Page 85 of Power Shift

“Landon Montgomery,” the alpha beside me blubbers. His large body suddenly stumbles over the empty seats in front of us and down to the glass, where he continues speaking. “Can youtoss me over a puck? I’m a huge fan! Do you think you could get Ronan to give me a stick?”

The warm-up music blaring through the arena speakers hides Landon’s reply, but slowly, I watch as the alpha fawning over him takes a step back from the ice, back ramrod straight. His heel catches on the empty seat behind him before he flops back onto it.

Landon pins him in place with a predatory gaze as I pull away from Clover and use the steps beside her seat to go down to the ice. My throat is dry as I pass by a row of women and keep my eyes in front of me instead of looking to see if they’re watching.

I blink, and then Ronan’s on the ice in front of me, his stick held at his side as he hangs back behind Landon. Dash appears on Ronan’s right, both of them watching with strained expressions. I flash them a thumbs-up, and Dash nods, nudging Ronan’s shoulder.

There isn’t time to properly appreciate how good they look in all their gear right now, but I make a promise myself that I will once I’ve spoken to Landon.

What I’ll say to him . . . I don’t know yet. Thank you? Does this mean you’re starting to like me?

By the time I get to where he’s still standing on the opposite side of the plexiglass, the stranger is gone.

“What did you say to him?” I ask, clasping my hands at my middle and pressing them against the boards to avoid palming the glass.

He rakes his gaze over me from head to toe, as if doing a check to make sure I’m okay. It’s less savage than it was a few seconds ago, but there’s still a wicked gleam in the bright blue that feels like a rough touch on my body.

“Who was he?” His voice is almost garbled, the words tangled in a web of rage.

“I don’t know. He showed up a few minutes ago.”

Gosh, he’s like a goliath right now. All of that messy black hair is poking out from beneath the back of his helmet, and damnit, he looks tired again.

It’s been two days since I sat beside him in the bathroom, and the bags beneath his eyes make it appear like he hadn’t slept at all.

“Have you been sleeping?” I blurt out.

He flexes his jaw. “That’s not your concern.”

“Isn’t it?”

“Do you think one night of you invading my personal space to watch me sleep is an invitation into my life?”

I press my lips together hard, trying not to let my hurt show on my face.

“How did you know I did that?”

He laughs, but there’s no humour in it. “Your scent was everywhere. Including my hair.”

“You could have drowned. Weren’t you ever told not to sleep in the bath?”

As his laugh dies off, he pushes closer to the plexiglass and narrows his eyes on me. “I don’t need you to look after me. If I want to sleep in the bath, I will. And next time, I’ll make sure to lock the fucking door.”

“I’m trying here, Landon,” I push, hating the quiver in my voice as I plant my hands on my waist and lift my chin. “What can I do to prove to you that I’m not as bad as you think I am?”

Even with the wall between us—both physically and emotionally—I still want to touch him. Want to be with him in any way possible. And I’ve never felt weaker in my life for it.

“Nothing,” he grits out, tightening his grip on his stick. “You can wear the jersey and make yourself comfortable in my home, but you won’t be my packmate, let alone my omega. I have enough packmates, and I’ve never wanted an omega.”

I shake my head, pushing harder. “I don’t believe you. If you didn’t feel anything for me, you wouldn’t be here right now, inserting yourself into a situation that didn’t involve you at all. And when I sat beside you and kept you company for an hour in the bathroom, you wouldn’t have called out for me and leaned into my touch like you knew I was there.

“I want to know what it is that’s keeping you from giving me a chance. Unless you tell me what I’m up against, I won’t be able to help change your mind, Landon.”

He turns his head to the right and then to the left, checking his surroundings before focusing the full weight of his attention on me again. I don’t bend beneath it.

“If you want to help me, you’ll sit back down and forget about what just happened. It was a mistake to come over here.”

And just like that, the slimmest glimmer of light is blocked out. Landon turns around and skates off before I can get another word out. I’m silent as I avoid looking at the other guys on the ice and return to my seat.

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