Chapter 29
Jamie
It’s been a week. A week since I fucked Ellie on the kitchen counter. A week since I claimed her as mine, and all I can think about is the sound of her moans and the feeling of being inside her.
“I’m yours, Jamie.”
I still don’t know if she was being genuine or if it was just a heat of the moment thing, but I’m letting myself believe she meant it, because if I don’t, I might fall apart.
Who the fuck am I? Fall apart? Over a girl? I don’t do that shit. I don’t let chicks dictate my feelings or distract me from what really matters. Except, Ellie’s not just some chick, and she’s what really matters.
Because if I never get hockey back, at least I’ll have her.
Even if I’m not able to play again, Ellie will be there, and she’ll have forgiven me for the shit I put her through.
The goal since I got benched has been to rehab, recover, and get back to my team, but I have a new goal now.
Get Ellie to be mine. Like, actually mine. Although, it would be nice to get both.
I stare at my watch, the cold chill in the air hitting my cheeks, wondering when this day is going to be over, because the sooner I can get home, the sooner I see her.
Honestly, watching these guys practice is giving me a migraine, but hopefully that’s all about to change.
They’re dragging, as always. Except, it’s not physically.
They’re skating hard enough, hitting the drills, and running the plays I’ve drilled into their heads for weeks now.
But the edge is still missing. Maybe it’s because they’re not confident.
They’ve been losing for so long now, maybe they’ve just flat out given up.
What we need is something that will separate us from the rest of the teams. Something that will make them fear us. The Wolves don’t need to be good. We just need to pull off a miracle. No pressure.
I blow my whistle, the sound echoing off the walls of the rink.
“Again!”
Collective groans roll across the ice.
“If you have enough energy to complain,” I call out, “you’ve got enough energy to run drills.”
Frustration coils tight in my chest, mixing with the steady throb in my knee. I push it down like I always do because the pain doesn’t matter. What matters is getting these guys in shape to win the next game, and I have a little something that might motivate them.
Blowing the whistle one more time, the guys make their way over to me, dripping in sweat and looking exhausted.
“Alright, listen up!” I call. “I’m gonna tell you what I’ve noticed the last several weeks, and you’re gonna listen.”
They straighten, every eye focused on me.
“Number one, you’ve got no team morale, and that’s reflected on the ice.
It’s like you’re not communicating with each other at all out there.
That has to change, today. Number two, you’re relying on Bergstrom and Rostolvic to get shit done, when in reality, you should be working as a team.
If you’re not connected out there, you’ve already lost. I don’t care if you hate each other.
On the ice, you’re a unit. Is that understood? ”
“Yes, Coach,” they all say in unison.
“Good. Now, I have some people I’d like you to meet.”
I hear the footsteps coming up behind me as the entire rink goes silent. Some of the guy’s jaws hit the floor, while some look starstruck.
Theo Cramer, Connor Grieves, Billy Callahan, and Wilder Ranslavic walk onto the ice, each of them looking smug and confident.
They stop, forming a line at my side. It’s kind of entertaining watching Callahan try to look intimidating when I know he’s a huge softie.
Last year for Halloween, he dressed as a princess with his niece.
Yet when he gets into hockey mode, he doesn’t fuck around.
“No fucking way…” Logan breathes.
“Holy shit, that’s Wilder Ranslavic,” Levi states in awe.
Straightening, I begin to walk back and forth, making sure I have everyone’s attention. Once I’m confident they’re all looking my way, I step back in line with my men.
“As you all may know, this is Callahan, Ranslavic, Grieves, and Cramer. They’re some of my buddies from the Storm, and they’re gonna show you dipshits how to play some damn hockey.
Got it?” I announce, and the Wolves all nod.
They’re in for a treat. I just hope my friends can keep it together and get this shit done.
I’m counting on them to help me get the Wolves set for the rest of the season.
“Yes, Coach!”
I look at my buddies and give them a nod, letting them take over. I don’t know if this is the smartest idea I’ve ever had or if it’s about to be one of the dumbest, but I guess I’m about to find out.
Theo steps forward, eyes scanning the room like he’s sizing up a rival team on game night.
“We watched your last game film on the way here,” he tells the Wolves. They share some looks and whispers before their attention snaps back to Cramer.
You could hear a fucking pin drop in here it’s so damn quiet.
“And?” Logan asks. Kid’s snarky, and I know Callahan’s going to have a field day with him.
Wilder shrugs. “You want the polite answer or the honest one?”
There’s no response. My team looks terrified.
“Honest,” Logan mutters.
Wilder nods once.
“You’ve got talent, size, speed, and a shit ton of money backing every inch of this place,” Theo says.
“But you don’t play like a team that needs to win,” Callahan states.
I watch the Wolves faces shift from awe to defensiveness and maybe a bit of embarrassment.
Good. They need to know what the pro’s think of their skills as players.
If they’re not going to listen to me alone, now they’ve got five of us telling them the same damn thing.
They need to be told like it is, or they’re never going to get better. They’ll never succeed.
“Okay,” Theo claps. “We’re here for the weekend. Your coach here asked us to run some sessions and scrimmages with you guys and talk strategy. Help you figure out what Patterson’s been trying to beat into your skulls for weeks.”
“You want the NHL?” Connor asks, his tone serious. “Then stop acting like this is guaranteed. Nothing is. It doesn’t matter how much money mommy and daddy make. They can’t buy your way in. You’ve got to be fucking great.”
Damn, Grieves. I didn’t know he had it in him to give a pep talk like that.
Honestly, I’m glad they agreed to this, because I was at my whit’s end with these fools. I needed backup. The awesome thing about my friends is they’ve always got my back, just like I’ve got theirs. Even if I’m not out there playing with them right now.
Two hours later, we’re in full scrimmage mode.
Connor, Theo, Wilder, and Billy rotate in every once in a while, demonstrating how things should be done.
The Wolves skate faster and hit harder, trying to prove my guys wrong. This is what they needed. They needed to want to prove themselves.
Before long, the Wolves are gasping for air as
Theo steals the puck clean from Jacob, passing it to Connor who buries it into the net flawlessly.
Wolves players stand around looking like they’ve just witnessed a miracle. I think they’re starting to see that this is the level they need to be at. This is what it takes to be the best. To get to the top.
After a few more games, the Wolves finally look like they’re playing like a team.
It seems like they’re communicating, they’re staying on each other, and they’re confident.
Just then, I feel something loosen in my chest for the first time in weeks.
Maybe I made the right decision by bringing the Storm here.
Maybe this is what the guys needed. Some fresh faces and some new strategies.
By the time we finally step off the ice, everyone’s exhausted but the mood feels lighter. It feels like, for the first time since my injury, there’s hope.
Theo bumps my shoulder as we walk toward the locker room. “You weren’t kidding. They’ve got potential.”
“Yeah, well potential doesn’t win,” I mutter.
“No,” Billy says behind us. “But the right energy does. They’ve got it in them. They just needed a little nudge.”
I nod in agreement.
“Yeah, well, thanks for helping out. I appreciate you guys. I was going crazy over here.”
“We’ve got your back, you know that,” Theo says, a hand landing on my shoulder. “Now, let’s go eat some grub. I’m fucking starving.”