Claimed by the Hockey Alpha Stars

Luna's POV

Life doesn't have to be hard, especially for people like us with no family or relatives.

A quick introduction isn't bad, is it?

My name is Luna, and I'm just a girl trying to survive without parents after being chased away from the orphanage I grew up knowing as home.

Surviving is my only choice while living in the city with no family. I scrape by with the tips of my fingernails, working until my neck refuses to move and my waist becomes stiff.

When I discovered hockey, I thought practicing until I became the best player would help reduce my suffering-until I realized I would always sit on the bench while my teammates dribbled around each other on the field. The only thing I'm useful for is serving the players water when they're exhausted after playing, and sometimes I pack their sweaty clothes to take home and wash.

Come on, that's not for free. Each of them pays me $10 for that, of course. What am I expecting? Just looking at them, I can tell they're nothing but spoiled brats.

They always pick on me, and of course, I always find a way to defuse their anger by acting stupid and laughing at things I should be mad about.

I thought I had finally gained peace when I got admitted into the most popular school in town. They're known for having the second-best player of the year. Everyone believes that, and I do too.

I have attempted many times to join their crew. Maybe if I get trained by the best coach, I will improve at least a little, or maybe if I play alongside stars like Dominic, Alex, and Liam, they will recognize my potential and give me a second chance. But I'm never given an opportunity. In fact, I have never even been allowed to step onto their field-let alone meet the coach who could give me permission to train.

Just like on a normal day, my alarm jolts me awake from my deep slumber. Dragging my feet out of bed, I check the time-it is fifteen minutes past ten. Of course, I'm always late for classes. If only it were a workday, I'd wake up by seven.

I stretch my tired body, my eyes scanning the small room the school assigns to me and my roommate.

I am already late for class, so I drag myself to the bathroom, take a quick shower, and get ready for school.

I stare at the lecturer while he writes something on the board, but everything he says goes in one ear and out the other-I don't catch a word.

The time for his lecture ends, and another lecturer enters. One thing I hate about popular schools: they always take their work seriously.

An hour passes in the blink of an eye, and I am already out of class. I don't have friends, so there's no reason to stay behind for small talk.

I walk past the big stadium. Unlike every other stadium I train in, this one is totally different. It looks beautiful from the outside-I wonder how the inside looks.

I have never been allowed inside, but I just hope I can sneak in.

I walk closer to the gate, but before I even get the chance to open it, the security guard is already yelling at me to leave.

I turn on my heel to walk away when I suddenly see a man in black standing behind me.

I don't need to look too closely to know he is the coach-his outfit says it all. I have been searching for a chance to meet him, and now that I have, I can't find the words to say.

"You play?" he questions, raising a brow.

How does he know what's on my mind?

Without a second thought, I nod.

"Follow me."

And with that, he turns and walks away. Shocked, I stare after him.

How come he's so gentle with his words? Without hesitation, I follow him, feeling the security guard's gaze on me.

The moment I step inside, I am speechless. Why has the security guard been denying me the chance to see such a magnificent sight?

I look around and realize only males are here. They all glare at me with disgust, and that's when I notice they are half-naked. I quickly spin around, my heart racing.

After a minute, I hear the coach's voice instructing me to turn back, and just like that, I do. They are now fully clothed.

"Want to change?" the coach asks, and my eyes widen. Will I start training today?

I nod eagerly, watching as he walks into a room nearby. He comes out with a blue outfit-a skirt and tank top-and tosses it to me. I catch it with a smile.

"Thank you, Coach..." My words trail off into a whisper since I have no idea what his name is.

"Margaret," he says, and I nod.

"Okay, Coach Margaret."

It takes me less than five minutes to change into the clothes he gives me. They fit perfectly, making me look like a real player.

When I step outside, the male players stare at me with nothing but disdain. I wonder what I have done to them-they have just met me today, so why the hate?

The coach splits the male team into groups, then asks me to join one. They all seem unhappy, but maybe they don't dare to question him.

He blows the whistle, and the game starts. Before I can even move my heavy legs, I hear a scream of "Goal!"

How?!

We just started.

It feels abnormal to me but seems normal to them.

The match continues, and my team is losing. Of course, they all blame me-even though I haven't even touched the ball since the game started.

Minutes pass, and I feel drained, but they all look perfectly fine. I think maybe they are just strong because they are men, but I have been training with men all my life, and even they get exhausted at some point.

