登入Lucian POVThe big windows in the dressing room were wide open. Outside, the green trees of the cedar forest went up high into the afternoon sky. Below the terrace, lots of white vanilla orchids were blooming in stone beds. The two smells mixed together in the wind, floating through the glass to fill the quiet room. This was our smell. The exact smell that connected my life to Orion's, free from the bad memories of the arena.There were no news trucks hiding in the trees. No big satellite dishes pointing at the clouds. No sports people waiting with microphones to talk about my past. The big media network did not exist on this estate. The Kael security guards locked down the area before dawn, making sure our pack was safe.I fixed the cuff of my jacket. The special linen felt soft on my skin. It was a change from the heavy, hard plastic of my old hockey gear.I looked down at my reflection in the mirror.My suit had fabric in the front to fit my stomach. At this point, my pregnancy was
Orion POVI sat on the leather couch in the executive suite, staring at my taped hands. The white athletic tape covered my knuckles, hiding the scars. Ten years of fights, ten years of shedding blood for the Winter Wolves crest. None of it mattered today.Lucian stood by the frosted glass window, his hands on his stomach. He had a habit, a subconscious shield for the miracle growing inside him. The vanilla scent in the room turned sour with fear.“They are waiting,” Lucian said, turning away from the glass. He crossed his arms over his chest. “Marcus said the main room hit capacity half an hour ago. Every sports network sent a camera crew.”I stood up. I walked across the room. “Let them wait,” I said.“Orion,” Lucian said, grabbing my lapels. His knuckles turned white. “The board will destroy you. If you go there and confirm the leaks, your father will strip the captaincy.”I covered his hands with mine. Pulled them away. I kissed his knuckles. “I do not care about the C on my chest,
Lucian POVThe bright white glare of the press room spotlights hit my face the moment Orion pushed the door open. There were microphones from ten global networks clamped to the long wooden table at the front of the stage. The room was packed tight, a sea of reporters jammed shoulder-to-shoulder, their fingers hovering over laptops and digital recorders. The air felt thick, hot, and heavy with the scent of coffee and anticipation.Every single seat was taken. People were standing against the concrete walls, their credentials hanging from black lanyards around their necks. The noise inside was a low rumble of voices. Everyone was talking over one another to predict what we were about to say.Orion kept his hand on the small of my back. He guided me through the aisle between the rows of chairs. His left arm was completel
Lucian POVThe big doors of the visitor locker room shook on their hinges before we even got to them. Inside, the music was really loud, the bass was shaking the walls, it was like a heartbeat that matched the pounding in my head.Arthur opened the doors wide.A big wave of heat, old sweat, and cheap alcohol smell hit me in the face. The room was a mess of white jerseys, wet hair, and plastic goggles. Steam was rising from the back showers, mixing with the mist of champagne that people were spraying everywhere."Move out of the way! Clear a path!"Miller used his body to push a trash can out of the way. He did not look at the media people or the team staff, he just looked at me. He put his hand under my arm, his gri
Orion POVThe heavy silver base of the cup left my hand. I felt a sudden jolt of pain shoot down my neck. My left shoulder was a mess under my wet jersey. The bone was out of place, pressing against the edge of my gear. I didn't care. The red light behind the net was still shining in my eyes, a color against the gray slush.We won.Lucian was standing in the center of the flashing lights, his thick hockey gloves gripping the handles. Sweat was over his visor, making the plastic look dirty. He looked small under the silver bowl, his body bent forward to hold the cup and his big belly. The metal shield under his uniform was bulging against his waist, protecting our pup.The crowd of twenty thousand people was hitting the glass barriers, making a vibration under my feet. White towels were flying from the balcony seats, cutting through the lights of the arena. Our teammates were around us, a loud and chaotic wall of white and blue, their sticks banging the ice in a loud roar.I took two s
Lucian POVThe black puck was sitting in the net. Everything was still for a second. Nobody was moving. The Boston goalie was still down on the ice, his head bent forward. Then, the red light behind the net turned on.The whole arena went crazy.It was so loud that my teeth were shaking. A thousand people were stomping their feet on the floor. White towels were flying everywhere, falling from the seats like snow.I fell to my knees. My stick slipped out of my hands. Hit the ice. I was breathing hard, trying to catch my breath. It felt hot under my helmet. I was totally exhausted. Then, I got a huge rush of energy."You did it!"One of my teammates, our defenseman, came running up to me. He had gotten hurt a minute before, but he did not care now. He put his arms around me. Pulled me into a big hug. We slid across the ice together.Then, all the other guys on my team started piling on. They all came off the bench at the time. Helmets were flying everywhere. Gloves were over the ice."C
Orion POVThe black rubber disc rolled flat against my blade. Lucian's pass had no spin, a pass right on the tape. He had twisted his whole body mid-air, a feed that left three Titans players skating into their own teammates.I didn't waste time looking.I dragged the puck back, shifting my weight
Lucian POV The air hurt my chest as I looked across the red line. Fenrir Vane didn't move. He stood on his skates like a statue, his black jersey smelling of sweat and old leather. The challenge still hung in the air. I kept quiet. I just adjusted my grip on my stick, keeping my fingers loose and
Lucian POVThe air from the ice rink hit my face as I stepped out of the tunnel. It tasted like frost and stale sweat. My lungs took in the cold air of the arena, but my hand instinctively touched my flat stomach through my thick uniform.Everything changed this morning. I kept thinking about the b
Orion POVThe morning light crept across the bedroom rug, warming the space between us. Lucian lay beneath me, his dark hair spread out like silk. His breathing was a rhythm, his green eyes wide and fixed on my face.The energy of our kiss began to slow down, turning into a warm feeling that settle







