Page 3 of The Price of Ice

“Hey, little omega,” Yrovsky’s voice was rough, and he washardagainst Kallen’s lower back.

Kallen shoved at him. “Let go, man, I—”

“You miss this?” the alpha asked into his ear, thrusting his cock against Kallen’s skin.

He shuddered, he most definitely hadn’t missed that. He’d been in pain for days afterwards and all he wanted was to forget that he was going to have to do it again in a few months, or sooner if Yrovsky earned himself the privilege with his playing.

“65,” came the growled warning from the side, and Yrovsky straightened, his hold loosening enough that Kallen could slip away from him, turning around to glare. “Keep your hands to yourself,” the captain was already telling the d-man. “You want Kallen so bad, go and fucking earn himon the ice.”

Yrovsky raised both palms up, gaze lowered. He was bigger than McKinley, but that didn’t matter as much as the hierarchy. Alphas were always vying to be top dog, but they respected their superiors, or at least they pretended to most of the time—if they hadn’t, they’d have torn each other apart. And the new player had no allies in the team.

Don’t fucking touch me, Kallen wanted to tell him, and spit on him to make his sentiments clear. But he couldn’t do that, of course. Alphas could be aggressive and mark boundaries; anomega’s role was to smooth over everyone’s feelings to minimise conflict.

He knew he was failing his team when he turned around to go back into the shower and wash the stink of Yrovsky from his skin, but keeping his mouth shut was as much as he could manage right then and there.

Chapter 2

Getting assigned to live with the family of an older teammate was normal, but Kallen thought most rookies got asked, at least. He was pretty sure they’d just assumed that, as an omega, he’d need a nurturing environment, which... Just wasn’t true. He’d left home at sixteen and lived with strangers for the last three years. Why would he need home-cooked meals and a busy house full of childrennow?

He didn’t mind the Johnsons, really. They were all nice and way too busy with their own lives to care much about what he did. If he wasn’t going to be in for a meal, he texted Merle about it.

It was a little odd that he’d slept with Merle’s husband and they both knew it, because outside sports omegas didn’t have to put up with that kind of thing. But it wasn’t like Kallen was the first team omega her husband had helped out, and she must have been a pro at compartmentalizing or something, because she was pretty nice to him from the start and that hadn’t changed after his first heat with his teammates. If anything, when he’d got back home, still wobbly, she’d offered him some cake. There was always cake at the Johnsons’ since Merle ran a successful bakery downtown and was always experimenting at home, but it was still a nice gesture.

Kallen had been so rundown that he’d even tried a bit. It’d been a bit too sweet for him, but that had helped him with the heat hangover.

It probably helped that Johnson was completely in love with her and showed it. He’d kiss her any time he walked into a room she was in, unless one of the kids was screaming and then he’d do it once he’d taken over and calmed them down. It was sickeningly sappy.

And lovely.

Not that Kallen wanted Darryn Johnson making eyes athim, the guy wasthirty-three. And Kallen had more than enough alphas. Too many, really, that’s why they had to take turns.

But it still made him feel like an intruder to see them like that, tender and unworried about it, like they could open up with each other without fear of being hurt.

He didn’t have anyone like that, he hadn’t since he’d left home, really. He still called his parents and his brothers often, but it wasn’t the same, and even now that he had a generous salary, he didn’t have much time to fly back home. He wasn’t complaining, obviously, he’d worked his arse off to get to play hockey at a professional level and he’d got what he’d wanted.

Maybe next year he’d get a flat of his own too, a little room to breathe, a little less of what hecouldn’thave right in front of his face.

ONE THING ABOUT LIVINGwith the Johnsons he loved was the gym downstairs, equipped well enough to satisfy the needs of several professional athletes. As could be expected since there were more than five White Cats families living there. Kallen was happy to work out alone, but he didn’t mind running into his teammates on days off and getting pointers, either.

“Hey,” Levy dropped on the bench across from him, shooting Kallen an easy smile.

The guy was always in a good mood, soft and easy. Even when he was teased, he seemed able to let it slide off his back with no hurt feelings.

Kallen nodded at him in between reps, making sure to control his breathing as he pulled his arms together.

They worked in silence until Kallen signalled his teammate, asking to be spotted so he could lift the heavier weights. Levy left his own reps half done—Kallen barely resisted the urge to apologise and tell him to go back and finish his set—to enthusiastically stand above him. He was wider than Kallen, having benefited from alpha hormones, and he could easily help him with the lift off. He stepped back afterwards, but Kallen still had to make an effort to keep his focus on his breathing and his gaze on the ceiling.

As he finished his tenth rep, arms shaking as they hooked the bar, Levy whistled low. "Nice one, man."

Kallen couldn't answer, too breathless, but he kind of wanted to look away even from the tip of Levy's chin above him. There was nothing wrong with encouragement, obviously, but sometimes he found he liked it a little too much from alphas he was... well, fucking. Robert's fault, probably, making him feel all special when it was just an arrangement.

It was a relief in more ways than one when he was done and could lie back and close his eyes. "Thanks," he huffed.

"Any time," the alpha told him, and Kallen felt the heat of his body fade as his footsteps echoed across the room.

HE'D FELT A LITTLEweird, but he couldn't let it linger, so when Levy asked him if he was hungry after they were done, he'd said yes and suggested a restaurant.

"Nah, come up to mine, I'll make us something."

---