HOCKEY ALPHAS FORBIDDEN AFFAIR

GINGER'S POV:

My father had always been my hero until the night I walked in on him, pinning my mother against the wall, a broken vase in his hand as he choked her violently.

The terror of that moment resurfaces as I remember grabbing Daisy, my little sister, and locking us in my room upstairs. His frantic knocks and desperate pleas still echo in my ears.

"I didn't mean it, Ginger! I'll never do it again!" he cried. But all I could hear was the voice of a monster. It was only then that I realized that my mother's "allergies" were just excuses to cover the bruises.

That night, I called the Red Pack police. They came swiftly, dragging him away as his roars shook the house. Mother didn't say a word to Daisy or me. Instead, she packed our belongings and sent us to Everbloom Sanctuary, a place meant to shield children from troubled families. But nothing could shield me from the guilt my father placed squarely on my shoulders.

I reach for the nightstand drawer, my fingers searching for the only tool that grounds me-a razor blade. The sharp sting of the blade has become my way of numbing the emotional pain, even if just for a moment. I roll up my sleeves at once, ready to relieve myself. As I hold it in my trembling hand, my phone's ringtone pierces through the silence.

Startled, I fumble, and the blade slips from my grasp, landing with a faint clink on the floor. I inhale sharply as I stare at the metallic blade, then glance at the small line I've made on my wrist. A tear falls from my eyes.

"Ginger?" Mother's voice rings through the hall, her footsteps approaching, drawing me back to reality. I wipe my tears, hurriedly rolling down my sleeve and covering the blade with a blanket as I try to feign a smile to cover the cracks. She opens the door, smiling warmly as though everything is perfect.

"Your friend's here," she says, scanning the room. "And why does this place look like a vampire's coven?" She flicks on the light, making me groan.

"Mom!" I protest, but she ignores me, turning to yell, "Come on in!"

Hana steps into the doorway before I can speak. She is the Alpha Princess of the Shadow Pelt Pack, and we met at the sanctuary. Her family was dealing with her father's ailment, the then Alpha King of the Shadow Pelt Pack, who died weeks later.

"Now you girls have fun, but do not move anything, remember the moving company will be here any moment, and I cannot afford to pack twice," Mother says, then leaves.

I had almost forgotten Mother had found 'the perfect house in the pack,' in her words.

"Dress up," Hana says the moment Mother leaves.

"What?" I ask in confusion as I rub my aching wrist. She rolls her eyes. "The hockey team's throwing a party, and Caspian will be there. You should check; he has probably called you."

At the mention of Caspian, my heart flutters. He's been my comfort at the sanctuary, and we've made out a couple of times. When he asked me out, I left him hanging because I wasn't sure at the moment, because of the circumstances surrounding my family. I scramble for my phone and see his missed call, along with a voicemail.

"Hey, babe, we're having a party. If you'd like to come, I'll pick you up." His voice sends a wave of warmth through me, causing my face to heat up.

"Stop blushing and get dressed!" Hana teases, pulling open my wardrobe, which has my already packed luggage. I shouldn't be out, because my mind is in a haze, but I need something to quiet the storm in me.

Minutes later, I'm dressed and heading out with Hana. My mother sits in the living room, sipping wine calmly.

"Have fun," she says, "but don't stay out too late because you start school tomorrow. I will text you the details of the new house and be home before nine!" I nod slightly before leaving.

She's never been this calm about me leaving the house, but Hana, being the Alpha Princess, gives me immunity.

"Your mom is cool," Hana says to me as we get into her car and she turns on the ignition. "I have all these stupid rules to follow as a princess, and worse, I have three brothers before me who have to die at least before I can dream of the throne." For the first time all evening, a genuine smile crept up my lips.

"Trust me, she wasn't like this," I say, and she shrugs, speeding off.

**

Hana and I arrive at the party quickly. The huge house buzzes with music, laughter, and the acrid scent of weed.

"They're in the kitchen," Hana says as soon as we walk into the crowded house. "I have to run, so enjoy yourself." She vanishes before I can speak.

I take a deep breath, then make my way through the chaotic house with my mind spinning. Caspian will surely take my mind off the pain, like he always does, I say to myself, but nothing prepares me for what I see as I enter the kitchen.

There on the counter is a shirtless girl with Caspian's face buried in her chest, and a crowd of students watching like it's something casual. We're not official, but he has declared his interest, and seeing him this way hurts me.

The air in my lungs leaves as soon as his eyes lock with mine as he pulls away. I turn on my heel, walking as fast as I can. I thought he was different. Well, he said he was, and I believed him, but what I have seen has proven otherwise, and I should leave.

"Ginger, wait!" he calls out, grabbing my hand as I reach the front door. His hands don't make me feel safe at the moment, and all I can feel is coldness. I spin around and slap him before he can finish his excuse.

