The ice rink was alive with violence, not the kind that drew blood. Not yet. But the kind that lived in the sharp crack of sticks,, in the fierce screech of blades carving into ice, and the crash of bodies slamming into the boards with enough force that the glass shivered at the impact. Cold air bit at exposed skin, carrying the scent of frost and sweat, and under the glare of the harsh white light above, everything felt sharper, faster, more brutal. And Chase Voss was at the heart of it all.
He skated as though he owned the rink, as though all the inches of ice were at his beck and call. His strides were powerful, controlled, with every thrust he glided forward with dangerous precision. The puck stayed under his command, dribbling between defenders like it belonged to him. But today, there was something off. Something darker.
“Pass it!” one of his teammates shouted, skating into position. But Chase didn’t.
Instead, he sliced off sharply to the left, slipping past one player before slamming his shoulder into another, hurling him against the boards with a crash that reverberated the rink. The impact drew a sharp grunt and a chorus of reactions from the rest of the team.
“Hey, what the hell…?”
Chase didn’t even look back. He took the shot, quick and cruel, and the puck flew past the goalie and slammed into the net with a violent snap. Silence followed for a split second, then…
“Jesus, Chase.” The player whom he had checked pushed himself off the boards, glaring. “You trying to kill someone today or what?”
Chase finally slowed, turning just enough to glance over his shoulder. His expression was calm, almost bored, but there was something cold sitting behind his eyes.
“Stay out of my way,” he said flatly and that was all. No apology, no acknowledgment. Just a warning.
The tension on the ice shifted, tightening like a wire strangled to its last fibre. The other players exchanged looks, subtle, quick, but loaded. Everyone felt it. Chase wasn’t just playing hard, he was playing angry. Again.
A whistle shrieked through the air. “Enough!” Coach Howard Jenkins’ voice cut through the rink, sharp and authoritative.
The players slowed, circling back toward the side of the rink where he stood, arms crossed, with a look of irritation and concern. One by one, they gathered around him, skates scraping softly against the ice. Chase was the last to approach.
He came to a stop at the front, towering slightly over the others, his stick loosely held in his gloved hands. His breathing was steady and controlled, but there was still that edge to him, something coiled and restless.
Coach Jenkins’ gaze locked onto him immediately. “What’s your problem today?” he asked bluntly.
A few of the players shifted uncomfortably. No one else got called out like that. Not Chase.
Chase shook his head slightly, like he was considering the question, then gave a small shrug. “No problem.”
“Don’t give me that,” the coach shot back. “You’re playing like you’ve got something to prove, and you’re taking it out on your own team.”
Chase’s jaw tightened just slightly, the only visible crack in his composure. For a moment, he said nothing, his gaze drifting past the coach like he was already bored of the conversation. Then, finally, he spoke.
“Just some asshole from earlier,” he said, his tone dismissive but edged. “Got on my nerves.”
A few of the teammates exchanged glances at that, faint smirks tugging at their lips. That sounded more like it. Petty. Personal. Very Chase. But coach Jenkins didn’t look amused.
“And that’s your excuse for this?” he gestured toward the ice, toward the tension still hanging in the air. “You don’t get to lose control out there, Voss. Not as captain.”
There it was. The word hung heavier than the rest. Captain. Responsibility. Expectation. Chase’s eyes flicked back to the coach, something sharper flashing in them now. He didn’t like being checked, he didn’t like being reminded that there were lines he wasn’t supposed to cross. But he wasn’t stupid.
He exhaled slowly, rolling his shoulders like he was shaking it off. “It’s handled,” he said, short and final. But it wasn’t, and they both knew that.
Coach Jenkins held his gaze for a moment longer, like he was debating whether to push further. Then, eventually, he let it go with a warning look that made it clear the conversation wasn’t really over.
“Get your head straight,” he said. “I don’t care what’s going on out there beyond this rink, but when you’re on the ice, you play like a team. You lead like a captain. Understood?”
Chase gave a small nod. “Yeah.” The answer came easy. Too easy. The coach didn’t look convinced, but he moved on.
“We’ve got a new player joining us starting tomorrow,” he said, his tone shifting slightly as he addressed the group. “Transfer student. Full scholarship. Name’s Noah Hayes.”
The name landed and meant absolutely nothing to Chase. He didn’t react, didn’t even blink. It was just another name, another player, another piece on the board. Around him, the team stirred with mild interest.
“Scholarship, huh?”
“He any good?”
Coach Jenkins nodded once. “He’s earned his right to be here. I expect you all to treat him like part of the team as early as the first day.” His gaze slid back to Chase. “And that includes you. Make sure he feels welcome.”
There was a beat of silence, then Chase smiled. Slow, deliberate and dangerous. “Yeah,” he said, his voice smooth, almost amused. “We’ll make him feel welcome.”
A few of the guys snorted quietly, exchanging looks that said more than words ever could. Someone muttered, “Fresh meat,” under their breath, which drew a low chuckle from another. Chase didn’t laugh, but he didn’t stop it either and that was all the permission they needed.
Coach Jenkins noticed and his expression hardened instantly, his eyes narrowing as he looked between them. “No,” he said sharply. “You’re not pulling any of your usual crap. I mean it. No hazing. No games. You treat him like a teammate.”
The laughter died down, but the energy didn’t. It only shifted, sliding under the surface. Chase held the coach’s gaze for a moment, his expression unreadable now. Then he gave a small, almost careless nod.
“Got it.” Another lie.
The coach studied him, clearly not buying it, but there was only so much he could do. After a second, he sighed and waved a hand toward the ice. “Get back out there. Finish the session.”
The team dispersed, pushing off one by one, the tension breaking just enough for movement to resume. The sound of skates cutting into ice filled the rink again, but it wasn’t the same as before. Something had shifted.
Chase skated back into position, his grip tightening a little around his stick. His focus should have been on the drill, on the puck, on the game, but it wasn’t. Instead, his mind drifted back to earlier. The collision, coffee staining his shirt, the voice, sharp and unapologetic.
I said I was sorry, man. What’s your deal, asshole?
And his jaw clenched. The audacity of it still burned. Not the apology, but the attitude. The way the guy had looked at him like he didn’t care. Like Chase Voss was just another person in his way. And then he’d walked off just like that.
Chase pushed off harder than necessary, catching the puck inbetween pasess. He moved fast, threading his way through them like a ruthless butcher, his frustration bleeding into every movement. He didn’t know the guy’s name, didn’t know anything about him, but the feeling stuck. Irritating and persistent.
He took the shot hard. The puck slammed into the net with a crack that echoed across the rink, the force of it rattling the frame, and for a second, everything stilled. Chase took a deep breath visible in the cold air. A faint smile tugged at his lips, not amused, not happy, but something sharper. Tomorrow, they would be welcoming a new player. Noah Hayes.
Chase tightened his hold on his stick, his eyes narrowing slightly as he turned back toward the ice. He didn’t know who Noah Hayes was, but for the first time that day, he found himself looking forward to tomorrow. Because one thing was certain; whoever walked onto that ice next wasn’t going to have an easy time.
