All Chapters of Hate On The Ice, Mine In The Dark: Chapter 1 - Chapter 9

_Nathan’s POV_I should have stayed on the ice longer. At least there, I had an excuse to hit Miles Silvermane.The final buzzer still rang in my ears when I grabbed the front of his jersey and shoved him into the boards. Our helmets cracked together. 4-3. We lost. Again. The crowd was still loud, but all I could hear was my own pulse and the low, mocking laugh he let out right against my face.“Still sore about that last goal, Ashwood?”Six years of playing against Miles Silvermane had taught me one thing: he never stopped until he got a reaction. Tonight he had whispered something filthy after I missed a shot in the second period, then smiled like he’d already won when I shoved him in response. He always knew exactly which buttons to press.The Silvermane name had been poison in my family long before I ever stepped onto a hockey rink.The refs finally dragged us apart. Penalties both. I skated off without looking back, jaw locked so tight it hurt. My wolf was restless under my skin

_Nathan’s POV_The Summit of Lycan Kings always felt like walking into a room full of knives.I stepped out of the black car behind my father and straightened the cuffs of my suit. The hotel was all glass and dark stone, with security from three different packs already posted at the entrance. Elias Ashwood walked ahead of me like he owned the ground beneath his feet. I followed the way I had been trained to — two steps behind, expression controlled, spine straight.My wolf was already restless.I knew why.Miles would be here.My father had been unusually quiet in the car. Before we arrived he had only said one thing: “Whatever happens tonight, you will not lose control. The Silvermanes will be watching.” I had nodded like a good son. I hadn’t told him that my control had already cracked once in a tunnel three nights ago and still hadn’t fully recovered. I could still feel Miles’ mouth on mine when I closed my eyes.Inside the main hall the air was thick with power. The ceilings were

_Nathan’s POV_I barely slept.The suite was too quiet. Every small sound Miles made on the couch felt amplified — the rustle of the blanket, the shift of his weight, the slow rhythm of his breathing. My wolf refused to settle. It kept pulling my attention toward him like it had already decided something I wasn’t ready to accept.When the first gray light of morning pushed through the curtains, Miles was already awake. He sat on the edge of the couch pulling a shirt over his head, hair still messy from sleep.“You’re up early,” I said.“So are you.” He glanced over his shoulder. “Did you sleep at all?”“Enough.”He didn’t call out the lie. He just stood and stretched, the hem of his shirt riding up for a second before he tugged it down.“Breakfast is in forty-five minutes,” he said. “Your father will expect us to arrive together.”“I’m aware.”We moved around each other carefully while getting ready. The bathroom door stayed open. Every time we passed in the narrow space between the s

_Nathan’s POV_I stood outside Miles’s building longer than I should have. The text with his address was still open on my phone, and every few seconds I considered turning around and walking back to my dorm. My wolf didn’t like that idea at all. It had been restless since the moment I agreed to come.I finally pressed the buzzer.Miles opened the door a few seconds later. He was in a black T-shirt and dark sweatpants, hair slightly damp like he’d showered not long ago. He stepped aside without saying anything fancy.“You came.”“I said I would.”I walked in. His place was bigger than I expected — open living room, clean kitchen, large windows. It smelled like him. I hated that I noticed.Miles closed the door and leaned against it for a moment, watching me.“You look like you’re already planning your exit,” he said.“I’m just not used to being here.”“You’ll get used to it.” He pushed off the door and walked toward the kitchen. “Do you want water or something stronger?”“Water’s fine.

_Nathan’s POV_The schedule had been up for days, but I still felt it like a weight when I walked into the locker room and saw the board.Griffins vs Growlers. Home ice.Theo dropped onto the bench beside me while I was taping my stick. “You’ve been quiet all week. More than usual.”“I’m focused.”“You’re somewhere else,” he said. “Is it the alliance stuff? Or Silvermane?”I kept my eyes on the tape. “It’s a game. That’s all it is.”Theo didn’t look convinced, but he let it go. The rest of the team moved around us with the usual pre-game noise — music, talk, the sound of gear being pulled on. I tried to settle into the routine. Skates, pads, jersey. The familiar weight of the helmet in my hands. My wolf was already restless, and I knew exactly why.Miles would be on the other side of the ice.By the time we stepped out for warm-ups, the arena was filling up. I caught sight of the Growlers across the rink. Miles was easy to find. He skated through a simple drill with the same controlle