Page 39 of Full Body Hit, Part 2 (Alpha Omega Hockey #6)

Auston didn’t think Chase was lying, but he was missing something. There was a way to open the valve and let them breathe, but he couldn’t figure out what …

Until the night of the 7-2 loss. The game had been a midday one, crowd full of disappointed kids and parents booing them off the ice.

It was almost 8pm by the time they’d cooled down and showered and were done with media, and all Auston wanted was to go home, grab a beer, and curl up with Chase in their nest.

Noah wouldn’t hear of it. The team was going to go out, have a drink, and go through the loss together.

Auston didn’t want to agree, but the kid was right—the last thing this team needed was for a bad loss to fracture them.

The bar was already busy with an early Saturday crowd as they arrived. Auston ordered a beer, slotted into a booth, and resolved not to move unless he needed to piss.

Chase started the night with him, squeezed against his side, joining the flow of conversation as Auston sat back, trying not to be too moody as he sipped his beer.

The tension in his shoulders lessened as an hour went by, the guys crowding the table joking and being way too loud as the bad taste of the loss washed away.

Sammy dragged Chase to the bar eventually. There was a little dance floor to the side of it, practically barren until Sammy began dancing in the middle of it. Auston grinned at the mortified expression on Chase’s face, the way it cracked into a smile as Sammy spun him around and made him shimmy.

Every introvert like Chase needed an extroverted friend like Sammy—someone to pull them onto the dance floor every now and again, show them that there was nothing to fear about letting loose in public.

The Omegas’ shenanigans cracked the seal, more people joining in, Chase bright red but smiling, Sammy’s attention on him.

Auston was pulled away from watching his mate dance by Jimmy, who’d just spilt half his drink everywhere, and then Vincent, who had to show him pictures of his new puppy, and the next time he glanced up, Chase had been swallowed up by the crowd.

Not that Auston needed to keep an eye on him all night—even in the mess of scents permeating the air, he’d be able to tell the second Chase felt anything similar to fear.

It was only when his phone buzzed with a text from Chase that he suddenly became alert.

Chase

Look at this yummy drink someone bought me

The image attached was of a tall glass filled with a sparkly pink liquid that went from light to a dark red at the bottom.

Auston read the text again. He looked up, searching, and spotted Chase by the bar with Sammy and two Alphas, one of which appeared to be completely ignoring the mating mark on Chase’s neck in favour of flirting with him.

Auston tensed, ready to stand up, but…Chase was smiling, nodding along. He wasn’t distressed. Had accepted the drink from the stranger, sipping from it periodically.

Auston gritted his teeth even as his blood pumped hotter, just like it had done that day Chase had sent him nude after nude while they were at the bar together.

Auston took a deep breath. They needed to have a long fucking conversation about Chase springing scenes on him instead of just asking for what he needed, but…

God, if it didn’t feel better this way. More real . A silent communication that slipped them from real life and into playing a game they both knew the rules of instinctively.

Auston was in control, and Chase was misbehaving.

Auston sat back, settling his heartbeat. He waited for Chase’s gaze to flicker over to him and raised an uncaring eyebrow.

If Chase thought that Auston would spring into action and drag him away, he was sorely mistaken.

Something silent and feral settled into place, a tiger crouching in wait, tail flicking and eyes trained on its prey.

Auston let the night roll on, waiting until some of the other guys began heading home to say his goodbyes and walk over to Chase and his little companion.

“Hey, baby,” Auston greeted, startling the Alpha. Auston didn’t even glace at him. “I’m heading home. See you later.” He planted a kiss on Chase’s forehead, waved at Sammy, who was just as bug-eyed, and walked calmly away.

There was a beat, and then spluttering behind him, the sound of a barstool scratching the sticky floor, of a glass clattering against the bar top. Auston ignored it, stepping into the cool night air.

“Auston!”

Auston debated not pausing, but that would break his charade of nonchalance. He turned, head tilted. “What’s up?”

Chase stumbled to a halt in front of him, cheeks flushed. “You’re leaving?”

“Yeah. But you can stay, just take an Uber home, yeah?”

Chase opened his mouth. Closed it. Opened it again. “I can go home with you.”

“Oh, it’s fine. Seems like you’re having fun.” His voice was perfectly placid, but something in it made Chase turn even redder.

“No, uhm…it’s fine. I wanna go home.”

Auston shrugged. “Sure.” He began walking towards his car again. “How was that drink? As yummy as it looked?”

Chase choked a little. “Uhm. It was a little sweet, actually.”

