Page 11

We couldn’t get showered and dressed fast enough. Our practice had been like skating in a minefield. Everyone seemed to get in everyone else’s face. Maddox especially had it out for Casimir. I still didn’t know what went on between Casimir and Kienna. Nor did I know why it took so long to find her. Maddox never said where he found her or how he convinced her to come back to the lounge.

It shouldn’t matter as long as she was safe. That was my primary concern, but the not knowing writhed under my skin. I was the pack leader. Not that I was the nosy type, but I needed to know everything.

My fingers drummed on the armrest of the front passenger seat in Tiergan’s SUV. I resisted the urge to bark at him to go faster, but he was already weaving in and out of busy downtown traffic.

“Do you think they’ll let us drink tonight? I could really use something hard after that practice today.” Ewan scrolled on his cell. The screen’s light reflected on his face and highlighted his bored expression.

“Even if they let us, we shouldn’t. We need to make a good impression on Mr. Birk.” I stared out the window and found my lips curling into a smile at the sight of a pink billboard. Pink like Kienna’s hair. Everything I saw reminded me of her. The laughing woman on the dental ad, the puffy coat in the store display window, and the scent of the first spring flowers in the boxes along the main street.

Dammit. I needed to stop thinking with my Alpha hormones and focus on hockey. Our careers were incredibly important to all of us, and winning the play-offs this year would be big on all levels.

“I’ve got my Canadian good mannered schmoozing ready to go.” Tiergan flashed me a grin and straightened his tie with one hand.

“What you have is a clip-on,” Maddox playfully snarked, and we all laughed. Some tension lifted, and I could breathe a little easier.

It would all go well. Mr. Birk seemed easy-going and open to talk about anything we wanted. The only distraction would be Kienna, but she said she was leaving Winnipeg to visit a friend. As much as I wanted to chain her to me, I pulled back from that urge. If she was gone, then we’d all be able to fully focus on kicking Chicago’s ass.

The cousins yammered on the rest of the way. Tiergan found a spot around the corner from the restaurant to park. It irked me to see Casimir’s sports car already there, but screw him. We were here for the new owner and for the team.

The steakhouse was an old house converted into a fancy establishment. Our coats were taken at the door, and since the whole place had been rented out just for our team and staff, we were allowed to wander in to find our own table to sit.

Greeting our teammates as we walked through, I knew exactly where I wanted to sit. Mr. Birk was at the big table in the main dining room with the coach to one side and Kienna on the other at the end of the table. She fiddled with her napkin as the two men chatted, looking a little lost. I gritted my teeth as my instincts demanded I move a chair to sit with her and forced all my attention on her father.

“Mr. Birk.” I smiled and extended my hand as we approached. “It’s good to see you again. Thank you so much for treating the team to a fine meal tonight.”

“Kane, great to see you. It’s my pleasure.” Birk stood and shook my hand. I moved out of the way for the rest of the pack to greet him.

Someone had already taken the chair directly across from Kienna, even though they weren’t at the table at the moment, and so I took the seat across from her father. I caught her peering at me from the corners of her eyes, but she turned her head away and pretended to check her phone when I looked at her.

Once the whole pack was seated, Birk motioned to the menus. “Order anything you want. It’s on me. I want the team full of energy from a good dinner before the game tomorrow night.”

“We’re going to kick their asses!” Ewan hooted, receiving a stern look from the coach.

Birk just laughed and raised his glass. “Here’s to the Rampage’s win against the Flurry!”

We all raised our glasses—which only had water in them at the moment—and toasted to what we were sure would be a victory. Once Birk put down his glass, Kienna tugged on his sleeve and whispered something to him.

He patted her hand. “Later, honey. Have a nice steak and we’ll talk when we get back to the hotel.”

Kienna’s jaw hardened as her father turned away from her. Her shoulders drooped and she stared at the phone in her hands again. Yet her fingers didn’t move, and the screen seemed blank.

While Birk seemed relaxed and in a good mood, Kienna was not. The tension between them was lost on her father. What was going on? Though she was schooling her pretty face to remain neutral, she was no doubt upset. Her lips pulled down and her gorgeous green eyes lost some of their gleam. I didn’t want to judge Birk as a father having just met him, but Kienna was unhappy. He needed to fix it.

Fuck. I wanted to fix it.

