My Hockey Alpha



Nina

The scent of wet earth and crisp morning air greeted us as Enzo and I stepped through the portal and into the werewolf realm. Trees stood like ancient guardians, their leaves shimmering with the morning dew. The world seemed to pause, as if welcoming us back to a place that was as much a part of me as my own skin.

My heartbeat quickened as my father's mansion stood up ahead. It had felt like ages since I had last been here. In fact, it had been ages. I hadn't visited since my wedding around the New Year.This belongs © NôvelDra/ma.Org.

"Looks like they changed up the scenery a little," Enzo said, glancing around. The land surrounding the mansion, once empty and flat, now was laden with sprawling gardens and hedges.

The remnants of the battlefield that this place once was-both metaphorically and literally-were now nowhere to be found. Instead, it was a perfect sanctuary of vibrant colors and sweet smells. It had my mother's touch all over it, I was sure of it.

As we walked closer, the door burst open, revealing my mother. Her eyes sparkled with unshed tears as she dashed toward us.

"Nina, welcome!" She enveloped me in a hug that felt like home, then turned her gaze towards Enzo. "And Enzo! I've missed you both so much."

Enzo extended his hand, but my mother bypassed it entirely, pulling him into a warm embrace. "You would think he would know by now that we're not a handshaking sort of family," she teased, winking at me.

We laughed, the sound filling the air like a familiar melody. "Where's dad?" I asked, scanning the room behind her.

"He's in the study, buried in his books as usual, Mom answered, her eyes twinkling. "But he'll want to see you, Nina. We all do."

I could feel Enzo's eyes on me, and it warmed me from the inside out. We were here, together, and it felt right. My mom led us into the house, the aroma of mahogany wood and incense filling the air. A scent that, although I hadn't lived here growing up, felt oddly nostalgic. Sometimes, I almost wondered if a little piece of my sister still lived within me, yearning for home.

As we settled into the living room, my father appeared in the doorway. "So, my little girl has come to visit," he said, his voice tinged with unmistakable joy.

"Dad!" I rushed to him, feeling the strength of his arms as he hugged me tightly. "I've missed you so much." "Missed you too, sweetheart." He kissed the top of my head before clapping Enzo firmly on his shoulder. "Enzo, my boy. Did you put on even more muscle, somehow?"

"Muscle? More like fat from eating your daughter's food," Enzo grinned, and something unspoken passed between the two men a quiet, mutual understanding.

It was strange to me, to call this man 'dad' after never even knowing he existed for most of my life. But there was a connection between us, one that couldn't be ignored.

And as I glanced back and forth between him and my mom, I knew that there was a connection between them, too. They were pretending that there wasn't, but I could tell. It was funny, really, to think about how my mom had gone from a distant, adoptive mother to being involved with my biological father, but I was happy for them. Then, I heard the creak of a door opening upstairs. My heart skipped a beat. It had to be Tyler. Sure enough, a moment later, he appeared at the top of the stairs, his eyes widening when he saw me.

"Hey, sis!" Tyler practically vaulted down the stairs with a speed I had never seen before, and before I knew it, I was wrapped in a hug so tight it lifted me off my feet.

"Holy shit, Tyler, you're crushing me!" I gasped, although the truth was I was more elated at his newfound strength rather than bothered by it.

"Sorry," he said, setting me down but keeping an arm around me. "I just missed you a ton."

I grinned, giving his arm a squeeze through his shirt. "Talk about muscle," I said, my eyes darting to my father, who looked proud. "Tyler, since when are you not a twig?"

Tyler smirked, flexing his biceps triumphantly. "It must be something in the water here," he said.