WHAT'S WRONG WITH ME?!
1004 Words
AURELIA
I knew Zane had done it on purpose.
The moment he threw himself onto the ice, I had to bite the inside of my cheek to stop myself from laughing. There wasn't a single convincing thing about his performance. From the exaggerated groans to the way he reached toward me like he was on the verge of taking his last breath, everything about it was painfully dramatic.
If I hadn't still been angry with him, I might have walked over just to tell him how terrible his acting was.
Instead, I stayed exactly where I was.
If Zane wanted my attention, he was going to have to earn it. He had broken my heart once already, and I refused to make forgiving him that easy.
The strange part was that, despite pretending not to notice him, I could feel his eyes following me throughout the entire scrimmage. Every time I looked in his direction, he was already watching me.
It made my wolf restless.
A warm sensation spread through my chest, and she gave a soft, mournful howl that only I could hear. No matter how much I tried to ignore it, she always reacted whenever he was close.
I hated that.
I hated that she still reached for him after everything he had done.
Most of all, I hated that my own heart hadn't completely learned to let him go.
When the players gathered around the bench, I reluctantly picked up the first-aid kit and walked over to him.
"Sit still," I said flatly.
To my surprise, he actually listened.
Usually, Zane would have argued just to annoy me, but this time he simply sat down and tilted his head back without a word.
I cleaned the cut on his forehead as quickly as I could, determined to finish before he found another excuse to get on my nerves.
Unfortunately, he wasn't making it easy.
His eyes never left my face.
Not even once.
I refused to meet his gaze, pretending to focus entirely on the bandage in my hands. Just as I reached for another strip of gauze, my thigh accidentally brushed against his.
A sharp spark shot through my body.
I stiffened.
For a brief moment, neither of us moved.
Heat rushed into my cheeks as my wolf stirred again, and before I could think better of it, I pressed the antiseptic much harder against his cut.
He sucked in a sharp breath.
"Ow," he complained.
I didn't even try to hide my satisfaction.
"Serves you right."
He frowned up at me. "What did I do?"
I finally looked him in the eye.
"You know exactly what you did."
He opened his mouth as if he wanted to defend himself, but whatever argument he had died before it reached his lips.
Good.
I secured the bandage, brushed my hands together, and closed the first-aid kit.
"There," I said. "You'll live."
Without waiting for another word from him, I grabbed my clipboard and walked straight toward Coach Damian.
He was already looking over the statistics I'd recorded during the scrimmage when I stopped beside him.
"Coach."
He looked up.
I handed him the clipboard, and he immediately scanned the notes I'd written beside Zane's name.
"His skating was smoother today," I said. "His decision-making also improved, and he didn't lose control of his wolf once during the match."
Coach Damian nodded slowly.
"I noticed."
I hesitated before continuing.
"I still think we should keep watching him."
That made him pause.
"For years, his episodes have been getting worse, not better," I said quietly. "For them to stop this suddenly doesn't make sense."
Coach Damian remained silent for a long moment.
Then his eyes drifted past me.
I didn't need to turn around to know he was looking at Zane.
When he finally spoke again, his voice was low enough that only I could hear.
"I need you to find out what's happening."
I frowned.
"What?"
"You heard me."
I blinked at him.
"Coach, I'm his assistant, not his therapist."
"No," he replied calmly. "Right now, you're the only person his wolf responds to."
My grip tightened around the clipboard.
"I don't know the first thing about treating an unstable wolf."
"I didn't ask whether you knew how."
His words caught me off guard.
"I asked you to find the answer."
I stared at him in disbelief.
"Coach..."
"If Zane loses control again, the academy won't keep him."
My heart skipped.
Coach Damian let out a quiet sigh before continuing.
"The board tolerated his behavior because he was producing results. If his episodes return, they'll remove him from the team without a second thought."
I slowly lowered my eyes.
"And you already know what happens after that."
I did.
Without Zane, the hockey program would lose its biggest name.
Without the hockey program...
There would no longer be any reason to keep a student assistant on a full scholarship.
That scholarship was the only reason I could afford to stay here.
A lump formed in my throat.
"So if he falls..."
Coach Damian looked at me with sympathy.
"You fall with him."
For several seconds, I couldn't say a word.
Why?
Why did every problem in my life somehow lead back to Zane?
Coach Damian gave my shoulder a reassuring pat before walking away to gather the rest of the team.
I remained where I was, staring blankly at the clipboard in my hands.
"This can't be happening," I whispered.
A moment later, I turned and walked toward the arena exit before anyone else could stop me.
Behind me, Coach Damian's voice echoed across the rink.
"Zane! Get back on the ice! Practice isn't over yet!"
A tiny smile tugged at my lips.
Good.
He deserved that much.
Even so, I couldn't stop thinking about the strange warmth that had rushed through me the moment we'd touched.
I raised a hand and pressed my fingertips against my burning cheek.
"What is wrong with me?" I muttered as I stepped into the hallway.
- Writer
