So Pucking Magnetic (League of Ice Kings: Port City Badgers #2)

Chapter 1

Silas

In the stands was not my typical place to be during a game.

On the ice, or somewhere at ice level working was where I usually spent my time.

Today, I was in the stands, watching Elliot.

I would always be here if it meant watching Elliot play the game that he and I both loved so much.

We had a different appreciation for it, considering what our jobs were.

Him as the center for the Port City Badgers, one of the top teams in the League of Ice Kings.

I, meanwhile, was an official in a different league, the one below LIcK, where prospective hopefuls played their hearts out in hopes of being called up.

Our love of hockey was what brought us together.

And inevitably, it would be the thing that tore us apart.

We were a bit of a contradiction, the two of us.

If the league ever found out that we were together, they would not be happy.

Referees had a strict no-fraternization policy with the players, the coaches, the owners, and even the members of the staff regardless of their role within the organization.

We were to remain neutral at all times, and any sort of personal relationship with someone affiliated with the team would not go over well.

Impartiality was key in my line of work.

If anyone thought even for a moment that an official was calling games in favor of a certain player or team, it would be hell for all of us.

My relationship with Elliot predated his position in the league, but I knew that if our relationship were ever made public, if anyone ever found out, Elliot would drop me like a hot plate.

I’d be gone from his life, written off and forgotten like last week’s leftovers.

Hockey was his number one. I fell far below that—fourth or fifth, maybe, if I was lucky.

Which was why I sat in the stands wearing neutral colors and a baseball hat for the local minor league, not a 42 jersey depicting Elliot’s last name “Shaw” on the back. Though I owned two of them. He didn’t know that. One was buried deep in our closet, and the other traveled with me.

I was pathetic. So in love with a man who felt the same, but it was not enough.

I winced as Elliot was slammed into the boards by an opposing player, an alpha defenseman.

Had I been on the ice, I would have called that, but the official just skated by like it was nothing.

Elliot retaliated, of course. He only let that type of behavior fuel his need to win, his drive to succeed.

Within a few seconds of him being slammed into the boards, he was racing after the defenseman, stealing the puck from under him.

With that defenseman in the dust, he made his third goal of the night—a hat trick. One of many in his career.

I had the puck from his first hat trick he’d ever had in the league.

He had gifted it to me on our third anniversary.

I used the term “gifted” loosely. We had gone out after that game, the fact that it was our anniversary was a coincidence.

To this day, I wasn’t sure if he knew when it was.

He had tossed the puck to me. “Here,” he’d said.

“The guys handed me this after our win tonight.”

“This is the puck from your hat trick?” I had asked.

He’d nodded.

I couldn’t believe my luck. I cherished it always. At that moment, I had held it like he had just gifted me the fountain of youth or something. He had rolled his eyes. “It’s just a puck. You’re so sentimental.”

That I was. Sentimental to a fault, and so incredibly in love with him that it hurt to even think about.

Meanwhile, I was just a convenience to him, not special enough to share his heats with.

No, he’d never shared those with me, but I was there to scratch the itch whenever he needed.

We lived together. Again, out of convenience.

Neither of us were home enough for it to really matter.

The off-season was when we spent our most time together.

Even then, he was constantly training or at practice.

I kept busy with other things, volunteering at hockey camps, organizing schedules for the league, but really, I just wanted to be with Elliot.

Movie nights at home, the occasional puzzle I could talk him into working on, those were the moments I lived for.

The buzzer sounded. The game finished.

Three nothing, Port City winning over the Edgecreek Eagles.

The crowd jumped to their feet, all applauding, chanting for their favorite players, Elliot’s name being shouted more than anyone else’s.

It wasn’t quite a packed house, but it was close.

The seat next to me was empty. I hadn’t been allowed to buy just one seat, so I was here by myself, looking ridiculous.

If anyone saw me and recognized I was a referee, I didn’t care.

For Elliot, I would do anything. Risk anything.

The team exited the rink, waving to the crowd as they walked through the tunnel to their locker room.

Then the mascot was on the ice with a few members of the marketing team.

They would do a few giveaways and shoot off the t-shirt cannon again.

The mascot skated around, but mostly people were shuffling out of the arena.

The people a few seats down from me stood awkwardly, inching closer to me.

I had to get up and get out of the way. It was time to leave.

I took one last look at the ice, knowing that I wouldn’t actually catch a glimpse of Elliot, and even if I did, he would look right through me.

He would probably have to talk to the press since he was the only person who scored tonight.

He hated talking to the press. The question was always the same: “What’s it like being the top omega center in the league?

What challenges have you faced as an omega on a team of mostly alphas? ”

A lot of them. Not that he would ever bring them up.

Elliot never wanted to draw attention to the fact that he was an omega.

The air had a bite to it when I stepped outside, and I pulled up the hood of my sweatshirt. The parking lot was packed with people raving on about the game.

“This is their year. They’re going to win that damn cup! Mark my words!” The alpha in front of me tipped a little as he walked like he’d indulged in too many expensive beers. His friend grasped his elbow to keep him upright.

“Hell yeah, man! Price and Shaw are unstoppable.”

I couldn’t argue with that. Evan and Elliot hit a rhythm out there. After three seasons together, they could read each other like a book.

“Coach Garrison has been a godsend,” the alpha said.

There were, of course, a few complaints about the refs.

There always were. I was used to that kind of thing.

I had been called any name under the sun in my tenure as a referee.

I pulled my phone from my pocket and unlocked it, hoping for something from Elliot.

He was still busy with the press, probably.

I gave in and texted him.

Great game. See you at home, right?

Within a moment, I got a checkmark to indicate he had read the text.

No reply, no three dots. He wasn’t even considering replying.

I stared at it for a stupidly long amount of time, and then I finally put it away and went home to our empty apartment.