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.

I asked, my heart

to capture the moonlight. When I popped it open, inside were pictures of us-a selfie of us taken overlooking the cliff behind the house, where I was kissing his cheek and he was grinning into the camera, and another one taken on

tiny pictures closely. "This is...

asked, gesturing

felt the delicate chain slide around

said, his

resist, I closed the gap between us, our lips meeting in a fervent kiss. For a moment, I considered taking

lips still tingled from the kiss

my cheek

I love you," he replied, his arms enveloping me in

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

and patted my shoulder, nudging me away gently. "Have fun," he said, before grabbing a beer from the fridge and slipping out into the backyard to be with Matt and the rest of

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 away from the revelry and retreated to the

my 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 at

door creaked open. Enzo peeked in, his eyes immediately narrowing in concern. "Hey," he said softly,

muster a smile. "I just needed to rest for

his eyes searching mine. "Nina, I've seen you pull all-nighters, down energy drinks like water, and still be the

gaze dropping. "I know, Enzo. I just feel a bit off, and it doesn't feel like normal food poisoning. I'm almost wondering if I should take

a blend of love and concern that was uniquely Enzo. "If you think it's necessary. then you should do it. But if you're still feeling like

hear the rustling of leaves outside, the distant hoot of an owl, even