

Dhara was already talking to Coach when I led Caleb and Ryan off the ice. Once we went back to drills, I couldn’t help but gravitate toward them, guiding them through each one and slowly helping improve their skills.

By the end of the season, I was determined to make them some of the best players on the team.

“I’ll try to make sure that practices end early enough that they can clear the locker room for you,” Coach was reassuring her.

“It’s fine,” she promised. “It gives him a chance to do his homework while I clean.”

She shrugged toward Gavin, who was hovering nearby.

When he saw me approach, his eyes narrowed again. I just gave him a wink. He wasn’t going to deter me.

Gavin didn’t say anything else, waiting for Coach to finish his conversation with Dhara.

“Steele, a word?” Coach said as he ended his conversation with Dhara, giving her a kind, fatherly smile before turning his gaze on me.

I wondered what kind of speech I was about to get now. He surprised me by clapping a hand on my shoulder.

“You know, I’ve watched that boy struggle to stay upright for weeks now. Other Renegades have tried and failed to teach him to hold himself up. You get five minutes with him, and he’s standing like a champ.”