“Oh, that’s a shame. Maybe next time you can tell the Alpha you’re flirting with what kind of drinks you like before they buy you one.”

Chase stumbled. Auston had to try very, very hard not to laugh.

Auston turned on the radio when they got to the car, humming along as he drove them through the congested streets. In the passenger seat, Chase was sitting straight up, spine a hard line, his hands fisted on his lap.

The feral thing with tiger eyes in Auston purred. If Chase wanted to play games, he’d better be ready to lose every single one.

Not that Auston was going to deprive Chase of what he wanted. He remembered their conversation about ‘flirting with Alphas’ perfectly. The way Chase had whined while spread over his lap as Auston had spanked him.

If that was what Chase wanted, Auston was more than happy to provide.

Auston’s mind was a placid lake as he parked, as they went up to their apartment, and as he closed the door behind them. Everything inside him was still and silent. Ordered. Ready.

Chase stood just in front of the entryway, fidgeting with his fingers, scent agitated and unsure. Auston took off his coat, feeling so in control that it was as if he were a new person, like he’d shed off the scaly film that had been clinging onto him and been born anew.

He took his cufflinks off as he ambled into the bedroom.

After a few beats, Chase trailed behind him. “Daddy?”

“Hm?” Auston replied absently. He sat on the edge of the bed and started unlacing his shoes.

Chase didn’t say anything. Auston felt the electricity crawl over his body, the air around him waiting for something—for a snap, a give.

Auston set his shoes to the side and rolled up his sleeves. He raised his gaze to Chase as he took off his watch, not having to look to undo the clasp. “You have fun tonight, baby?”

Chase swallowed visibly. There were two red splotches high on his cheeks. “I…yeah.”

“Yeah? Get the attention you wanted?” His tone remained nonchalant, as if he weren’t setting an obvious trap right where Chase could see it but was unable to avoid.

Chase opened his mouth. Closed it.

Auston watched him, heartbeat even. Softly, ruthlessly, he asked, “What are the safe words?”

Chase’s eyes widened. “G-green for keep going. Yellow for slow down. Red for stop.”

Auston hummed, standing up. “I’d say ‘good boy’, but you haven’t been very good tonight, have you?”

Chase gasped, the first hit of the night. “Da—”

“Strip.”

Chase’s chest rose and fell quickly as he panted. He seemed frozen for a beat, but his scent was deepening, a spark of fear and excitement.

He unstuck eventually, moving choppily. He started with his shirt, shaky hands undoing the buttons, forgetting the buttoned sleeves and getting his hands stuck as he tried to pull it off. His face was so red, it must have been radiating heat as he untangled his arms to undo those buttons too.

He took his undershirt off and then remembered to take his shoes off, his socks, before undoing his pants and letting them drop to the floor. Chase stepped out of them and glanced at Auston, but the Alpha gave him nothing—the instructions had been clear enough.

After a moment of hesitation, Chase stripped his briefs off, cock already hard, springing out of the confinement.

A hot lick of pleasure travelled through Auston at the sight. Chase knew he’d given Auston all the power, and his cock was leaking at the fact.

“On the bed,” Auston ordered.

Chase scrambled to obey, landing in an odd half laying, half sitting position, balanced on unsteady elbows. “Daddy.”

Auston raised an eyebrow. “I suggest you don’t try to talk yourself out of this one, baby. You can’t afford to make this worse.”

Chase opened his mouth, but nothing came out.

“On your stomach. Head on the pillows.”

Slowly, Chase turned and wiggled to his side of the bed. He lay as asked, but Auston could see the solid line of his shoulders, his tense back. Chase’s scent was heavy in the air, anticipation making it swell and sweeten.

Auston took his time. Hung the suit jacket he’d taken off. Put the cufflinks away. He grabbed his phone and sat on his side of the bed, propped up by the pillows leaning against the headboard, legs spread in front of him.

He had a few emails he’d been meaning to answer and went to those first, typing out his replies and sending them off. He texted Mark an idea he’d had the other day but had forgotten to share. Went to Instagram and liked a few of his sister’s pictures.

“Daddy?” The voice trembled up into the air beside him. Auston didn’t turn to look.

“ Hm? ”

Silence. “I’m sorry.”

At that, Auston met Chase’s gaze. “For what?”

“For…for talking to that Alpha. I swear I wasn’t actually flirting, Daddy. I was just pretending.”

“To the Alpha you were talking to, what’s the difference between actual flirting, and pretend flirting?” Auston mused.

Chase choked on his response. Swallowed. “Sorry.”