My Hockey Alpha



Chapter 0601

"Oh, she's waking up."

"Thank god. She had us scared for a moment there..."

As I slowly regained consciousness, the world around me became a blur of shapes and colors and sound. Everything felt loud and bright and overwhelming. My head throbbed, and my body felt heavy, as if I had just been in a deep sleep for hours. I blinked several times, trying to make sense of my surroundings.

The first thing I noticed was the worried faces hovering over me. My mother, father, and Enzo all stood there, their expressions a mixture of relief and concern.

They looked like they hadn't slept a wink, which was confusing. Did something happen? Nothing made sense, at least not at first.

I tried to sit up, but my body felt strangely sluggish, as if I were trying to move through molasses. Panic briefly gripped me as I struggled to remember how I had ended up here.

"What happened?" I croaked, my voice sounding weak and far away. "How did I get here?"

Enzo and my parents exchanged nervous glances before my mother patted my hand gently. "Just relax," she murmured gently, offering me a small smile.

But I just furrowed my brow as I racked my brain, then looked over at Enzo, whose face was a mask of frustration. Enzo let out a frustrated sigh, his brows furrowing. "You passed out, Nina. From opening the portal."

I frowned as the memory slowly came back to me. I remembered opening the portal, and then... everything went black. It was as if I had been sucked into a void of darkness.

"I don't understand," I said, shaking my head. "I felt fine. I really just passed out?"

My parents exchanged a concerned glance, and my mother spoke up, her voice filled with worry. "Nina," she said, sitting down on the edge of the bed, "I don't know as much about werewolf pregnancies as I probably should... but perhaps you shouldn't open any more portals.

"At least for the duration of the pregnancy," my father explained. "You're already having a tough pregnancy, and werewolf pregnancies are known to be particularly draining. It's not safe anymore."

I couldn't help but feel a pang of frustration at their words. Opening portals felt like a sense of freedom, and not being able to do that felt as though someone was trying to rip my freedom and independence away from me. "Guys, I'm fine," I insisted as I attempted to push myself up again. "It was probably just a fluke or something. I've been tired because of Jessica being in the hospital, so I probably just got lightheaded-"

But as I tried to get out of bed, my legs wobbled beneath me, and I lost my balance, falling back onto the pillows. My parents and Enzo sighed in unison, and I could hear the concern in their voices.

"You need to stay in bed, Nina," my father said firmly. "We can't risk anything happening to you or the baby. Not when there's so much on the line."

I glanced over at Enzo, who had a somber look in his eyes. It was clear, as I looked at him, that he had been the one to inform my parents about what had happened with the fortune teller. I wondered how much he had told them.

But Enzo, as if reading my thoughts, spoke up before I could ask. "I told them everything, Nina," he explained." They needed to know."

My eyes widened, and I turned to look at my parents, who both gave me a stern and disappointed look. My mother was the first to speak, her voice filled with a mixture of worry and admonishment.

"This is very serious, Nina," she said. "You should have come home immediately when you learned about this supposed curse. Who knows what could have happened?"

I felt a bit like a scolded teenager, caught in the act of doing something foolish. I couldn't deny that they had a point, but I had been so focused on Lori and Jessica that I felt as though staying in Mountainview was my only option.

"Look," I said with an exasperated sigh, running my hand over my face. "I had to stay in Mountainview. Jessica was in a horrible car accident, and-"

"We're well aware of what happened with your friend," my mother interrupted.

"Curses are not matters to be taken lightly," my father chimed in in an equally stern tone of voice. "And furthermore, Nina, you were foolish to perform a Claiming ceremony while you were pregnant. Do you not know of the risks involved?

I swallowed hard, guilt gnawing at me. "I didn't know," I replied, my voice barely more than a whisper. "I thought it would be fine."

My father scoffed. He was usually so jovial that it was extra jarring to see him like this now, and I knew I had struck a chord. It was as if he was secretly reliving his experience with my biological mother's first pregnancy all over again.

"You should have asked," he said, his voice raising slightly. "Hells, Nina! Do you ever think to do anything other than the very first thing that comes to mind?!"

His words stung, and I quickly looked away, biting my lower lip to keep it from trembling.Property belongs to Nôvel(D)r/ama.Org.

My father sighed. "I'm sorry, Nina. I didn't mean to yell; I'm just worried, that's all."

My parents exchanged another look, and I could see the worry in their eyes. My mother reached out and took my hand again, squeezing it gently. "It'll be alright, Nina," she said more gently now. "We'll figure this out together. But your well-being and the baby's well-being are our top priorities now. There's no more room for mistakes."

I nodded, tears pricking at the comers of my eyes. I felt like I had let everyone down, including myself and my unborn child, and I couldn't shake the feeling of helplessness that was coming over me.

"I'm sorry," I whispered, my voice filled with regret. "I should have come here."

Enzo stepped closer to the bed, his expression softening a little. "Nina, we just want you to remember that we're here for you," he murmured. "You don't need to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders all the time. It's okay to accept help."

His words brought me a small shred of comfort, and I nodded, my eyes still filled with tears. "I know," I whispered. "I just... I think I need to take some time to think for now. It's just all so much."

My mother patted my hand gently. "Of course, dear. And don't worry; the witch is coming soon to do your checkup. We'll make sure you and the baby are safe."

"We won't let anything happen to you," my father said softly. "Not now, and not ever."

I nodded, feeling a bit better thanks to their kind words. But it was still terrifying, knowing that my baby was at

risk.

They left the room to let me rest until the witch came, and the last thing I saw was the concerned look in Enzo's eyes before he slipped away.

And then I sank down into the plush pillows, letting out a sigh that felt as if the weight of the world was not sitting on my shoulders, but rather on my chest.