Tiergan, who sat on my left, nudged me and subtly nodded toward Kienna. No doubt he sensed her misery too. Maddox was at the other end of the table staring at her with his hands clenched in fists on his lap. At least the cousins were chatting up Birk and hopefully making sure he didn’t notice how the Alphas on his team were distracted by his daughter.

I gave my head a minute shake to Tiergan. Unless Birk brought her into the conversation, we shouldn’t talk to her. No matter what was happening between him and Kienna, she was still an unclaimed Omega and we were Alphas. As her escort, Birk would have to make an introduction if he wanted to do so.

Casimir walked in from another room with an open wine bottle in hand. He fully ignored us and smiled at the coach and Mr. Birk. “I selected their best vintage.” He displayed the alcohol to the two men. “A Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Shall I pour for you?”

The guy was playing it smooth. He was doing exactly as he should, as much as it presently irked me. If there wasn’t all the tension over Kienna between us, I would have been pleased how a teammate was treating our new owner. But Casimir had taken the seat nearest to Kienna. It should be my seat. Thank goodness Maddox was at the other end of the table with the naked fury on his face. Hell, I wondered what my own expression revealed. I glanced at Alderic and jerked my gaze to Maddox to let him know to keep an eye on him. The last thing we needed was a fight right here in the restaurant.

“Excellent choice, Casimir.” Birk nodded his approval and held up his wine glass to be filled.

Casimir poured wine for Birk and the coach and then motioned to Kienna. “Mr. Birk, may I offer your daughter some wine?”

My fingers dug into my thighs, wrinkling my pants. A low growl rumbled from Maddox.

Fucking hell. We could not let this night go wrong. If Birk kicked any of us off the team, we were screwed. We needed every single one of us to win against Chicago.

If Birk noticed the growl or any reaction from us, he didn’t mention it. He dipped his head to Casimir. “You can ask—”

“He can ask me directly.” Kienna snapped and folded her arms. “I’m no one’s docile pet Omega, and I can speak for myself.” She tilted her head and glared at Casimir. “I’m not a wine drinker nor am I going to take anything from a vampire who’s schmoozing my father.”

I loved the power in her. I’d seen it the previous night, but she shined with it now. It made me proud that she stood up for herself. Made me fucking hard too.

Yet there was something else in her glare. A fire that was more than anger. Casimir’s eyes had dilated as well. What the fuck was between them?

“A vampire. My dear, you have such an imagination.” Birk chuckled and patted Kienna’s leg as Casimir took his seat. “Gentlemen, this is my daughter, Kienna. She’s never been shy with speaking her mind. She would have also made an excellent left or right winger.” He flashed a grin at the cousins. “We played hockey together when she was little, and she was very clever and wily with a stick in hand.”

Damn. A beautiful and strong Omega who liked hockey. My cock hardened further.

Kienna’s anger softened a bit at that. Her father had shared that memory with great fondness. It was clear he loved his daughter. So why didn’t she want to stay here with him?

Ewan made some comment about how he’d like to have Kienna on the team opposite of him rather than Alderic, and the cousins playfully jabbed at one another. There was laughter, but the weight of the tension around the table hadn’t eased. Not for Kienna or us Alphas.

While I could smell the savory rich meat cooking from the kitchen, it was Kienna’s growing scent that was making it difficult for me to concentrate on the conversation. The sweetness with a spicy musk made me hyper aware of her every move, her every breath.

A server took our drink and food orders after delivering shrimp and oysters along with cheese bread as appetizers. Birk was sparing no expense, but Kienna wasn’t having any of it. After trying to get her father’s attention again and failing, she went back to her phone. Her features were pulled tight and she squirmed in her chair every now and then.

“Mr. Birk.” Casimir cleared his throat, getting the man’s attention. “I’d like to talk to you regarding—”

I’d been sitting back enough from the table to see Kienna kick him in the shin.

Casimir gave a slight wince and shook his leg. He opened his mouth to continue speaking, and she stood to glare at him.

Was Casimir seriously going to talk to Birk about courting Kienna right now? It had infuriated me when he said he was compatible with her and was going to ask permission from Birk, but I’d pushed that out of my mind as we rushed to find Kienna.

None of us should be dating anyone at the moment, and certainly not the owner’s daughter. We were about to start the semi-finals, and Chicago would be harder to beat than whoever we faced in the play-offs. That’s where our heads needed to be.

“Kienna?” Birk turned to look at her with concern.