"It was a dare," he stammers, but the damage is done...

GINGER:

Gasps ripple through the crowd as all eyes turn to us. Caspian's hand flies to his burning cheek, his jaw tightening as he stares at me in silence.

"What the hell, Ginger?" he yells, startling me.

My breath seizes for a moment as I feel the judging eyes of the crowd. Fear grips my heart as I wait for him to hit me or do something worse. I hit him, and I deserve to get hit for disobeying him-that was always my father's response to Mum.

Before I can answer, Caspian's eyes dart to the onlookers. He lets out an irritated growl.

"What are you all staring at? Mind your business!"

The murmuring dies down, and the crowd scatters at once. Then he grabs my hand, pulling me away. His grip on my hand is too tight for me to pull free.

He leads me through the house, walking past the buzzing students. He doesn't stop until we reach a dark corner at the back of the house. My back hits the rough wall, and I conclude he is definitely going to hit me.

"I... I'm sorry," I stammer, shielding my face with my hands in fear. "It wasn't intentional. I was just... upset. Please, don't hit-"

"What?" he cuts me off as I tremble beneath his towering figure. "Why would I want to hit a girl, let alone you, Ginger?" His hands find mine, gently pulling them down.

I glare into his grey eyes, realizing they differ from my father's cold black ones. His brows furrow, his lips pressing into a thin line as if he is carefully choosing his next words.

"I know it was just a dare, but I shouldn't have invited you if I was going to do that to a girl. I'm truly sorry, and I deserved that slap," he whispers, then gives my hand a gentle squeeze. "But please, don't hit me next time."

The tension in my chest eases slightly, but my heart still races as his hand brushes a stray strand of hair from my face. His lips curve into a smile.

"You're not used to parties, huh?" he asks, and I shake my head shyly."High school parties can get wild, but I'll try to tone it down for you."

He leans in to kiss my lips softly, and I find my body wanting him. Mentally, I battle with my mind to forget the image of his face on that girl's chest. He deepens the kiss as his hands descend my back, wrapping around my waist, but then he pulls away just in time.

"I missed you so much!" he exclaims, lifting my chin with a finger. "Here is inappropriate for someone like you. We need privacy."

"Yes, please," I reply desperately, immediately regretting how needy I sound. "I would love a break from the noise," I add.

He glances at his watch and frowns. "I've got a meeting with the hockey team in five minutes. Wait for me upstairs in the second room on the left. I'll be quick."

Before I can respond, he grabs my hand and leads me back inside. He stops at the base of the stairs, giving my hand a quick squeeze and planting a kiss on my cheek, causing my stomach to do a thousand cartwheels.

"There's wine in the room if you get bored," he says with a wink before disappearing into the crowd.

I make my way upstairs, my thoughts spinning with everything that has gone wrong today. When I get to the door, I open it to meet a dark room with only the faint glow of streetlights streaming through the blinds illuminating it. I don't bother turning on the light. Instead, I move to the edge of the bed, sitting down and staring at my trembling hands.

I try to steady my thoughts to think about the good Caspian. Yes, I walked in on him with a girl, but surely it meant nothing to him. He makes me feel safe; he is my happy place. I can let go of one silly mistake. But as I focus on him, my thoughts shift to only the bad things.

"Fuck this," I mutter, standing up and walking to the table. I grab the bottle of wine sitting there. Uncorking it, I bring the entire thing to my mouth and start drinking.

It takes only a quarter of the bottle to get tipsy, and when I can barely feel my feet, I collapse on the bed. Shortly after, the door creaks open, and Caspian's muscular and sexy figure appears in front of me. He staggers into the room, falling onto the bed beside me.

"You're here," I say in a small voice.

"Mmm," his gruff tone rings out. His voice and scent aren't quite what I remember, but my hazy mind dismisses it as the wine clouding my senses.

"Are you done with the meeting?" I ask, trying to cut the tension.

"I left because I can."

He throws an arm across my chest, causing my pulse to quicken as I lie there. Then he inches closer to me, and before I know it, his lips are on mine. They feel better, and softer than before. His hands roughly run along my body, settling on my breasts, which he gives a gentle squeeze before moaning into my ear. The sound sends shivers coursing through my body.

"I could fuck you right now," he groans, sliding his hand lower and stopping at my pants. My chest pounds faster, and the heat between my legs rises. I want this-maybe even more than he does.

Before I know it, my jeans are off, leaving me in nothing but my panties. He slides his hand inside them, rubbing my wetness as a gasp escapes my lips. Then he slides in a finger, sending a sharp but thrilling pain through me. He pumps into me for a moment before sliding in a second finger. It barely lasts before he climbs on top of me.

He pulls out a condom and slides it on before pushing into me gently. There's a little pain, but then he fits into me perfectly, like we were made for each other. I wrap my arms around his back, running my hands from his thick muscles to his hair.

