Chapter 44 Archangel
FORTY-FOUR
ARCHANGEL
We get on the plane, and the guys are weird, but Wolfe doesn’t notice because he sits in the window seat like normal, and I’m next to him. But the energy is rancid.
If that article ruins our chance at winning, I’m going to find whoever leaked that photo and personally ruin their life. Then it occurs to me who would be most likely to have leaked the fucking photo.
It had to be Mark.
Him and the Monsters are the ones who benefit the most from it. Not only in the draft area, but he’s probably also trying to get the team to turn on us. I bet he saved it all this time, too.
Holy shit.
Do I tell him or keep it to myself?
I glance over, and he’s deep into his music, softly singing along. “Wolfe.”
He doesn’t hear me at all.
I elbow him.
He pulls one ear off. “What’s up?”
“I know who leaked the photo.”
“Who?”
“Mark.”
He narrows his eyes, thinking really hard about it. “It would make sense, but how did he get that picture? He wasn’t in New York.”
“It’s floating in that gossip crap Seaborn was talking about, and if he was looking for a way to fuck us over, he’d be waiting for something.” It’s just too convenient for it to show up today of all days.
“Which means they think we’ll beat them this weekend.” He’s grinning.
Unbelievable.
“You can’t be happy about this?”
“Why wouldn’t I be happy about it? They are scared of us.” He’s not even fazed.
“What if it fucks up the team flow?”
“Have faith in the boys.” He puts his arm around my shoulders.
“You’re not worried at all?”
He taps his temple. “I feel fucking good.”
“The team is acting weird.”
My point is proven at practice. We dropped our stuff at the hotel and went right to the rink to get some time on the ice. And the guys are weird. Like overnight, no one knows how to interact with us.
“If this is how we play tomorrow, we won’t even play Boston in the final. We’ll lose the semi,” I say as we’re getting dressed.
“Huh? We were fine.” Wolfe notices everything. He’s the first to say if the energy shifts, so he’s got to be denying it to himself or just trying to keep my head in the right place.
We head back to the hotel for team dinner, and no one says a word to us. They are whispering, and it has to be about us. But it’s not even the whispering that’s bothering me; it’s the solemnness of the team. They aren’t playful and joking around.
“Tell me you feel it now,” I say halfway through the meal.
Wolfe looks around like he’s just remembering where we are. “It’s a little quiet.”
“That’s what I’m saying. No one is joking around or talking or anything.”
He nods, finally fucking processing it, and then he stands. “Listen up, I’m going to need you guys to lock the fuck in. Because if we don’t win this game, I’m going to haunt all of you forever.”
A couple of guys laugh.
“Are you dying if we don’t win?” Solace asks.
“Dying? No, but let me fucking tell you, you’ll wish I died.
I am going to haunt your asses in real time.
Show up at your grandma’s house on the 4th of July and tell her what a disappointment you are.
I’m gonna be at your neighbors peeking over your fence, reporting you to the HOA in ten years when you just think you’ve gotten away from me.
I’m gonna be sitting next to your boss on that big performance review.
Fuck, I’ll be staring you down in the goddamn interview. ”
A pin could have dropped, and it would have sounded like a bomb. No one even chews for a full ten seconds. Then laughter breaks out.
“You think he’s kidding,” Lovelace says. “This mother fucker would.”
“I’m laughing because I know it’s true. I expect this bitch to pull up at my med school interviews,” Savage says, shaking his head. “If I don’t get my preferred program because of you fuckers, I’m joining him.”
Wolfe points at Savage. “This is the real one right here. Goalies know.”
“I know, and I feel you.” Savage makes a heart with his hands.
Wolfe mirrors it. “If I didn’t already have a best friend, you’d be my new best friend, bro.”
“Do I need to be jealous?” I say deadpan.
Wolfe winks and laughs. “Don’t worry. I won’t give him any of the benefits I give you, sweetheart.”
The guys laugh, which is a little shocking considering they know it’s true.
We win the semifinal game and then immediately go watch Boston’s game.
Theirs is close, but they win it 2-1.
We’re playing the Monsters for the Frozen Four title.
