Page 35

Grif

A groan escaped my lips as I opened my eyes. I felt like shit. Hair covered my face. Not my hair. Long, dark hair that smelled of coconut conditioner. I pulled it away.

“Grif, you’re awake. Thank fuck.” AJ moved into view.

“Where am I?” I looked around the dark room. This wasn’t my room. It didn’t smell like our place either. It reeked of antiseptic and unhappiness.

“The hospital. You collapsed during the game.” Worry tinged his voice and scent.

Verity and Dean snuggled into me on the hospital bed. Jonas slept on the couch. A chair sat next to my bed. There was a table with some flowers and balloons on it and a couple of containers that might have food.

“I wasn’t about to fight them for bed space.” AJ stood, closing the distance between us.

“How long have I been out?” I frowned. I remembered collapsing on the ice in the first period, not long after Dean gave Verity his jersey.

AJ reached out and stroked my hair. “It’s morning. You spiraled, but once they moved you up here, they pulled you out pretty quickly.”

“Shit. How bad is it? Was it my kidneys or my heart? Did I have emergency surgery?” While I felt tired, I didn’t hurt. But I was hooked up to all sorts of monitors and an IV.

“You were so fucking lucky. You collapsed because of an infection, which meant they caught it, and could treat it. Fortunately, you woke up before Dean needed to give you a kidney or Verity tried bonding you to save your life.” AJ continued to run his hand through my hair.

“I would’ve been okay with both of those. Did the doctor suggest us bonding?” I looked down at Verity. A soft blanket covered us, but it looked like she was still wearing a jersey.

“That was a Mercy idea.” AJ shook his head. “Anyhow, you’re on antibiotics right now. You’ll be here a couple days, both for the IV drip, and to flush the blockers out of your system so they can run more tests. They’re keeping you on suppressants, so you don’t go into heat right now.”

Which was the last thing I needed.

“Wait, blockers? You had to tell the hospital.” Panic sliced through me. If they knew, it would go into my file. If it was in my file, it was public.

If it was public…

“Hey, hey, Gumdrop, it’s okay. We needed to get you the best care. Dr. Arya’s here, too.” Dean purred.

“Everyone’s going to know. Coach hasn’t helped me come up with a plan yet.” The purr wasn’t enough to stop me from hyperventilating. My designation was now in my file. But I didn’t blame them. Especially AJ.

“It’s okay. It’s okay.” AJ’s purr, a rich tenor, added to Dean’s.

Another purr hit me right in the chest as Verity purred for me in her sweet, quiet way.

“It’s going to be okay. You’re alive, and with a couple lifestyle changes can continue to be healthy and live a full life, complete with hockey.” Jonas joined us, shoving himself on part of the bed by Dean. His basso rumble joined the purr ensemble.

Their purrs were sweeter than the finest string quartet, and I let them soothe me.

He was saying what I expected.

Still, I wanted to have control.

I wanted to play hockey.

Letting them comfort me, I took a deep breath.

“I didn't mean to ruin your birthday, Jellybean.” I nuzzled Dean.

“Don't even think that. I got a birthday miracle. You’re okay and that's all that matters. It gets worse, though. You were outed. My money’s on Chet,” Dean told me quietly.

“Fuck. Everyone knows.” That panic swelled up again. Fucking Chet. Why couldn’t he leave me alone?

“Stu’s on it,” Jonas assured. “So is our pack lawyer.”

“It gets even worse,” Dean added, tipping his forehead to mine.

Worse? How could it get worse?

“Dean,” AJ sighed, holding me tightly. “Let’s not overwhelm him. We don’t need him to spiral again.”

I shook my head, steeling myself. “Lay it on me. I can take it.”

“Mr. Longfellow is a moron.” Dean proceeded to tell me that I’d been terminated.

“This is literally my nightmare.” I clung to Dean and AJ, trying to not be carried away by this shitstorm.

Verity kissed my temple. “I know. Jonas and AJ have been working hard all night, waking everyone up to get this fixed.”

I gulped in some of the soothing pheromones everyone was putting out.

“Okay. The team. They know. How are they taking it?” Inwardly I cringed. Did they all hate me for lying? Would they ignore me and do things to my stuff like some of the Aces did to Dean?

“They walked out of the game when they heard you were fired,” Jonas told me.

I sucked in a breath. “They did what?”

Dean squeezed my hand. “They support you one hundred percent.”

“All the ones with omegas actually thought an omega enforcer makes sense. Omegas protect their families–and that’s what you do. You protect your hockey family,” Verity added.

“As of four this morning, some of them were still in the lobby. I should go tell the doctor–and them–you’re awake. Maybe get some food?” Jonas asked, looking through his phone.

“The Maimers are on your side. Mercy and Kaiko were up late defending you. I already got a text from Queen Twatwaffle who was angry that I let Mercy use such language online.” Verity scowled.

“Aww, they did?” That warmed me.

Jonas put on his shoes and left, AJ heading out with him. Verity went to the bathroom.

“Jellybean, what if things aren’t okay?” My voice broke. I’d been outed and fired while unconscious.

“We sue them. Pretty sure Verity’s big sister is ready to fly out here to stab someone with a fork. We haven’t said anything other than Stu issuing a statement that you were in the hospital.” Dean stayed snuggled into me.

“Okay.” I nodded slowly. “What if I can’t go on blockers? I mean, the PHL won’t let me play without them, and some light ones won’t cut it.”

Because it could interfere with the game. Like an alpha might be less willing to make a play out of fear of injuring me or some biological shit like that.

