Waiting

CHAPTER SEVEN – Waiting

Stella's POV

I looked at my phone for what felt like the tenth time.

Twenty minutes. Jaxon had said he would only be a few minutes.

I sighed softly and looked toward the arena entrance again.

"How long does it take to talk to a coach?" I muttered to myself.

Players walked past me one after another, some carrying hockey bags over their shoulders while others laughed with their teammates.

Every time the door opened, I lifted my head, hoping to see Jaxon.

Every time, it was someone else, I shifted my weight from one foot to the other and smiled to myself. "I guess this is what waiting for an Alpha feels like."

The thought made me laugh quietly. The smile was still on my face when I noticed someone staring at me.

A young woman stood a few steps away with her phone in her hand.

She looked from the screen… Then back at me

Her eyes slowly widened. "Oh my ..."

She whispered to the person beside her. "It's her."

I frowned slightly.

 Her friend looked at the phone before looking at me. "It really is her."

Within seconds, both of them started walking toward me. "Excuse me," one of them said.

"Are you Stella?"

I hesitated before nodding . "Yes."

The two girls exchanged excited looks. "So the pictures are real."

My eyebrows pulled together. "What pictures?"

Instead of answering, one of them turned her phone around.

My heart skipped. On the screen was a picture of Jaxon and me skating together yesterday, another picture showed him smiling at me, anoother showed us laughing.l

The headline read: THE HOCKEY KING'S NEW WOMAN?

Before I could react, more people noticed us. "That's her."

"The girl from the news."

People began stopping where they were.

Some whispered, others openly stared.

I suddenly felt uncomfortable, a man walked closer, shaking his head. "I don't get it."

Another laughed. "Jaxon could have anyone."

"So why her?"

A woman folded her arms. "She's too fat for him."

Someone else laughed loudly. "Maybe Chase dumped her, so she decided to chase someone more famous."

The words made my chest tighten, another voice joined in. "Poor Jaxon."

"He probably doesn't know what he's getting himself into."

Laughter spread through the crowd, I lowered my eyes, pretending not to hear them but the insults kept coming. "Look at her.".

"She doesn't even fit beside him."

"She'll only embarrass him."

"No one wants a woman like that."

More people gathered, phones were raised.

Some pointed at me while whispering, others didn't even bother lowering their voices.

My hands slowly tightened around the strap of my bag, I only needed Jaxon to come back. 

Just a little longer… Then I heard another familiar voice."Move aside."

The crowd immediately parted. Kelly from the wolf world, walked through the people with confidence, a satisfied smile already on her face, she looked at me for a long moment before laughing.

"I was wondering when everyone would find out."

She looked around at the crowd. "Since you're all so curious..."

She smiled proudly. "I should introduce myself.". "I'm Jaxon's girlfriend."

A wave of murmurs spread through the crowd.

Kelly looked at me with mock sympathy. "As for her..."

"She's just a girl Jaxon felt sorry for."

My heart sank.

Kelly took another step toward me. "Did you really think someone like Jaxon would choose you?"

Her eyes slowly moved over my body.."You couldn't keep Chase."

"What makes you think you can keep Jaxon?"

The crowd laughed again, I bit my lip and looked away.

Kelly wasn't finished. "You should know your place, you are too fat for a man like him and when Jaxon gets tired of pretending..."

She smiled cruelly.. "...you'll be alone again."

My eyes began to sting, I refused to cry, nt here, not again.

Kelly stepped so close that I could feel her breath.

Then, without warning….Slap!

My head turned sharply from the force, the entire crowd fell silent.

A burning pain spread across my cheek, I slowly raised my hand to touch it.

Before anyone spoke...

A deep voice cut through the silence. "Let her go."

The crowd froze,

evvery head turned toward the arena entrance.

Jaxon had arrived.