My Hockey Alpha Neighbor

Aiden sits on the sterile, paper-covered examination table, his feet dangling over the edge. I watch him with concern from the cushion chairs on the other side of the exam room.

The doctor murmurs to himself as he carefully studies Aiden’s leg. It seems that the majority of his concern is focused on Aiden’s foot and ankle. I can see Aiden attempting to hide grimaces as each small movement aggravates his pain.

The doctor runs what I can only imagine to be a few more routine tests. He checks for sensation, tests Aiden’s reaction time, and looks over the X-rays we took earlier in the appointment.

Seeing Aiden in so much discomfort makes my heart ache. I’m sure he isn’t used to this kind of treatment. As an alpha, 1 imagine that it’s much more difficult for him to get hurt than an average human. And I’m sure the situation is an unwelcome surprise.

Finally, the doctor pulls away from Aiden. He picks up a clipboard and begins to mark down a few notes. “Well, it’s a fracture.

Aiden’s expression hardens just slightly. The doctor shrugs one shoulder. “Honestly, you’re lucky. It’s only a fracture for now, but the bone is on thin ice. If you put too much pressure on it, your ankle will almost certainly break.”

1 can practically feel the waves of impatience roll off of Aiden. I can only imagine how he feels. Taking care of his ankle will most likely include stepping out of practice. With their team swiftly approaching the championship, there’s no doubt in my mind that he’s hesitant to wait on the sidelines.

The doctor prescribes a couple of medications and instructs Aiden to start meeting with the physical therapist. He hands. Aiden a few papers, some of which include instructions on proper care and low-impact muscle strengthening exercises. I politely smile and nod, sensing that Aiden wants to leave as quickly as possible.

“Oh, one more thing,” the doctor says. “You’re going to need some sort of mobility device if you want this to heal properly. Will you be choosing a wheelchair or crutches?”

“Not a wheelchair,” Aiden says quickly. He pauses, clearly not having meant to blurt that out, into something more charming. “Just crutches for now, please,” he adds on.

He composes his expression

The doctor nods and types something on his pager. Within a few minutes, a nurse enters the room with a splint and crutches. The doctor and the nurse get to work wrapping Aiden’s leg and instructing him on how to best use his crutches.

Soon enough, the nurse is escorting us out of the examination room and back to the common areas. I glanced over at Aiden. I can tell by his expression that he’s trying to hide just how disappointed and frustrated he feels.

As soon as the nurse leaves us, Aiden and I begin to head toward the exit. I am the first to break the silence.

“How are you feeling?” I ask softly.

Aiden grimaces. “Not great,” he admits, “It’s bad timing. Of course. I went and got injured this close to the championship.

“This isn’t y

your fault,” I remind him. “The capital team is playing dirty. Besides, it was thanks to your bravery and drive that your team was able to advance in the first place.”

I can feel Aiden relax slightly beside me. “Thank you,” he murmurs. “I appreciate your perspective It’s so easy to get trapped in my head when I’m feeling like this. It’s been a long time since I’ve been injured this badly, and I’ve never gotten hurt so close to something important.”

By the time Aiden and I exit the hospital building, the energy has lightened around us slightly. The sun is beginning to set, casting long shadows against the pavement as we make our way back to Aiden’s car.

Suddenly, a familiar voice cuts through the quiet. “Aiden? Is that you?”

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I feel my heart drop. That voice I’ve only heard it once before, but it already greets me with a wave of discomfort. Aiden and I turned to find Mr. Cruz standing only feet from us.

Mr. Cruz is dressed in a smart, white button-down and a blue suit coat with matching slacks. His silver hair is slicked back perfectly. Everything about him oozes class and status. I feel Aiden stiffen beside me.

“What are you doing here?” Aiden asks, his voice flat. Aiden’s father crosses his arms and stands firm, almost towering over the both of us. He has a serious expression on his face.

“Is there any way to greet your father?” He says coldly. “I raised you better than this.”

“I don’t have time for this right now.” Aiden shoots back. “You didn’t answer my question?”

I feel increasingly uncomfortable. It isn’t surprising, but it still feels strange that Aiden’s father hasn’t even turned to acknowledge me once. Instead, he fixes Aiden with a cold gaze.

