Finding the Forward, Part One (HockeyVerse)

Chapter Seventeen

Dean

W e piled off the bus at the training facility, tired, but happy that we’d pounded the Dinosaurs last night. Even though I always sort of felt bad because they were so fucking nice and had taken us out to their favorite bar after the game.

Glad to be home, I was looking forward to pancakes, pancakes, and some bread with my pancakes. Sometimes the team had a family brunch for us as something special. The fancy room on the third floor overlooked the main rink, where the Maimers were practicing. Everything was Halloween themed and smelled delicious , making my mouth water.

The players with kids were immediately tackle-hugged. Nia’s little twins, who wore pumpkin costumes, gripped each of her legs. She laughed as she continued to walk to greet her omega and pack.

Grif spoke quietly to Coach Atkins over by the waffles. He’d played another great game, and it looked like they were finally happy with him.

Good. I’d pitch a massive omega bitch fit if they tried to trade my husband away from me.

My eyes swept the lower stands where Verity often sat and watched the Maimers. When he could, Grif would join her for a snuggle in the mornings. Sometimes I crashed the party.

Occasionally, she still flinched when I made a joke. Though I tried to be good, I really did.

Of course, with our schedules, we didn’t see her every day. They kept having to push back their date–and her coming over. Grif had taken her and Mercy out a few times. But just them. Jonas kept telling me to give them some time.

I wanted a piece of Verity, too.

Something about Verity drew me to her–and it wasn’t only that her scent tempted me like a siren or that she baked me bread. I liked her soft nature, her sweet smile, and that cute laugh. I loved the way she put her arm around Grif, her hand on the small of his back like the alpha she was.

Ah, there she was. She hunched over a laptop, perhaps grading papers or doing whatever she researched. I wasn’t certain what plant geneticists did.

Nat-the-Knight burst into the room wearing a pumpkin costume and started passing candy out to the kids. Well, the kids and Carlos.

“I’m going to get a latte,” I told Jonas, giving him a kiss.

“Should I come with you?” Jonas frowned slightly.

It was alpha nature for him to want to be with me, though I moved through the training facility freely on my own. Goalies had a lot of their own practices and meetings.

“I’m fine.” Slipping out of the room, I went downstairs to the coffee cart, getting a matcha latte for myself and a chai latte for Verity.

I found her still bent over a laptop in the stands.

“Hey, Little Alpha, brought you something.” I held up the cup.

“Dean. When did you get back?” Her face lit up as she closed her sticker-covered laptop. She looked around as if trying to find Grif.

Warmth trickled through me. She missed me!

“A little bit ago. They’re upstairs eating. I snuck off.” I handed her the cup.

Like nearly always when she was at the rink, she wore my Hurricane sweatshirt. I wished I had something of hers to wear, too. It might be too soon. Her scent had worn off the shirt Grif had on when he’d first reconnected with her. I’d fished it out of the laundry and tucked it into my nest.

“Thanks.” Verity looked like she wanted to hug me.

“You can hug me. I won’t say no to a kiss, especially with tongue,” I teased.

Her head ducked, but she moved her things and patted the bench next to her. I plopped down. Verity enveloped me with her arm, and my omega preened at the attention, the scent of driftwood surrounding me.

“You do like me, don’t you? If my teasing is a little much, I’m sorry, but that’s how I am. Your feelings aren’t hurt, are they?” I clutched my latte.

“No, not at all. I do like you. A lot.” She flashed one of those soft little smiles I loved.

“Good, I was afraid maybe you didn’t.” Today, she only wore a little makeup, but it included that shiny lip gloss. I wanted to lick it off.

“Dean, do you know how long the focaccia bread with the edible flowers took me to make? I don’t make things like that for people I don’t like.” She gave me a reassuring squeeze that settled something inside me.

I leaned my head on her shoulder. “That was delicious.”

Grif could have his locker cupcakes. Give me locker bread.

“I’m excited for the chance to get to know you more. I’m simply taking my time with Grif. Also, I wouldn’t want him to think I was using him to get to you.” Arm still around me, she sipped her latte. “This is perfect, thank you.”

That soothed my omega. She wanted me. Verity just needed to fuck Grif a little more first. I understood that.

Hopefully, she didn’t take long since I wasn’t very patient.

“I respect that,” I told her. If Grif had actually been a beta, that would’ve meant everything.

It still did.

“Good. While your husband has told me all the ways he’d like both of us together, you also have an alpha. I don’t know where I stand with him, and I don’t want to cross him.” Her scent soured.

I hated that she was often so unsure about Jonas and me. It made me anxious. My omega wanted to make this little alpha happy.

But this was new for her. I was new for her.

In time, I hoped it would become as easy for us as it was between her and Grif.

Especially since I now knew her intentions.

Sitting snuggled up against her, her arm around me as we drank our lattes, filled up my omega heart. Maybe she’d go to the Halloween carnival with us tonight? Mmmm. I’d let her chase me through the park with a mask on.

Someone banged on the glass. Mercy stood there, helmet and gear on, face pressed against it, cheeks puffed out. Verity made a silly face back.

“Going for the pair now?” Mercy teased.

Oh, yes, please. I wanted to be the filling in a Grif and Verity sandwich. If Jonas watched? Perfection.

“In case you didn’t know, Grif and I come as a set.” I grinned. Eventually, I’d like to get to know the little sister better.