Suddenly, the smell of honey and chocolate engulfs the room, and I see a glow in his eyes. The word mate echoes in my ears, intensifying the feelings in my body. Joy ripples through me as I hold on to him. I have found my mate. Caspian is my mate.

"You feel different and warmer," he whispers in my ear, breaking my bout of joy. I'm tipsy, but his statement feels strange. I have never had sex with Caspian. Is he talking about sex with another girl while with me,or worse, is this not him?

Quickly, I run my hand up his arm, searching for the familiar scar, but the space is clear as day. Fear crosses my heart, and my throat runs dry.

"Who..."

"Yes," he cuts me off as his voice comes out in a needy moan. My heart thumps in my chest as I realize who it is. It's Hu, Caspian's best friend, and he thinks I'm someone else. "Today feels better than the last time," he whispers, as his lips graze my ears.

"Because I'm not who you think I am," I say softly, slowing his movements. "It's Ginger."

"Fuck!" he groans, pausing as he glares into my eyes. My mind spins, trying to process the fact that Caspian's best friend is my mate.

This is wrong, but it feels too good, and I don't want him to stop. He is my mate, so how could it be wrong?

"Do you want me to stop?" he questions as though reading my mind.

"No," my wolf takes over, replying instantly. I wrap my arms around him, sinking his body further into mine. The bond glues me to him.

He feels and tastes even better as our sweaty bodies rub against each other. Soon, my legs begin to wobble, and he lets out a loud grunt, pulling away and collapsing beside me. My body jerks uncontrollably as I drown in the waves of orgasm, my eyes shutting tightly.

The ecstatic moment fades quickly, replaced by the gravity of what just happened. I have just had sex with my potential boyfriend's best friend. My heart races as I turn to Hu, who lies beside me, zipping his pants.

Finally, my mouth opens to form a sentence. "We are..."

"I should go," he cuts me off, standing abruptly. Then he leaves the room without another word.

I lie there trying to understand why he left. Did he not feel the mate bond? Or he is just an asshole?

GINGER:

Without wasting time, I dress up and leave the room. I know Caspian will be here any moment, and the last thing I want is for him to know I had sex with his best friend. Trying to steady my breath, I make my way downstairs as I text Hana.

"Where are you?"

"Downstairs. At the back of the house, and I just saw Caspian now. He is heading inside."

I dash out the front door as I read the text. At that moment, my mother's text comes in with the address of the new house.

"My mother texted, and she is angry. I am leaving now, and I am so sorry she has to do this," I text Hana as I flag down a taxi. The moment I get into it, I give the driver the address of the house and then throw my head backward.

**

The next day, I wake up a little sore, and when I turn on my phone, it is flooded with notifications. I pray they include a text from Hu, apologizing for leaving abruptly and making me feel filthy. But when I check, it is all Caspian. This heightens the guilt in my chest.

"What happened last night?"

"Did I do something wrong?"

Taking a deep breath, I reply to his text.

"Nothing is wrong. I had to leave early because of my mum. See you in school."

After this, I push myself out of bed, hurriedly dressing for school. Then I rush downstairs to have breakfast with Mother and Daisy.

"Are you excited about your first day?" she asks, and I give a half smile as I munch my toast. "Looks like someone is gloomy, but we are excited, right?" She looks at Daisy, tickling her slightly, which makes her giggle.

Daisy is seven, and I would give anything to be her. I mean, she didn't find her mate, have sex with him, and watch him leave without a word.

Shortly, we are done, and we pile into the car. Mother drives off, making a stop at Shadow Pelt High first.

"Have a great day, baby, and remember to call me when you dismiss," she says, and I force a smile onto my lips as I wave her goodbye.

The moment she drives away, I turn around, and the first person I see is Hu coming out of a sleek black car. My pulse races and my throat feels dry as my heart hammers in my chest. I don't want to confront him, but my wolf won't stop disturbing me. It wants its mate.

Hurriedly, I make my way toward him as he walks away toward the school courtyard.

"Hu." I call out, and he turns toward me, pulling me in with his gorgeous blue eyes, which suddenly become ugly as his face draws down in a frown.

"What do you want?" His voice comes out cold and loud.

I swallow hard, noticing students around staring at us. I know he is popular, but people in this school almost can't mind their business.

I lower my voice. "Last night we..."

"Made a mistake, and we should keep it that way. If you don't have anything important to tell me, then you should leave," he says, and I stand there with my mouth ajar. He walks off, and I take a step back, mistakenly stepping on someone.

I barely have time to apologize before I feel their hands shove me hard, causing me to stumble, and I try hard to maintain my stance.

"Watch where you're going, fatty!" the red-haired girl spits, her voice dripping with venom.

The surrounding crowd erupts in laughter, and I look around, taking in their cruel faces. My wolf growls low, urging me to fight back, but I freeze, staring at her smug face as she pushes past me.

