Page 9 of Take All of Me

My ex-Alpha laughs, a short harsh sound that sends a shiver down my spine. “Watch your tone Maya.” His voice carries that old Alpha edge but it doesn’t scare me anymore. “I’m here because we have a situation,” he continues. “I get that things didn’t end the way we needed them to but I always told you you’d have a space with me. It just so happens that space is ready now.”

I frown, brows knitting tight. “What the fuck are you talking about?”

He sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose like I’m the one being difficult. “Don’t be stupid about this. You know what the requirements were for my trust fund and the Omega doesn’t cut it. So, she’s out and you’re back in.”

My brain scrambles to catch up because while I understand all of those words, I don’t understand them together, in that order. Requirements? Omega not cutting it? I never heard a whisper about a trust fund or inheritance when we were together. It was just us—two orphans against the world—or so I thought.

“Are you saying our relationship was because of money?” I can’t help but reach up to the scar left from the surgery, wondering if every step I took four years ago ruined me for nothing. “That you left me for access to some kind of inheritance?” My voice shakes with disbelief, pieces clicking into place I don’t want to see.

“That’s such an ugly way to put it.”

But I press harder, stepping closer now, fury overriding my caution. “But that’s the truth? You left me for an Omega and now that whatever requirements are needed to get to that money haven’t been fulfilled you came crawling back to me?”

“I don’t fucking crawl Maya.”

“But youdo,” I spit, jabbing a finger at his chest. “Because I got your bite surgically removed, asshole. I would never be so stupid as to take your bond again.” My voice cracks on the last word but I hold his gaze, daring him to argue.

His jaw clenches, eyes flashing with something dark—anger, maybe shame—and he steps back running a hand through that perfect hair. “You’re making this harder than it needs to be,” he grumbles, like I’m the problem here. “I’m offering you something Maya. Stability. A place. You used to want that.”

“I wanted you!” I snap, voice breaking. “Not your money or your fucking games. But you chose money over me, your image over me. You don’t get to waltz back in and act like I’m some backup plan.” Tears sting my eyes but I blink them away refusing to let him see me crack. The sweetness of those early days—him gifting me that car, promising a future—sours into ash in my mouth.

He’s silent for several minutes, just glaring at me when I let slip a smirk of my own. A growl tears from his throat as he charges forward. The old me would have cowered, curled into myself and prayed that he wouldn’t hit me. Nox never had but he also never will. The past me submitted because of that stupid bond, my instincts driving me to cave, to placate this monster.

But that’s gone now, carved out of me with a surgeon’s knife and all I feel is rage boiling hot and pure. When he’s close enough, I swing hard, catching him in the lower jaw with a crack that jolts up my arm. His eyes flash, darkening to near black as he rears back his hand, ready to strike.

But the blow never lands. I blink and Brogan’s there, stepping in front of me like a wall, his hand clamped tight around Nox’s wrist. He snorts, voice dripping with disgust. “Don’t youdarefucking hit her and for the record non-students are required to sign in before they set foot on campus.” With a flick of his arm, Brogan throws Nox’s hand down, muscles flexing beneath his jacket.

Nox stumbles back glaring at the both of us before settling on Brogan. “This is a domestic matter.”

“Great, then I’ll make sure to take it up with administration that there’s a domestic dispute on campus.” His tone is all steel, no give, and I feel a rush of something—gratitude, maybe something more—warming my chest.

Nox leans around Brogan’s shoulder, locking eyes with me. “This shit isn’t over,” he spits. “Next time I catch you, you won’thave a little boy toy to protect you.” He storms off toward that flashy red sports car, the engine roaring as he peels out of the lot, leaving nothing but exhaust and silence.

My shoulders sag at the inevitability of another meeting where Nox won’t be as nice. And knowing now that he won’t hesitate to enact violence means I’m not safe anywhere near him.

Brogan turns to me, his gaze softening as he searches my face and that’s when I realize he probably followed me out here. I meet his gaze wide-eyed. “How much did you hear?”

He shrugs, hands sliding into his pockets. “Enough to know he’s a bastard and you’re stronger than you look. Are you okay?”

I groan rubbing my temples. “I really need you to stop asking me that,” I mutter, half-exasperated.

“Next time he’s on campus, report it,” he advises.

“I’ll deal with it. Thank you for this. Really.” I wave my hand to the parking lot before a heavy sigh falls from my lips at the fact that my phone is buzzing again. It better not be Nox and I don’t want to disappoint Dakota. It’s neither of them, an email notification from the dean telling me that I need to meet him after classes making me sigh again. “I can’t win,” I grumble under my breath.

Managing yet another awkward goodbye, I shuffle up the sidewalk to my next class. However, this time, it feels like I’m leaving something behind.Someonebehind. If I don’t deal with this mate thing sooner rather than later, I might end up falling apart.

Because not even avoiding Nox seems to be working.

Holt

I blow my whistle, the shrill echo cutting through the clatter of sticks and skates on the ice. The scrimmage I set up between the players grinds to a halt, and I squint at the chaos unfolding in front of me, taking mental notes on every sloppy move. Roman’s out on right wing, stickhandling like a damn showboat instead of passing off to center.

“Roman quit dancing and move the puck!” I bellow watching him weave through the neutral zone. He flips me a grin but fires a saucer pass to Jace, our center, who’s parked near the slot waiting for a one-timer. Jace whiffs it, blade catching air instead of rubber, and I groan pinching the bridge of my nose. “Jace get your head out of your ass and bury that!”

Roman is definitely getting fucked tonight but as punishment I’m not letting him come. God, this team infuriates me. Granted,their coach is a piece of work, someone thrown into the job to comply with the rules so that there still would be a team for the season. I was hired to be the skills coach, add some of my knowledge for strengthening on and off the ice but now I’m basically running the team. It’s a mess and a surprise we’ve come this far.

Brogan’s holding left wing, cutting hard toward the boards to chase a loose puck, but his positioning’s off—too deep in the offensive zone. “Brogan, cycle it back to the point!” I bark, gesturing at Tyler, our left D-man, who’s hovering near the blue line ready to pinch.

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