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23. Rules of the Game
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2024-10-29 19:42:56Related chapters
Hockey Alphas - Pawns For Pucks 24. Sounds Intense
"Okay," Adrien began, tapping the book with his pen. "Hockey has offense and defense. You have six players on the ice per team. Three forwards, two defensemen, and a goalie. The forwards are responsible for scoring goals, while the defensemen focus on stopping the other team from scoring. The goalie, obviously, is the last line of defense." I nodded, trying to visualize what he was describing. It seemed straightforward enough, but the speed and intensity of the game had always intimidated me. "So, what am I expected to do?" I asked, hoping he would say everything simple. Adrien smiled, understanding my apprehension. "You'll probably be put in as a forward, but don't worry. You won't play much, especially not until you've been to a practice or two. It's more about getting familiar with the game, seeing how you move on the ice." He flipped to a page with diagrams of the different positions. "The easiest position for someone new is probably right wing. You stick to the side, focus on
Hockey Alphas - Pawns For Pucks 25. Feeling a Little Froggy
The morning of the game, I faced a new challenge. Getting dressed in the locker room with the guys who totally expected me to be there now without revealing too much. So, I layered most of my uniform under my new heavy winter coat, planning to use the cold as an excuse for my unusual dressing routine. If anyone asked, I was just trying to stay warm on the way to the rink, being Southern and all.The guys decided to head out three hours early to help me catch up on what I needed to know before the game. Nick took the lead, his Northern Russian upbringing making him seemingly impervious to the harsh, snowy conditions. He barreled through the snow like it was nothing, totally in his element. The snow was still falling heavily, the drifts so high they nearly obscured the path. Not familiar with the routes and struggling to keep up, I found myself trailing far behind the group quickly.Jules noticed and doubled back, wrapping his arm around my shoulders with a laugh. "Sorry, forgot you
Hockey Alphas - Pawns For Pucks 26. Stay on your Feet
The crowd erupted as the puck dropped to start the game, the noise echoing through the arena like a thunderstorm. Adrien took control from the get-go, weaving through defenders with ease, handling the stick like it was an extension of his body. He made play after play, darting up and down the ice, setting up his teammates for scoring opportunities. When Adrien scored the first goal, the crowd went wild. He skated by the stands, flashing that charming smile, his stick raised high in celebration. His confidence was contagious. The more he played, the more it felt like he was the engine driving the team forward. Thomas didn't last long before he was sent to the penalty box for tripping. It was almost funny how quickly the referees caught him, but there was no denying the aggression in his plays. Alec and Kris worked together seamlessly, even if they often switched sides, confusing the coach and the other team. At one point, the coach had to yell at them to stick to their designated z
Hockey Alphas - Pawns For Pucks 27. Win
Back in the locker room, the energy was insane. The boys were still riding high from the win, hooping and hollering, slapping each other on the back like they'd just won the Stanley Cup. Adrien was the center of attention, basking in the team's praise. The pre-game resentment I'd noticed had vanished. Everyone was on his side now. I was starting to understand why he could brush off the negativity. It wasn't ego...it was confidence, the kind that came from knowing you were the best. Cam strolled in and pulled Thomas into the hallway. My curiosity got the better of me, so I edged toward the door, pretending to be engaged in a conversation while I strained to hear what was going on. Cam's voice was sharp and angry, echoing through the corridor. He was berating Thomas for letting me get hit by the opposing team. Cam was really laying into him, calling him useless and incompetent for not protecting me like he should have. What the hell? Why was Cam suddenly concerned about me? This w
