Chapter 4 I want to play

Aurora.

I had never been inside a car this expensive. Though my father was an Alpha, our pack was relatively small, and we neither had the resources nor the wealth to flaunt the kind of luxury enjoyed by bigger packs.

The black SUV smelled of leather and the soothing masculine scents of the three triplets. Adrian smelled of cedarwood, Asher of cinnamon, while Axel had a fresh, minty scent. They were all different, yet strangely comforting.

I sat in the back between Asher and Axel, while Adrian drove, looking straight ahead as though he hadn't just rescued a stranger from three rogues.

I kept my bag firmly on my lap.

I wasn't sure what to do with my hands, where to look, or how to behave around three of the most popular Alpha heirs in the country. I had watched them play hockey countless times, but sitting this close to them was an entirely different experience. Especially when I was pretending to be a boy.

“So, Ari Bennett,” Asher said, turning towards me. “How old are you?”

My heart skipped a beat. For a moment, I considered telling them I was eighteen, but that would only lead to more questions about why I hadn't shifted yet. So I lied. Again."

“Seventeen.”

It came out a little too quickly, but Asher didn't seem to notice.

“Seventeen?” He raised his eyebrows. “And you're traveling all the way to Blackthorn by yourself?”

“I can take care of myself,” I said defensively.

“I noticed that. You nearly took that rogue's head off,” Asher teased.

Axel chuckled softly beside me. I glanced at him, then quickly looked away.

“Have you gotten your wolf yet?” Adrian asked from the driver's seat.

I shook my head. “No.”

“Not even a sign of it?” Asher asked.

“No.”

“That's unfortunate,” he said, sounding far too cheerful about it. “The academy has a lot of wolves your age. You'll be surrounded by them.”

I forced a small laugh.

I knew that. It was one of the reasons I was nervous about coming here. I had spent years hiding my omega scent, but Blackthorn was filled with powerful wolves.

Some of them would have much stronger senses than the boys I had practiced hockey with back home.

I could only hope my spray would be enough.

Adrian glanced at me through the rearview mirror. “You seemed pretty confident back there for someone who hasn't even shifted.”

I shrugged. “I don't need a wolf to know how to defend myself.”

Asher burst out laughing.

“Did you hear that, Adrian? I think we've found ourselves another troublemaker.”

“Confidence is good,” Adrian said, his eyes returning to the road. “But it can also get you into trouble.”

“I'll remember that.”

Axel leaned back in his seat. “I think he'll be fine.”

I turned towards him.

“Why?”

He gave me a small shrug. “You didn't freeze when those rogues surrounded you. Most people would have.”

I wasn't sure how to respond to that, so I simply looked out of the window.

If only he knew how close I had come to shitting my pants.

The conversation moved on, but I remained tense. Every time one of them shifted in his seat, I wondered if they had noticed something strange about me. I was especially conscious of how close Axel was sitting. His arm occasionally brushed mine whenever the car moved over a bump, and each time it happened, I had to remind myself not to react.

My mind drifted back to the strange sensation I had felt when his fingers touched mine earlier.

It had been like a little spark, something warm that travelled through my hand and settled somewhere in my chest.

I had never experienced anything like it. Could it have meant something? I shook my head, dismissing the ridiculous thought.

I was an omega. An unshifted omega who had spent most of her life being treated as a disappointment. There was no way I could be connected to the three most powerful and popular Alphas at Blackthorn Academy.

Besides, they thought I was a boy. I needed to stop imagining things and concentrate on keeping my secret.

“So, Ari,” Asher said, bringing me out of my thoughts. “Why Blackthorn?”

I hesitated.

“I'm interested in hockey.”

“Interested?” He glanced at my bag. “You brought your entire life with you for something you're only interested in?”

I tightened my grip on the strap.

“I want to play.”

That seemed to catch Adrian's attention.

“You want to play for Blackthorn?”

“Yes.”

He looked at me through the mirror again. “Do you have any experience?”

“Some.”

Asher laughed. “Some? You were ready to fight three rogues over a bag. I'm beginning to think there's more to you than you're letting on.”

I smiled nervously.

There was certainly more to me than they knew.

“Have you ever played for a team?” Axel asked.

I nodded. “Back home.”

That much wasn't a lie.

“Then we'll see what you can do,” Adrian said.

I looked at him in surprise. “What do you mean?”

“We have a team tryout coming up. If you're serious about playing, you'll have to prove yourself.”

My heart gave a little jump.

A tryout.

I had imagined that moment so many times. I had pictured myself stepping onto the ice at Blackthorn, holding my hockey stick and showing everyone what I could do.

Now it was actually happening.

“I will,” I said, trying not to sound too excited.

Asher grinned. “Look at that. He's already planning to take someone's spot.”

“Don't encourage him,” Adrian muttered.

I smiled to myself and turned back towards the window. For the first time since leaving home, I allowed myself to believe that perhaps running away had been the right decision.

Little did I know that Blackthorn would become the place that would make and break me in ways I could never have imagined.