My Hockey Alpha

Chapter 0526

Nina

The tension in the room was thick enough to cut with a knife. Enzo's eyes narrowed, fixed intently on the burglar who was tied to the chair.

I stood close but not too close, my own wolf tingling with caution inside my head. I felt a strange mix of relief and apprehension that Matt and Luke had handled the situation, but the intruder's stubborn silence left a knot of unease in my stomach.

"Well?" Enzo growled, his voice tinged with frustration and menace. "You're obviously not here for a social visit. Why break into our house?"

The captive man's amber eyes flicked to me and then back to Enzo. It was the first sign of emotion he had shown. He opened his mouth, closed it, and then smirked. "What does it matter?"

"It matters because this is our home, and you invaded it," Enzo snapped, towering over the man. "We're giving you one chance. Speak, or things will get really unpleasant for you."

"You're already in deep trouble, mate. Spilling the beans might be your only shot at mercy," Matt chimed in.

Luke leaned against the wall, arms crossed over his chest. "Mercy's more than you would get from others, I can assure you."

I shot a glance at Luke, registering the seriousness behind his tone. I then looked at Enzo, who was coiled like a spring, the muscles in his jaw twitching. I felt a shiver of anticipation mixed with dread; I had seen that look in his eyes before.

"Last chance," Enzo warned, his voice a low growl.

The burglar's eyes finally darted around the room, a fleeting glimmer of unease crossing his face. "Fine," he sighed. "I was sent here. I didn't come by my own choice."

A collective hush fell over the room. Enzo leaned down, putting his face close to the intruder's. "Who sent you?" But the man clamped his mouth shut, the temporary light of cooperation dimming from his eyes. His gaze was like steel, defiant and inscrutable.

"Who. Sent. You?" Enzo repeated, each word emphasized like a hammer striking a nail.

The werewolf just shook his head. It was a small gesture, but it sent ripples through the room.

Enzo sighed, straightening up and stepping back. He looked at me, his eyes dark pools of frustration and confusion. I saw a myriad of emotions swirling in those depths-anger, yes, but also a deep-seated concern that etched itself into the furrows of his brow.

"This isn't getting us anywhere," Matt observed, breaking the uncomfortable silence that had settled.

"No, it isn't," Enzo agreed, his voice tightly controlled. He paced around, taking a moment to collect himself before turning back to our uninvited guest. "You realize you've put yourself into a world of trouble. It could be so much worse for you if you don't cooperate."

"You think I don't know that?" the captive werewolf snapped, a trace of bitterness lacing his words.

"Then why keep quiet? You got a loyalty oath or something?" Luke asked.

The man looked at him, and then a sardonic smile stretched across his lips. "You could say that."

"Is that supposed to be a joke? Because I don't find this situation funny at all," I said, unable to keep the edge out of my voice.

"Whoever it is that sent you, they aren't here to help you now," Enzo pointed out.

The man looked up at Enzo, then at each of us, as if trying to decide how much more he should say. But then he tightened his lips, shutting down again. It was like watching a door slam shut, locking us out from whatever secrets he held.

Enzo clenched his fists, his body visibly tense. "Fine," he said. "We can do this the hard way. Just remember: you chose it."

Enzo's jaw clenched, his face a mask of resolve. He pulled back his fist, the knuckles whitening, the tension palpable. It was a look I had seen before, but this time it was different, more loaded, as if there was a newfound fury in his veins.

My stomach knotted, anxiety and dread welling up inside of me. I looked around the room, scanning the faces of Matt and Luke, their expressions equally taut with concern and hesitation. No one was saying anything. The air felt thick and heavy, like an anvil was about to drop.

"Enzo," I finally said, my voice softer than I'd intended. "Don't."

He hesitated, his fist still hanging in the air.

"This isn't worth it," I whispered, my gaze locking onto his. "Don't do it."

His eyes flicked to me, as if jolted out of a trance. They were clouded, stormy, the irises almost completely overtaken by the dark pupils. The pause that followed was deafening in its silence, filled with an unspoken conversation that buzzed between us like an electric charge.

Finally, his fist lowered. The moment seemed to stretch on, filling the room with a sort of thick, murky relief.

Matt exhaled loudly, running a hand through his hair. "Thank god that's over."

"Is it?" Luke questioned, his eyes lingering on the captive burglar, who for the first time looked vaguely unsettled." He's not talking, and we're no closer to understanding why he's here."

"We'll find another way," I said, my voice tinged with an assertiveness I wasn't entirely feeling. "Violence doesn't have to be the answer."

Luke tilted his head, considering. "Maybe not, but sometimes it's the quickest way to the truth."

"I agree," Enzo muttered, finally breaking his silence. He was looking at me, his eyes filled with a complex mixture of relief and apprehension. "But Nina's right. It's not worth it."

The captive burglar chuckled, a low, rumbling sound that grated on my nerves. "How touching," he sneered. "Do you really think taking the high road will get you anywhere with me?"

My eyes locked onto his, and for a moment, I saw the predatory glint in them, the flash of a hunter sizing up his prey. My wolf bristled in response, a primal reaction that I fought to keep in check.

"It's not about you," I said sharply. "It's about us, and the kind of people we choose to be."

The burglar laughed again, shaking his head as much as his restraints would allow. "Fine words from someone who's got me tied to a chair."

"Desperate times call for desperate measures," Matt retorted, folding his arms across his chest.

"But they don't have to change who we are," I added, my gaze shifting to Enzo, who was still watching me with that same complicated look on his face.

He gave a tiny nod, almost imperceptible but loaded with meaning. "We're better than this," he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper.

Matt moved closer to me, dropping his voice. "Are you okay? That was close, Nina."

"I'm fine," I assured him, although my heart was still beating at a frantic pace. "I just couldn't let it go there, you know?"

Matt nodded, his eyes filled with a blend of understanding and concern. "Yeah, I get it. But we're still at square one."

"Then let's go back to the drawing board," Luke suggested, glancing between Enzo and me. "There's more than one way to skin a cat-or interrogate a werewolf, rather."

I met Enzo's gaze once more, my eyes searching his face for any sign of what he was feeling. He was still looking at me with that same worried expression, his eyes clouded with an emotion I couldn't quite identify.