Page 44 of Full Body Hit, Part 2 (Alpha Omega Hockey #6)

Auston put up a half-hearted protest, but Chase convinced him, calling a taxi from the number the concierge had given him and finally escaping.

One night without Auston wasn’t so bad, even though the Alpha arrived at almost five in the morning, stumbling in noisily and collapsing onto the bed still in his clothes.

Chase wrinkled his nose. Auston stunk of alcohol. He raised up onto an elbow, shaking him. “Auston? You okay?”

Auston mumbled something, visibly out of it. It didn’t seem like he was about to choke on his own vomit…Chase made sure he was on his side anyway.

It was no surprise that Auston was out for the count the following morning. Chase left a glass of water nearby, going out for some painkillers at a nearby pharmacy. Auston was still sleeping by the time he made it back, so Chase went to breakfast, making it just in time before it closed.

He thought about waking Auston when he returned to the room but he was out cold, mouth open and hair all over the place. Chase sent him a text instead, informing him that he was going to the beach, and then shared his location so Auston could find him.

He rented a lounger and parasol, settling in.

It was the first time he’d slowed down that morning, and Auston’s absence hit him suddenly.

He hadn’t imagined spending any significant amount of time alone, and it wasn’t as if he were dependent on Auston.

He was his own man, but, well…this was supposed to be their mating honeymoon.

Chase stared across the yellow sand, the clear blue sea. It was still cool, but the air was warming up quickly, more people filling up the seats around him as the hours passed.

Eleven o’clock. Twelve. One. Chase entertained himself—went swimming, took a walk, had lunch. He checked his phone regularly, hoping for Auston to text him, to tell him he’d woken up, but there was nothing.

It was two in the afternoon when Auston appeared, steps dazed, pillow creases marking his face, big sunglasses on. “Fuck. Sorry, baby,” he said in greeting, voice a croak.

Chase straightened up, “Hey,” he said happily, leaning in for a kiss.

Auston returned it, dragging a nearby lounger closer and collapsing onto it.

Chase inspected him. “You okay?”

“I think I died. Fuck.”

Chase suppressed a smile. “Have fun, though?”

“I honestly can’t remember. I guess I must have.”

“We can just have a chill day today.”

Auston tilted his head towards him, smile on his face. “Thanks, baby.” He fell asleep not long after, but at least now Chase didn’t feel so…homesick.

Auston rallied in the evening, agreeing to leave the resort for dinner.

And then they saw the group of Alphas.

Auston greeted them happily, and Chase was caught in a whirlpool once more, dragged by the boisterous group.

He couldn’t believe Auston wanted to drink again , but Chase noticed how many drinks he was ordering this time—beer, wine, sangria, a series of gin and tonics because the Alphas insisted Auston was ‘posh’ enough to enjoy them.

By the look of him, Auston would have liked anything put in front of him as long as it contained alcohol.

Chase leaned towards Auston, laying a tentative hand on his wrist. “Auston.”

Auston turned, big, dopey look on his face, eye glazed and unfocused. “Hm?”

Maybe it was silly and childish to be so disconcerted by Auston’s drunkenness.

Adults got drunk all the time, especially on holiday.

He wasn’t doing anything wrong . And yet Chase couldn’t relax his shoulders, an empty pit lodged in between his lungs, making them ache every time he breathed.

“Maybe you should slow down a little? That way we can do something fun tomorrow.”

“Nah, I’m fine. I’ll be up early tomorrow, baby. Promise.” Auston left a wet kiss on Chase’s forehead and went back to talking to one of his new friends.

Chase sat there, shrinking. That might have been the first time Auston had wilfully lied to him—there was no way he was going to be up to anything tomorrow.

Chase wasn’t going to fight him on it, though. He felt outnumbered—the Alphas would probably make fun of him if he tried to reel Auston in, and what if Auston let it happen?

Chase wrapped his arms around his middle. He concentrated on his scent gland, his heartbeat, reining his scent in.

He called a taxi, Auston not even noticing, and only got up when he got a text that the car was there.

He got up, tapping Auston on the shoulder softly. “Hey, I’m gonna go.”

Auston blinked. “What? No, baby—”

“You stay. I’m just tired.” He attempted a smile. Auston either didn’t notice how fake it was or didn’t care.

Chase waved goodbye to the rest of the group and slipped away before Auston could protest further.

Shutting the car door behind him was a relief. The driver clocked that he wasn’t Spanish right away, not making conversation. Chase tried to breathe through the tangle of feelings in his chest.

Auston was going through something big. He was allowed to get drunk and let off steam.

Chase just didn’t want to be there for it.

