“We all want to play hockey. A part of that is not knowing where you’re going to go after you get drafted. How can you be a pack when you’re all in different states?”
The hard reality hits me, and I nod my head. I should probably leave, go home, and just be thankful I met some Alphas who are nice and restored my ideals about maybe finding a pack one day. There’s no future here, and I’m the queen of not building friendships, so they can’t get broken. But as I lock eyes with Anders’ gray stare, all I see is warmth. I can’t help but wonder what more I could learn from them. Anders, Eli, and even the mean one are hot as shit. Maybe I could handle a friendship, or even more than a friendship, for winter break. It’s been weeks since I’ve been with anyone, and these are by far the most attractive men I’ve ever been around, let alone being Alphas.
It doesn’t even have to get physical. I can be friends with people. Right?
I glance back at Anders. I don’t know him, but I want to. Can I grapple with the idea of an expiration date? Maybe knowing when this will end will help me let loose a little, not feel so afraid to be me. It’s time to truly be myself. I’ve got nothing to lose. After Christmas, we’ll all be going back to school. I vow to myself to try to let go and have fun. That’s what winter break is for, a break from the pressure of college.
With my internal struggle at ease, I smile at Anders. “Want to help me take Hank on a walk?”
“Of course,” he says. We both get off the couch, disturbing Hank, who stands up. I assume Anders is going to grab his stuff and I’m going to grab mine. He takes me by surprise when he pulls my wool hat over my head and then holds out my jacket for me to put my arms through.
Yup, Charlotte, we’ve made the right choice. Even if I’m a princess for just a few weeks, it’s better than not being one at all.
Chapter seven
We’resofucked.
So fucked, I can’t even think straight as Charlotte and I walk carefully down the plowed street. I walk close enough to her to make sure she doesn’t fall. Not that I think she’s clumsy, but it’s icy out and well, she’s already hit her head today.
She’s so short she barely reaches my chest. I don’t know why I like it so much, but as I stare down at her, I’m in awe.
She’s my fucking scent match.
I don’t know how much Eli and Mikael know about scent matches or Omegas in general. Eli seems to be stumbling a bit, and Mikael ran away. I grew up in pack life, and I want pack life. I’ve always just assumed it would happen when my career is over. Being a goalie is a short-lived position and part of the reason I chose the position. Hockey is my life, but it isn’t everything. I want a pack of my own. My scent match is just casually walking next to me, and I’m trying to keep my fucking cool.
Has she not noticed?
Thankfully, the cold air calms her scent. I’m not being drowned by vanilla pancakes and thick maple syrup. As soon as Eli put her in my arms, I knew the perfect match for me. She’s my Omega, but this revelation couldn’t come at a worse time. We go to different schools. We’re all hopefully going to get drafted this summer.
A small hand wraps around my forearm and lightly squeezes.
“You okay?” she asks. I look down at her slight frame. She’s gorgeous, her eyes are unique and something I haven’t seen before. I find her glasses adorable, though I can’t help the aching in my chest that she has to have glasses at all. It’s fucked up, but Omegas are usually the healthiest of all the designations. Their main purpose is to be the best to mate with, have children with. So their beauty and health usually reflect that. Not that I think she’s flawed, I just wish I could make it better.
“Just thinking.” She smiles and loops her arm around mine. I can feel a rumble start in my chest and push it down. She’d probably go running for the hills if I started purring for her right off the bat.
So fucked. I’m so, so, so fucked.
“Penny for your thoughts?”
I sigh and take the leash from her hands. Why does such a small person have such a massive dog? I take the safe route and just talk about school stuff. Not the massive life changing epiphany happening right now. My heart sinks, and I wonder if I’m not her scent match. Would she be reacting more strongly? I mean, I’ve been pushing my pheromones down to not overwhelm her. Maybe she just hasn’t been able to scent me completely?
I’m a coward as I change the subject completely. “This place kind of reminds me of home.”
“Finland?”
“Juu,” I say, and she smiles.
“What about it reminds you of home?”
“It’s not as cold, and you have more sun. But the snow, the village feel.”
“Do you miss it?”
“I miss my family, the food, and sometimes the culture. But the United States is where you go to play hockey, and that’s what I wanted.”
She nods, her body leaning slightly against mine, looking for warmth. I welcome it and try to calm myself down, not pick her up and bundle her inside of my jacket, like that would even be close enough.
“So how good exactly are you guys at hockey?”