"Hu," she calls out in a seductive tone.

The laughter from the students becomes a blur as I watch in silence while she throws her arms around him, and he leans down to kiss her. The sight is a knife to my chest, cutting through my heart as my wolf cries, watching her mate choose her bully over her.

With tears clouding my eyes, I rush into the school building. I try to block away what I just saw, but the tight feeling in my chest doesn't allow me. Things get worse in the middle of the hallway. The students around look at me, whispering to one another, making the air unbreathable. Every glance and sneer makes my stomach churn. I lower my head and hurry to my locker, desperate for some kind of shield from their stares.

My hands tremble as I fumble with my books, trying to shove them into the locker. The metal clangs shut, and I take a deep breath, leaning my forehead against the cool surface.

The moment I turn, a face pops into view, and I let out a startled scream.

"Hey, what gives?" I question Hana with my face coiling in a frown. Then she let out a chuckle. Close to her stands another girl about her height with black curly hair.

"Wendy, this is Ginger. Ginger, this is Wendy."

"Hey," I say shyly, putting a hand up.

"First off, why didn't you tell me we were next-door neighbors? I saw your mum earlier today before we left." My mouth falls ajar as Hana says this. "Let me help you," she says, pushing my chin up. "And what the hell happened last night with you and Caspian? Everyone has your name in their mouth!"

"Nothing happened between us, if it is what I am thinking." The eager smile on her face falls. "Plus, I don't think it's Caspian. Some girl called me a fatty," I say, trying hard not to cry. She pulls me into a hug.

"They are probably just jealous." She tries to console me, but Wendy shrugs, crossing her arms.

"If you think of it, she has a little fat. One would wonder why Caspian likes her." Wendy says, and Hana scoffs, pulling away.

Her words get to me, causing my face to break into a frown as I touch under my arms.

"She dated Caspian, so she is among the jealous train. You look good, curvy, and sexy. I doubt Casp will get over losing you if he fumbles you." Hana makes me blush with her words while Wendy scoffs.

"And no, she isn't breaking any rules, Wendy. We aren't allowed to date people's exes, but you and Caspian dated when we didn't know Ginger. It was two years ago, so it doesn't count," Hana says, facing Wendy, who rolls her eyes.

Then Hana frowns. "But we take the 'no dating each other's brothers' rule seriously," she adds.

I shrug because I don't know her brother, and I have bigger problems at hand than thinking about dating whoever he is.

Suddenly, the chatter in the hallway stops. The hall goes silent, and I turn to see what has everyone's attention. My heart sinks as Hu makes his way into the room with the girl who bullied me, flanked by Caspian and a few of their teammates. The air seems to shift as all the girls in the hall stare at them. It is like we are in a movie, or some meet and greet with celebrities.

"I hate him," Hana curses under her breath, and I glance back.

"I know. That's the girl who called me fat, and..."

"Ruby called you fat?" she interrupts, and I nod. She reaches for my hand. "You have no problem. She is definitely jealous of you being with me because we kicked her out of the group when she thought it was nice to sleep with my brother."

My heart skips a beat when she says this, and I flutter my lashes

. "You know the 'no brother dating' rule, or you are secretly f***ing Hu," Wendy chips in. I swallow hard, letting out a light chuckle to ease the tension.

"Get over it, Wendy," Hana tries to defend me, but I search my mind, trying to recall Caspian ever saying Hu and Hana were related. He didn't. "She'll be with Caspian. Look, he's staring at her right now." I want to tell Hana I have broken the rule without trying.

Instead, I glance toward Caspian, my pulse quickening as his gaze meets mine. I flash him a small smile before looking away, but the guilt embraces with a cold hug. How can I stand here, letting him look at me like that, knowing what happened last night with his best friend?

Hana's voice cuts through my thoughts. "But seriously, do not go near that ass, Hu. He'll only ruin you. Plus, he's cursed. He's an eclipse baby who can't even have a mate."

"Not like Caspian's any different." Wendy scoffs.

"But at least he isn't screwing multiple girls while leading one girl on, and he keeps girlfriends. He is LOYAL." Hana stresses the words.

"Are you in love with him or something?" Wendy asks.

I am lost in my world thinking of the mess I am in when the loud pop of a confetti popper breaks the silence, sending colorful streamers into the air. Murmurs flow through the hallway, with students stunned as the confetti rains down.

A mix of cedarwood and mint envelops me, unmistakably his, as his hands gently cover my eyes.

"Hey, baby," Caspian whispers in my ear, causing goosebumps to ripple across my skin.

"Caspian." I choke out his name, and he plants a quick kiss on the side of my cheek.

He spins me around, his hands still covering my eyes. Then he lets go. There in front of me hangs a huge banner:

"Will you be my girlfriend?"