“I have a present for you, my precious omega,” I murmur.
He’s tired when he opens his eyes. “A present?” he repeats, voice breathy.
“Yes. Something you’ve asked for.”
I lean over him to grab it off the side table as he watches me. With the short piece of leather in my hand, I bring it back to show him. He’s confused as he looks at it.
“A collar around your neck isn’t something you’re comfortable with, but the collar around your dick is only visible when you’re naked. This is for your wrist—visible, but it won’t garner many questions. Think of it as my bite, binding you to me, omega.”
He’s not breathing as he stares at it. I’m a little surprised when moisture fills his eyes. He presses his lips together as the bottom one trembles, then he nods.
“You happy, Shiv?” I whisper, pressing my lips to his in a gentle kiss.
“Yes,” he says, voice shaky. “So happy.”
“Good. Once I take your cuffs off, we’ll put your new collar on, and tomorrow, we’ll talk about all the rules. For now, all you need to know is that you made your alpha feel so fucking good, and I’m so damn proud of you, omega.”
Shively tugs at his arms again and sighs. He doesn’t speak as he looks at me, but I can see the emotion shining in his eyes.
CHAPTER 34
SHIVELY
There’sa skirmish in front of the net Marion is defending. Dasan breaks away with the puck and taps it toward the net, but there’s zero momentum behind it. I frown.
“Sloppy, Ukiah,” I call.
He’s laughing. “I was, Coach. Sorry.”
Theslshhh chk chk slshhhof his blades on the ice as he moves around the net has me taking a breath of the cool arena air. I've always found the sounds of blades on the ice soothing. I track him as he skates around the bubble of four of his teammates playing keepaway along the perimeter of the face-off circle to the right of Marion’s crease.
Wiley slaps the puck loud enough that I can almost feel it vibrate. It hits Marion’s stick just as loudly and shoots away. It’s one of those hits that you imagine feeling in your bones. I wince, but my smile is climbing my face when Dasan catches the puck. This time, his shot is good. He doesn’t make the goal but not for lack of trying.
“Better, Ukiah. Wiley, you beast. Did that hurt?”
Wiley laughs as he taps his stick on the ice. “Nah. It was loud though, yeah?”
A chorus of “yeahs” answers him, and I grin. I turn my attention to the other end of the ice, my skates already taking me that way when I stop and let my momentum continue to move me. I shouldn’t be surprised, but Felton is on his hands with his feet up in the air.
I’m facing them in time to see Nason shoot a puck to the right side of Felton’s body, toward the open net, but Felton shifts, bringing his leg down in a way that he blocks the puck with the big pad of his leg. Nason shoots another before Felton has fully righted himself again, but the damn beast still manages to catch the puck as he slides himself like a door on tracks.
Then he’s up on his feet, grinning maniacally as Nason laughs.
I coast up to Ren and pause. “Do you condone this behavior?”
There’s the tiniest smile on Ren’s lips as he watches Felton. I can see the twinkle of pride in his eyes, but then he looks at me and says, “No.”
Chuckling, I call out, “What are you doing, Badcock?”
“I told Jordan I could block his shots upside down, but he didn’t believe me. So I proved it, Coach.”
Sighing, I shake my head. “While I’m definitely impressed, I’m implementing a new rule. Blades stay on the ice. Got it?”
“Yes, Coach.”
“Just so we’re clear,” I say, raising my voice and turning to encompass the rest of my team, “that rule is for everyone. Blades stay on the ice. Got it?”
A wave of “Yes, Coach” surrounds me before my players return to what they’re doing. Ren is still smirking as he goes back to his own bubble, playing keepaway. Likely, he broke off when he saw Felton upside down. Worry for his safety, no doubt.
