Page 88 of Surprise Mother Pucker

The final period was about to start, saving me from having to make any awkward conversation.

Chapter 35

Storm

Micha:

You need to make it very publicly clear that Kennedy is yours—the puck bunnies have been saying ugly things. She’s insisting it’s okay, but she has sad eyes. Make this right.

Istared at the text on my phone screen, letting the words sink in. What could the puck bunnies have said to upset Kennedy? It wasn’t like they could really say anything bad about her—she was beautiful. Painfully so. And what could I do to make it right? Seeing her and Charlotte while I was playing had been absolutely magical. I'd always enjoyed having my pack mates in the stands, but there was something different about having my omega and our daughter there.

When Charlotte had waved back at me, my heart had grown three sizes, and I was genuinely concerned I was going to have a heart attack for a moment. My teammates had given me curious looks when I had returned to the locker room for the first break, but they hadn't said anything. It wasn't completely unusual for me to interact with a baby, considering Sunny had brought Luka several times to see me play.

This time was different, though. This time, I was waving at my daughter.

“Hey, Coach,” I asked, not even looking away from my screen.

We had won the match, so he was in a good mood. “Yeah, kid?”

“Are we going to be needed for a meeting after the game?” I asked. Usually we piled into the locker room and had post-game debriefs on what we did right and wrong.

“Sure, same as always.”

I nodded, smiling to myself. That meant I could go meet my pack after the game, when there were still plenty of people around. I wanted the fans—particularly the puck bunnies—to see me greeting my omega and my daughter.

“You want to meet your adoring fans?” Roman, my teammate, asked. “I don't think I've ever seen you excited to get out to the rink while the crowds are still active.”

“Well, I have reason to now.” I smirked.

Roman raised a brow. “Do tell.”

“Did you see the omega I went up to after the first period?”

“Yeah, the cute one with the baby?”

I nodded. “That’s my daughter.” I beamed.

Roman’s face stilled as he absorbed that information before breaking out into a shit-eating grin. “Seriously? That’s amazing! Are you guys dating?”

“Kind of, it’s a whole thing. My pack is courting her, but let’s just say, I wasn’t the best to her at the start, and I need to send a clear message. It seems like some of the fangirls aren’t being nice.”

“That’s not okay!” Roman thundered, before turning to the full locker room. “Guys! Team photo in the lobby. I want to get a pic of all of us with Storm’s little girl! She’s even wearing an Avalon Knights jersey!”

A chorus of replies rang out in the room, most of them excited. Everyone seemed thrilled with the news that I was a father. My chest welled with an emotion that I wasn't sure how to identify. I was a good player—I knew I was a good player—but I had never been loved by my team.

“Fuck, yeah!” one player yelled. “Team baby!”

“We’ll make sure all the press is near as well—that’ll really send a message,” Roman said with a smirk. We didn't get anywhere near as much press as an NHL team, but we still had many players who had the potential to go on to an NHL career, so we got a decent amount.

“Thank you, it means a lot to me.”

Roman shrugged. “It’s no big deal, you’re team. Though, Hazel is totally going to want to meet your girl and kiddo. Now that Henry is getting a bit older, she wants to meet and cuddle all the babies.”

“Well, she’s in luck, then, because Kennedy is a few months pregnant,” I admitted.

Roman hissed. “No shit?”

“Eli’s fault this time!” I laughed. “So, Hazel can snuggle a newborn soon.”

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