Finding the Forward, Part One (HockeyVerse)

Chapter One

Grif

I stretched out in the two-seat, semi-private, first-class compartment of the commercial plane. Eyes closing, I waited for my flight to leave. It wasn’t exactly comfortable, considering I was six-foot-six and solid, but as good as it got on this airline.

“Excuse me, I think you might be in my seat,” a feminine voice drawled as something rang in the background.

“Nope. These are mine–I booked both seats.” My eyes remained closed, shielding myself against the world. I wasn’t in the mood for attention, especially with tomorrow’s big game weighing heavily on my mind.

“The window seat matches my ticket, but I’m happy with an aisle, if you prefer,” she replied.

I shook my head. “Sorry. They’re both mine.”

Her local accent wasn’t as thick as my sister’s mates, but was cute. No. I wasn’t about to be swayed by sweet talk. The ringing stopped.

“Is there a problem here?” the flight attendant asked.

“We have the same seat. Of course we do with the day I’m having. Did someone cancel my ticket? That’s low, even for her. But I wouldn’t have gotten on the plane if that happened, would I?” Frustration tinged the woman’s voice.

“I booked and paid for both seats.” I needed to relax, not to be stressed out, so I kept my eyes closed.

“Let me see what I can do.” The flight attendant went quiet for a moment. “I’m sorry. It seems like we’re double booked. Apologies. We have nothing else in first class. But I can get you on the first flight in the morning.”

“I have to be on this flight. But it doesn’t have to be first class. I’ll take whatever you have. Thank you so much,” the woman replied. A phone rang, then stopped.

“I think this flight’s full, but I’ll check. However, sir, if you're willing to share your extra seat, we can refund you for this leg of the trip. She’s only going to Rockland,” the flight attendant offered.

Once again, a phone rang, then ceased. Ugh. What was that?

“Sorry, but there’s a reason I bought them both,” I told her.

“I’ll be right back,” the flight attendant said.

“Thank you. I don’t care where I sit. I just have to be on this flight. Please, could I sit in one seat? I won’t bother you. Promise. I have a book to read.” Desperation laced her voice. Something rang again.

“If you won’t answer your phone, shut it off.” My eyes flew open. I sat up and turned toward her, frowning.

A striking woman about my age, mid-twenties, wearing a light purple floral dress, stood there looking like the world was ending. A tall and willowy woman, she was probably six feet without her heels, and perfectly accessorized and made up. She clutched a pull-along suitcase so tight her knuckles were white. A trendy pastel purse was slung across her body.

“Sorry.” Her manicured hands shook as her phone rang and she silenced it. Thick, near-black hair cascaded down her back, calling to be grabbed. Her skin was the color of sun-kissed sand. Even fully clothed, she clearly had a fit body, with a bit of curve in all the right places.

Something about her called to me in a way no one but Dean ever had, like she was an enchantress catching me in her spell. I was guessing she was an incredibly tall beta. Nothing about her said omega or alpha.

“I’m sorry this is happening, but I have an excellent reason to have both seats,” I told her, feeling a bit like a dick. But I needed my seats.

“I have an excellent reason to be on this flight, too.” Her voice went tart, kissable pink, glossy lips puckering. “Why do you need two seats? Is one for your invisible cat?”

“Invisible cat? I haven’t heard that one.” I guffawed. Invisible cat? Good one.

Something in me didn’t like the fact that this enchanting woman was upset and afraid .

You could fix it.

Helping her posed such a risk, though. I wasn’t sure I wanted to put everything on the line for a stranger. Even a scared, pretty one.

Still, while I wasn’t the oldest sibling, I had done a lot of making things better over the years for my younger ones.

A man moved into the compartment across the aisle. His eyes flickered over me in recognition, and he waved. “Good luck. I know you’re the underdog, but you can win this.”

“Thank you. We wouldn’t be here without our fans.” I flashed a fake smile and hoped he didn’t ask for a photo or autograph.

He didn’t, sitting down and looking at his phone. Relief shot through me.

“You’re an athlete on your way to the game. These are your lucky seats. I understand now,” she breathed, nodding.

“Exactly. I’m a forward. I always sit three rows back from the front, left side, and take both seats. Usually, it’s the team jet. I’m flying commercial because there was a family emergency, so I ducked out real quick between games.” I flashed her a smile, not knowing why I was telling a stranger so much about myself.

“Oh, is everything okay?” Her look went stricken.

