Hockey Booktok Controversy Novels & Stories

With trembling hand, I bend and pick it up, and right there on the front page lies the one thing I never thought would get past my jotter. My “The things I hate about the Asshole Team Captain’’ list. I feel the world tilt beneath my feet as sweat breaks on my forehead. I am so doomed.

( Leon's POV ) The HMB group did its best to make that book disappear from the market. The author was anonymous and although it was written beyond his time, Master Sean persisted an investigation about it. So to keep my word, I reprimanded Tobby in front of everybody. He was already crying while I was explaining that that story was pure fiction. “That was only a story. It’s absurd. "

On the screen, a sports journalist I vaguely recognized was reading from a prepared statement, the ticker at the bottom scrolling the same words over and over. DAMIEN VOLKOV FILES FORMAL COMPLAINT AGAINST ALEXANDER ST. JAMES. ALLEGES MATCH FIXING AND BRIBERY OF LEAGUE OFFICIALS. I stood there and read it three times. "That is a lie," I said. My voice came out flat. "I know it is a lie," Miss Clara said, very quietly. I reached for my phone. Alexander had already texted, one message, sent four minutes ago. "I know. Do not panic. I am handling it."

Celeste's pov. The comments failed. Two weeks of calculated doubt online, and Cheryl still stood, still credited, still walking across the quad with Carlson’s hand resting against her spine. They moved through campus as if untouchable. Worse, Coach Whitman doubled down on her value, releasing a statement in the weekly athletics newsletter about how the hockey program prioritized Cheryl’s analytical contributions regardless of outside noise. The phrasing functioned as a direct shot aimed straight at my chest. I needed something larger than internet whispers. I needed a public unraveling, a demonstration of her inadequacy that nobody could attribute to jealous rumors or family drama.

“With all due respect, Coach, you hired me to be the team medic. This is my medical opinion. If you ignore it and Theo gets injured, that's on you.” Dante's eyes narrowed. He stood up slowly, and even though he was on the ground level of the bench and I was standing on the floor, he still towered over me. The whispers started from all around us, and from the corners of my eye, the players who were currently collapsed on the rink with their partners around them and giving them water to drink, they all had their eyes and ears on us. I knew fully well that if they wanted to use their werewolf senses and listen in on this conversation, it wouldn't be hard. Dante seemed to notice that too. “Can I

The connection flickered like a severed wire, and I swore I felt him flinch. They won. Naturally. The scoreboard might as well have been tattooed with their names before the puck ever dropped. My issue wasn’t their skill, it was their public image. Some of the boys’ online profiles were a PR nightmare: shirtless beer pong tournaments, questionable captions, and one particularly ill-advised TikTok dance involving a hockey stick and far too little clothing. That was why I was here. To fix them. And to get close enough to Riley to kill him.

I take a moment to process that — although questionable, makes sense — before we say our goodbyes and I start heading toward the office. Me: Diana’s off the suspect list. Unfortunately. Adrian: Told you. Dia can’t even kill a fly. I roll my eyes. A second later, I get a DM from @thEodotrink. I grin. He’s sent a post about some Alberta player caught dealing to minors, then messaged: “I call dibs on the press release being something about defamation and suing the preparators.” Me: Quite bold of you to assume it won’t just be ‘player unavailable to confirm or deny.’

I’m tempted to throw the coffee tray out the window. “Did you plant the red devil in my bag?” It physically hurts to put the words out there. To think that he would do this to me. That he would jeopardize my career so selfishly. “During the game, some hotshots from the hockey federation searched the locker rooms and they found shots of red devil in my duffel.” “That’s some serious accusation son. But rest assured, I had nothing to do with it.” Spencer doesn’t react. He’s not angry or surprised by what I’ve just said. He merely takes a sip of his coffee.

Refuse us, and winter will fall across every rink you love. Alex read the words slowly while Liam slept against his shoulder. “They’re still trying,” he said quietly. Jake crushed the paper in his hand. “They can try all they want.” Within an hour Brody had arrived with extra security and a trunk full of supplies. “No one touches those kids,” he said firmly. “Not while Uncle Brody’s around.” The Hockey World Reacts Meanwhile, rumors were spreading online. Some fans worried the elders’ threats could disrupt the upcoming hockey season. Others defended Alex fiercely.

“I have no idea what sick fantasy you’re inventing in your head, and I’m sure as hell not indulging in this nonsense with you!” By now, several other contestants and camp attendees using the weight machines had stopped their exercises, turning their heads to watch the drama unfold. One of them even came closer to us inorder to hear everything we were saying so clearly. “Not until you confess that man has been actively aiding you!” Mirabelle shouted, deliberately raising her voice for the crowd to hear. “He inflates your points and hands you top rankings on a silver platter! Tell me something, Lori, is he paying for your favors, or is he just your secret sugar daddy?”