Moving with Kellan and Kenzo on either side of me, we skated in zigzags, loosening our muscles. The other team were at their end, and noise erupted around the stadium as the crowds cheered and shouted for both of us.
I felt her out there, in the stands, and despite my best efforts I searched the seating reserved for players and family. Half of our compound was already seated, and Emme was right in the center between Hunter and Slade. Kassidy had the seat on the other side of Hunter, and no one sat on the other side of Slade, which was business as usual.
As I stared, Kellan popped up beside me, and I prepared myself for his commentary. “She’s so fucking gorgeous,” he gushed, eyes dreamy. “I feel like my heart is about to explode. I kinda wish I was in the stands with her.”
Ignoring his need to leave hockey for the omega—I could not deal with that—I kept my tone light. “Sure, it’s your heart that’s about to explode.”
Kellan shot me a satisfied smirk in return. “Okay, it’s my heart and my dic?—”
“Jackson! Thornton!” Christian shouted. “Get your asse—uh, butts over here for a second.”
He was near the gate with a couple of kids holding out jerseys. Kellan and I shot over in his direction and spent a few minutes chatting to fans and signing some gear. Layla, our promo and public relations manager, stood off to the side taking photos, and even though we didn’t normally meet and greet fans during warmup, I figured this had been set up in advance for a specific promo opportunity.
When we were done, I bopped a girl, who looked about five, gently on her head. “You stay safe out there, sweetheart,” I said as she shot me a gappy smile, at least two of her teeth missing.
“I hopes you wins, Mr. Eliminator.”
Fuck. She was cute.
“You got it, sweetheart. Now head back to your family.”
Kellan and Christian had already returned to their warmups, but I watched to make sure she was safe before I resumed mine. A gaze burned into the side of my head, and I knew it was Emme before I turned in her direction. Her face, which was undeniably beautiful, creased into a look of confusion as she looked between me and the little girl.
Clearly, she’d expected me to be an asshole toward kids too, but I saved that shit for flighty omegas who’d rather run than trust us. We all had our trauma, and I wasn’t one who should point fingers, but I also wasn’t the one who’d used my trauma to reject her before she’d even met me.
I might be embracing my new plan to keep the peace, but I still believed Emme was too weak for our pack. She couldn’t handle the hard shit, and the rest of us would have to keep pulling her through life.
She handled Kellan just fine.
My bear wasn’t always vocal, but when he spoke up, it held weight—a weight that settled deep in my subconscious. I couldn’t argue with him about it either.
As she’d pointed out to me, Emme had never tried to run. Not even when shit got hard and dark with Kellan. I’d watched her closely, waiting for her to break and leave us, but she barely left his side, let alone the house. She’s also gone against everything she believed in and bonded his ass to save his life. All actions that indicated I hadn’t judged her accurately or fairly.
Still, that particular pack brother brought out the best in everyone, so it wasn’t a huge surprise Kellan brought it out in the omega too. For him, I hoped that Emmeline stayed in our lives as part of our pack. She was bonded to Kellan, and it would hurt them both to be separated for any decent amount of time. Which meant she was here to stay. For better or worse.
I’d learn to live with her for the pack’s sake, and maybe one day we’d even be friends.
Weirder shit had happened.
Unconsciously, I’d been skating closer to the side of the stadium where our family sat, and I forced myself to smile at all the familiar faces before I reached Emme’s. Her lips tilted up just a touch, before she smothered the smile, as if it had appeared without her consent.
For some reason, that made me happier than it should, and I shot her a wink. No doubt it looked as stiff and stupid as it felt, but I couldn’t help myself.
Her eyes widened minutely, and I didn’t want to stick around to see more reaction. As I went to turn away, I caught a glimpse of the tiniest thirty-four drawn in teal on her cheek. The sight of my number on her face brought a weird lurching sensation to my chest, and I had to shake the confusion off as I skated away.
Now was not the time to analyze the what and why of her actions, but eventually I’d have to dive deeper into my tumultuous feelings for the omega.
Thankfully not today though. Today we had a game to win.
CHAPTER 35
EMME
He… winked at me.
Wait. Had I just imagined Finley skating closer, smiling at the family members in the stands, before he winkedwhile looking at me?“Did I have a stroke?” I murmured, patting my chest to ensure my heart still beat.
Hunter shifted his huge shoulders, which jostled me into Slade, who stiffened but otherwise didn’t react. “Shifters don’t have strokes. Our bodies heal before a stroke would occur.”