It wasn’t as if Chase wanted to just abandon Auston in his time of need. Chase had promised to be there with his mate through sorrow and grief—but this wasn’t that. This was standing in the periphery, alone and unsettled, watching Auston get drunker than he’d ever seen the Alpha get.

And maybe if this happened at home, it would be a little better.

Chase could spend time with Sammy and Noah.

And maybe if Auston was getting wasted in celebration of something, or to have a good time, Chase would be able to just roll his eyes and tuck Auston in and make sure he was hydrated and be happy for him.

But there was nothing joyful about Auston right then, even if he was laughing with a bunch of strangers. There was an edge of self-destruction that hurt to watch.

The hotel room seemed eerily quiet and sterile as Chase stepped inside. He sat on the edge of the perfectly made bed to take off his sneakers, placing them carefully by his suitcase.

He sat there, a lone figure on a small, distant island.

He got ready for bed alone for the second time, slipping into the cool sheets, pressed down by them, they were so well tucked in. The lights were off, and it was cool and quiet, but something felt wrong.

Chase sat up, turning on the light set into the corner of the headboard. He inspected the room. Everything was so…impersonal.

He got up, checking the closet. Nothing.

He chewed on his thumbnail. Checked his phone. Searched the closet again.

He called reception.

“Oh, hi. Erm. Could I have some nesting materials sent up to room 900?” he asked. He waited to be asked if he was in heat, but the person manning reception just agreed happily.

It didn’t take even ten minutes for a vacuum-sealed package to be delivered, filled with scentless blankets and pillows.

Chase felt the pressure on his ribs ease as he got to work. He stuffed some of Auston’s dirty clothes between the pillows and draped the blankets on top.

Chase breathed, their combined scents finally slowing Chase’s heartbeat.

God, he was fine .

He climbed into the nest. That was better. He left the light on like a little kid afraid of the dark and went to sleep.

***

Chase gasped awake.

He shot up, looking around wildly. Where the fuck—

Oh, right. The hotel room. Everything was dim but lit enough to show Auston leaning against the wall opposite the bed, eyes wide, the wall-mounted TV askew—probably what had made the noise that woke Chase up.

He flopped down, pressing a hand to his chest. “Oh my God, you gave me a heart attack,” he complained sleepily. He snuggled into the nest again. He’d made it big enough for Auston, so the Alpha should have no problem climbing in.

Chase shut his eyes, waiting for Auston to join him and pass out, but there was only stillness and silence.

Chase peeked at Auston, tensing at the expression on his face. “Hey…are you okay?”

Auston looked…devastated. He was staring at the bed as if he’d never seen anything like it, eyes wide, open mouth tilted south. At Chase’s words, he stumbled forwards and palmed a blanket. “You made a nest.”

Chase curled into himself. Auston had never had a problem with Chase nesting outside of heat—had encouraged it in the past—but what if that had been a lie, and now that Auston was drunk, the truth would come spilling out?

Chase swallowed an apology—it was his first instinct, but he had nothing to be sorry about. “Yeah. I just…felt like the room needed it.”

Auston’s eyebrows bunched up, but he didn’t say anything. Instead, he turned and made his way unsteadily into the bathroom.

Chase frowned, laying down tentatively as the sound of the shower started up. Maybe Auston wasn’t as drunk as the previous night.

That idea went out the window when the shower turned off, followed up by the clatter of its glass door and then loud retching.

“Shit,” Chase muttered, getting up. Auston was hunched over the toilet, absolutely soaked.

Chase rested a palm on Auston’s back, but it only made Auston flinched away. “No—go back to bed. Please.”

“No way. You can throw up in peace, but I’m helping you clean up.”

Chase stepped out of the room, waiting until the retching sounds died out so he could help Auston stand up. It was probably the only time in their relationship Chase wished he were bigger—Auston weighed a lot .

Still, he was mostly showered, so he just had to prompt Auston to wash his face and teeth and towel off, making sure the toilet had been flushed and wasn’t a mess.

They made it to the bed, Auston groaning as if he’d been shot as he got on his belly. Chest turned off the light and curled up in his spot.

There were a few beats of silence before Auston’s voice floated in the darkness. “I’m sorry.”

Chase peered over his shoulder. His eyes hadn’t adjusted to the gloom, so Auston was just a blurry figure. “It’s okay.”

“No.” A hand stretched out, touching Chase lightly on the arm. “Can I?”

It took Chase a moment to realise Auston was asking for permission to get closer. His throat clenched, eyes going hot.

Chase rolled over, cuddling up to Auston, who wrapped him up immediately.

“I’m sorry,” Auston repeated, voice slurred and heavy and wet. “I shouldn’t have left you alone. I just…”

“Let’s go to sleep, yeah? We can talk tomorrow.”

Chase felt Auston’s chest expand with a deep, slow breath. “Okay.”