Hockey Alphas - Pawns For Pucks 28. In My Room
"Hey," Adrien breathed out, his eyes widening a fraction. "I was wondering if anyone was still awake. Come talk to me." Swallowing hard, I stuttered, "Well, I need to shower…" He looked at the communal shower room with evident disgust written across his face. "I bet it is nasty as hell in there right now. Just shower in my room," he suggested quickly, leading the way. We walked down to the floor below, and he opened the door to a room much larger than any student accommodation had any right to be. Arms wrapped tightly around my chest, I followed him inside, my teeth practically chattering from nerves more than the cold. "You cold?" Adrien asked, eyeing me curiously. "Yeah, I'm Southern, remember?" I tried to joke and deflect. Adrien chuckled. "Yeah, it's pretty clear every time you open your mouth." I excused myself, claiming I needed another jacket, but I returned to my room to put on my binder. I tiptoed around a still-sleeping Alec, quickly pulling the binder over my head. T
Hockey Alphas - Pawns For Pucks 29. Towels and Cups
The moment the power cut out, Adrien sighed, leaning back on his bed. "Great," he muttered. "Shit," I swore under my breath, realizing I didn't have my flashlight. "I didn't bring my flashlight. If they see me in the stairwell without it, I'll get demerits, won't I?" "Just stay in here," Adrien replied. "You're okay." His words seemed to carry a double meaning, like he really didn't want me to leave. We talked for a while longer until the conversation faded into comfortable silence. I felt my eyes getting heavy, the adrenaline from the earlier game finally wearing off. Before I knew it, I was asleep on his spare bed, the storm outside still howling against the windows. It was exceptionally odd how comfortable I felt in his room immediately. I jolted awake the following day. A sudden noise, or maybe just a bad dream, pulled me back to consciousness. I was warm, almost overheating. I sat up, pushing the pile of blankets off me. Adrien must have piled every blanket he had on me
Hockey Alphas - Pawns For Pucks 30. Nice Move
As I walked back to the dorm with the box in my hand, a wave of anxiety washed over me. The box's contents felt like a ticking bomb. "Hey guys, where are you all headed?" I stammered out, trying to sound casual as Kris, Bear, and Alec intercepted me in the stairwell. "Back to bed," Kris replied with a lazy grin. "I'm ready to crash again." Bear grunted in agreement, the sentiment clearly mutual. Alec, who had been silent up until now, eyed the box under my arm with suspicion. "And where are you going with that?" he asked. I scrambled for a plausible excuse. "Oh, I was just heading back to change for class... This? It's just some extra stuff the nurse insisted I have, you know, with me being so new and not used to the weather and all..." The words tumbled out in a hurried jumble, sounding less convincing than I'd hoped. Alec squinted slightly, clearly not buying it. "Why are you going to class?" he asked. "Because I don't want to get in trouble?" I replied, the question sounding
Hockey Alphas - Pawns For Pucks 31. For Real?
I trudged up the steps to where Alec was sitting, the cold metal of the bleachers biting through the fabric of my pants as I sat down next to him."Hey man," I ventured, breaking the silence.Alec grunted a "hey," not bothering to look at me. His eyes fixed on the emptying rink. Something was off. I could feel the energy of his foul mood radiating from him. "Did I make you mad or something? You know I don't want your position, right?" I added, hoping to lighten his mood or at least get him to talk.He huffed. "Yeah, I know."His answer left me more bewildered than reassured. What was his problem then? We shared a room. I didn't want our relationship to be strained, especially not when I was just starting to fit in. "What did I do to upset you then?" I pressed.Alec turned to look at me, his expression hard to read. "I'm not upset at you," he finally said."Then what is it, Alec? You're acting so strange now," I pushed, not ready to drop it. There was something more going on with him,
