Chapter Three> Stefan

STEFAN

“Hart.”

The name leaves my mouth sharper than I intended.

Three days after Leo and Adrian’s engagement party, I’m standing in the Aurora Wolves training facility, leaning against the glass wall of the gym.

Across the room, Noah Hart is kneeling beside a stack of resistance bands, organizing equipment for the afternoon physio sessions.

He ignores me.

Completely.

Typical.

My trainer pushes through the door behind me, clipboard in hand.

“Warm-up in five, captain.”

I raise one finger.

“One minute.”

He rolls his eyes but walks toward the treadmills.

My attention shifts back to Noah.

He’s tying his dark hair into a low knot at the back of his head, exposing the clean line of his neck.

Something tight curls in my chest.

Annoying.

Very annoying.

I walk toward him.

“Hart.”

This time he looks up.

Those grey eyes of his narrow slightly.

“What?”

Direct.

Blunt.

Unimpressed.

Just the way he always talks to me.

I tilt my head toward the hallway.

“Have you reconsidered?”

His brow furrows.

“About what?”

“Coming with me to talk to Coach Ward.”

His hands pause over the equipment bag.

“You promised you wouldn’t interfere.”

“I’m not interfering,” I say calmly. “I’m offering backup.”

His shoulders tense.

That reaction alone is enough to confirm my suspicion.

He’s nervous.

And that pisses me off more than it should.

“You don’t have to deal with Luca Vance alone,” I add quietly.

Noah exhales slowly and stands up.

“You’re acting like he’s a serial killer.”

“He’s worse,” I mutter.

Noah rolls his eyes.

“You barely know him.”

“I know enough.”

Guys like Luca are predictable.

Charming.

Smug.

And completely full of shit.

Noah crouches again, setting two dumbbells in front of the mirror.

“He emailed me.”

That makes me freeze.

“He what?”

“He said he wants to talk.”

Alarm bells go off instantly in my head.

“He wants you back.”

“No, he doesn’t.”

“Yes, he does.”

“No, he—”

“Hart.”

He stops talking.

I take a step closer.

“He cheated on you,” I say quietly. “Publicly.”

His jaw tightens.

“He said he wants to apologize.”

I stare at him.

Then I laugh.

A short, humorless sound.

“Men like Luca don’t apologize.”

Noah straightens slowly.

“He’s going to apologize,” he repeats calmly. “And then we move on.”

Move on.

Just like that?

After what that bastard did?

My chest burns with something ugly and unfamiliar.

“You’re seriously going to work with him all season?”

“That’s my job.”

“He’s an asshole.”

Noah folds his arms.

“So are you.”

Fair.

I shrug slightly and flash him a crooked grin.

“Yeah. But I’m the kind you like.”

His lips part—

Probably preparing a brutal comeback.

But before he can say anything, the gym door opens.

And Luca Vance walks in.

The air changes instantly.

Noah’s posture stiffens beside me.

Across the room, Luca spots us.

And that smug smile spreads across his face.

I hate him already.

He walks toward us slowly, like he owns the place.

“Noah.”

His voice is smooth.

Too smooth.

Like oil.

Noah’s fingers tighten slightly around the dumbbell in his hand.

“Luca.”

The way he says the name is careful.

Controlled.

But I can see the tension in his shoulders.

My instincts kick in immediately.

Without thinking, I straighten to my full height beside him.

Luca’s eyes flick to me.

Recognition flashes.

“Stefan Kovacs,” he says.

I tip my chin.

“Vance.”

His gaze drifts back to Noah.

“Long time.”

Noah nods stiffly.

“You said you wanted treatment for your shoulder.”

“I did.”

Luca’s eyes slide over Noah slowly.

Too slowly.

Possessively.

My jaw tightens.

Noah clears his throat.

“Let’s start with mobility testing.”

He gestures toward the workout mat.

Luca steps closer.

Too close.

And suddenly Noah turns to me.

“Stefan.”

I blink.

He never calls me that.

It’s always Kovacs.

Always.

Something in his expression makes my stomach drop.

“Please.”

Just that one word.

Quiet.

Almost pleading.

And suddenly I understand.

He doesn’t want a scene.

He just wants to do his job.

My hands curl into fists at my sides.

Every instinct in my body screams to stay right here.

But I force myself to breathe.

“Training time,” my coach calls from across the room.

Luca smirks slightly.

Like he knows exactly what he’s doing.

I look down at Noah.

“Last chance,” I murmur quietly.

He shakes his head once.

Stubborn.

Unbelievably stubborn.

I sigh and step backward.

“Fine.”

But before I walk away, I look directly at Luca.

And let my captain’s smile slide slowly across my face.

Cold.

Sharp.

Promising violence.

“See you on the ice.”

His smirk falters slightly.

Good.

I walk toward the weight area where my trainer waits.

But my focus never really leaves the other side of the gym.

During the entire workout—

I watch them.

Luca stretching his shoulder.

Noah checking his range of motion.

Talking quietly.

Too quietly for me to hear.

Every time Luca leans a little too close…

My grip tightens on the barbell.

My trainer sighs.

“You’re distracted.”

“Am not.”

“Captain,” he says flatly, “you just lifted the same weight three times and didn’t count a single rep.”

I glance back across the gym.

Noah laughs softly at something Luca says.

Something hot and possessive coils in my chest.

I don’t trust that bastard.

Not for one second.

And if Luca Vance so much as hurts Noah again—

He’s going to learn exactly why I’m the most feared captain in the league.

On the ice.

Or off it.