“Yeah, Sissy will be fine.” For a moment, things weren’t. Which was why my sister’s mates asked me to come out, even though it was the middle of the championship finals.

“I’m glad.” She flashed me another sweet smile.

One that made guilt bloom through me.

“I’m sorry. If there wasn’t so much on the line, I hope you know that I’d let you have the aisle seat.” Would she understand? I needed her to understand.

Sure, it was superstitious, but I was a professional hockey player. It wasn't just the league championship on the line. It meant the opportunity for me to finally be with Dean full time after six years of us playing on different teams.

Her phone kept ringing. She ignored it.

“I understand. I played forward in undergrad. Wore the same pair of socks every game, but I washed them. One of my teammates didn’t,” she laughed.

“I have a teammate like that,” I chuckled. “Forward? I can see that.” I looked her up and down, slender but muscular. She was probably fast.

“My sister plays skate smash. During the season she wears her hair the same way every day, with a specific brand of scrunchie, regardless of whether or not there’s a game.” She laughed a little. Her phone rang again, a different ringtone this time. With another resigned sigh, she answered it. “Mama–”

The smell of burnt-sugar fear overwhelmed me, despite the filters on the plane and my no-good nose. My hands balled into fists as anger at whoever was scaring her simmered under my skin. A fury which was at odds with the part of me that itched to pull her into my lap and make it better.

The part that wanted me to be a good person and fix this.

“I’m not being unreasonable. You asking me to cancel my trip as I’m going out the door is unreasonable,” she replied into her phone, shoulders rounded.

The voice on the other end was male and loud. I couldn’t make out actual words, but he wasn’t telling her pleasant things. Asshole.

“I’m already on the plane.” Her chest shook.

The urge to rip the phone out of her hands overwhelmed me. Instead, I took a breath. She was a stranger. We were in public.

“Will you stop?” she told him. Her jaw clenched and her knees sagged.

No. I had sisters and I couldn’t allow this to continue.

“I’m sorry, miss, but you need to turn off your phone so the plane can leave,” I exclaimed. Reaching over, I tapped end call.

So long, fuckers.

Giant blue-green eyes, like a tropical ocean, stared at me from under long, dark lashes. Her lower lip trembled. “I... I’m not being unreasonable. Am I?”

“What’s happening, Kitten?” The endearment slipped out, because she reminded me of a scared little kitten. Like the ones we’d find on the docks as kids.

She sniffed, fishing in her designer purse for a tissue.

“Are you running from a dangerous situation? An arranged mating?” My hands fisted to keep them to myself instead of holding her tight and running my hands through her hair while telling her it would be okay.

Her phone faced me. I eyed the texts that filled it as it beeped nonstop. Get off that plane. Don’t make me call security. Don’t be selfish.

“Oh, nothing like that. I’m going to visit my older siblings. The parents need me to help with the littles. Normally, I would, but they told me as I was leaving for the airport. It’s been a dreadful day as it is.” She dabbed them with a tissue. “Sorry, I don’t mean to be a crybaby. I’m being unreasonable, aren’t I? I mean, what grown woman climbs out the window?”

She did what?

“No. It’s not unreasonable to see your siblings. It is unreasonable to ask you to reschedule last minute.” Outrage burst inside me. It was too much like what my older sister’s asshole ex put her through. I was happy Sissy had found herself caring partners.

The woman’s shoulders slumped. “Today was awful. I’ll be in for it when I get back. I... I’ve never really defied them before.”

“Good job standing up for yourself. Will your siblings you’re visiting help you? How many are you?” The poor thing looked defeated and overworked. Probably still lived at home. Unfortunately, her tale wasn’t that unusual. It seemed like beta kids always ended up taking on extra responsibilities in big families.

“We’re ten kids, six parents. I... I have to go back eventually. Summer just started for me. I’m in a PhD program for plant genetics. Well, for now. The professor I’m doing my research under is leaving for another university, and my funding’s being pulled.” Her eyes squeezed tight as she took a deep breath. “I don’t know what I’m going to do. Sorry. It’s been a right shitty day.”

Plant genetics? Shit. I’d never graduated university and struggled to keep my grades high enough to stay on the hockey team.

“I’m number four of sixteen kids, so I understand.” I’d grown up in an enormous pack in Boston. Sissy bore the brunt of it, but I’d done as much as I could. I still did.

“Big families unite.” Her phone rang. She scowled at it. “My trip was on the calendar. Things have really gone to shit since Mom went to jail last year.”

