My Hockey Alpha Neighbor

Carol’s POV

As we spend the night at my family’s place, the weight of the recent events still lingers. My parents welcome us back into the house with nervous smiles. After we explain the results of our excursion, they thank us — although some unease still remains. We try to push it aside, if only for a little while. We gather around the kitchen table, surrounded by the comforting warmth of home, and pull out an old board game. We’re all clearly hoping to ease our nerves with some lighthearted competition.

We enjoy the night as much as we can. It’s nice to catch up with my parents, and knowing that the strangers are dealt with for now does provide some relief. My parents are obviously grateful. I’m grateful, too, that I was able to do something. Everything that has been hitting Aiden and 1 has made me feel powerless, so this is definitely a boost to my general optimism.

Things aren’t all perfect, though Aiden is quiet for the rest of the night. He still smiles politely and says all the right things, but there is a sort of heaviness that hangs over him. It seems like only I notice it, though my parents become more cheerful until they decide it’s time for them to turn in

After my parents head to bed for the night, I decide I can’t handle the mystery any longer.

“Aiden? Is everything alright?” I ask quietly as we prepare the guest bedroom for the best night’s sleep that we can manage.

Aiden glances up at me with a small smile. Even that doesn’t seem to reach his eyes. “I’m alright. Just — thinking,” he murmurs. I know that there’s more to what he’s struggling with just by the tone of his voice.

“About what?” I ask. I can’t help but play with my hair, a nervous tick I’ve never been able to shake. Aiden’s eyes dart away from my gaze. He had a pensive look on his face as he stares out of the window into the thick night.

It’s nothing,” he says eventually. “Nothing important at least. Right now, all I want to do is enjoy the rest of our time here, I want to enjoy all the time that we can with your family”

I want to press further, but the genuine concern on his face stops me. I can tell this is something he is still working through himself. I decide to let it rest for now. We climb into bell, and the two of us hold one another tightly as we drift off to sleep –

The weekend passes without further incident. Aiden and I are quickly able to settle into the comfort of my parents” old home. We run errands, enjoy walks through the local parks, and window shop in the quaint downtown area. I’m thankful to see that Aiden seems to be enjoying himself as much as I am.

Soon enough, the prospect of returning to the city looms over us like a dark cloud. Neither of us is eager to return. chaos of our lives again, where danger seems to lurk where we least expect it,

to the

Aiden and I are sitting in the backyard and enjoying the quiet sound of the birds in the trees when he broaches the topic. There has been an unspoken sense between the two of us were hesitant to go back to our normal lives.

“I could get used to this,” he says eventually. “It’s quiet here. Peaceful. It makes me feel very free.”

I look up at him, a small smile tugging at the corners of my lips. It is nice to be back,” I admit, grateful for the reprieve from the constant drama of werewolf packs and paparazzi. Assuming those intruders have been dealt with for good, I think with chagrin.

Aiden’s expression softens. He reaches out to take my hand in his The light of the setting sun almost dyes his eyes golden. I feel my heart swell just as it has many times as of recently.

“I’m sorry for dragging you into all of this,” he says softly. His gare looks heavy with regret. “I don’t want to make your life

worse. I

I cun Arden off with a gentle but firm squeeze of his hand. I shake my head knowingly. “You aren’t dragging me into

111Content rights belong to NôvelDrama.Org.

anything. Aiden. I chose this, I chose you. That’s something I’m pot going to regret,” I say softly.

The smile on Aiden’s face only makes my heart twist even more. He’s so handsome. Just looking at him like this, you wouldn’t even know all of the stress he normally carries. You can almost always see it in shoulders, in his eyes.. but right now he looks at peace.

Aiden looks as though he’s about to say something more, but his lips tighten. He hesitates, biting back any words that might have escaped.

I can feel that something has been on Aiden’s mind, simmering right beneath the surface. I can’t help but feel curious. Still, I don’t want to press Aiden especially since we’re just starting to feel some semblance of peace.

3rd Person POV

In the far reaches of the city, three figures make their way out of the gates of a prison. Crowds of inmates and guards watch them with wary eyes as the warden unlocks their handcuffs one by one.

“Well, you three are lucky,” he says gruffly. “An anonymous bail donation has been made for all three of you. You’re free to go.”

The three exchange knowing looks before silently accepting their freedom. The gates swing closed behind them, and soon enough the three of them are walking down a country highway and back toward civilization.

They’ve only made it a few hundred meters away from the jail when one of them pulls out his phone. He puts his phone on speaker as it rings. The call only rings twice before someone on the other end picks up.

“I assume if you’re calling me, that means our little payment went through,” a rich voice crackles through the speaker of the phone.

“We’re just outside of the jail now. Westward facing. Only about half of a mile out from the more populated areas.”

The voice on the other end hums with agreement. They murmur something under their breath- presumably to someone on their end of the line-before turning their attention back to the three ex-prisoners.

“And your identities?”

One of the trio chuckles. “They have no idea.”

“Perfect.” Even through the speaker of an old phone, the voice practically drips with satisfaction. “Keep in touch. Your driver will be there shortly

The familiar sound of a call being disconnected cuts through the relative silence of the evening. The three turn toward the edges of the city in time to see a sleek black car headed in their direction.

To an outsider, the three would seemingly have nothing in common. In fact, only two people could likely recognize ther Aiden and Carol. After all, they were the three that they had sent to jail.

The man who had been caught in their driveway stands alongside the two who had been hiding outside of the Miller’s family home. And now, their freedom has been assured.

111