The Ice Alpha’s Mate (Aria and Ryder) novel Chapter 41

Chapter 41

RYDER

In a daze, I manage to leave the medical room.

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I don’t know how I do it, but I don’t stop to question it either. I love to return to the rink because the fifteen-minute break is almost over.

Ray Laws saw me and Aria.

Instinctively, I know this is bad. Really fucking bad.

Coach glances at me, notices that I haven’t gotten stitched up, and makes a face. But he knows there’s no time for me to get it done.

The team’s all gathered around him and they’re discussing strategies for the next period, but I don’t listen to a word he says. My wolf is continuously thrashing inside of me, begging to be unleashed.

This has never happened to me before.

Sweat’s running down my whole body in rivulets. Coach slaps my back, bringing me back to the moment just enough to hear him say, “I know you’ll nail it. Pay attention to Zach. Don’t let him out of your sight.”

I nod even though I heard nothing of the discussed strategy. We return to the rink. The Moonveils are already there, warming up. They’re gathered around, and when I make eye contact with Ray, he stops talking and shoots me this look that infuriates me.

It’s smug. Taunting.

Mocking.

The period begins. We have twenty more minutes to score, and do what Coach said and pay attention to Zach, passing him the puck whenever I have the chance. The Moonveils attack with all their might, knocking us sideways and even resorting to tripping us with their sticks. We try to match them the best way we can, but their cheating ways can’t be fully imitated because it could cost us a lot and Coach warned us about it earlier on.

Ray Laws sticks to my side like a tick. He shoves me with his shoulder and I shove him back. Up until now, everything’s relatively normal, but that all changes when we score.

The crowd roars-well, one half of it does. The other one boos aus, and some trash is thrown into the rink, which could lead to a tripping accident but that’s exactly what we expect from such games.

Whenever the reputation of a pack is at stake, this is what happens.

Ray’s look is poisonous. I don’t waste my time giving him a smug look. Again, we get into position, and he tilts his head to the side.

Right before the puck is dropped, he says, “Don’t think this goal means anything. We won’t be defeated by an Omega lover such as yourself.”

His words make me cold and disorient me enough to give him a advantage over the puck. I’m not on his heels, furious at his words because I know he said them. After all, he saw me with Aria in the medical room.

Son of a bitch!

“What’s the matter, Drexel?” he asks over his shoulder right before he swings his stick and scores. The Moonveil part of the crowd roars this time, but over the noise, I hear him add, “It’s only Omegas you can successfully chase? My boys told me she’s your fat ass coach’s daughter. Is that the reason why you’re on the team? Because talent isn’t it”

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Chapter 41

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I clench my jaw. Some of the team members are hearing what he’s saying, and his team laughs at his harsh words. I see fucking red, and it doesn’t matter how hard I try to control myself.

I can’t.

My desire is to rip him apart with my bare hands.

“You don’t know what you’re fucking talking about,” k spit.

He raises his gloved hands and gives me a mocking look. “No need to deny your girl because of me. I’m just some guy who’ll beat you and go home.”

The anger makes me want to show him that he’s wrong. I can’t punch him in the face, but I can beat him in other ways. We score again, and then once more. The more we score, the more vid he becomes.

Before I know it, we have another break. Then, on to the last period. Coach Murdock slaps my shoulder and excitedly tells me, “You’re doing good, kid. You’ve got to keep this up! The rest of you, make sure they don’t score. That’s essential, alright? They can’t-”

Suddenly, his voice cuts off and this great noise invades my head It’s my wolf. He’s fucking growling and I have no idea why. Aria. Thoughts of her fill my mind even though I try to fight them off and shut her out.

She’s in danger.

Why do I have the feeling that she’s in danger?

“Drexel!”

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My head snaps in the direction of Coach Murdock’s voice. He’s looking at me with wide and concerned eyes. “Come on, now. Don’t give up on me. What’s the matter with you?”

“I’m sorry,” I mumble. “I don’t know.”

“We need you to keep it together for twenty minutes. We’re so fucking close I can taste the victory. Alright? Now, that Laws going to try to hurt you the best way he can. They’re desperate now. You should’ve gotten that brow stitched, but no matter.”

Coach continues on and on about this as I struggle with my wolf I’m looking around for Aria but I can’t spot her, and I almost ask him if he sent her home, but the whole team’s here and I know what it would do if I asked such a question.

Where is she?

Why do I have the feeling that I need to go after her? Search for her? Do something?

In the end, I stay put and wait for the break to end.

I do this against my will.

The break ends, and we return to the rink, but I’m still thinking about her nonstop. Ray Laws is giving me a look that lets me know that he’s determined to do everything in his power to piss me off.

I must stay strong. Think about the victory at the end and how good it’ll fucking feel. Then, I can deal with him and everything else.

For now, the pack needs me.

But she needs you, too.

This thought crosses my mind so quickly and violently that I’m not sure if I truly heard it or if it’s just part of the noise in my head. The game starts, and it’s time to lock in.

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Chapter 41

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Ray doesn’t waste time. “You know what I was thinking?” He tries to take the puck from me but fails. “I think I should try to get to know your girl. See if she’ll want another alpha heir to warm her bed.”

I give him a violent shove with my shoulder and try to score, bumiss.

Ray laughs beside me. “I’m sure she must be something if she has you all twisted and fucked in the head.”

I meet his gaze. “You say anything else about her and I’ll end you after this match.”

Ray narrows his eyes at me and Zach wraps an arm around my neck. “What the fuck is going on? What’re these fuckers talking about?”

I shove him away before shooting him a glare. I won’t give him any explanation now. The game continues, and the Moonveils try to score, shoving us and hitting us with their elbows and knees. I keep standing and attacking Ray before he can score, and he misses.

Ray whirls around and this time, he’s not laughing. “You might win this game tonight, but I’ll fuck your girl, Drexel. That I promise you. She’ll scream my name as loudly as she screams yours.”

I see red.

I viciously attack him and the game has to be stopped.

I get penalized.

Five minutes.

Five fucking minutes.

Coach Murdock is furious. As I skate to the penalty box, he gives me a wild look. “What’s the matter with you? How could you have done this to the team?”

I don’t answer him, and he gets red in the face.

Not a minute later, Moonveil scores.

Ray Laws gives me a triumphant look. I clench my jaw. I want to fucking rip him apart for saying that about Aria. I know it’s all part of the strategy, but I couldn’t stop myself.

The thought of her with him…dammit!

“You’re almost in,” Coach Murdock announces as he glances at his watch. He’s chewing gum violently. “We still have a goal ahead of them, so we have to—”

I hear a howl loud enough to fill my mind completely.

Aria.

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