Chapter 22: Heat Storm

Winter deepened around the lakeside cabin, turning the forest into a quiet white world. Snow coated the trees and the frozen lake shimmered under pale sunlight. For Alex and Jake, the offseason had become something far different from rest.

Ever since the discovery that Alex was a rare omega hybrid, their quiet life had been surrounded by tension.

The first real sign of trouble came when a man named Leo appeared at their cabin door.

He wore a neat coat and carried a small recorder.

“Leo Carter,” he said smoothly, flashing a badge. “Vamp Hockey Monthly. I’m doing a feature on the Stanley Cup champions.”

Jake studied him carefully.

Something about Leo’s scent felt wrong—like old vampire courts and cold metal.

Still, Alex agreed to a short interview outside by the lake.

At first the questions were harmless: training routines, life after the championship, future plans. Then Leo’s tone shifted.

“The elders are interested in you,” he said quietly.

Alex’s eyes narrowed.

“In what way?”

Leo’s polite smile vanished.

“They believe your bloodline could change everything. If your… children exist someday, they would belong to them.”

Alex stepped back.

“Not happening.”

Leo shrugged lightly.

“Then they may simply take what they need.”

Before he could finish, Jake appeared from the tree line.

He moved faster than Leo expected.

Jake grabbed him by the collar and shoved him hard against a tree.

“Wrong cabin,” Jake said coldly.

Leo realized he’d made a mistake. Within seconds he broke free and fled into the forest.

But the message had been delivered.

The elders now knew where Alex lived.

---

Protecting Home

That night the cabin felt less peaceful.

Brody called from Vancouver.

“You two should relocate,” he said over video. “Elders don’t send spies unless they’re serious.”

Alex shook his head.

“This is our home.”

Jake agreed.

“If they want trouble, they’ll find it.”

Despite the tension, life continued. Alex’s pregnancy had reached four months, and the change was beginning to show—a small bump beneath his sweater that made Jake smile every time he saw it.

They began preparing the cabin for the future.

Jake converted a spare room into a nursery. Brody mailed tiny hockey sticks and green Grizzlies baby jerseys as a joke.

“Future draft picks,” his note read.

---

The Raid

One icy morning just before sunrise, the threat finally arrived.

Five elder vampires moved silently through the trees toward the cabin.

Jake sensed them before they reached the porch.

He stepped outside while Alex stayed inside near the fireplace.

The attackers rushed forward with silver-tipped weapons.

Jake met them head-on.

The fight was quick and brutal. Snow scattered across the yard as he knocked two attackers aside and disarmed another. Alex joined moments later, fangs flashing as he helped drive the remaining vampires back.

Within minutes the attackers retreated into the forest.

Brody arrived later with security officers to sweep the area.

“Looks like they got the message,” he said.

---

Good News

Weeks later, the mood changed completely during a medical appointment in Vancouver.

The ultrasound monitor showed two small shapes moving.

The doctor smiled.

“Twins.”

Alex stared at the screen in amazement while Jake squeezed his hand.

“Two future skaters,” Jake said proudly.

---

Looking Forward

By the time spring approached, the world had begun to calm again.

Victor Kane’s trial ended with a life sentence, and rumors of elder interference faded from the headlines. The league quietly approved Alex’s return for the upcoming season while keeping his omega status private.

At the cabin, the nursery slowly filled with tiny gear and blankets.

One evening Alex stood on the porch watching the sunset over the lake.

Jake joined him, resting a hand gently over Alex’s growing belly.

Inside, the quiet cabin waited for its newest members.

“Think they’ll like hockey?” Jake asked.

Alex laughed softly.

“With our family? They won’t have much choice.”

And for the first time in months, the future felt peaceful again.