Contract Marriage with My Hockey Alpha

CHAPTER ONE — My Opponent 

Scarlett's POV 

This was the last game of the season and I kept telling myself not to think too much about it, but my mind wouldn’t stop going there no matter what, like it was stuck on a loop I couldn’t break out of.

The last game meant everything or nothing for me, there was no middle ground, no soft landing, no “try again next season” like some of the other  male players got when they failed. That kind of thing didn’t exist for girls in this league, people liked to pretend we were all equal on the ice but it wasn’t true, it had never been true.

We trained in the same arenas, we wore the same gear, we followed the same rules, but when mistakes happened, it never landed the same way for us. One bad match and you were already “not worth it”, one weak performance and they stopped looking at you like an athlete and started looking at you like a mistake.

And for me, it was worse than that.

Because I wasn’t just playing for a contract., I was playing so I wouldn’t have to go back.

My stepmother’s house was still there waiting for me like it never let go of me in the first place, like I was only ever allowed to leave temporarily. I could still hear her voice in my head sometimes, telling me I was not useful, telling me I should be grateful someone even tolerated me. And now she had found a way to make money off me, an arrangement with an Alpha I had never even seen, a man twice my age who didn’t want a wife, just an omega to own.

If I lost today, that was where I was going back to.

So when I stepped onto the ice, it didn’t feel like sport anymore.

It felt like punishment waiting to happen.

I was too busy trying to calm my nerves when one of the officials walked over with the final lineup sheet.

I glanced at it absentmindedly, then I froze.

My heart stoppe… No!…No way!!!

My eyes moved across the paper against maybe  I had read it wrong, maybe  it was another Carter, maybe my brain was playing tricks on me.

But the name was still there. Ryan Carter!!! He was the one I was playing against?…My opponent….My role model…..i needed this win to stay in this country, why him? 

I stared at the paper for several seconds.

Of all the players in the world, why did it have to be him?

A knot formed in my stomach.

This match was not just another game, If I lost, my contract would expire, If my contract expired, I would be sent back home.

The arena suddenly erupted with cheers, Ryan had stepped onto the ice.The crowd was going crazy.

People were screaming his name.

Some were waving signs with his face on them.

Others were standing just to catch a glimpse of him.

Then the announcer called his name, the  noise became even louder.

The applause shook the entire stadium.Ryan lifted his stick slightly toward the crowd, earning another wave of cheers.

A few moments later, my name was called, there was not even a person that screamed my name, a few people clapped politely.

Most did not, even the people who supported me seemed afraid to cheer too loudly against Ryan Carter.

I looked around the arena and forced myself to smile. It hurt more than I expected, because in that moment, I realized something.

To everyone in this stadium, the winner had already been decided. The match had not even started yet and nobody believed that winner could be me.

The whistle finally blew, the  game had started.

The crowd erupted into cheers as both teams rushed onto the ice, I tightened my grip on my hockey stick and forced myself to focus.

This was the most important match of my life.

I needed to win, I had to win.

But the moment Ryan Carter touched the puck, all my determination started falling apart.

Then Ryan  appeared in front of me, my  heart. early stopped, he  was so close, much  taller than I expected. His eyes met mine for a brief second, that  was all it took, I hesitated.because my tiny wolf was screaming Mate! mate!! Mate!!!

Him? Mate? No! 

Maybe my wolf was confused, Ryan can never be my mate…

Just one second, one  stupid second.

Ryan took advantage immediately, The puck was gone. The crowd cheered loudly.

I wanted the ice to open and swallow me.

As he skated past me, he gave me a small nod.

Which somehow made me feel even worse.

The final minutes arrived, the  entire arena stood, everyone was screaming, everyone  was watching.

Ryan got possession of the puck one last time, the  second it happened, I knew.

Somehow, I just knew, he raced forward, one  defender, the  another, then another. The crowd roared louder and louder, I tried to stop him.nI really did,  but  he was simply better.

One quick movement, one  perfect shot. The puck flew straight into the net, thearena exploded.

People jumped from their seats.

His teammates rushed toward him.

Ryan Carter had won. Again!!!

I stood frozen on the ice as the celebration happened around me.

My throat tightened.

My eyes burned.

Not because he won.

Because I had lost and  losing meant more than a trophy.

Losing meant my contract would probably be gone, losing  meant I might be sent back home, back to the people I never wanted to see again, back  to the life I thought I had escaped.

As everyone celebrated Ryan Carter, I lowered my head and quietly skated toward the tunnel.

For him, this was another victory.

For me, it felt like the end of everything.