My Hockey Alpha by Eve Above Story PDF

Chapter 0479

Nina

The air was thick with laughter and clinking glasses, everyone ecstatic over the end of another grueling semester.

Lori, Jessica, and a handful of others from our pre-med program had gathered in my living room to celebrate our triumphs, academic and otherwise. The room was a vibrant mixture of color, laughter, and flashing smartphone cameras capturing a moment we would hopefully all remember.

Just as the laughter reached another crescendo, I slipped into the kitchen, my eyes darting over the array of chips, cookies, and assorted finger foods spread across the counter.

As much as I loved my friends and their vibrant energy, I felt an inexplicable pull toward solitude, even if only for a moment. I reached for some chips, contemplating how this room had morphed into a sanctuary from the noise and mirth that filled the living room.

Suddenly, callused hands covered my eyes, plunging me into playful darkness. "Guess who?" a familiar voice whispered.

A chuckle escaped my lips. "Hmm, let's see...Ryan Gosling? Chris Hemsworth? Oh, wait, it must be Zac Efron!"

The hands lifted, and I was spun around to face my grinning husband. "As much as I wish I had the abs of any of those guys, sorry to disappoint."

"Never a disappointment," I shot back, feeling a warmth spread through me, soothing the jagged edges of my unsettled thoughts. I playfully ran my hand along Enzo's midsection, feeling the muscles beneath his shirt. "Your abs are even better."

Suddenly, Enzo pulled one hand from behind his back to produce a small box with a lid. He held it out to me with a sheepish grin on his face like a child who had just picked his mom a flower, roots and all.

asked, my heart skipping a

said, handing me the box. My fingers gingerly opened the tiny case to reveal an intricately designed locket, a swirl of silver that seemed to capture the moonlight. When

tiny pictures closely. "This is... beautiful," I

he asked, gesturing to

I felt the delicate chain slide around me, followed by his fingers expertly fastening

he said, his eyes meeting mine.

the gap between us, our lips meeting in a fervent kiss. For a moment, I considered taking it a few steps further right

tingled from the kiss when we broke

murmured, leaning my cheek against his chest to

his arms enveloping

through our reverie. "Another round of shots!" I looked up to see her standing over by the bar in our

fun," he said, before grabbing a beer from the fridge and slipping out into the backyard to be

smiled and reached for one of the shots, but as the liquid warmth cascaded down my throat, a sudden wave of nausea struck. Discreetly, I slid

belly. I knew I wasn't pregnant, but I was still feeling intermittently sick. It must have been food poisoning, but it was strange food poisoning

in there for much longer than ten minutes when my thoughts were interrupted when the door creaked open. Enzo peeked in, his eyes

a smile. "I just needed to

you pull all-nighters, down energy drinks like water, and still

I just feel a bit off, and it doesn't feel like normal food poisoning.

was uniquely Enzo. "If you think it's necessary. then you should do it. But if

leaves outside, the distant hoot