“I can’t…” Kienna wrapped her arms around herself. Every movement she made seemed torn, like she might snarl or burst into tears. “I’m sorry. I’m just not feeling well. I’m going to get a rideshare back to the hotel.”

My heart thumped hard. Was she in pain with her heat? Did she need me?

“If you’re sure…” Birk started to stand, but Kienna motioned for him to stay where he was.

I stood at the same time Casimir did. Tiergan and Maddox were fast on their feet too. I swallowed a growl at the other Alphas.

“Yes, I’m sure. Remember, we need to talk later.” Kienna went around the table and when she passed by Casimir, she hissed under her breath. “Don’t you dare.”

Casimir lifted a hand. If he touched her, I would bash his face in. She had warned him. Whatever was going on between them, she had made her stance clear.

His hand dropped and he gripped the back of his chair.

The server returned with drinks, and I nodded to Tiergan and Maddox to sit. Casimir wasn’t in my pack, but I gave him the same look. If he wanted to fight me over it, too fucking bad. I was going after Kienna myself.

“If you pardon me for a minute.” I excused myself from the table and walked the opposite way Kienna had left. She’d taken the long way around. I took the most direct route to the entrance and was outside waiting for her by the time she got there.

Kienna’s pace stuttered and paused, and she blinked with surprise. “What are you doing?”

A hundred emotions crossed her face. She was barely holding on. There were faint freckles on her flushed cheeks, and I bent a little closer wanting to kiss every single one.

“I need to know you’re okay.”

“I’m not okay, but that’s not any of your business.” Kienna walked toward the sidewalk, but I nabbed her arm and tugged her with me behind the cedar bushes in the front of the restaurant. She squawked in protest but her body leaned into mine. Oh, the heat radiating off her and her delicious scent… Fuck.

I took her trembling hands into mine. “Whatever is going on, know that I’m here for you. The pack is here for you. You don’t have to deal with anything alone. Let me help you.” I knew the value of having a pack. They supported you in every way, and that was clearly what she needed. She was fighting so hard on her own, but I would battle all her monsters if she let me. “Tell me what’s going on between you and your father.”

Her lovely features crinkled and she looked away. “It doesn’t matter.”

Like fuck it didn’t. “What’s going on?”

Kienna whipped her head back round and fire danced in her eyes. “It doesn’t matter because I don’t matter. If I mattered, we would be in Ireland having the time of our lives and not here in the middle of fucking nowhere with Dad reliving his hockey dreams and forgetting he has a daughter.”

The pain was clear in her harsh words and building tears. I gathered her to me and held her so tight as I tried to drain the hurt from her. I knew it wasn’t possible. I wasn’t her father, but maybe if she saw she wasn’t alone, it might help.

There was one other issue. “And what about Casimir? What did he do?”

Kienna choked back a sobbing laugh. “Nothing.”

“He clearly did something,” I growled. Whatever had went on between the two of them was adding to her distress. I wasn’t going to let it go.

“He didn’t. It was me. I did something stupid.” She pressed her face against my chest, her confession slightly muffled. “He was a gentleman and I broke the rules. Then he keeps wanting to be a fucking gentleman by talking to my dad about us being compatible and being all proper. But I can’t. He’s on my dad’s team.” She tipped her head back and stared up at me with watery eyes. “ You’re on my dad’s team. If he saw us right now, he’d flip. I’d be locked away and your career would end.”

Hell. That only brought up more questions about her and Casimir, but the latter part of what she said, she was right. Yet at this moment, all I wanted was her. I would risk everything if…

“Don’t even think about it.” She poked me in the chest. I bared my teeth. I couldn’t let her go. “I won’t let you risk your career. You’re really good, and the team needs you. Kane Shaw, the hot center and captain of the Manitoba Rampage and leader of his pack. Hockey is your life, and I’m the bomb that could end it all.”

She read me true. I couldn’t argue against any of it. But there was suddenly this roaring Alpha inside of me with the command of drawing her in. “So you think I’m hot?”

Kienna’s brows rose with an unsaid ‘seriously?’

A car drove by with its headlights flickering over us, snapping the tension of the moment.

She pushed away from me. “I need to g—”

No.

Urgency rocked me. I needed to claim her, bite her.

I wrapped my arms around her and mashed my mouth to hers. The kiss was fervent, demanding she submit. She was mine .

Whatever mistake she made with Casimir, I’d make her forget. The lack of attention she felt from her father, I would give her every second of every day. I would make her my world, but she had to let me in.