Finding the Forward, Part One (HockeyVerse)

Chapter Fifty-One

AJ

“ G rif?” I knocked on Grif’s partially open door, dressed and ready to head to Boston. My pack ring gleamed on my pinky.

A pack. We were now a pack. About fucking time.

“Come in,” he called from some place, probably the bathroom.

Holding the box awkwardly, I slipped in. My heart raced like a teenager about to ask their crush to the dance.

His room reeked of sex. We were running late because Dean needed to thank Grif properly for buying him the house they’d dreamed of living in together.

I always had a feeling we’d end up in Boston. It wouldn’t be a terrible thing. It wasn’t like I couldn’t afford to ride the ultra-bullet to work every day–or transfer to the Boston office.

While I’d grown up in New York, home was where they were.

“Hey.” Grif came out of the bathroom, wearing a button-down and khakis.

“Here.” I held out the long, slender box. “This is for you. We… we’re a pack now.” My chest tightened. This was a stupid courting gift. I should’ve gone flashy.

But how was I to know that Dean would get him his diploma for Christmas? Or that Grif was going to buy Dean a fucking house?

“Yes, we are. For me?” Grif opened the box, an excited look in his green eyes. He withdrew a wooden box with his name burned into it. Nestled inside the box lay a custom, handmade, wooden conducting baton.

“For when you conduct the Boston Symphony. It’s all set for you to conduct a piece at their big anniversary concert this spring.” I met his gaze. Lots of places wanted him to conduct. So far, I’d been having my assistant vet the offers, but we needed to either find him an agent to handle those appearances or get a pack publicist.

But this offer, this one was a given, ever since he’d told me that it was his backup plan when he was at BosTec. A story that the current Boston Symphony conductor found hilarious since she was a huge hockey fan.

“It is? It’s set?” Grif put the baton back in the box, then carefully put it on the nightstand. “Thank you. This is amazing.” He embraced me tightly, his scent flaring.

“Do you accept my gift?” My eyes met his.

He grinned. “Oh. We’re a pack now.”

“We are.” My heart roared in my ears. I knew he wouldn’t turn me down, but still…

“I accept your gift.” His eyes met mine, amplifying the weight of his words.

I kissed him, feeling him yield in my arms.

This was what I’d wanted for so long. I’d liked him from the moment I saw him at rookie camp when we’d hoped to be Hurricanes. But I’d loved him, wanted him to be my omega, since he’d come to me frantically when his illegal blockers failed. He’d been terrified to leave his room to get more and didn’t know who else to trust.

When he’d overdosed on blockers and nearly died, I knew I couldn’t lose him.

Now I had him, and I looked forward to the day when I could publicly call him my omega.

“You know I love you, Boo-Boo,” I told him.

“I love you, too, Pepperjack.”

I couldn’t wait to bond with him. Now we just needed that pack contract.