We mob Jamie in celebration, slapping his helmet and shoulders.

The final minutes are chaos. Missouri’s desperate, their moves getting sloppier as the clock winds down. But we hold them off. Declan makes a crucial block, and Finn clears the puck down the ice.

The buzzer sounds.

We’ve won.

Relief floods me as I skate to the bench, my chest heaving. The guys are celebrating, Jamie leading the charge as always, but I hang back for a second, letting it all sink in. The win feels good, yeah. But the thought’s still there, gnawing at the edges of my mind.

What if this is it?

I glance at the guys—Jamie laughing with Finn, Declan grinning like a kid. We’re a team. A family. And I can’t imagine doing this without them.

Jamie skates up, clapping a hand on my shoulder. “You good, Adams?”

I force a smile. “Yeah. Just soaking it in.”

He nods, his grin fading just a little. Like he knows what I’m thinking.

“Let’s enjoy it while we can,” he says quietly.

“Yeah,” I agree, my throat tight.

The crowd’s still cheering as we make our way off the ice, but my mind’s already spinning. One game down. A win. But the future? That’s a whole other fight.

The locker room feels heavy, even though we just won. Guys are celebrating, laughing, throwing gear into their bags, butthere’s an edge to it. We all know what’s coming, even if no one’s saying it outright.

Coach Nate stands near the door, his clipboard tucked under one arm, his face unreadable. He claps his hands once, drawing everyone’s attention. “All right, listen up,” he says, his voice cutting through the chatter.

We all turn to him, quieting down. Even Jamie, who’s usually the loudest, leans back against the bench, his grin fading.

“You’ve got a break before the next game,” Coach starts, his eyes sweeping over us. “Rest up. Take care of yourselves. But more importantly, take a moment to think about what we’ve done here.”

His voice wavers just slightly, and that’s when it hits me. This isn’t just about the next game. This is about the end.

“It’s been an honor,” he continues, his voice steadying. “To lead this team, to watch you grow, to fight alongside you. No matter what happens next, remember what it means to wear that jersey. To be a Breaker.”

“Chicago Icebreakers,” Finn says, his voice strong, and the rest of us echo it.

For what might be the last time.

***

Walking out of the rink feels surreal. Jamie falls into step beside me, his hands shoved into his pockets. “You think Jared already knows about our decision?” he asks quietly.

“Most probably,” I reply. “He’s always a step ahead.”

Jamie nods, kicking at a stray pebble. “Maybe we can all talk about it when we’re finally on this vacation.”

I glance at him. “You really think this trip’s gonna fix everything?”

Jamie grins, but there’s a seriousness in his eyes. “I chose the perfect spot. I think everyone will be happy.”

I can’t help but smile back. “Guess we’ll see.”

The VIP suite is quiet when we get there. Savannah’s sitting on one of the plush couches, cradling Noah against her belly. Her hair’s pulled back, a few loose strands framing her face, and she’s wearing one of my old hoodies over her leggings. She looks...

Beautiful.