But these guys? They are different. Even after playing for nearly forty minutes, they show no signs of fatigue. No heavy breathing, no spitting, no requests for water, nothing like my previous team. Something is wrong.

"Hey, you!" I hear the coach's sharp voice behind me. I turn to see him gesturing for me to leave the team.

I obey immediately. As soon as I drop my stick, I collapse onto the floor, gasping for air.

"You did great," he says with a small smile, and I give a weak nod.

After catching my breath, I raise my head to watch what is happening on the field.

Fear ripples through me.

The way they move-it is all a blur, like they are using some kind of supernatural power.

They don't seem human.

Who are they?!

Luna's POV

A week passes in the blink of an eye.

When I first joined the team, I thought maybe-just maybe-the male team hated me simply because I'm a girl and not their match.

When more girls got recruited, I thought my nightmare had ended, that now was the time to mingle with sisters and have a little peace of mind.

But that was just a lie. No matter how hard I try, I'm never enough. I get bullied, sent to stand multiple times. Still, I stay on the team because hockey is my dream, and I really want to meet the three-star players.

According to the coach, the three have been training at the national camp, but they will be back soon.

Today starts like any other day. As soon as I walk into the stadium, I am met with their sinister glares, chewing gum in a way that makes me want to throw up.

They look more like sluts trying to seduce customers to pick them, with how short their clothes are and the way they play with the ends of their hair.

I shake off the thought, pretending not to see them, but I've barely taken more than two steps when one of them throws me a bottle, and it rolls to a stop at my feet.

"Fill the bottle with vitamin C and water before the coach arrives," she mutters.

Honestly, I would ignore them. They only do this when the coach isn't around, and whenever I try to tell him, I hold back, afraid he will just chase me out because I'm not one of the real players.

I swallow my anger and bend down to pick up the bottle, but before I can, a girl steps beside me and kicks it away. I look up and meet Cassie's gaze.

I've heard the coach call her that during training, and she's different from the other girls. You never see her with them-she's always on her own, and I'd say she's the best female player.

"Get your ass up and fetch the water yourself! No one is your fucking slave here!" she snaps, and the other girls shrink back. How I wish I had that kind of energy.

She turns her sharp eyes on me and smirks. "Stop shaking when they try to bully you. That's why you have a mouth-to talk!"

That's all she says before turning and walking away.

"Thanks..." My voice trails off. Her energy surprises me, and maybe what she says is true.

I glare at the other girls before marching to a corner, finding the perfect spot to sit while silent tears slip down my cheeks.

I don't know why I'm so different from them. I've trained all my life, but still, I can't match half of their speed-even though they seem inhuman to me. Not really, but something about them isn't normal.

"Good morning, Coach."

I hear their voices in unison. That's when I know the coach has arrived.

I stand up to greet him, and immediately, he notices my eyes. He knows something is wrong.

He leans in slightly. "Be strong. The only way to stop this is to surpass them all," he says with a small smile.

I don't have time to dwell on his words before training begins. So he has known all along that they bully me?

After the exercises, batches are selected. The guys' team plays first, with everyone cheering loudly.

The people I actually want to see aren't here. The three stars. If they were, my voice would be the loudest. Instead, I just stay quiet and watch.

When it's time for the girls' batch, the coach puts me in a group as an extra. That stings, but do I have a choice?

No!

A girl on my team throws me a glare that makes me want to run away, but I keep my gaze down.

"You," a voice calls from behind me. "Just tell the coach you're not interested. There's no way you'll be on our team."

"I... I..."

"And if I have to choose, I'd rather scold you than her. Goddamn it! You're so useless when it comes to passing the ball," Cassie interrupts before I can form a response. "Let's play as one. Any stupid act from someone will result in ten rounds of jogging."

That shuts everyone up.

We begin the game, and all I can do is run behind them. No one passes me the ball; they pretend not to see me.

Except for Cassie. She tries to pass it to me, but before I can take it, an opponent snatches it away.

We play, and it's a draw. The coach announces that there are two minutes left when suddenly, the ball stops in front of me, and everything else blurs.

I lift my gaze to see Cassie staring at me. "Do something with the ball. Show them you're not as weak as they think."

She tries to encourage me, but I can't move.

Our teammates start lashing out at Cassie for passing the ball to me at the worst time.

The opponent team begins surrounding me. I don't want to mess this up for Cassie.