Everything is going great, and maybe the guys really don’t care. But I’m not telling Wolfe he’s right. I’m actually feeling like we can do this when we walk into the locker room for the final.
Everyone is playful and relaxed, doing their weird-ass pregame shit. Wolfe is eating a fucking hot dog for some reason.
“Where did you get that?”
“From the concessions.” He looks me right in the eyes as he takes a bite.
“Fucking stop.”
He grins before taking the last bite, then takes his time licking his fingers.
“Are you trying to make me hard for the game?”
“Will it make you play better?” he asks thoughtfully.
“Fuck off.”
“Hold up,” Solace says from the middle of the room. “Are you two a thing?”
“What?” Lovelace asks. “Who?”
“Wolfe and Archangel,” Solace replies. “Does anyone else know about this?”
“About what?” a couple of guys ask.
“That they’re a thing?” Solace doesn’t look upset; he seems confused. “This article calls it a well-known secret. But like, we’re on the same line, and I don’t know.”
Ridgeway crosses his arms but keeps his mouth shut. Seaborn messes with the same tape on his stick over and over, but everyone else in the room is looking at us.
Wolfe turns around. “We are a thing. Why?”
“And it’s a well-known secret?” Solace asks like he’s gonna step up to Wolfe or some shit.
“I wouldn’t say that.”
“But people know?”
“A couple. Why?” Wolfe replies, crossing his arms.
“I thought we were friends.” He’s hurt and looks at me, but I can’t face him, or any of them.
The whole team is waiting for an explanation.
“We weren’t ready to talk about it yet.” Wolfe is covering for me. There is no reason for the guys to be hurt by him.
I take a step forward to stand next to Wolfe. “I wasn’t—”
He cuts me off and takes my hand. “We weren’t ready. It’s new, and really, it’s not anyone’s business. We get to talk about relationships on our own time. I don’t fucking demand any of you tell me the second you’re getting serious about someone because we’re friends or teammates.”
Solace doesn’t say anything else, but his expression says enough.
“For how long?”
“The whole season.” Wolfe isn’t going to lie to them.
“You told me it was an act,” Lovelace says, clearly hurt too. “We’re on your line,” he adds to me. “We spend every day drilling together, and I’ve never had a problem with you being gay.
I feel like an asshole, and I don’t know what to say.
Wolfe releases my hand, and my head snaps around to question it, but he puts his arm around my shoulders.
“It’s not that simple. There is a lot of stuff that went into it with my career.
He was protecting me, and I didn’t know I liked men until I realized I want Archangel.
But more than that, I don’t think outing someone is cool.
And neither should any of you. No one owes it to you to come out.
People get to do that in their own time when they are ready. ”
The silence is agony.
“Is this going to be a problem? Because if it is, I don’t have to fucking play.
” Wolfe’s tone bites through the tension, making everyone look at him.
He crosses his arms again, facing the whole team like he would take them all at once.
“He slept in my bed before we fucked, and if we ever broke up, he’d keep doing it.
Not that I’d let him leave me, but it’s changed nothing.
We’ve always been like this, so it should really shock you guys more that this wasn’t going on the whole time. ”
“Valid,” Ridgeway says. “You two have always been obsessed with each other.”
“See, it makes sense.” Wolfe holds his hand out.
No one else speaks, and my stomach is in my throat.
Would he really leave? Will the team call his bluff? What will pro teams think if he doesn’t play in the championship game? If they think he’s injured, he won’t be drafted. If they think he’s not loyal, same thing.
“If none of you have an issue with me fucking coach, you really shouldn’t have an issue with those two.” Cox stands and crosses the locker room to stand with us. “Every person on this team has made a questionable decision when it comes to a fuck, so none of you can even talk.”
Wolfe fist bumps him.
Seaborn walks over. “This isn’t the way I would have preferred to tell any of you, but if you’re going to be mad, be mad at me.
I’ve been sleeping with Ktytor for a year.
” Seaborn gets up and crosses his arms, too.
“What I’m doing is much worse than what these two have done.
Worse probably than fucking the coach, too. ”
“Much worse!” Cox laughs. “Christ.”
“Doesn’t stop me from kicking his ass.”