Um, what? Well then.

The flight attendant reappeared, looking remorseful. “Apologies, but this plane is full. Would you like another flight tomorrow and a partial refund for the inconvenience, Miss?”

She hung her head in defeat. “If I don’t get on this flight, I’m not going to Rockland. I...”

“Sit with me, Kitten.” It felt like a dick move to make her wait to fly until tomorrow, when I had an empty seat next to me. Especially given her circumstances. It wasn’t her fault the airline fucked up.

Relief crossed the flight attendant’s face. “Thank you, Sir. I’ll get you a refund and some extra loyalty points. Now, please sit so the flight can take off.” She hurried off.

The woman stared at the seat; eyebrows furrowed. “I wouldn’t want to disrupt your luck. It’s a big game, isn’t it?”

It was the biggest game. Shit, the fact that she weighed her safety against my luck broke my heart.

“It’ll be fine. I’ll play even better.” Hopefully. I played off my apprehension with a grin. “Just don’t sit on Lucky.”

“Lucky?” She blinked.

“My invisible cat. The one that needs the other seat.” I nodded my head toward it. It was a clever idea, and I could have a lot of fun with it.

She laughed, then frowned. “Are you sure?”

“Of course.” The more we talked, the more I felt drawn to her, like we were magnets. The guys and I weren’t ready to add to our pack. Shit, we hadn’t even officially formed one yet. Still...

No. It was me projecting. Me wanting to protect the frightened little kitten from the assholes that were scaring her the way I’d protected people all my life.

“If you insist. Thank you. I appreciate your kindness.” She stowed her bag and sat down.

The flight attendant brought four drinks, setting two on each armchair table, along with a pile of snacks.

The woman picked one up, delighted. “Oooh. These are free?”

“First time flying first class? The first time I did, I stuffed my bag full.” I’d been with Dean and his parents. It had been my first time on a plane. They hadn’t made fun of me. Instead, they’d asked for more, knowing I wanted to take them home and share them with my siblings.

“Yep. Big Sis has a rich pack.” She rummaged in her purse and frowned. Pulling something out, she swallowed it with her drink. Probably something to take the edge off the flight.

She patted the air beside her. “Are you okay, Lucky? Such a good kitty.”

You can pet me anytime, Kitten. What was I thinking? I wasn’t going to fuck some random woman on the plane. Not to mention, she was emotionally fragile.

Still, she drew me to her, and it was beyond her catching my eye.

“He’s great,” I told her. My nose wrinkled as she belted herself in. She reeked of alpha anger and chemical de-scenter. I couldn’t tell what her actual scent was. Not that my nose was very good–I’d taken too many pucks to the face.

Her phone rang again, and she silenced it with a grimace.

I took a sweatshirt out of my backpack. It was technically Dean’s, but it was what I had. “Here, wear this. It’ll help my luck.”

It was for my team, the Biscayne Bay Hurricanes.

She pulled it on over her dress. “Thanks. You like hockey? I don’t watch it, but sometimes I see hockey players at the rink my sister practices skate smash at.”

Yep. She had no idea who I was. But until last season, many people didn’t.

“I do like hockey. I’m Grif,” I added, not offering a hand. It was more of an alpha-to-alpha thing.

“Verity.” She smiled, her face lighting up.

Now that was more like it.

“You should disable your location and shut off your phone,” I told her as her phone beeped and buzzed.

“I should. My dad says he’ll fix it. But...” Sighing, she scrolled through her texts. “Yes, Mercy, I’m a ding-dong. That’s my little sister who plays skate smash. She’s waiting to hear if she makes the Rockland Raiders’ discovery team. Not that the parents approve, since she’s not even seventeen.” She turned off her phone and put it away.

In skate smash, discovery leagues were right below the minors, preparing athletes for the draft and affiliated with specific pro teams. A high schooler being allowed to try out for one was a fucking prodigy. Skate smash rivaled hockey in the violence department. Only they wore a lot less gear.

I glanced at my phone as it let up with a text.

Dean

Fly Safe. I love you.

My other soon-to-be-packmates, Jonas and AJ, texted something similar. I missed them so much. It was absolutely miserable playing on a different team than Dean and Jonas. Normally, I’d be with them by now for the off-season. But no, I decided nah, I think I’ll extend the season and win it all.

The Hurricanes were two and two in the championship finals against the Portland Sasquatches. Whichever team won this game won the Professional Hockey League championships. I texted everyone back and switched my phone to airplane mode.