I tighten my grip on my stick, keeping the ball balanced at the tip, and push forward, trying my best to dribble past them.

By the time I reach the middle of the field, a sudden surge of energy pumps through me. My speed increases, my vision sharpens, and the goalpost becomes crystal clear. With one final strike, I send the ball flying.

It slams into the goalpost with such force that the ball explodes, leaving a hole in the net.

I freeze in shock, as does everyone else. The coach blows his whistle, and my team erupts into cheers.

"That's what you can do if you put your mind to it," Cassie says, striding up beside me.

I nod. I agree with her. Maybe I've been weak only because I convinced myself that I couldn't do it.

I walk off the field, and the coach's expression remains the same-not surprised, not excited, just a small applause.

"I expect more from you, Luna."

When he says my name, I notice something flicker in his eyes. For a second, his dark irises shift into something golden and sharp.

It sends a chill down my spine, but then, in the blink of an eye, they return to normal.

What was that? That's not normal for a human.

I glance around, but no one else seems shocked. Am I the only one who noticed?

"Well done for today," the coach announces. "Tomorrow is your rest day, so prepare for the full moon trip competition. We've trained hard enough to come first."

Applause follows, but I barely hear it.

What does he mean by full moon trip? Am I missing something?

"At least my wolf will finally come out on the full moon," a girl mutters beside me, and my head snaps toward her.

What? A wolf?

"And Alex, Dominic, and Liam will meet us there," the coach says, and the energy in the room shifts-even mine.

I will finally meet the three stars? That's more than exciting.

"I can't wait to meet them. Maybe one of them will be my mate," a girl murmurs.

No one reacts strangely to her words.

What is a mate?

It sounds like they are speaking another language.

Luna's POV

The day of the trip, they all refuse to sit beside me. I pretend not to care, inserting my earpieces and bowing my head until I feel a figure settle beside me.

Of course, it's Cassie.

"Fool," she mutters just low enough for only me to hear, and I smile.

The journey goes by in a blur with everyone chatting loudly. Cassie seems lost in her phone. I keep my head down, my heart pounding with excitement at the thought of meeting my role model.

When we arrive at the hostel where we'll be staying, we're all assigned to our rooms.

The room they give me isn't big, but it has everything I need. I drop my bag and move to go to the bathroom when I suddenly hear footsteps. Then, the sound of rushing water. Someone is already in the shower.

My legs feel heavy, and I pray silently that it's just my imagination.

I walk to the door and gently push it open, but before I can take in the scene, a strong palm covers my eyes. Fear rushes through me, my legs trembling as I freeze in place.

Who the hell is this?

I can't speak. I can barely breathe. I'm terrified this might be my last day alive-until I hear a voice.

"Stay still. Don't open your eyes. That's an instruction from your senior player." He lets go of his palm on my face.

My heart nearly stops. That husky voice-it's familiar.

I've watched his interviews too many times not to recognize it.

Dominic.

It has to be him.

But instead of listening, I act on impulse, flying my eyes open.

The first thing I see is his abs, perfectly sculpted, gleaming with water droplets. They seem to be daring me to reach out and touch them.

I swallow hard.

I should close my eyes again, obey him, but I can't. I'm caught up in staring.

"Oh, damn it," he mutters under his breath. "You never listen, do you?"

He grabs his towel and quickly pulls it on while I continue standing there, unable to look away.

His gaze locks onto mine, and before I can react, he spins me around and pins me against the wall. One of his hands rests beside my head, trapping me in place. His face is so close, our breaths mix.

My heart pounds in my chest, my palms turn cold, and a strange heat builds inside me.

"How are you a player when you don't even follow instructions?" His words are just background noise. All I can focus on is the warmth radiating from him.

"You're a newbie, aren't you?"

He suddenly lets go, stepping away to glance out the window.

"I don't want to hear any rumors about this," he says flatly. "I only came to borrow your bathroom."

Then, just like that, he walks away, leaving me standing there, speechless.

The only thing he leaves behind is his scent.

A loud cough escapes my lips as I snap back to reality. My knees give out, and I drop onto the floor, still trembling.

-

By evening, after replaying the scene with Dominic in my head more times than I care to admit, we're called for training.

I put on my training clothes, my hands shaking at the thought of seeing the three stars again.

Once I'm ready, I step outside where the rest of the team is already gathered, but there's no sign of them.

