My Hockey Alpha
#Chapter 130: The Final Stretch

Nina

"Are you ready for the game tonight?”

I hardly heard Tiffany's question as I wistfully stared out the infirmary window. Ever since I came home, I couldn't get Enzo and the feeling of his arms around me out of my mind. I wanted him to be with me so badly, but he became distant from me again all of a sudden. It almost made me wonder if I should have just gone with my mom and Tyler after all, but I was certain that he had a reason for it. Hopefully, we would have a chance to talk after the hockey match tonight -- which was the second to last match. Soon, Ronan would be returning to town.

No one had heard from or seen Ronan around since he worked with Lisa to fake all of those rumors around sleeping with me. By now, most people had forgotten about it, and the account where the videos and pictures were posted mysteriously disappeared. There were still a few people here and there who would give me dirty looks as I passed, but most people were too preoccupied with the werewolf leak and the upcoming end of the Half-Moon Tournament to care.

We also had this entire week of no classes for the mid-semester break, which was much needed. However, I couldn't bring myself to sit around and do nothing, so I agreed to keep helping Tiffany in the infirmary.

“Earth to Nina?" Tiffany asked, waving her hand in front of my face.

I jumped and blinked rapidly, broken from my deep thoughts. “S-Sorry,” I said, blushing. “I've been a little out of it.”

Tiffany's smile was warm as ever. “That's okay, so long as you're not too distracted tonight during the game.”

I nodded, then returned to my work. Meanwhile, Tiffany puttered around the infirmary and cleaned since there were no students around.

"Hey..." I said, looking up from my notebook again. “Can I ask you something?”

"Hm?"

I bit my lip and glanced over at my shoulder at the supply closet, inside of which was the door to the tunnels. “Have you gone in there at all?”

The blonde doctor's face went red and she shivered as she looked over at the door. “Um... No. Why?"

I shrugged. “My friends think I should go down there and take pictures as evidence for the police,” I replied. “But... I don't think I can go in there ever again, if I'm being honest. Does that make me a coward?”

Tiffany sighed and set down her broom before coming over to me and grabbing my hands from across the lab table. “It most certainly does not,” she said softly. “What matters most is that you made it out, and you're healing from the experience. Besides... I told Dean Cynthia about it. Trust me when I say that she has quietly been doing all she can to track him down and bring him to justice.”

I couldn't help but smile at Tiffany's kind words. “Thank you,” I said, blinking back some of the tears that began to well up in my eyes. “That helps a lot.”

That night, I attended the second to last hockey match of the tournament with Tiffany, Lori, Jessica, and even Luke by my side. The arena was packed to the brim with excited students from both schools, and thankfully, there were no protesters to be found -- not as far as I could tell, at least. The air was thick with the scent of sweat and adrenaline as Enzo skated onto the ice at the head of his team. Beside him was Matt, who looked up at the crowd with a grin and pumped his hockey stick in the air to arouse a cheer from the onlookers.

Their opponents then skated out onto the ice with the announcer’s call. The other captain had a fierce scowl etched onto his face, and his glowing yellow eyes scanned the ice with a hunger that made the hair on the back of my neck stand on end -- but as I met Enzo's calm, focused eyes from across the rink, I felt relief in knowing that he wasn't scared of losing.

The referee dropped the puck, and the game began in a flurry of movement. The rink was alive with the sound of skates slicing through the ice and the clatter of sticks colliding. Enzo and Matt worked together to create a fast break, passing the puck back and forth as they advanced down the ice. The opposing team's defense swarmed around them, trying to block their path, but Enzo's size and strength proved too much to handle. With a powerful shot, he sent the puck flying past the goalie and into the net.

The crowd erupted into a thunderous roar. Matt and the rest of the team whooped in triumph, the sound echoing throughout the rink, but Enzo stayed silent and focused. The other team seemed undeterred, however, and soon they were pressing forward with renewed vigor.

For the rest of the game, the two teams battled it out with a fierce intensity. Bodies slammed into each other, sticks clattered against the boards, and the puck sailed back and forth. Enzo and Matt continued to dominate, using their superior strength and agility to outmaneuver their opponents at every turn. Watching Matt like this continued to be a surprise, and for a brief moment, I could've sworn that I caught a glimpse of his eyes glowing, but I chalked it up to a trick of the light and focused on the game once more.

As the clock ticked down, it became clear that our team was going to win. The rival team made a last-ditch effort to score, but Enzo blocked their shots with ease, passing the puck to his teammates until we scored a goal against the other team in the final moments of the game.

Finally, the buzzer sounded, and the entire stadium erupted into cheers. The crowd joined in, stamping their feet and clapping their hands in a deafening ovation. Enzo bared his fangs in a grin of triumph; I'd never seen him do anything like that before, but for some reason, it aroused something in me and I joined in with the cheers, throwing my arms around my friends and jumping up and down excitedly.

As the players skated off the ice, I couldn't stop myself from focusing my gaze on Enzo over the crowd. I had always known that werewolves were natural athletes, but seeing his power and grace in action was something truly special.

Once the team was off of the ice, Tiffany and I were bombarded by their excited cheers and whoops of victory. I watched, smiling, as they lifted Enzo and Matt up on their shoulders and carried them back to the locker room.

There was no doubt in my mind that their skills would help them to win the Half-Moon Tournament and bring peace to the town of Mountainview.

I was just about to pack up to leave when the team finally re-emerged from the locker rooms, still chattering excitedly. I looked up and felt my face go red as I saw Enzo jogging toward me with a toothy grin spread across his lips.

“I hope you're not planning on going home,” he said as he ran up to me. “We're going out to celebrate. You should come.”

I felt my heart skip a beat and paused, glancing over my shoulder with the fear of Enzo's father being there -- but he wasn't. When I turned back around to face Enzo again, he was still looking at me with a childlike hopefulness on his face.

“Um... Okay," I finally said, unable to resist Enzo’s infectious grin. “I'll come.”

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