Semua Bab THE HOCKEY ALPHA WANTS ME: Bab 101 - Bab 110

Chapter 101 MaxThen I heard it.A heartbeat.Not mine. Someone else's. Strong, steady and achingly familiar.I focused on that sound, clinging to it like a lifeline.Then I felt soft arms wrapped around me from behind, solid, warm and real."Breathe, Max," Ace's voice said in my ear. "Just breathe. Focus on my heartbeat. Can you hear it?"I nodded weakly, pressing back against him."That's how fast my heart beats for you," he continued, his voice calm and grounding. "Listen to it. Match your breathing to it."I did. Slowly, painfully, I dragged air into my lungs in time with the rhythm of his heart. In and out. In and out.My vision started to clear. The crushing weight on my chest began to ease.I opened my eyes slowly and immediately noticed something wrong.My father was lying unconscious on the floor a few feet away.I looked up at Ace in shock.He shrugged, his expression unapologetic. "He wouldn't shut up. And you looked like you were about to die.""You hit him?""Knocked him

Chapter 103MaxI woke up to sunlight streaming through the cabin windows, Ace already gone from the bed. For a second, panic flared before I heard movement in the kitchen and smelled coffee brewing.My heartbeat slowed. He was still here.I pulled on sweatpants and padded out barefoot to find him standing at the stove, shirtless, making eggs. The morning light caught the muscle definition in his back, the way his shoulders moved as he worked the spatula."Morning," he said without turning around. "Sleep okay?" The sound of his voice, rough from sleep, slid straight between my legs. "Yeah." I leaned in the doorway and just looked at him, throat tight with something too big for the quiet room. There was something about this moment, something domestic that made my throat tight. Like we were just a normal couple in a normal cabin having a normal morning.Except nothing about us was normal. Nothing ever would be.He glanced over his shoulder. “You gonna stand there staring or come here?

Chapter 105MaxAce went still beneath me. Not the kind of still that comes from relaxation, but the tense, careful stillness of someone choosing their words."Alpha Ace," he repeated slowly, like he was tasting the words. "That's... a complicated question."I propped myself up on my elbow so I could see his face properly. "We've got time. And I want to know. Need to know, really, if I'm going to understand what I am."He was quiet for a moment, his fingers still tracing those lazy patterns on my back. Then he sighed, and I felt it through his whole chest."Like to you already know, an Alpha is the leader of a pack," he started. "The strongest wolf, usually, but not always. It's about dominance, yes, but also about responsibility. Protecting the pack, making decisions, keeping everyone safe." He paused. "My father is the Alpha of our pack. Has been for over thirty years.""But you're called Alpha Ace," I said curiously. "So does that make you...?""The Alpha heir," he finished. "I'm b

Chapter 107Max"They say it as they see it, even if it's not want we want to hear." Ace answered with a smile."Most are," he replied. "They don't really do subtlety. What's he saying now?"I focused inward again. *Why now? Why can I hear you now but not before?**Because you're finally listening,* came the patient response. *Because you stopped running long enough to hear me. Because the Alpha's wolf showed you it was possible.*"He says I'm finally listening," I explained. "And that Kael showed me it was possible to communicate like this."Ace nodded slowly. "That makes sense. Seeing me interact with Kael, understanding that wolves are separate entities with their own thoughts... it probably opened your mind to the possibility."The day went with I and my wolf disagreeing with anything and everything.The next day, I woke up to sunlight streaming through the window and Ace's arm still wrapped around me. For a moment, everything felt perfect. Peaceful.Then my wolf spoke up.*We nee

Chapter 109Max"You trusted him," Ace said, helping me to my feet. "That's what made the difference."*He's right,* Riven said. *You let go of the fear. Let me in. That's all it took.*We went back inside as darkness fell, both of us exhausted but happy. I showered and changed, my body feeling pleasantly worn out from the shifts.When I came back to the bedroom, Ace was sitting on the bed, watching me with an expression I couldn't quite read."What?" I asked."Nothing. Just... proud of you. And happy you're here."Something warm bloomed in my chest. I crossed the room and kissed him, slow and deep. He made a soft sound of surprise that quickly turned into encouragement.The kiss deepened, became more heated. His hands found my waist, pulling me closer, and I let myself get lost in the sensation.It had always been Ace taking the lead, Ace guiding me, Ace making me feel good. I'd been content with that, grateful for it even.But now, something felt different. Maybe it was the successf