My Hockey Alpha

Chapter 0533Content property of NôvelDra/ma.Org.

Nina

The ache of Enzo's ultimatum sat like a knot in my stomach, tightening every time I replayed our last conversation. It was as if a chasm had opened between us, one that neither of us knew how to bridge. We had spent the night on opposite sides of the bed, each of us too angry to move closer to one another.

Now, confused and frustrated, I found myself in Lori and Jessica's apartment the next morning, sitting on their plush cream-colored couch. They had only moved here a couple of months ago from the dorms, but it was already a long-term home for them, and it showed.

I glanced at Lori, who was sipping her herbal tea, and then at Jessica, who was perusing a magazine. My voice wavered as I broke the silence. "Guys, I need to talk to you."

Lori put her tea down, her eyes meeting mine. "What's going on, Nina?"

"It's Enzo. He..." I hesitated, trying to find the words. "He gave me an ultimatum. He wants me to go stay with my parents in the werewolf realm while I'm pregnant, or else he'll quit his job."

Both of them looked at me, concern coloring their faces. "An ultimatum?" Jessica repeated, putting the magazine down. "That doesn't sound like Enzo."

I sighed, clutching a throw pillow to my chest. "You're right: it's not. He said I have to make the choice within 48 hours, otherwise he'll make it for me. He'll quit his job and stay here to keep an eye on me."

Lori's eyes softened. "Nina, you know that Enzo never wants to do anything to upset you. Surely he has his reasons."

"But I should be able to make my own decisions, shouldn't I?" I retorted, a bit of fire entering my voice. "I mean, it's my life, my body. I should have a say in this."

"Of course you should," Jessica agreed. "But this isn't just about you, Nina. This is about your family-both you and the baby. And Enzo too. He's going to be a dad, remember? Maybe you should consider his feelings as well."

I shook my head, feeling a little cornered once again. Was I really so damaged that even my own friends didn't trust me to take care of myself? "I understand that, Jess, but it's just not fair. I know I haven't exactly been.... at my best, mentally or physically speaking, but I still want my independence."

Lori looked thoughtful, her gaze distant as if seeing something I couldn't. "You wouldn't be losing your independence."

"But I would!" I exclaimed. "If I live with my parents, they'll be fawning over me constantly. I'll have a guard following me around, watching my every move in case... in case..."

My voice trailed off as memories of the shadow entity flooded back in, and I shuddered. Lori and Jessica shot me a concerned look, but said nothing.

"Listen," Jessica finally said softly, reaching out to take my hand. "I know how it feels. But at least try to see Enzo's point of view. He's just worried about his wife and his future child. Maybe his actions are a little misguided sometimes, but his intentions are always genuine. And besides, it doesn't sound like it would be permanent."

I sat there, absorbing their words. They were right; they usually were. My own emotional chaos had blinded me to the simple facts of the matter: Enzo was scared.

Scared for me, for our baby, for the life we were building together. Maybe I had been too quick to see his ultimatum as an assault on my independence, too caught up in my own pride and fear to see it for what it really was-an act of love, however flawed.

I sighed, my fingers playing with the tasseled edges of the throw pillow. "Maybe you're right. Maybe I overreacted. God knows I'm not thinking clearly these days."

Lori reached over, placing her hand over mine. "No one is blaming you, Nina. Pregnancy messes with your

hormones, your emotions. It's okay to feel a little lost, you know?"

"Yeah," Jessica chimed in, "but that's why you have us, and Enzo, and your parents. We're your safety net, Nina. Let us catch you."

I felt a small smile tug at the corners of my lips, grateful for their unwavering support. But even as I nodded, agreeing with them, the weight of Enzo's words lingered, an unsettled question in the air between us.