Page 10 of Claimed By the Goalie Alpha
At home, I went through the motions of getting ready for bed. After brushing my teeth and changing into sweats, I checked that my alarm was set for tomorrow's early shift. But I couldn'tstop circling back to that moment in the hallway. The way Renard looked at me had made everything else fade. Aand we’d been so close, I could smell his peppermint breath. That split second where I'd thought he might actually kiss me would stay with me forever.
And then nothing followed by an awkward interruption and him walking away again.
I pulled out my phone and opened the team's schedule before I could change my mind. The next home game was Tuesday.
I was a glutton for punishment reading too much into a moment of proximity in a crowded bar. He probably hadn't been about to kiss me at all. But I was convinced he had been. He'd wanted to close that distance between us as much as I had but something was stopping him. I just didn't know what.
I set my phone on the nightstand and stared at the ceiling. I had until Tuesday when I had to decide if I was going to put myself out there again. I needed to find out what kept pulling us together, even as Renard kept walking away.
FIVE
RENARD
My wolf hadn't shut up since the night at the bar.
Find him. Talk to him.
I'd tried everything. I’d done extra sessions at the gym and been for long runs. I’d even tried meditation which lasted about thirty seconds before my wolf started pacing again. Nothing worked.
Monday morning, I gave up fighting it. Maybe if I went to the park, just to clear my head, my wolf would settle down. Julian probably wouldn’t be there. I wasn’t going because of him.
Liar.
I ignored him.
There were people on lunch breaks at the park, but nowhere near the weekend crowd. I walked the familiar path, trying to find that focus I usually got from being here.
My wolf perked up and even without looking, I knew he’d seen them.
Julian was near the water with four dogs this time. I recognized Bailey immediately. She seemed to have decided I was worth her attention. The other three were new to me.
This time I didn’t turn around or finish my walk on a different path and go home. Instead, I moved closer.
Julian was crouched next to Bailey with his hand on her side. The dog was panting heavily and her whole body was tense. Even from a distance, I could hear her whining.
Help him.
I was already jogging toward them when Bailey started vomiting.
Julian's head snapped up. My heart paused for a beat as I gazed at his panicked face. He pulled out his phone with shaking hands, trying to manage the other leashes while keeping Bailey close.
"Hey, Rita? I need help. Bailey's sick. She's vomiting and she won't stop panting." He listened for a moment. "No, I don't know when. She was fine an hour ago but yes, I'm at the park. Can you reach Mrs. Walker?”
I stopped a few feet away. I could almost see the stress rolling off Julian and like me, my wolf was on edge.
"Julian."
He glanced up. Relief flashed across his face before he frowned and his lower lip quivered. "Renard. Bailey's sick. I think she might have eaten something she wasn’t supposed to."
Bailey vomited again. I screwed up my nose at the dark brown mess on the grass. The smell hit me immediately and my wolf and I knew what had made her sick.
Chocolate.
"When did she eat chocolate?" I crouched down beside him, keeping my voice calm.
"I don't know. Maybe before I picked her up?" Julian's hand was trembling on Bailey's back. "Oh gods, what if it was a lot? What if?—"
"She needs a vet."
