Page 12 of Checks & Bonds

I sat back for a moment, taking in the quiet of the locker room. The overhead lights buzzed softly, casting long shadows across the benches and lockers. I could hear the distant hum of the Zamboni finishing its rounds on the ice. The routine brought a sense of calm, an anchor in a world that felt increasingly chaotic.

I began to tape my stick, the repetitive motion helping to settle my thoughts. The locker room was still empty, the silence only broken by the occasional drip of water from a leaky faucet and the distant hum of the Zamboni.

"Hey," a voice called out.

I looked up, surprised to see Liam standing there. Ever since he got married, he had been right on time, rarely early. He smelled like a mix of cologne and cigarettes.

I hid a smirk. So much for quitting. I wondered if Ivy knew he still had the habit.

"Liam." I nodded, continuing to wind the tape around my stick. "You're early."

"Yeah, well," he shrugged, dropping his gear bag onto the bench with a thud. "Couldn't sleep."

"Trouble in paradise already?" I asked, half-joking.

"Nah, nothing like that." He unzipped his bag and began pulling out his equipment. "Just...you know how it is."

I didn't, but I nodded again anyway. Marriage wasn't something I could pretend to understand, especially not with everything going on with Freya. I kept my focus on the stick, making sure each layer of tape was smooth and even.

As I finished lacing up my skates, I couldn’t shake the nagging thought that maybe this had something to do with Liam's father being killed a couple of months ago. No one knew who did it, and it looked like it might stay that way. He didn't seem bothered by it, but Liam never seemed bothered about anything.

"Look," Liam's voice cut through my thoughts, drawing my attention back to the present. He was staring at me, his eyes serious.

I furrowed my brows. "What?"

"I don't like this, but…" he trailed off, looking hesitant.

"But what?" I snapped, impatience edging into my tone.

"You realize Ivy's best friend is Freya, don't you?" he asked.

I stiffened, the name hitting me like a punch to the gut. "What of it?" I replied gruffly.

"She was over, studying with Ivy," he continued. "She's planning to go to the Imprinting ceremony."

My eyes snapped to his. "What?" The word came out sharper than I'd intended.

Liam looked at me but didn’t say anything more immediately, as if giving me time to process.

"How does she even know about that?" I demanded. "How do you know about it?"

Liam rolled his eyes. "Please," he said with a dismissive wave. "I'm a Wolfe. We started the Ravenwood Society, or did you forget?"

I clenched my teeth, anger simmering just below the surface. Dumb question.

"She can't be there," I muttered, mostly to myself. The thought of Freya at the Imprinting ceremony stirred something deep inside me—something that felt dangerously close to fear.

Liam continued pulling out his gear, clearly unbothered by my agitation. He shrugged. "Well, she’s going. Whether you like it or not."

I stared at him for a moment before returning to taping my stick. Each wrap of the tape felt like a tiny battle won in a war I wasn’t sure I could fight.

"Thanks," I barked out, my voice harsher than intended. "For letting me know."

Liam smirked as he set his goalie gear on the floor. "Trust me, I don't give a shit," he said, his tone flat. "But Ivy would castrate me if I didn't do something."

"You're crazy about her, aren't you?" The question slipped out before I could stop myself.

Liam glanced over at me, his eyes unreadable. He said nothing, just kept unpacking his equipment.

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