“Actually, I think you’re worse to him now,” Wolfe says, and he’s not wrong.
“He fucking deserves it,” Seaborn says.
I barely keep a straight face. I never expected him to tell the rest of the guys.
“You’re fucking joking?” Godfrey asks, clearly shocked and a little horrified.
“Don’t fucking talk to me. You’re engaged to the Summerset goalie.”
Godfrey flips him the bird. “I’m not an enforcer to his center. Shit.”
“You shoot on him, don’t you?”
“Fuck, and your brother plays for Summerset, right?” Lovelace points at Savage.
Savage flips him off. “Step-brother, and I’m not fucking him.”
“But you could be since, as you pointed out, he’s step.” Seaborn grins.
“He is hot, but no. He hates me.” Savage shrugs, like it’s a totally normal thing to say.
“At least I’m fucking the guy I’m playing with,” I mutter.
Some of the guys make faces, but it’s all good-natured.
Ridgeway rubs his temples, and Savage just starts laughing.
“This team is remarkably gay,” Lovelace mutters.
“Is everyone sleeping with the enemy?” Wolfe throws his hands up and holds his index finger up. “None of you get to say a fucking word to me.”
“They weren’t mad you’re sleeping together.
They’re mad you didn’t tell anyone,” Ridgeway finally says, shoving off the wall.
“We need to get our shit together and get out there. I’m not losing this fucking game, and the rest of you better not fucking blow it either, or I’m joining our unhinged goalie and haunting your asses for life. ”
“I’m not letting us lose either. Ktytor will never let me live it down.” Seaborn grits his teeth. “And I can’t live the rest of my life like that.”
Wolfe takes a moment to assess the guys. “So are we good?”
A few of the guys mutter.
“Are we fucking good?” Wolfe says in his team captain voice, which makes me a little hard.
The guys yell back this time, and the energy finally seems to be returning, which we need.
“I’m glad I don’t have to fight anyone over my boyfriend,” Wolfe says to just me as everyone finishes up their program prep.
I can’t help the smile that captures my mouth. “Boyfriend?”
“Do you not like that word?” he asks, taking one of my hands.
“No, I love it—”
He talks over me. “Because we can just skip to fiancé.”
I pull my hand back as he acts like he’s going to lower down. “Don’t fucking start.”
“What is going on?” Coach Hawke asks, having come in at some point.
“We’re fine,” Wolfe says, speaking for the whole team like he normally does.
Hawke shoots a look at Cox, who mouths, “I’ll tell you later.”
Hawke lifts a brow, obviously curious, but Cox shakes his head.
Ridgeway cuts in, “Everyone is gay, and most of them are fucking guys on other teams, which probably should be alarming, but since you’re fucking one of your players, you can’t really have an opinion.”
Hawke opens his mouth like he’s going to say something, then scrubs a hand over his face. “How many… No—who is—no! Don’t tell me.” He presses his eyes closed like he’s really going through it. “I’m starting to regret every decision I’ve ever made,” he finally mutters.
Cox leans in. “Don’t worry. I’ll blow you later, and you’ll forget all about this.”
Hawke squeezes his clipboard then just turns, walking out.
The entire team erupts in laughter, and we finish getting our stuff together before heading out.
I catch Cox leaving the locker room. “Thanks for doing that,”
“They were all being hypocrites. I can’t let that pass.”
I nod. “No one likes to be left out. They act all macho, but they really are just a bunch of gossipy bitches.”
“That’s for fucking real.”
“Let’s get on the ice guys,” Coach Hawke calls in to the locker room.
“You think he’ll be mad if I punch Mark in the face during the first play?”
“Maybe don’t do that,” Wolfe says. “I’d like to at least be a couple goals out before you get ejected.”
“Your need to win is really inconveniencing my personal life.”
“I thought you wanted me to get a good draft spot?” he replies a little bitchily.
“I thought I was more important than hockey?”
“You are, Angel, but I am also trying to get you the best WAG spot.”
I narrow my eyes. “We are not married.”
“Not married yet…” Wolfe corrects.
“I don’t even think you can get on your knees.”
“Don’t fucking challenge me!”
“On the ice, you two!” Hawke cuts in.