“You could always use scent shields. Those, scent blocking briefs, and a shit-ton of de-scenter applied every time you leave the ice might do it. I was researching it for you,” Dean admitted.

“Oh. Thank you, Jellybean.” I always forgot about scent shields which were silicone stickers you put over your scent glands. I’d worn scent blocking briefs for a long time but stopped wearing them because I felt like I didn’t need them anymore.

“There’s always your music career. The Boston Symphony and Professor Dublonski have already come out in support of you.” Dean showed me the videos on his phone.

Aww.

“Oh, I should text our families.” Dean started texting his mom.

“Shit. It’s a good thing that I told some of my family before now.” I glanced at my phone on the bedside table. But I didn’t have the energy to do more than let the parents know I was awake and tell Sissy that she didn’t need to come out.

Verity came back and snuggled me. “I’m right here.”

“Mmmm, what’s this about bonding to save me?” I nuzzled her, though I tried not to breathe in her direction because my breath was nasty.

“I’d do anything for you.” She wrapped her arms around me and held me while Dean slipped off to the bathroom.

AJ came back into the room. “Doctor’s on the way. Um, Princess? Why did I just get an alert that Spencer Thanukos had a press conference saying that Cal Daughtry doesn’t deserve a hockey team and he will hostilely acquire the Knights if he doesn’t rehire Grif?”

Verity shrugged. “Spencer figured since the idea of him buying a team scared the crap out of people, him threatening to acquire one might do some good.”

“I love that.” I leaned in more.

The nurse checked on me and helped me to the bathroom. Dr. Arya came in and basically told me everything my pack had. Though she reassured me that as long as I took good care of myself, I could still play.

Which was half the battle. The other was that I needed a team.

Someone would want me, right?

“Thanks, Dr. Arya. I appreciate all your help,” I told her, grateful she’d come to the hospital. I’d probably fared better because she was here.

“I’m so sorry you’ve been outed. We’ll be doing more tests today and tomorrow. Someone from the Center will be here in a bit to talk you through all your options.” She glanced at her tablet and left.

Tests, great.

“We need to get the Omega Rights Coalition involved, like they did for me,” Dean agreed, looking something up on his phone.

“Whatever helps. Where’s Jonas?” I looked around. He’d been gone awhile. But he’d mentioned getting food. I could eat.

A few moments later Jonas came back in, holding a sack and something wrapped in a Knights workout towel.

“I let the team know you’re okay. They have quite a spread out there, so I brought some. It’s in the bag. Some of the MASO are creating a signup to bring us homemade food. Stu and his agency are doing major work trying to spin this. Also, you’ve had offers,” Jonas added, setting the bag down.

“I have? That’s wonderful news. Let me guess, the Mexico City Tigres?” I snorted. They weren’t a horrible team, and had a loyal fan base. They were just far.

“Yes. They’ll take us all. The Hurricanes will take you back. The Daredevils will take us all. So will the Sasquatches. The Belugas will take you,” Jonas read off his phone, then glanced up at me.

“Oh.” There were some good offers there.

“The Sasquatches would take us all ? I’d love to see the budget gymnastics on that,” Dean chuckled.

They were the number two team in the PHL and had some very well-paid players. The three of us made decent money.

“Daredevils? Nice. We’ll make it work, even if it means you three leave New York.” Verity looked at us.

“We will,” AJ agreed, squeezing my shoulder.

“That means everything,” I told them. Especially Verity, because she couldn’t work remotely like AJ.

Jonas’ eyes rested on me. “We have options. Though Stu’s confident that the Knights will cave. Remember, being fired has nothing to do with you. It’s because the owner owes Chet’s dad money. Just like you being outed is Chet trying to bully you into dropping the lawsuit.”

“Bertie owns part of the team. I’ve got spies trying to figure out how much and who else in society might have traded Cal’s debt for shares,” AJ replied.

“We will figure this out. Stu said that as of right now, your All-Star spot is still safe. Though you’ll need a team by then,” Jonas assured, still holding whatever was in the towel.

Shit. That was coming up in a few weeks. “At least they didn’t take it away.”

“They wouldn’t dare.” Dean sat up and sniffed. “I smell tomato sauce. Jonas, what are you holding?”

“Oh, right.” Jonas pulled the bed tray table over and set down the bundle. He unwrapped it and peeled off the foil to reveal a bubbly, cheesy lasagna. “Ladybug appeared with a piping hot lasagna; she was on her way to class or something.”

“Oooh. Wait, is she the one that makes lasagna?” I remembered having some delicious lasagna at some of the pre-season team get-togethers.

Jonas came back with a handful of forks. “It’s her grandma’s sauce recipe. I think she takes most of the ingredients from the campus dining hall. Which is smart.”

“Grocery shopping at the dining hall is the best,” I agreed, mouth watering. “Can we dig in, or do we need plates?”

“It’s not like we don’t all share germs.” Dean took a fork and took a bite. Bliss coated his face.

I speared a bite with my plastic fork and ate it, letting the cheesy tomato goodness explode over my tongue.

How did Chet even know I was an omega? At the same time, I didn’t feel as panicked as I had when this happened to Dean.

I may not be a Knight right now. But despite the scare, I’d be okay. It could have been so much worse, like I could have had a heart attack or been out for months recovering from a kidney transplant.

Also, I had my pack. An agent fighting for me. My teammates cared about me.

And I had a tray of lasagna.

Yeah, we’d figure this out. Somehow.