“What am I going to do about my PhD? It’s too late to apply for new funding. I thought perhaps I could take out a loan or use my savings. After all, I live at home and get a tuition discount because Dad is a professor there, and then...” Her voice broke as her head bowed, near-black hair creating a heavy curtain around her face.

“What happened?” I asked. My kitten was a bit of an over-sharer. But sometimes a stranger could offer more objective advice.

Also, if you’d never been trauma-dumped on by a stranger on a plane, had you even actually flown?

“They’re selling the house, dissolving the pack, and going their separate ways. While they’re dividing up the small siblings, the rest of us are on our own. So, no house to live in and no tuition discount.” Verity’s head bowed.

Shit.

“It gets worse. They want me to quit my program and take care of those left behind. The alpha parents always thought my research was frivolous. Pretty sure my adult brothers can care for themselves. My little sister will move in with one of my older siblings if she makes the team. Is it wrong to want it to be a discussion and not an edict?” Her look grew stricken as her voice became frantic.

What. The. Fuck.

Once again, I fought the urge to pull her to me and make it all better.

“Not at all. You’re an adult and allowed to make your own choices–even if they piss off your parents. Yeah, your adult brothers don’t need you to care for them. You know what? We’re going to drink and eat snacks. I’ll give you a pep talk. Your dad can smooth this over while you visit with your siblings and I’m sure they’ll help you figure out how to stay in your program,” I assured, needing to distract her before she made me anxious.

Yeah, I’d have plenty of time to get focused on the second leg of the flight. Our game wasn’t until tomorrow night, anyway.

“That’s a good plan. Yeah, if anyone can help me it would be my older brother and sister. Thanks for being so nice to me.” Her head ducked a little.

“How could I not?” I caught a whiff of desire. Also, a hint of driftwood and sea salt. Was that her actual scent? Fuck me.

Scents, especially beta ones, usually did nothing for me. But this made me want sex on the beach in a sandy cove.

“I have movies we can watch. And this cozy blanket my mom made.” I brought out the overly colorful knitted blanket and draped it over us. One of my moms had come down, and it had been nice to see her, even if it wasn’t the best of circumstances.

“Oh, this is pretty.” She ran her fingers over the chunky yarn.

“Are you okay in there, Lucky?” I joked as I peeked under the blanket.

The plane took off. I put the privacy guard up to shield us from the other rows, then got out my laptop so we could watch a rom-com. As we watched the movie and ate our snacks, I had a drink, and she had a couple.

She took off her seatbelt and inched closer, her leg brushing against mine. I grew hard under the blanket from her touch.

Verity also kept fretting. Which made it difficult to relax.

“What do you need, Kitten?” I paused the movie.

“An edible and a vibrator,” she muttered. “Sorry. Too much information. I don’t like flying. You’re so nice. I wish I was allowed to date.”

“You can’t date?” My hand went to my heart. Of course, they didn’t let her date. Dating led to marriage or mating, leaving them without someone to do their chores and raise their kids.

If we lived close, I’d date her. The guys would adore her–especially Dean. Without thinking, I leaned in and kissed her, long and sweet. Her pink lip gloss tasted of peppermint.

Her eyes widened, but instead of pulling away, she kissed me harder, our lips crashing together in a cacophony of need. My hand tangled in her long hair. I was glad it was mostly private here. Dean wouldn’t mind. I’d tell him all about her in great detail. I was more worried about it ending up on the internet.

Still, every ounce of me screamed to kiss this sweet kitten and let her ride my hand until the plane landed. Not sure why, since I was on so many suppressants and blockers that I’d done permanent damage to my instincts.

Hockey was my life, and no team in the Professional Hockey League had an omega forward.

Honestly, I didn’t care that I’d damaged myself to the point where no one even considered that my beta designation might be fake. I was positively giant for an omega, given I was bigger than most alphas.

Dean loved me and my soon-to-be-pack accepted me wholeheartedly. That was all that mattered.

Mmmm. Her lips and skin were soft. That mass of hair felt great in my hands. That body. My cock strained against my pants, begging to escape and bury itself in her aroused softness.

“Sorry.” I broke off the heated kiss. “I don’t want to take advantage of you. You’ve had a rough day.”

Just because she smelled like she wanted me, didn’t mean she did.

Verity’s look went coy as the sweet scent of her desire flared. She ran a manicured finger down my chest. “What if I want to be taken advantage of?”