Page 47 of The Price of Ice

“Oh,” Levy’s eyes were all over him. “Okay, I forgot.”

Kallen shrugged and they got in the car.

“You okay?” Levy asked.

“Yeah.” It was all fine, he had practised and now he could sleep. He’d earned it.

LOSING HIS SCORINGstrike three days later wasn’t a punishment, just bad luck and bad playing. But itfeltlike one.Like any time his omega needs came up, they fucked up his whole life, and this time Kallen hadn’t been good enough to make up the difference.

It wasn’t like he didn’t know the deal. Or like he hadn’t known he hadn’t been playing his best lately. He should have stayed on the ice longer, asked the trainers for help and done the work.

Instead, he’d gone home to fuckingsleep.

Of course he couldn’t score.

So when the Ice Cap asked him to stay behind, it felt almost fitting. Coach hadn’t said anything to him, though Kallen’s pucks had missed the goal three times in the final period alone.

McKinley clearly wasn’t going to be so lenient.

Levy had lingered, telling Kallen he’d wait for him in the car, but had scrambled when the captain had glared at him.

“You have disappointed me,” McKinley told him, every word like a stab. He was towering over Kallen where he sat on the bench.

Kallen kept his gaze lowered and his shoulders tense, not making a sound. He could feel the alpha’s anger like lightning about to strike, his overpowering scent metallic and sour in the air. The last thing he wanted was to piss him off even more. No, he’d take whatever he was told and be grateful for the feedback. He knew he deserved it.

He’d disappointedhimselfmost of all, and whatever McKinley told him, it couldn’t be worse than the thoughts already circling through his mind.

The hand on his chin, roughly pulling his head up, shocked him into looking up for a flash before he remembered himself. “Do you understand, Guin? You letthis teamdown.”

“Yes,” Kallen gasped, nodding against the fingers digging into his tense throat. “I’m—” The sound got cut out as McKinley shoved the bottom of his hand against his jaw, forcing it abruptlyshut, his own teeth grazing the tip of his tongue. He scrunched his eyes shut, swallowing the bitter taste of blood. That was obviously a mistake because he got shaken again. “Look at me.” The pull of will felt like getting his insides dragged out and even as he obeyed, Kallen jerked in place, body beyond his conscious control.

McKinley’s blue eyes were cold, ruthless. “Keep your mouth shut and listen very carefully, omega.” Kallen focused his gaze on the alpha’s cheek, close enough to fulfil the order. “You are here only as long as you are helping us win. The moment that stops? It’ll be time for breeding your arse out as often as we can. So if you wanna play, you better show up tomorrow and show youcan, or I’ll be talking to Management.” Kallen clenched his teeth, pressing his sore tongue up to keep from speaking, or worse, whimpering. Showing fear to an alpha this incensed could only end in tears. “Now open,” McKinley said, and for a moment Kallen didn’t understand. Then a thumb pushed against the corner of his mouth. His lips parted mostly to avoid the pressure, and then McKinley had two fingers past his teeth and he heard the sound of a zip.

The rest was a bit of a blur, getting his mouth forced open fully by both hands. The order, quiet and furious, to put his own hands down and keep them there. And then the cock pushing against lips, full and leaking and making him gag, the hand squeezing his throat only making it worse. Realising he couldn’t breathe through his mouth and inhaling sharply through his nose instead, the alpha scent thick and cloying. Swallowing around the length of it on pure instinct as he got his face fucked in rough shoves, the painful stretch on the corners of his mouth, the tightening fingers choking him a little at intervals. His eyes falling shut in desperation as McKinley sped up, pulling at his hair and angling him how he wanted while Kallen clung to thebench, not even trying to raise his hands as his captain used him for the only thing he was good for.

Chapter 19

He’d made it to the car, somehow, and Levy had got out and caught him around the middle when he stumbled on thin air. Kallen allowed himself to be led to the passenger side, half surprised to realise it was Levy’s car and not his own. But then again, he didn’t remember the drive to the stadium at all.

His friend must have taken them home because they were there, and he definitely made Kallen get in the shower when it was way too cold still, startling him into a yelp and catching him so he wouldn’t fall.

“Sorry,” Levy whispered in his ear as Kallen shivered in his arms. He’d got in the shower with Kallen, and his boxers were scratchy against his goosepimpled arse, but his chest was warm and then he said, “Let’s get it warmer.”

So he’d stayed right where he was as Levy held him close and washed his chest in slow circles, soft and soapy and completely innocent. He knew he needed the cold, but he found himself leaning back until his nape rested on the alpha’s shoulder, desperate for any warmth available.

By the time his friend determined they’d been there long enough, his stomach was rumbling.

Levy chuckled. “Good! I’ll make us some food in a minute.” He was wrapping Kallen in one of his fluffy white towels and rubbing at his shoulders. Then he put the ends on Kallen’s own hands. “Come on, let’s get dressed.” He grabbed a towel forhimself as they left the bathroom together. Following him, and Kallen absently noticed Levy’s hair was still dry.

He walked them into the bedroom. Levy’s bedroom because Kallen hadn’t slept there since—

“Hey,” Levy’s hand was on his own, squeezing, and he was frowning. “Where did you go?”

Kallen shook his head, and Levy huffed and told him to wait while he got some clothes.

CLOTHES HELPED ANDfood helped even more. Levy chatted a bit, but he let Kallen get away with simple answers and grunts. Once the food was consumed, he found his eyes closing of their own accord, as if once his waking function was fulfilled, his body’s tolerance for putting off sleep was well and truly over.

Levy noticed, of course. “Come on, bed time.”

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