Lahat ng Kabanata ng A Nerd for the Hockey Alpha Captain : Kabanata 31 - Kabanata 40

We had 3 days.The pack house was chaos.Mason and the Ravens team were turning the basement into a weapons room. Hockey sticks replaced with silver blades. Nova had commandeered the dining table and was surrounded by fabric, measuring tape, and what looked like a sewing machine from 1980.And in the training yard, in the snow...Kai was trying to teach me how to fight."Again," he said. He wasn’t wearing a shirt. Snow was melting on his shoulders. I was in leggings and 3 layers and still freezing. "Kai, I’m a writer, not a warrior.""You’re Moon Blood," he said. "That makes you both." He tossed me a wooden training sword. "Your magic is blood and gates. But if someone gets close, you need to know how to hold them off."I caught the sword. Barely. "What if I drop it?""Then I catch you," he said simply. "Now. Stance."I copied him. Feet apart. Sword up."Good." He circled me. "The Shadow King will go for your heart. He’ll talk first. He’ll use your past against you. Don’t listen.""W

"We’re doing it again," Kai said.It was 5am. The training yard. Still dark. Still snowing.I was in 4 layers and still cold. "Kai, it’s 5am.""You said you wanted to be ready," he said. He was shirtless. Again. The man had a death wish. "Sword."I caught it. "You’re trying to kill me.""I’m trying to keep you alive," he said. "Again. Stance."So we did it. For an hour. Block. Dodge. Strike. Every time I messed up he corrected my hands. His hands over mine. His chest to my back."Like this," he said, adjusting my grip. His breath was warm on my ear. "Elbows in.""Got it," I breathed. Mostly because he was very close."Good." He stepped back. "Now me."He attacked. Fast. I blocked. Barely."Better," he said. A real smile. "Again."We went until the sun came up. Pink light on the snow. My arms were shaking."Break," I said, dropping my sword. "I’m dying."Kai walked to me. Picked up the sword. Set it down. Then he just... looked at me.Snow in my hair. Sweat on my neck. Breathing hard

We left at noon.The SUV was packed. Weapons in the back. Nova’s "emergency battle snacks." Mason driving because Kai said he "needed his head clear."I was in the passenger seat. Kai next to me. His hand resting on my thigh.No one talked for the first 20 minutes.Just the sound of snow on the windshield. And our breathing."Okay," Nova said from the back. "Road trip rules. No crying. No dying. And we play 20 questions.""20 questions?" Mason said. "That’s a lot of questions.""You have 6 hours," Nova said. "We’ll need them."Kai squeezed my thigh once. "Fine. You go first, Nova."Nova sat up. "Kai. Biggest fear. Go."Kai didn’t look away from the road. "Losing her."The car went quiet."Valid," Nova said softly. "Lila. Your turn."I stared at the snow. "What’s one thing you remember from... before?"Past life. We all knew what I meant.Kai turned his hand over. Laced his fingers with mine. "Your laugh," he said. "When you weren’t the Moon Queen yet. When you were just a girl in the

The wind at the peak didn’t feel real.It howled through the cracks in the Crimson Gate. Red light spilled over the snow like blood.The Shadow King stood in front of it. Arms crossed. Crimson eyes on me. Then Kai. Then back to me."60 minutes," he said. "Then the Gate opens fully. And the Hollows come through."Mason shifted in front of Nova and me. Beta instincts. "Don’t talk to her."The Shadow King laughed. "Beta Mason. Still playing guard dog? How’s Black Ridge? Still winning games without your captain?"Kai stepped forward. "Don’t.""Don’t what?" the Shadow King said. "Mention that you quit the Ravens? That you chose pack over the C on your jersey? That you chose her over everything?"He pointed at me.My stomach dropped. "Stop.""No," the Shadow King said. "She deserves to know the truth, little Moon. The whole truth."Kai looked at me. "Lila—""Let him talk," I said. Voice steady. Even though I was shaking. "I want to hear it."The Shadow King smiled. "Good girl."He walked to

The pack house was quiet for the first time in months.No alerts. No training. No Gate humming in the distance.Just me and Kai. In his room. Door closed.It had been 4 days since the peak. 4 days of paperwork, pack meetings, and Kai going back to Black Ridge practices.Tonight was the first night that felt... normal.Kai was sitting on the edge of the bed. Still in his Ravens hoodie. Hair damp from the shower.I was cross-legged on the floor, leaning against his knees."You okay?" he asked. Thumb brushing my hair."I think so," I said. "It’s weird. Quiet.""I know," Kai said. "I keep waiting for something to go wrong.""Nothing will," I said. "The Gate is closed.""Yeah," Kai said. But he didn’t sound convinced.I looked up at him. "Can I ask you something?""Anything.""Why haven’t you... marked me yet?"Kai went still. Werewolves mark when they’re certain. When it’s forever. It’s not just bites. It’s magic. A bond. Everyone can see it."Do you want me to?" he asked. Careful."I’ve