All Chapters of Rejected By My Hockey Alpha: Chapter 41 - Chapter 50

Penelope's POVSix months at Crimson University has changed me in ways I never expected. I catch my reflection in the dormitory mirror as I zip up my team jacket, and the woman staring back looks nothing like the girl who left Frostfang with tears streaming down her face.My hair falls in waves past my shoulders now, glossy from proper nutrition and care instead of being constantly pulled back in nervous ponytails. The team's strength training sculpted my body into something powerful, all lean muscle and confident posture. But the biggest change is in my eyes. They don't look down anymore."Are you ready for this?" Isla asks, dropping onto my bed with a bounce that makes the cheap mattress creak."More ready than I've ever been for anything," I say, smoothing down my jacket. The Bloodfang logo feels like armor across my chest.The invitation arrived two weeks ago, printed on the official Frostfang letterhead. The Inter-Territorial Championship. The biggest game of the year, where Fros

Penelope's POVStepping off the bus in Frostfang territory feels like returning to a crime scene where you were the victim. The familiar sights hit me with unexpected force the pristine streets, the perfectly maintained buildings, the pack members walking around like they own the world.Everything looks smaller somehow."Damn," Zoe whistles as she joins me on the sidewalk. "This place is fancy. Like, stupid fancy.""It's all about appearances here," I say, shouldering my gear bag. "Everything has to look perfect, even if it's rotten underneath."The buildings that once seemed so impressive now look ordinary compared to Crimson's sprawling urban campus. The boutiques where I used to window shop, dreaming of clothes I couldn't afford, seem overpriced and pretentious. Even the people walking the streets look smaller, like I'm viewing them through the wrong end of a telescope."Check out the stares we're getting," Isla murmurs beside me.She's right. Pack members are stopping mid-conversa

Penelope's POVThe locker room buzzes with electric energy as we gear up for the biggest game of our lives. My teammates move through their pre-game rituals with focused intensity Zoe tapping her stick with precise movements, Mika stretching in the corner.Isla pacing while she visualizes plays. After all the convincing, Isla decided to join the hockey team. And I couldn't be more happy.I sit on the bench lacing up my skates, feeling calmer than I have any right to be. This morning I woke up in enemy territory, preparing to face the team that represents everything I left behind. But instead of nerves, I feel something I never expected: peace.Well, mostly peace. There's also that burning edge of anticipation that comes with knowing secrets. Big ones."You ready for this, Hale?" Coach Rivera asks, dropping onto the bench beside me."More ready than I've ever been for anything." I pull my laces tight, testing the tension.She studies my face with those sharp eyes that see everything. "N

Timothy's POVI can't sleep. Every time I close my eyes, I see her skating onto that ice like she belonged there. Like she was born for this moment.The crowd's reaction when they announced her name keeps playing in my head. Half the arena booed, but the other half cheered. Loud enough for that matter. Loud enough to show that people remember Penelope Hale, and they're rooting for her."She looked right through us," Kael whines in my mind. "Like we meant nothing."I sit up in bed and grab my phone. The engagement photos with Sophia light up the screen. Her perfect smile, her dress, her manicured nails wrapped around my arm like a claim.Few months engaged and I still feel nothing when I look at her.My door opens without a knock. Selene walks in wearing an oversized Frostfang jersey and fuzzy slippers."You're brooding loud enough to wake the dead," she says, flopping into my desk chair."I'm not brooding." I set the phone face-down on my nightstand. "Just thinking about tomorrow's g

Timothy's POVShe's faster than I remembered. Way faster.The puck drops and Penelope wins the face-off clean, threading a pass to her left wing before I can react. Few months ago, she would have fumbled that play. Tonight, she executes it like a seasoned professional."Fuck," I mutter, chasing her down the ice.The crowd's on their feet as Bloodfang carries the puck into our zone. Penelope moves weaving between defenders with an agility that makes my chest tight.She's not the timid girl who used to watch practices from the stands. That Penelope would hover near the glass, clutching a thermos of hot chocolate with mittened hands, too shy to wave when I looked her way. She used to flinch when other players got too close, used to duck her head when people yelled.This version of Penelope commands the ice like she was born for it. Her shoulders are broader now, packed with muscle that wasn't there before. Her stride is longer, more confident. When defenders approach, she doesn't shrink