My Hockey Alpha

Chapter 0497

The night air was crisp but not too cold-just the way I liked it. There was something about the solitude of the open road and the rumble of my motorcycle beneath me that put everything into perspective.

Nina had been going through a lot, and although I would have loved to be by her side every moment, I figured that she would appreciate having some space to think; especially right then, when she was grappling with the decision of a lifetime.

Truthfully, I didn't want her to terminate the pregnancy. When we originally thought that she was pregnant and the tests came back negative, the amount of disappointment I felt was immeasurable.

I thought she felt the same way, too. But at the end of the day, it was her body, and her decision. And it wasn't as if her reasons for wanting to end the pregnancy weren't solid, either. It made sense. It just sucked.

I revved the engine, feeling the vibrations run up my arms as I cruised along the winding country roads. The night sky stretched out above me, studded with stars that seemed to wink in and out of existence. It was as if the universe itself was in a state of unrest, much like my own life.

After driving around for a while, my bike's gas gauge warned me that I was running low, and I spotted an old gas station up ahead.

Pulling in, I killed the engine and dismounted, taking off my helmet. The bell above the door dinged as I stepped inside, the smell of oil and stale coffee filling the air.

The cashier, an older man with a bushy beard and tired eyes, looked up from his magazine. "Evening. What can I do for ya?"

"Just need to fill up and grab some snacks," I said, wandering over to the aisles lined with chips and candy bars. He nodded. "You got it. Hey, you from around here?"

"Yeah, why?"

He scratched his head, casting a glance toward the window as if expecting to see something-or someone. "Just that we've been getting some unusual visitors lately, Strangers, mostly. It's a small town, so new faces stick out." I raised an eyebrow, my interest piqued in more ways than the old man could comprehend. "Unusual how?"

He hesitated, obviously weighing whether to say more. "Oh, I don't know. Just... odd, ya know? They come at all hours, mostly late like this. Don't really buy anything, just ask for directions and leave."

I felt a knot tighten in my stomach.

Crescents.

The thought jumped to the forefront of my mind. They'd been gone for months thanks to the Alpha King's efforts, but what if they were back?

Or, better yet, what if it was more than just the Crescents? Lewis and his followers were still out there somewhere, and for the longest time, I thought that they were taken care of. But lately, I had been feeling a bit unsteady about it. It was as if my wolf could sense a change in the air, like I was being watched.

"Well, thanks for letting me know," I said, my tone dropping a few degrees.

I quickly paid for my gas and snacks and headed back out to the parking lot. As I was strapping my helmet back on, a rusted old pickup truck pulled out from behind the station and swerved into the road with a screeching of tires, its driver craning his head in the driver's seat-as though he was looking at me.

For a moment, my eyes locked onto the driver-and I'd swear on my life that it was Edward.

Without a second thought, I jumped onto my bike, turning the key and roaring onto the road. The pickup took off

down the highway, and I gripped my handles tighter, giving chase.

My heart pounded in my ears as the bike roared beneath me; I couldn't lose him, not now.

But just as quickly as I spotted him, the truck took a sharp turn onto a dirt road, disappearing into the tree line. Despite my speed, by the time I reached the turnoff, there was no sign of the vehicle. I slowed down, feeling my adrenaline fade, replaced by a sinking sense of dread.

I cursed under my breath, revving the engine as I headed back onto the main road. My mind raced, echoing with the same word over and over again: Edward. What the hell was he doing here?

The night enveloped me as I pulled over to the side of the road, the engine of my bike purring down to silence. My fingers were almost numb as I scrolled through my phone to find Luke's number.

As the dial tone hummed in my ear, the weight of the conversation I was about to have started sinking in. Luke was the pack's scout, keeping us updated on any supernatural activity in the area, but if he knew about Edward and didn't tell me...Content is property © NôvelDrama.Org.

"Hey, Enzo. What's up?" Luke's voice sounded through the speaker, breaking my train of thought.

"Luke, tell me you've seen or heard something about Edward being in town recently," I said, my voice edgier than I intended it to be. "I think I just saw him."

There was a pause on the other end, long enough for me to hear my own heartbeat. "Look, I thought I saw someone who looked like Edward last week, but I lost his trail. I was going to get more concrete info before alarming you."

My grip tightened on the phone. "And why the hell wouldn't you tell me something like this immediately?" Another pause. "I did tell Nina."

My stomach dropped. "You told Nina but not me?"

"I didn't want to cause unnecessary panic," he tried to explain, but each word only fueled my growing irritation. "That's not your call to make, Luke. I'm the one who decides what's unnecessary, especially when it involves someone like Edward."

I heard Luke take a deep breath. "I get it. It won't happen again."

I was about to launch into another lecture, but then I caught myself. Why was I so mad? Was it really about Luke keeping things from me, or was it about Nina and the secret she was almost keeping from me?

"Look, Luke, I'm sorry," I finally said, easing my grip on the phone. "It's been a tough couple of days. But please, no more keeping things from me. We have to be transparent with each other."

"Understood," Luke said, the relief evident in his voice. "Be careful, Enzo."

"Always am," I replied before hanging up. But as I mounted my bike and headed back home, the word 'careful' kept replaying in my mind. With Edward possibly back and secrets clouding my family life, being careful seemed like an impossible task.

The drive back was a blur. My thoughts raced with every twist and turn of the road, each one like the complications knotting up my life. Finally, the house came into view, a beacon in the night, but instead of feeling relieved, my gut tightened.

I pulled into the driveway and killed the engine, lifting my helmet off. Before I could even reach for the doorknob, the front door swung open. It was Nina, her eyes a mix of relief and concern.

"You're back," she said, her voice tinged with something I couldn't quite place.