Page 34 of A Twist of Luck (Shifter City Fated Mates #2)

CHAPTER 34

FINLEY

K enzo dropped down next to me, leaning back against the locker as he laced his skates tighter. “It’s so good to have Cap back,” he said, sounding relieved.

Good was a poor descriptor for how it felt to have my brother joining me on the ice today. His cheeriness already filled the locker room as he moved amongst our team, slapping shoulders and chatting to the guys.

We’d won one and lost one of our games without him, and I’d played like a bucket of shit for both. All over the place, missing easy marks as the puck and team glided right by me like I wasn’t even there.

Part of it was the lack of my normal pre-game routine. Without Kellan, I’d lost all sense of time and place, and had even strolled in late without my jersey to our last game. I’d had to wear a spare with a quickly ironed on number, but it wasn’t the same. My jersey had been through all the games with me, and while it was frayed and patched, I wouldn’t let them upgrade it.

You didn’t get rid of shit just because of tarnish.

You loved it for all its flaws.

So, yeah, it was partly my lack of routine but mostly… my heart hadn’t been in it without Kellan. Turned out hockey didn’t come before my pack, which was a hard and important lesson to learn.

“You ready for today?” Kenzo asked when I remained silent, his worry for me not completely abated. I might have been in a better place, but it still wasn’t a good place.

“Ready,” I confirmed, forcing a smile. “I’m excited to be able to play without the stress and worry over Kellan. Even leaving the house felt wrong when Kel could take a turn and be gone from us at any moment. Now he’s here, annoying the crap out of everyone, and it just feels right.”

Kellan appeared like I’d summoned him by rubbing a magic lamp and making a wish. “He totally cried when I was dying,” he said to Kenzo, dropping heavily on the other side of me.

Carlson, our goalie, let out a loud laugh. Fucking lion shifter sounded like a hyena when he cackled like that. “Baby bear was even more grouchy than usual. Just ask Lewis.”

Lewis was another defenseman, and despite having played together for years now, we were casual enemies. Occasional allies. “He got in my face when I was trying to move the puck,” I reminded them. Lewis called out his own bullshit version of events, before the locker room erupted into laughter and argument, everyone chiming in with their two cents of what happened.

“What did you do?” Kellan asked, turning so a hint of Emme’s bite was visible as he scratched his hand over it, obsessive as ever.

“Knocked him on his ass during the game,” I said shortly, shaking my head. “I shouldn’t have to battle the other team and my fucking own when trying to clear the net. He knows that.”

Kenzo snorted. “But for real, I need to know if he did cry when you were dying. I’ve never even seen him cry. You should ask Slade for the video footage.” My former best friend held his stomach as he laughed harder. “We could have blackmail material forever.”

No one had seen me cry since I was eight years old and my mom stabbed my dad, almost killing him. That was the first time, and it was my weakness that had cost him. I swore never again to allow my emotions to put others at risk.

Christian was a great distraction as he pushed through the room, most of the team having moved on from the Lewis argument. It felt right for the four of us to lace up before a game again, as we waited for Coach to appear.

Kellan leaned back with his hands behind his head, stretching out. “As if Slade has any footage that’s not Emme-related. I swear he’s just up in his lair jerking off to our pretty omega sleeping every night.”

Right. Sleeping.

Even from down the hall I’d heard her with Kellan and Hunter, and I was fairly sure sleep didn’t factor into their nightly activities. Thank the goddess for noise-cancelling headphones and sleeping draughts. Not that they worked much these days. The healers had warned me I’d eventually develop a resistance, and apparently, the time was now.

Kellan pressed his hand to the bite once more. “You should feel how happy she is right now.” He released the most contented sigh I’d ever heard from another shifter. “The alphas let her drive, and she’s zooming through the streets, turning both of those lucky assholes on with her skills behind the wheel.”

I slid forward, my body jerking toward him. “You can tell that much about her through the bond? Even without the quintet fully formed?”

The corner of his lips twitched until he laughed out loud. “Hunter might have sent a few messages and an image to fill in the blanks, but I can absolutely feel her joy. It’s weird, but also everything . I know it’s not my emotion when it blazes through me, but we’re also linked, so it feels like my joy somehow. My wolf is a contented ball of fluff. When Emme’s feelings seep through, it’s like I stumbled into the warmth of summer after being lost in a snowstorm.”

The Ice Queen shouldn’t feel like summer . It just didn’t mesh with her personality.

“Speaking of, we’re actually scheduled for a snowstorm tonight,” Christian piped up. “I think they’re working to organize one of our winter runs as soon as the first flakes fall.”

Further conversation died off as Coach appeared. “Listen up, Wolves,” he roared, his lion flashing in his eyes. “Firstly, let’s give a moment of thanks to have our captain back and ready to go.”

Kellan waved his arms in the air as everyone shouted and called out. “Thanks, Coach,” he said, pretending to wipe a tear away. “I’m thrilled to be playing again, and it’ll be even better to have my girl, pack, and family in the crowd. We’re going to destroy them tonight.”

More cheers and shouts, and I slapped him on the shoulder as my adrenaline started to build. The excitement that hockey and skating usually brought me had been duller without Kellan, but it blazed as bright as ever today.

“Yes, we are,” Coach continued, shutting down the cheers. He never had to raise his voice, having long ago earned our respect—helped along with suicides until we puked if we talked over him. “This team is one of our greatest rivals, especially now they’ve got Henderson , who is an absolute machine at center. He’s fast, built like a tank, and without mercy. Do not underestimate him.”

I’d been studying game tapes of Henderson, and he was a worry. Matching me in size, he played like it was his last day on Earth, and to make it to eternal paradise he had to take out as many of his opponents as he could.

It wasn’t that I was worried about stopping him, but it wouldn’t be as easy as usual. My eliminator socks felt a little extra snug as I flexed my toes, hoping they’d come through as always. I didn’t even want to think about my boxer briefs and what they represented, but for the rest of this season as least, they were important. I carried the omega with me, whether either of us wanted it or not.

Knowing she would be in the stands again gave me mixed feelings. She’d saved Kellan’s life, and I’d owe her forever. For that, I’d decided that shit had to change between us, and while we might never be a fully mated portion of this quintet, we could learn to be civil.

I’d mentioned as much to Kellan and the fucker had thrown his head back and laughed. “Emme is always civil with you, bro. You’re the jerk here. It’s your attitude that needs adjusting.”

My bear had reared up, but it was a fair call. She’d triggered my trauma, and I’d been clinging to my anger to ensure that I never softened and got hurt again. Letting her close and then losing her wasn’t a survivable option for me.

And I was still sure we’d lose her. It was the inevitable future that she’d been preparing us for since she’d first arrived.

When Coach was finished, we headed out for warmups. I grabbed my stick and jumped to my feet, bouncing on the rubber floor, ready for the game. We might not be on home ice, but we’d have plenty of support out there in the stands.

The moment we hit the ice, and the chill washed over my face, I breathed more freely. There was no feeling comparable to this—I didn’t care what anyone said. I’d had plenty of sex in my life, and I fucking loved sex, but the first glide across smooth ice was better.

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.