My Hockey Alpha by Eve Above Story PDF

Chapter 0798

Nina

I sat at the kitchen table, absentmindedly tracing the grains in the wood grain with my fingertip as my mind raced. The sun was high in the sky, a warm summer day that should have been spent lounging by the poolside and enjoying ice cream with my friends, if I had only been given the luxury of enjoying a normal life.

But there was nothing normal about my life anymore.

First, my father was still missing. No word had come from him or any of the envoys who had been sent in search of him. He was off somewhere, chasing a dragon, and very well may have been dead.

And that wasn't even the beginning of it.

Ever since Ronan had led us to that warehouse in the forest, I couldn't shake the feeling that we were still missing something some crucial piece of the puzzle that would finally shed light on whatever this mysterious Schreiber family was up to.

After all, if they were coming to take me or my child away, we needed to be prepared-more prepared than we had been with Mila. But the 'family', if that was even what it was, was elusive.

The image of that drugged, fearful wolf being dragged into the warehouse was seared into my brain. What fresh horrors awaited it inside those walls? And why would the Schreibers want a baby like mine? The thought made my

skin crawl.

Suddenly, the sound of swirling, crackling energy filled the air. I leapt up from my chair so quickly that I caused it to knock over onto the floor, but paid it no mind as I turned to see a portal opening in my living room.

A moment later, a familiar figure emerged from the shimmering vortex.

"Mom?" I whispered.

me, and in an instant, she was crossing the room and enveloping

tickling my hair as she spoke. "Tyler told

hugged her tightly, letting myself relax into her. "I'm so glad to see you," I said. "I'm sorry I didn't

pulled away, holding me by both shoulders. There were unshed tears in her eyes, but something about the dark circles under them made me wonder how often she

said softly.

to finish; we both knew what I was going to ask. My mother's lips pressed into a thin line then, and she reached out to take my hand, leading me over to the kitchen table. We sat down, her grip on my fingers tightening

still hasn't returned," she said

throat as the weight of her words sank in. Of course-I had already prepared myself for the likelihood that he might not return. That even regardless of whether he was dead or alive, we might never

I asked,

envoys out in

the air, suffocating and oppressive. It made no sense; how could an entire dragon have simply

refused to believe that he was truly gone. He had to be

him," I said, my voice hardening with resolve. "I'll

her eyes. "Nina... You know you can't." Her eyes flickered down to my belly, which had the swell of verging on the second trimester by now. Oh, how time was

I still have time," I murmured, resting my hand over

"It's not as simple as whether you're

frowned. "What

but you carry your own heir, too. If

going to say: that I had to remain behind, just in case he never returned. Someone had to take the throne, and that 'someon' had to

have a duty to his throne," I muttered, pulling my hand back a

nodded slowly, and I felt my stomach twist into a tight knot of dread. I had been so reluctant to accept

I'm no princess, mom," I insisted. "I'm