My Hockey Alpha



Chapter 0788

Nina

Despite the refugee camp's chaos, it was a shockingly lively place with a lot of laughter. Now that so many families had been reunited and we had made our way to an untouched swath of forest, things seemed to be looking up. Over the next couple of days, the camp grew more and more lively. Tents were erected, bonfires were built, food was foraged, and soon, each night became a melodic cacophony of voices and music; all that was really lacking were permanent structures.

If only Enzo were here.

Every minute, I found myself looking for him, watching the treeline to see if he might emerge. I knew what the others were thinking-that I was just in denial and that he hadn't made it through the inferno.

But he had. I knew he had. I couldn't explain it, but I could sense it; as though that tiny shred of the bond we still shared, the mate bond that couldn't be entirely severed, could still feel him out there.

And I wouldn't lose hope.

As the large bonfire flickered in the center of camp one night, I found myself wandering almost aimlessly. Nearby, a group of children who had taken a liking to me played quietly amongst themselves, their parents watching drowsily from afar.

When I approached, the childrens' faces lit up, their hushed whispers giving way to excited chatter as they caught sight of me. "Nina! Nina!" one of them cried out, pointing her tiny finger at me. "Story!"

I couldn't help but smile. "You want a story?" I asked, stifling a laugh.

The children nodded excitedly. "The wolf story!" one of them exclaimed. "We want to hear the wolf story again!"

How could I refuse? The 'wolf story' in question was one that I had made up yesterday on the spot, a story about a rogue wolf chasing a little girl. It was a scary story that had made the children gasp, their eyes wide with fear, but they seemed to love it.

"Alright, alright," I said, settling down onto the blanket that was spread out where they had been playing. "Gather around. Once upon a time..."

Over the following minutes, I told the story of the rogue wolf and the little girl-everything from the little girl getting lost in the woods, the wolf luring her into a trap, and finally trying to eat her.

"And then, the wolf snapped his giant jaws!" I exclaimed, clapping my hands to make the kids jump as they watched, wide-eyed and rapt with anticipation. "But..." I paused, lowering my voice to increase the suspense.".... the little girl was quick! She ducked under the wolf, and..."

"N-Nina," one of the children whimpered.

I paused, my eyes sliding over to the little girl. She, like the others, had a look of fear on her face. But this was no ordinary fear brought about by a tall tale told around a campfire; this was a look of pure terror. She shook where she sat, her knees pulled up to her chest, and then...

She lifted her finger, pointing behind me.

"W-Wolf."

It was then that a sudden sound caught my attention, a faint rustling from behind the line of trees that lined the edge of the camp. With my brow furrowed and my heart pounding in my chest, I slowly turned.

The moments that stretched on next felt like an eternity.

At first, there was nothing; I thought that maybe it was the wind, or a deer, or someone on a walk beyond the camp. But, why, then, couldn't I seem to pull my eyes away?

Suddenly, my breath caught in my throat as a hulking wolf stepped into the clearing, its fur caked with ash and grime, its eyes glazed with exhaustion. The children behind me fell utterly still and silent, like tiny mice frozen

beneath the gaze of a lion.

"Kids," I said, slowly rising to my feet. "Go on to your tents, now."

"But Nina-"

"I said, go!"

The children jumped at my words, leaping to their feet and taking off toward their parents with a chorus of shrieks and cries. Behind me, I could hear the sounds of voices started to stir, concerned parents and disgruntled warriors.

But I put my hand out, stopping anyone from taking a step forward. Because I recognized this wolf; I recognized his matted fur, his glowing eyes, and... his scent.

"Enzo?" I breathed, taking a shaky step forward.

"Nina!" A hoarse voice from behind me suddenly bellowed out, followed by the sound of hard footsteps a moment later. I glanced over my shoulder to see Matt storming toward me, a knife in his hand and a fierce look in his eyes. Stay away-"noveldrama

"No!" I exclaimed, stepping in front of him before he could get to Enzo. "It's Enzo."

Matt paused, his eyes flickering over to the ash-covered wolf in front of us. He paused for a moment, but didn't release his knife. "He could be... feral," he whispered, stepping closer to me. "You should be careful."

I shook my head. "He's not. But he looks injured." I turned to look at Enzo again, still standing in his wolf form between the trees. He seemed to sway there, his eyes focusing and unfocusing.

And then, suddenly, he faltered. His legs trembled beneath his weight, and then he collapsed into the dirt and underbrush. I gasped, surging forward. "Enzo!" I cried out, Matt on my heels not even half a pace behind me.

As we approached, and as the dust settled around Enzo's hulking wolf form, he began to shift back into his human form. A few moments later, it was just as I thought; my husband now laid in front of me, bloody and ashen and heaving for air on the ground.

"Enzo," I called out, dropping to my knees beside him. I cupped his face in my hands, seeing the full extent of his injuries, then snapped my head up to Matt. "Get help."

I didn't need to tell Matt twice. With nothing more than a nod, he turned on his heel and ran back toward the camp, crying out, "Medic! We need a medic!"

"Nina..." Enzo rasped, his voice thick and cracking from strain. He tried to raise a shaky hand to cup my cheek, but faltered before he even made it halfway. I caught his hand, pressing it against my chest.

"It's alright," I whispered, leaning down to press our foreheads together despite the ash and the soot and the blood covering his face. "I'm here, Enzo. I'm here..."

"Nina... I'm sorry.."

Before I could answer Enzo's hoarse words, the sound of approaching footsteps running toward us drowned out his voice. I heard voices, followed by a hand on my shoulder. When I looked up, I saw Jessica now standing over me, a look of concern in her eyes.

"We're taking him to the medical tent," she said, helping me to my feet as Enzo's limp body was loaded onto a stretcher. "But we could use extra hands."

I nodded without hesitation; of course I would nurse my husband back to health.

In fact, I wouldn't even dream of leaving his side ever again.