“What. I can’t come to accompany my son out of the hospital?” Mr. Cruz huffs. Aiden and I exchange a glance.

How does he know about the injury? I wonder. How did he alreally find out? Scratch that, how did he know when we’d be here? My mind is spinning. Still, I decide it’s best to stay silent. I’m sure Mr. Cruz has connections and power that I can’t even comprehend.

“I didn’t know you suddenly decided to act like a concerned father.” Aiden says coolly. I can see Mr. Cruz practically bristle. Surprisingly, he manages to calm himself.

cent game.

“Enough bickering. We’re both adults,” he says. “I wanted to talk to you about your most recent

1 feel my stomach clench. The Freeze’s unexpected success against the Capital had certainly turned heads. It wasn’t surprising that it had turned Mr. Cruz’s head, too.

*1 heard you played very well,” Mr. Cruz continues, his tone unreadable. “You should be very satisfied with your work.”

The unspoken slight in Mr. Cruz’s words makes me feel off-balance. So he didn’t even watch the game? I think with

irritation.

“But you’ve pushed yourself too hard,” Mr. Cruz finished. His expression is somewhere between firm and smug.

“It’s just a fracture,” Aiden says dismissively. “I’ll be back on the field in no time.” Despite the assuredness in his words, I cant help but wonder if Aiden even believes that himself.

Mr. Cruz’s expression remains unchanging. “Now, Aiden, be reasonable,” he says. “This little team of yours is very important to you – but can you say it’s more important than your health?”

“It wasn’t like that,” Aiden argues. “It was a fluke. An accident. Sometimes that’s how games go. That doesn’t mean I’m sacrificing my health.” It’s strange to see him so worked up it seems like his father is one of the only people who can break his charming expression.

–

“Forgive me if I take that with a grain of salt,” Mr. Cruz snorts. “My son is in crutches. That is no small issue.”

“Goodbye, father,” Aiden says in an obvious attempt to dismiss Mr. Cruz. He tries to move past his father, but he steps into the way again.

“Be sensible, Aiden,” Mr. Cruz says sharply. “You’ve already beaten your previous team. You’ve humiliated the Capital — bravo. Isn’t that enough for you?”

Aiden sets his jaw, his eyes flashing. “You know that was never my goal. This isn’t about the Capital. It never has been. This is about winning the championship.”

Mr. Cruz seems to sense his approach isn’t working. He quickly witches tactics, his hands raising placatingly. “Please, Aiden

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Your mother is worried about you.”

Aiden snorts. “Oh, so is that what this is about? Funny she didn’t decide to come with you. Did she even planning on violating my privacy like this?”

“This isn’t a matter of privacy. This is a matter of family pride, Mr. Cruz practically sneers.

wall were know you

“Oh, my bad. I thought this was an issue of you feeling empathy for your son, for once,” Aiden shoots back sarcastically.

The standoff between the two is intense on another level. The air around us seems electric. People on all sides of us steer clear of the confrontation, even crossing the street to be out of the way. Seeing two alphas go head to head is even more intimidating than I would have predicted. Still, I manage to stand firmly beside Aiden

Finally, Mr. Cruz seems to relent. He crossed his arms once again. “Believe what you will, Aiden. Championship or not, you are still my son. What you think of me is irrelevant. Can you really say this is the right path for you when it’s destroying you

like this?

Aiden opens his mouth to respond, but Mr. Cruz has already turned his back on us. He walks away briskly, not even taking a moment to look back. Aiden still remains stiff beside me as he stares holes into his father’s back.

I squeeze Aiden’s hand gently. “Are you alright? 1 murmur. Aiden relaxes slightly at the touch. He looks down at me with gratitude irhis eyes.

“Yeah. I’m alright, he says hoarsely. “Let’s get back to the car..

The sky has darkened to dusk by the time we return to the car an tell that Aiden’s mind is full of turmoil. I feel for him Still. I know that he likely needs space to deal with his feelings. As our car pulls out of the parking lot, an unspoken question hangs in the air-one carefully placed there by Mr. Cruz.

Will this life destroy Arden?

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