The coach stands in the middle, addressing us, but I can barely focus on his words. My mind is elsewhere, waiting-anticipating.

And then, a loud scream erupts from my teammates.

I follow their gaze and finally see them.

Dominic, Alex, and Liam.

They look even more striking in real life than on TV, but Dominic-he doesn't even seem like the same person I saw earlier. He looks more handsome.

The coach welcomes them, continuing his speech, but I can't tear my eyes away.

Then, Liam catches me staring.

His gaze lifts in question, and I choke on my own saliva.

He smirks.

"Let's train for a while ahead of tomorrow," the coach announces. "But let's do something different today."

He begins selecting teams, mixing the girls with the guys.

A new training method?

My stomach tightens when I hear my name.

I'm paired with Alex. Dominic will be my opponent.

I don't know why, but I feel... happy.

Alex isn't bad either. He's beyond handsome, and the way he plays-his skills, his control-it's mesmerizing.

He steps beside me, winks playfully, and I gasp softly.

The other players glance at me. Am I the only one affected by his presence?

He moves closer, his arm brushing against mine, his scent filling my nostrils.

"I heard from the coach that you performed a miracle," he murmurs, his voice dropping low. "Keep that up, don't disappoint me. I don't accept slow-witted players on my team."

I lift my gaze to him, and he flashes me a smile.

The game starts, and something inside me awakens.

I move with a speed and precision that I've never experienced before. Every play, every shot-it comes effortlessly.

At one point, I drop my stick just to pick it up again, needing to make sure this is real.

How am I this fast?

How is pushing the ball into the goal so... easy?

I hear Alex applauding me several times, his voice sending chills down my spine.

By the time the game ends, it's already late at night.

Everyone seems normal-except me.

I'm the only one gasping for air, downing an entire bottle of water.

"Oh my God, I love the way you move on the field," Alex says loudly. "So fast and accurate."

"You're happy to have her on the team, right? It wouldn't be bad if we played together next time," Liam adds casually.

I catch the displeasure in some of the other players' expressions.

Dominic doesn't say a word.

He just stares at me with a smirk, his gaze never leaving my body.

The longer he watches, the more uneasy I feel.

"Alright, let's rest and come back for the moon celebration," the coach announces. "You have thirty minutes to get changed and meet outside."

We all head our separate ways.

Inside my room, I go straight to the mirror, inspecting my hands.

They look the same... but something feels different.

What's happening to me?

I shake off the thought and take a quick shower before changing into something comfortable.

I check the time. Twenty-eight minutes.

Good enough.

When I step outside to meet the others, they all look normal, laughing and chatting.

I search for the three stars but they are nowhere to be found.

Then suddenly, someone points to the sky, screaming.

"The full moon!"

And just like that, everything shifts.

The world around me darkens.

And then I see it.

Fur.

Their eyes glow, their bodies tremble, and suddenly, they drop to their knees, shifting.

Their limbs twist, their fingers elongate into claws, their bodies contort.

Fear creeps into me, and I turn back to take a step, but by the time I look at them, they've turned into animals! Wolves, to be precise.

Everything in me screams, and without giving it much thought, I turn on my heel and run. This cannot be real.

How come they're animals? This isn't supposed to be. So I have been training with animals all my life?

I reach the nearest forest, drop to my knees, and start gasping for air.

Tears stream down my cheeks. The reason I thought they were all better is because they're not human. How come I am so stupid not to realize sooner?

"Why do you look scared?" I hear a voice behind me.

I raise my gaze to see the three stars walking toward me. They're not completely human-their eyes... their irises are glowing in different colors, and their teeth!

No, no, no!

I try to run, but Liam is fast enough to grab me back and pull me to the ground.

"Where the hell are you going?" Dominic yells, and I shake. He looks so much like an angry lion now.

"Because you guys are not normal! You are animals!" I yell. I feel my voice become sharper than before, but maybe that's because I'm scared.

"And what about you?" Alex raises an eyebrow.

He takes out his phone and kneels to my level.

"Are you not an animal?" He slides the phone to camera mode and points it at my face.

At first, I can't see anything, but when I look closer, I see it, and a loud scream escapes my lips.

My teeth!

My eyes!

They don't look human. They look just like theirs.

This can't be real! I can't be one of them! I am just human!

I am still trying to process it when suddenly, I hear their voices all at once.

"Mate!"

Fear cripples me with the way they pronounce it.