My Hockey Alpha novel Chapter 77

Enzo

The very next afternoon following dropping Nina off at her dorm after the unceremonious dinner at my father’s house, my phone rang; it was my father. Rolling my eyes, I picked it up.

“I just left,” I growled, still angry with him for everything he had said at dinner. “What do you want?”

“Hello to you, too,” he said in his usual condescending manner. “You need to come home.”

“Why?” I asked. “You gonna marry me off already?”

“Just… Come home, Enzo,” my father said. He sounded almost as though he was holding himself back; as though someone else was there.

I let out a sigh, nodding instinctively even though I knew he couldn’t see me. “Alright,” I said. “I’ll be there soon.”

I was sitting on my couch and processing everything when he called me, so I reluctantly stood once I hung up and got dressed. A little while later, I stood outside my father’s house, my frown deepening as I saw an unfamiliar sports car in the driveway. I shoved my hands in my pockets and walked through the front door.

“That must be him,” I heard my father’s voice say from the dining room as I entered. Furrowing my brow as I wondered who he was talking to and why they needed me here, I approached the dining room.

My eyes widened when I saw who was there.

Sitting at the table, aside from my father, were three people: the dean, a man I didn’t recognize, and… Ronan.

My father stood and gestured for me to come in.

“This is my son, Enzo,” he said, then turned to me. “Enzo, you know Dean Cynthia and Ronan. This is Ronan’s father, Marcus. The Alpha of the Crescent pack.”

Marcus, who was a shockingly large and muscular middle-aged man -- around my father’s age -- with tanned skin, jet black hair, and striking blue eyes, stood and held his hand out for me to shake.

“So, this is the young man who captured and tortured my son,” he said as I shook his hand. I felt my face get hot and I pulled away, glancing over at Ronan.

Marcus merely chuckled. “It’s alright,” he said with a hearty grin as Ronan continued to glare at me silently with an icy stare. “My son was acting out of line. Scuffles happen.”

Ronan met my gaze, his eyes flashing momentarily as his voice echoed in my head.

“Don’t say anything,” he said. “He doesn’t know.”

“What, your own father doesn’t know that you’re working with some mystery lady to kidnap my friend?” I replied, still using our mindlink.

“Nope. And I’d like to keep it that way.”

“Sit down, Enzo,” my father said, breaking Ronan’s and my silent conversation. I hesitantly walked over to an open chair next to my father and sat down. “Now that we’re all here,” he continued, clasping his hands on the table, “we can make this official.”

…

Later, after Ronan, Marcus, and the dean left, I was alone with my father again.

“Do you really believe in this?” I said quietly, staring down at my hands on the table.

My father sighed. “It’s worth a shot. It’s better than war. Your mother…” His voice faltered, and he fell silent for some time.

“Does this mean I don’t have to marry that other woman?” I asked finally after several long minutes of silence.

“It’s not that simple, Enzo,” my father said coldly, standing from the table. “What’s done is done. The marriage has been arranged. She’s your fated mate.”

I felt my heart catch in my throat at his words, and involuntarily shook my head. “No,” I said, thinking of Nina, thinking of her soft brown eyes and her gentle smile and her kind heart. “She’s not. She can’t be--”

“Enough!” my father suddenly shouted, slamming his fists on the table. We stared at each other, wide-eyed, for several moments before he spoke again, his voice shaking this time. “I’m going to be monitoring your performance from now on. We have to win this tournament.”

Before I had the chance to respond, my father straightened once more and walked from the room without another word.