My Hockey Alpha



Chapter 0807

My mother's features softened as she regarded me, cupping my tear-stained cheek with her palm. "Nina, you were meant for this," she said softly, stroking a strand of hair out of my eyes. "Your father chose you as his heir because he saw that spark, that unwavering strength in you that your people will need to guide them forward."

I opened my mouth to protest further, but her gentle fingers found my lips, hushing me.

"What did he say to you, in those final moments?" she prompted. She already knew the answer-I had already told her when he had died nearly a week ago-but perhaps she wanted me to say it again. Maybe she wanted to hear his final words one last time.

"He wanted me to heal our family's wounds," I whispered, recalling his final words with piercing clarity. "And... to guide our people into an era of peace. Whatever that means."

My mother nodded solemnly. "Do you intend not to fulfill his last request?"

I swallowed again, staring at the ground for a few moments before I shook my head. "No. I know I need to do it, that's my purpose, but..."

"Then you have to. You simply have to. There is no time to wait, no time to learn."

"Why can't you do it instead?" I blurted out. "You would make an amazing Luna. You—"

"No." For a moment, my mother's expression became inscrutable. But then, slowly, she shook her head. "You know I can't. I'm not a werewolf. No one would ever accept a human Luna, and besides... I'm too old, anyway." "Dad was almost two hundred years old," I retorted with a small snort.

My mother chuckled. "That Alpha bloodline is impressive, isn't it?" she asked. "But I don't possess that long life that you have. And at this point in my life, I'm ready to retire to watch you and Tyler fulfill your own destinies."

She was right. I knew that she was right. But it didn't make it any easier.

I strained hard against the lump that had formed in my throat as my gaze drifted back toward my father's grave. It was so warm out-the perfect summer day, really-but I felt so cold. When they had dug up the soil to bury his casket, it was as if they had pulled all of the cold of winter out of the earth and left it on the surface, where it didn't belong.

But as I looked at his grave, and at my sister's, and my biological mother's, I knew that this was my burden to bear alone. The crushing weight of leadership, of responsibility for an entire realm's welfare-it all rested squarely on my shoulders now.

At least I had Enzo, my family, and the Peacekeepers by my side.

Drawing myself up to my full height, I lifted my chin with as much regal poise as I could muster, placing my hand over my swollen belly.

"You're right," I said, even though my voice shook. "I have to do this. Just promise to stay by my side."

My mother nodded and gripped my hand. "Always, Nina."

As I turned to regard the trio of gravestones one last time, I felt a newfound sense of resolve taking root in my chest. It was small, but it was there. Maybe, with time, I would settle into this new destiny of mine.

It was as I was looking at the graves, however, that I caught movement in the corner of my eye. I looked up to see a familiar, tall, muscular figure walking briskly toward us, his curly brown hair bristling in the wind and the afternoon sun turning his deep brown eyes into pools of honey.

Enzo.

He paused a few paces away, silently, clearly not wanting to disrupt our moment. But when I saw a piece of paper clenched in his hand, I knew that there was no delaying the inevitable.noveldrama