My Hockey Alpha novel Chapter 154

Nina

“If you’re only going to get in the way with that, then… I’ll have to kill you, too.”

As James spoke, his voice was dark and sinister. He slowly backed me into a corner, leaving me nowhere to go. I felt a slight chuckle escape my lips, wondering if he was just joking… But he wasn’t. As I looked into James’ dark, grim face, I knew now that he was being one hundred percent serious, and suddenly the knot in my throat grew so large I could hardly breathe.

“J-James…” I stammered, pressing my back up against the wall, “...This isn't you. I know you don’t want to hurt me.”

“You’re right,” he responded in a low, even voice. “But you’re leaving me no choice. I can’t let you leave here if you’re just planning on helping those dirty, disgusting monsters.”

“I-I won’t do anything,” I pleaded. “Please. I’m on your side.”

James chuckled. “I’m not stupid, Nina. I know you’re full of shit. Enzo sent you here, didn’t he? Are you his little minion?”

As he spoke, his voice hissed through his teeth and his hand shot out. He grabbed my wrist tightly, pinning it against the wall and making me cry out in unexpected pain.

“James!” I said as I wriggled beneath his grip. “Enzo didn’t send me. I swear. You can trust me.”

He still didn’t believe me. His grip only tightened around my wrist while his other hand worked its way up to my throat. I tried to kick him as I thrashed to get free, but he was suddenly much stronger than I ever imagined and I felt so weak beneath his touch. Where was my wolf’s strength when I needed her? Ever since I met Selena, I couldn’t feel my wolf’s presence at all.

“Ugh, you reek of those beasts,” James growled as he held me, his fingers slowly wrapping around my throat. “It’s disgusting.”

“What about Edward?” I pleaded. “He’s a werewolf, too. He’s more evil than Enzo. You were in love with him, weren’t you?”

James’ eyes widened at the mention of Edward, but he shook his head and tightened his grip around my throat. I felt my airways begin to constrict, and I tried to pry his fingers away with my free hand as I started to choke. “Don’t bring Edward into this,” he snarled, staring down his nose at me. “You don’t know anything about our relationship.”

I felt my vision begin to fade as I gasped for air. James’ fingers around my throat felt like rope, burning into my skin and twisting, tearing it. “J-Ja—” was all I could choke out. He began to slide me up the wall by my neck. I wriggled helplessly, gasping for what little air I could, but it was no use.

James was going to kill me.

“Consider this a mercy,” James said. “If I don’t kill you now, someone else is bound to kill you in a far worse way down the road… Assuming you don’t become a mindless rogue like the rest. Goodbye, Nina. You were a good friend, once.”

My vision began to fade in and out. James’ face flashed in front of me. I felt myself begin to fall limp, and my eyes fluttered shut…

But I saw another face as my vision went to black.

Not James’ face, but Enzo’s. Enzo’s sad, lonesome eyes staring back at me as Selena pushed me through the portal.

James never followed me — at least, I didn’t hear his footsteps anymore — but at that moment, I thought that he achieved his goal anyway as my head began to reel from the extreme blood loss, which was only exacerbated by the exertion.

This was it. I wasn’t going to make it; I couldn’t run anymore, couldn’t cry for help.

All I could do was fall back on the grass, arms outstretched, and stare up at the stars.

It really was a beautiful night. The sky was clear of clouds. Above me, I could make out Orion’s constellation. The different shades of blue in the night sky swirled together, whirling around as my vision began to distort and flicker in and out, but Orion stayed steady, strong. The crickets around me chirped happily, completely oblivious to the horrors that were happening here in this very town.

A smile started to spread across my face.

“It’s a girl!”

A man’s voice called from a distance. I heard footsteps pounding closer. The sound of someone falling to their knees next to me. Everything was muffled as I slipped out of consciousness.

“She’s been shot!”

And then… A face came into view, blocking Orion.