CLAIMED BY MY HOCKEY ALPHA

Ella’s Pov I'll never forget my twentieth birthday, a day that was supposed to be a celebration, a day marked with joy and love that I would remember for days. But as I stood in my small apartment, staring at Steve, my boyfriend of three years who I shared the apartment with, I felt nothing but so much frustration and disappointment. "Steve, it's my birthday," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "I want you to come with me to my parents' house. It's time you met them officially." I announced. Steve shrugged, his eyes fixed on the TV as he played a video game. "I don't know, Ella. Can't it wait? I'm busy today." He replied dryly, like what I said meant nothing. I felt a surge of anger and hurt. This was the same excuse he had used countless times before. "Busy?" I repeated. "You're always busy, Steve. But you never seem to make time for me, you are always nonchalant towards me and you barely care about me. That is not how a relationship is supposed to be." I finished as I tried my best to fight the tears that were struggling to come out. Steve finally looked up at me, his eyes filled with irritation. "What's the big deal, Ella? It's just a birthday dinner. Can't you just go without me? It’s literally not that deep." He said. His words stung but still, I stayed calm. "The big deal is that you've never met my parents, Steve. Not once in three years. And today is my birthday. I want to share it with you and my family. But you don't even seem to care." I replied. Steve sighed, setting his controller aside. "Ella, I do care. But meeting your parents is a big step. Can't we just take things slow?" He smiled and I wanted nothing more than to slap him hard across the face. I hated myself for loving him so much. I shook my head, feeling a lump finally form in my throat. "Slow? We've been dating for three years, Steve. I'm starting to think you're avoiding my family on purpose. Are we not serious enough?" I pressed on. Steve stood up, his expression defensive. "Of course, and that's not true, Ella. I just...I don't know, okay? Can't we just drop it?" I felt more tears well up in my eyes. "No, Steve. We can't drop it. Because it's not just about meeting my parents. It's about you showing me that you care, that you're invested in our relationship. And right now, I'm not feeling that at all." I cried. The room fell silent, the tension between us palpable. Steve looked away, his jaw clenched, while I stood there, feeling tears stream down my face. It was supposed to be a happy birthday, but instead, it felt like the beginning of the end, I knew I was fed up with his nonsense. As we stood there, arguing, Steve kept talking and bringing up reasons he couldn’t go or why he didn’t even get me a birthday present, his words cut deeper and deeper. He brought up an issue we had discussed days ago, something I had thought was resolved. But he couldn't resist bringing it up again, just to prove a point. I hated it when he did that, hated the way he would dig up old wounds just to win an argument. But this time, it was too much. With everything piling up - his refusal to meet my parents, his lack of effort in our relationship, his condescending attitude - I realized that I had indeed had enough and that no amount of love could save our relationship. "Steve, I think it's time for us to break up," I said, my voice shaking with emotion. To my greatest surprise, he didn't even beg me to stay. Instead, as I turned to walk out the door, he called out, "After you're done throwing a tantrum, you can come home." I felt a sting from his words, but I didn't look back. I grabbed my coat and walked out the door, feeling a mix of emotions: sadness, anger, and a bit of relief. I knew my friends would be so happy that I finally let the toxic boy go. On the streets, I quickly grabbed a cab and made my way to my parents' house, definitely expecting a surprise birthday present, something they never failed to do. But as I walked up the path, I noticed something was off. The curtains were closed, and the house seemed quiet. “Maybe it is a surprise party.” I thought. I slowly opened the door, calling out, "Mom? Dad?" But there was no answer. I walked into the living room, and it was quiet and dark, proof that no one was there. “Mom! Dad!” I called out again but no one answered. But before I could even process why my house was empty on a day my dad clearly told me to come home, my phone rang, cutting through the silence and startling me a bit. My heart started racing, as I fumbled for my purse for my phone. I didn't recognize the number on the screen, but something about it sent a shiver down my spine. I hesitated for a moment, before I finally answered. "Hello?" I said, my voice barely above a whisper. There was a pause on the other end of the line, and for a moment, I thought the call had dropped. But then, a voice spoke up, calm but firm. “Is this Miss Ella?” A baritone voiced asked. “Yes, it is. Is there a problem?” I replied. "Ella, I'm so sorry to have to tell you this," the voice said. "But there's been an accident. Your parents and brother... they didn't make it." He dropped. The words hit me like a ton of bricks. I felt like I'd been punched in the gut, all the air got knocked out of me as I forgot how to breathe. I stumbled backwards, my phone slipping from my fingers, as the world around me began to spin. “Are you there, Miss?” The voice asked. But I couldn't answer. I couldn't speak. All I could do was stand there, frozen in shock and horror as the sad news washed over me. “I know this is hard, but we would need you to come down to the hospital to claim the bodies. I will send the address after this call.” The voice announced before immediately hanging up.. So this is real? My family... gone. Just like that. In an instant. My twentieth birthday, a day that was supposed to be a celebration, had turned into a complete nightmare. As the memories of that fateful day faded away and my mind slowly wandered back to reality, I couldn't help but think about how far I'd come since then. My mind wandered back to Steve, and I cringed at the thought of how I had let him take advantage of me. "And to think that the i***t lived with me rent-free, while eating my food and sleeping with me is quite embarrassing," I thought to myself, shaking my head in disgust. I pushed the thoughts aside and focused on getting ready to go out. I stood in front of the bathroom sink, washing my face and trying to shake off the lingering emotions and as I dressed up, I heard my aunt's voice calling out to me from outside. "Ella, hurry up! Your friends are waiting for you downstairs!" she urged. I quickly turned off the running water and replied, "I'm coming, Auntie! Just five more minutes." I took a deep breath, ready to put the past behind me and face the exciting day ahead. As I finished getting dressed in my matching grey crop top and pants. I thought about how much I was looking forward to attending the Ice Hawks hockey game with my friends Ann and Gab. We had been planning this outing for weeks, and I couldn't wait to cheer on our team together. And as I thought about my friends, I felt a surge of gratitude. Ann and Gab had played a great part in helping me heal and adjust to my new life in Michigan. After the devastating loss of my family, the confiscation of our properties due to my father's debts, and the subsequent move from the big city to a small town, I had felt lost and alone. But Ann and Gab had taken me under their wing, introducing me to new experiences, supporting me through tough times, and helping me to find my footing again. They had been my lifeline in a place where I knew no one except my aunt, who, although very kind, was so different from me. My aunt had taken me in when I had nowhere else to go, and for that, I was thankful. But it was Ann and Gab who had truly helped me to feel like I belonged in Michigan. I hurried downstairs, my excitement growing with each step. As I entered the living room, I was greeted by the bright smiles of my friends Ann and Gab. I rushed over to them, embracing them tightly in a group hug. "You took so long I thought you were going to come out in a ball gown. Come on, We're going to be late!" Ann exclaimed, laughing. "Let's go, let's go!" Gab chimed in, already heading towards the door as we all giggled. We quickly said our goodbyes, and my aunt wished Ann a happy birthday. “Please be safe and enjoy the game.” She reminded us and we nodded. As I turned to leave, my aunt threw a sweatshirt over my shoulders. "Wear this after the game, it might get cold," she said. I hugged her tightly, reassuring her not to worry. "I'll be fine, Auntie. Don't worry, we will be safe and back as soon as the game is over." Little did I know, this night would be one that would drastically change the course of my life. But for now, I was just excited to enjoy the game with my friends and celebrate Annabelle’s birthday with her.