Page 15 of Puck Your Neighbor

I grit my teeth, pushing off the ice with more force. "Probably gets off on it."

We should be with her, wrapped around her in a nest and making sure no one but our pack can touch her.

Jenson snorts as he skates past, shaking his head.

Another whistle. Another sprint. Down the ice and back. My legs are really on fire now.

I mutter under my breath, the words a low growl, my gaze fixed on the far wall. "This is brutal."

Leo, overhearing me, nods in agreement, his gaze fixed on the far end of the rink. "She's worth it, man." He knows. We both do. My alpha paces restlessly in my mind.

Finally, Coach calls an end to the drills. For now. I stumble over to the bench, my legs like jelly. I gulp down some water, feeling it cool my throat. Leo collapses beside me, his chest heaving, sweat dripping from his brow.

He wipes his forehead with the back of his hand. "Think he'll actually make us do this again after?"

Asher laughs as he skates over to the bench and shakes his head, a smirk playing on his lips. "You kidding? He'll probably add more."

More time away from her.Myalpha growls, and I have to agree. For once, I don't want to be here longer than necessary, even though I also know that we won't be spending time with her if we got back early.

I groan and tip my head back against the boards, closing my eyes for a moment. "Don't even say that."

Practice starts, and I try to focus on the game. I score. Then score again.

We need to be strong for our omega.

Rhys grins, tapping his stick on the ice. "Someone's got his game face on."

I nod, my focus on the puck, my inner alpha pacing.

It's not enough.

Then, a third time, I send the puck sailing past Finn. A hat trick.

She'll be impressed.

I logically know she won't care if I can do a hat trick. But it satisfies the part of me that wants to go hunt and bring her food and provide her with a cave and nest.

Jenson skates over, giving me a fist bump. "Damn, Mav! Save some for the Vipers, will ya?"

I manage a weak grin, shrugging a shoulder. "Just warming up."

Need to be faster. Stronger.

Finn, still on his feet after my last shot, calls out from the ice, his voice muffled by his goalie mask. "Easy for you to say. You're not the one getting pelted with pucks!"

After a couple more plays the afternoon ends.

The whistle blows, ending practice. Coach has us skate over and looks almost pleased. He claps me on the shoulder. "Gregor, you do that again against the Vipers in a few days, and we might just win this thing."

I grin but I feel antsy, hoping he won't have us do conditioning drills again. "Yes, Coach."

He sighs and glances around at us all. "You've all done well today. I'll go easy on you, but don't be late again this week or to the game against the Vipers. I won't be soft on you again."

We all stand straighter. "Yes, Coach," we say in unison.

"To the showers with you!"

As we head off the ice, Jenson skates up beside me, his brow furrowed with concern. He opens his mouth, then closes it, then opens it again. "You alright, man? You seem a little...off. Both of you do. What happened that made you late?"

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