The Ice Alpha’s Mate (Aria and Ryder) novel Chapter 76

Chapter 76

RYDER

After practice, we sit around as a team in the locker room for the first time in ages and just…talk.

I have to admit that after this whole situation with Aria, I’ve distanced myself from my friends. I know that with Aria isn’t something they’d welcome with open arms, so to me, we have nothing in common anymore.

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Every time I look at them, I see the old me and I feel ashamed of myself. Where was all the superiority coming from? Why did I think I was better than anyone else?

What makes them think they’re better?

These are the things I’ve been thinking about that put this drift between us. But right now, practice went great and the conversation’s light.

Zach squeezes my shoulders before saying, “If we keep this up, we’ll be the best ice hockey team in the whole region!”

“Region? How about the whole world!”

I chuckle at this as I tie my shoelaces. “That’s a serious exaggeration.”

“No way!” Zach claims. “I’ve never seen anyone play the way you lo! It’s something out of this world! I mean it, Ryder.”

“Thanks.”

“We should celebrate,” Isaac Crawley suggests out loud. “How about Hugo’s?”

“Hugo’s?” Zach echoes. “Is it that new bar opening downtown?”

“Yeah. We should go. Grab a few drinks.”

“Not a chance,” I say right away. “You know what happens next week, so why the hell would we want to get drunk during the weekend when we have to face the tournament starting next week?”

“We don’t have to get drunk,” Zach cuts in. “We can always just…have a few drinks. I think it’s a great idea. Good one,

Isaac.”

I shake my head. I think this is a bad idea already. Coach has asked us to be responsible and we’re just going to mess things up now when it counts?

“C’mon, Ryder!” Zach insists. “One drink. How much of a pussy do you have to be to get drunk with one beer?”

“I don’t know. It’s a bad idea.”

“What’re you worried about? Laws? That guy’s done for next week. It’s going to be the redemption of a lifetime. I’m sure that bastard thinks he’s going to beat us again.”

“Laws? Ray Laws?”

Zach spits, “Who else?”

“We can’t be too cocky.” I remind them. “We just have to get focused on winning. Look, we’re hosting the tournament this year. We can’t lose at home. That’s beyond humiliating.”

“Yeah, but you just gotta keep winning like you are and we’ll have nothing to worry about. Besides, if he knows what’s good for him, then he’ll stay in his lane or he’ll get the other side of his face fucked up.”

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Chapter 76

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“What?” I ask. “Who’re you talking about?”

“Laws. His face is a mess, according to what I heard from a few chicks from Moonveil. You know, from the last game? You don’t remember what you did to him?”

What did I do to him? I try to remember but I can’t. I remember the fight and how ugly it was, but I don’t remember hurting his face or messing it up. Am I losing my mind here? My memory of that day is so fuzzy.

Is it because of Aria and the bond?

The silence in the locker room is deafening at this point. I look up and see everyone staring at me. Zach shrugs. “Such is the game. We all know we could get seriously hurt, but that doesn’t stop us. So, about that new place? Come on, Ryder. Think about it. It might be our only chance to unwind before the tournament begins.”

I don’t know about going, but I feel a little too distraught now that he’s mentioned Ray Laws’s face. “I don’t know. I don’t feel like it.”

Zach says, “If you don’t go, it’ll be a waste. You know there’s no party without our Ice Alpha.”

“Yeah, but I told you what I think.”

He opens his arms. “The least you can do is come and make sure we don’t get shitfaced. Come on, Captain. You’ve gotta watch over us.”

The others laugh at this and I realize he’s right. A lot’s depending on this. Now, I can’t force them not to go. It’s not good for the team and in any case, orders won’t stop them from going.

So, the least I could do is make sure nobody does something they’ll regret.

“Fine,” I declare. They celebrate and I add over the noise, “We won’t stay long. Two hours tops, got it?”

“Yes, sir.”

I had plans starting that weekend,

ostly involving calling Aria and catching up with her. It’s become a routine for me.

I can’t spend the night again. I decided it before I even left her place in the morning. It was great, a little too much at that, but I want to take it slow. Deep down, I know she’s not ready, and I want everything to be just right. Besides, consummating our bond doesn’t feel right when the outcome of all this isn’t certain yet.

I don’t want to use her. I’m del

the same with her.

done that too many times before, with different girls. I remember how it felt. I don’t want it to be

I was really tempted last night, though. I really fucking was. I wanted her so damn badly. Watching her eyes darken with lust and pleasure just…I feel my cock twitching and force myself to stop thinking about her right now.

There’s a time for this. Preferably when I’m alone and not in a locker room filled with a bunch of guys.

I miss her already, though. It’s hard to get her out of my mind once she makes her way in there. I have to fix things. I feel like a broken record already but it’s the truth. I have to find a way to tell my father that I won’t marry Lizzie, and that I want Aria.

I have to do it in a way that no one gets hurt.

I can’t give up on her. Just the thought of her with someone else fills me with rage. At this, I look around and search for Hawke, but he’s gone. He knows better than to stick around when the team’s gathered. I can’t stand him. I’d have him kicked out of the team if he weren’t such a good player.

But I have to be responsible. I’m the team captain for a reason.

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Chapter 76

Personal issues have to be kept out of the ice.

But what I really want to do is punch him in the face.

Hard enough to knock all his teeth out.

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