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Hockey Alphas - Pawns For Pucks 93. Playbook
I stood there frozen for what felt like forever, racing to catch up with what I was seeing. Cam and Jules weren't talking.They were wrapped up in each other. Cam had Jules pressed against the wall, their bodies close, lips locked in a kiss that made it clear this was about more than any argument over me.I took a step back, feeling the awkwardness settle into my bones. This wasn't what I'd expected when I followed them. I intended to walk away, to give them their moment. Then I glanced down and saw Cam's clothes in my hand. Of course, he was still in his boxers. I couldn't just walk away. He was already in trouble. Getting caught kissing a guy in the stairwell, barely dressed, would be his undoing. There is no doubt about that. He couldn't get in trouble and disappear without helping me fix whatever the hell was making random voices constantly whisper in my head. It was tolerable right now, but I had a sneaky suspicion that wouldn't be the case for long. I walked up the stairs a
Hockey Alphas - Pawns For Pucks 92. Weirder
I woke up to the door flying open and crashing against the wall. I jerked upright, struggling to adjust to the dim light assaulted by the bright lights from the hallway. The voices were quieter, even though I could still feel them. Jules stood in the doorway, looking like he was seconds away from tearing the room apart. His chest rose and fell rapidly, and before I could even get a word out, he stormed inside, fury radiating off him.“Cam!” Jules barked, crossing the room in just a few long strides. His energy was wild, dangerous, and aimed directly at Cam.I blinked, trying to catch up. My mind was jumbled, especially when I glanced over and saw Cam. He was sitting on the edge of the desk. Shirtless.Just sitting there, like it was the most natural thing in the world to be in nothing but his boxers. The sight threw me off, but his bed made my head spin. Cam’s bed was perfectly made, neat and untouched. Mine wasn’t.Or rather, the bed I was in wasn’t.I barely had time to process an
Hockey Alphas - Pawns For Pucks 91. Smelled Good
The cold air bit through my skin, chilling me to the bone, but I didn't care. I sat on the steps outside the dorm, legs pulled up, arms wrapped tight around them, trying to keep myself together. It was freezing, but it wasn't the cold that had me shaking. It was the voices.“Jamie… Jamie…”They whispered repeatedly, the name grating at me like nails on glass. My real name. A name that didn't feel like mine anymore. I hadn't been Jamie in a long time.But the voices wouldn't stop."You're not who you say you are."It kept going relentlessly, pushing against my skull. My thoughts tangled up in themselves, a knot I couldn't untie. They were loud, louder than anything I could handle. And they weren't just words.They were pulling at something deeper. My insecurities, my secrets, things I'd buried long ago.I wasn't Jamie anymore. I'd changed. I had to. I wasn't that scared girl hiding in the shadows, pretending to fit into a world that would never accept her. Not anymore. But the vo
Hockey Alphas - Pawns For Pucks 90.
( CAM POV ) The night of the dance was still burned into my memory. It had started off innocent enough—awkward conversations, forced smiles, and that strange, tense feeling of being out of place. I'd gone with some girl from my class, though I can't even remember her name now. We barely spoke. I didn't care to impress her, didn't care to dance. I spent most of the night wondering why I was even there.Then Jules found me.I'd known him for a while, but we weren't exactly close. He was one of those guys who radiated confidence without trying. Everyone liked him. He was different, though. He wasn't pretending like everyone else at the dance. He didn't have to force anything.When he approached me, it was late, and most of the crowd had already left. We ended up outside, sitting by the field, where no one could see us. The stars were out, scattered across the sky like they had a purpose.Something I felt like I lacked.We didn't talk much, just sat there, staring out into the dark. Th
Hockey Alphas - Pawns For Pucks 89. Boy-war?