I watched her sometimes as they practiced. Mercy worked her ass off. She was confident, but not cocky. This girl would be captaining a team and leading them to victory before we knew it. There was a reason Rusty chose a seventeen-year-old who hadn’t even fully become an alpha yet.

“Mercy, stop heckling the spectators,” their coach called from the ice.

“Laters.” With a wave, Mercy skated off.

“Do you know how to ice skate?” I asked Verity, curious, because Grif and I grew up on skates.

“I’ve spent a lot of time skating over the years. But I wouldn’t be very good at it now.” She shrugged and took a sip.

“I won’t let you fall. Have you ever been to Boston?” I drank some more. Mmmm, just what I needed.

“That’s where you and Grif grew up?” she asked. “One of my little brothers just started university there. I helped him move in and visited for family weekend. It’s nice.”

Oh? There were several good universities in Boston. Like the one Jonas, Grif, and I attended. The fact that she moved him in and went to family weekend said a lot about how shitty her parents were.

A cute ringtone played on her phone. The silly look on her face told me exactly who was calling.

“Hi. I’m down in the stands. I was trying to get work done, but I got distracted,” she said into her battered phone. Her head lolled to the side, resting on my shoulder, in a way so natural I wasn’t sure she even knew what she was doing. “Okay, see you soon.”

“Grif’s going to crash our party?” I asked, a little sad that my alone time with her had come to an end.

“Grif wanted to know if he could take me to lunch. Though I have to walk Mercy off the property first. They’re almost done. Maybe you can come, too?” She gazed at me, eyes pleading.

“Oh, I’d love to come, Little Alpha. Should we find a closet?” I met her gaze. I wasn’t about to stop teasing her unless she explicitly told me to.

Her pink tongue licked her glossy lower lip. Now that's what I wanted to see. Okay, I wanted her to have her way with me. Still, this was infinitely better than her being anxious.

“That’s where you went to. Jonas was wondering.” Grif joined us, leaning in and giving Verity a lingering kiss. “Missed you, Gorgeous.”

“Same, Tiger.” She kissed him back.

Thrusting up my head, I got one from him, too. He sat down between me and Verity. She gave him a squeeze and his face lit up. I loved seeing him with her.

I still felt no jealousy. Especially since she’d assured me there’d be some of that for me, too.

“Maybe Dean can come with us?” Verity did that little wiggle she did when unsure.

“Again, I’d love to come. Should we find a closet?” I prodded, wishing I was in the middle, but not wanting to be greedy. All this talk of coming made me squirmy.

If I didn't go out to eat with them, I’d get Jonas to rail me.

My phone rang. Jonas.

“Are you okay? Is the line long? Should I get you pancakes?” He sounded worried.

“I’m with Grif and Verity watching the Maimers. Find us.” I hung up.

Because this was better than pancakes. Even ones shaped like pumpkins.

“Would you be okay with asking Jonas, too? It might be nice for us to spend a little time together? I’d ask AJ, but he’s golfing. It’s work-golf so he couldn’t skip to come to the family brunch,” Grif said.

Wasn’t all golf just an outdoor business meeting? Grif and Jonas played. I’d rather play tennis. Carlos and I played sometimes.

“Oh, that’s too bad. I feel terrible that I haven’t met him yet. Should I make that appointment at his office?” Her brow furrowed.

“It’s fine, he’s just busy,” Grif assured her.

Was he though? Eventually, he had to meet her so she could win him over.

“This looks cozy.” Jonas joined us, sitting beside me, an arm snagging my waist.

Verity grinned. “Hi, Alpha Jonas. I found your missing flock.”

“Grif, you forgot your cat.” Jonas held out his hands as if giving something to Grif.

“Hey, Lucky,” Grif said to the air.

“Aww, you’re such a good kitty. I love Lucky’s Halloween costume.” Verity pretended to pet Lucky, and I yearned for her to pet me like that.

Jonas eyed us. “Are we going to have brunch? I’m sure no one will care if we bring Verity up with us.”

“I was going to take Verity out,” Grif replied.

“She said we can come .” I shot Jonas a shitty-ass grin. Though it looked like the Maimers were ending their practice. Boo.

“You're welcome to accompany us, Alpha Jonas.” Verity’s head ducked a little as she smiled shyly.

“That sounds good. We should ask AJ,” Jonas replied.

“He’s golfing,” Grif sighed.

I looked at Jonas. “Verity and Mercy could come with us to the Halloween carnival at the park tonight.”

“Probably not. The Maimers have a home game tonight. If Mercy goes off with her friends instead of Tito’s after the game, I’ll call you?” Verity told us.

“That sounds like a good plan.” Grif planted a kiss on her temple.

Oh. Mercy had a game. Verity had probably planned on going to lunch with Grif while Mercy got in a pre-game nap.

“Halloween games are fun. Are you dressing up in costumes to and from the arena?” I asked. We had a Halloween game last year and we all dressed as knights.

She nodded. “Mercy and I have a cute matching costume. I’ll text you pics.”

“I can’t wait.” I grinned at her, wondering what it could be.

Jonas offered me a hand and I took it, that giddy feeling I always got when we touched going through me.

Grif helped Verity up and got her stuff packed away. She sent off a text and grabbed her backpack and crutch.

“Come on boys,” she drawled. “Let’s go find Mercy, then have some lunch.”