Alec, Kris, Bear, and I sat near the back of french class, barely keeping it together. Kris was the only one who wasn’t struggling. He had this uncanny knack for getting every pronunciation right, even with the most tongue-twisting words. I slouched in my chair, staring at the chalkboard. The teacher had written a list of words, each more difficult than the last. “Oeil,” “Bouilloire,” “Rouge-gorge.” She was pacing in front of the class, listening to us mangle each one as we tried to sound them out. Kris, of course, had breezed through them. Bear and I? Not so much.“James, try again,” the teacher said, her voice soft but with that edge that made you feel like you were disappointing her. “It’s ‘oeil,’ not ‘oil.’ You have to use the back of your throat more.”I sighed. “Uh... Ool?”The teacher winced, like I’d just stepped on her favorite pet. Kris smirked from beside me, barely holding back a laugh, and Bear gave me an exaggerated shrug.“Close enough,” she said, though I could tell
Hockey Alphas - Pawns For Pucks 88. Secrets
It had been a couple of days since everything about Cam came to light, but the shock hadn't worn off. The team was still uneasy around each other, and every conversation felt forced, like we were all walking on eggshells. Cam had been allowed to stay at the school and on the team under certain conditions.Strict ones. Dean Carrigan laid it out pretty clearly. Cam wasn't allowed to leave campus or go into the woods where we used to run drills. He had to move permanently into the dorms, too. No going home for breaks, no visiting family. It was like the school had put him under house arrest.I wasn't sure how I felt about it. On one hand, Cam deserved consequences for the deception, but something didn't sit right with me. It became obvious pretty quickly that he was struggling with more than just losing his powers. The necklace that had been the source of his magic wasn't just making him look perfect.It was doing something else, something deeper. At first, I thought it was just physi
Hockey Alphas - Pawns For Pucks 87. Perfect
Wanda glanced between Bear and me. She must have noticed the exhaustion, the confusion on my face. She rubbed her eyes, then turned to Bear."You're fine," she said, motioning toward the door. "Go back to your dorm, rest up. No need to worry. If you need emotional support, let me know." Bear huffed, then nodded and left. He didn't like being a part of the drama, and he had somehow got sucked in. Wanda turned to me as the door closed behind him, her demeanor shifting instantly. This wasn't just a check-up anymore. She pulled up a chair and sat across from me."Jamie," she started. "We need to talk." I straightened up, bracing myself."You've been through a lot today," she continued. "But there's something we need to address. Cameron."The betrayal was still fresh. I nodded for her to continue."I've known Cam since he was about ten," Wanda said. "Back then, he was just a normal kid. Quiet, kept to himself. But after one break, he came back different. Perfect. Too perfect. It wasn't
Hockey Alphas - Pawns For Pucks 86. Even
Dean Carrigan pulled the curtain aside with a sharp motion, grabbing the person tangled beneath it. I braced myself, fully expecting to see Whitaker. For him to team up with the Dean to expose my secret to the entire school of boys.But...It wasn't him. It wasn't Whitaker at all.Dark, messy hair covered a face dotted with acne.A face I knew all too well. The stained t-shirt and baggy khaki shorts were familiar. I'd seen them recently. My heart seemed to freeze as the realization sank in.It was Cameron. I struggled to piece it all together. How could it be Cam? This was the last thing I expected.Carrigan didn't pause, didn't hesitate for a second. He yanked Cam up by the front of his shirt, lifting him until they were eye to eye. "Cameron!" Carrigan barked. "You crossed a line with this nonsense, son! You, of all people, should understand how important today is, yet you choose to cause chaos. Just like last year."Cam didn't fight back. He didn't struggle or resist. He just sto
Hockey Alphas - Pawns For Pucks 85. Blurring the Lines
The curtain that separated the regular gym from the rest had been pulled across to serve as a background for the stage they had set up to speak from.I was pinned against the wall, right beside where the curtain met the gym wall. Just on the other side was the entire student body of IronCrest. If Whitaker exposed me, it would be in front of the whole school. My heart pounded against my already constricted chest. This couldn't be happening.Not here, not now.Whitaker loomed over me, his fingers hovered over the top button of my jacket. "I've been watching you for a while, James," he said, slowly undoing the first button. "There's something about you… something I just can't quite put my finger on.""Funny," I shot back, trying to keep steady despite the panic. "I've only seen you once."He smirked, and it made my skin crawl. It was oddly familiar, but I was so panicked my mind was racing too fast to piece together where. "I'm always in the shadows, James. It's where I do my best work.
