Chapter 39 - THE AWAITED DAY

Jude

In the locker room, I was putting on my pads methodically, strapping on my gear with precise movements while my entire body was literally buzzing with exhilaration and barely contained violence.

My helmet sat beside me waiting, and my wolf was snarling inside, craving blood and payback. I wouldn’t stop tonight until I finished that pathetic boy on the arena ice. I wouldn’t mind at all if I had to forfeit the rest of the game to do it.

River patted my shoulder from beside me, sensing the murderous and blood thirsty energy radiating off me. “Keep it together long enough to destroy him,” River said quietly. “Then you can let there be carnage.”

I nodded in understanding, stood up, grabbed my helmet and stick, then walked out with my team toward the rink.

As soon as I reached the arena, my eyes automatically searched for my mate. Immediately I saw Rosie already sitting in the front row with Maya beside her, looking nervous and excited at the same time.

I skated over to the barrier and stopped right in front of her, pulled off my helmet for a moment and leaned close. “Watch me crush your enemy for you, sweetheart,” I said, my voice low and dangerous.

Rosie smiled. “I’ll be watching.”

What I didn’t know was that before Rosie had arrived at the rink, she’d run into Josh in the parking lot and he’d approached her with that smug expression she used to think was attractive but now just made her stomach churn.

What did she ever see in him?

“Rosie,” Josh had said while blocking her path. “You look good. I’ve missed you.”

She’d frozen for a moment, old nausea trying to crawl up her throat, but then she’d remembered my words and my protection and how Josh had no power over her anymore.

“Get out of my way,” she’d said coldly. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

“Come back to me,” Josh had said with his usual boyish smile. “We were good together. You know we were. I can make you happy again.”

Rosie had wanted to cry from the audacity of it, from him acting like he hadn’t destroyed her entire life. But instead she’d scoffed. She didn’t know what pushed her to say those words, but she was happy she did because Josh looked stupefied.

“With your small dick?” she’d uttered loudly enough that a few people walking past had turned to stare. “I’d rather die alone than go back to two minutes of disappointment.”

Josh’s face had turned bright red with anger and humiliation. As he’d opened his mouth to respond, Rosie had already turned and walked away with her head held high for the first time in months.

Maya had been standing a few feet away and had heard the entire thing. She’d started laughing so hard she was practically guffawing as they walked into the arena together, arms linked.

Now sitting in the stands watching me prepare, Rosie felt relaxed and protected, ready to watch her boyfriend destroy the boy who’d crumbled her world.

The buzzer sounded and both teams skated out onto the ice. The crowd erupted with cheers and shouts. Rosie’s eyes immediately found me, and I seemed more focused than she’d ever seen me, and it made her shiver with anticipation.

The puck dropped and the game started. Within the first minute, I went straight for Josh, skating faster than anyone else on the ice and slamming into him with a check so hard it echoed through the arena and sent Josh crashing into the boards. The referee’s whistle blew immediately.

“Number 17, warning for excessive contact!” the referee shouted while skating over.

I didn’t even acknowledge him, just skated back to position with my eyes locked on Josh, who was getting up slowly looking dazed and angry.

“What the fuck is your problem?” Josh shouted across the ice.

I didn’t answer, just waited for play to resume.

The puck dropped again and my team quickly gained the upper hand. River passed to me, and I took off down the ice with the puck, weaving between defenders with precise agility.

As Josh tried to intercept me, I evaded him and slammed the puck into the goal.

The crowd went wild and Rosie jumped to her feet screaming and cheering while Maya whistled loudly beside her.

I skated past their section and looked up at Rosie. The expression on my face was fierce and possessive and completely focused on her.

Play resumed and this time when I got the puck, Josh came at me hard trying to check me. But I saw him coming and at the last second dodged. Josh went crashing into the boards alone. I spun and scored again, and the crowd went absolutely insane.

Two goals in the first five minutes, both from me. It was crazy. It was like I was the only one in the arena.

“Come on Carter, keep up!” one of my teammates shouted at Josh.

Josh’s face was red with rage and humiliation. The next time he got near me, he deliberately slashed at my legs with his stick. The whistle blew immediately and Josh got a penalty.

“You’re pathetic,” I said coldly as Josh skated past me toward the penalty box.

Josh stopped mid-skate and spun around. “What did you say?”

“You heard me,” I said, and my voice carried across the ice.

Josh’s entire face went white and then red. He looked up at the stands where Rosie was sitting, watching with wide eyes. “Oh, so you’re the new guy?” Josh smirked.

I gritted my teeth. “Stay away from my girlfriend,” I growled.

“Your girlfriend?” Josh laughed, eyes flicking to Rosie in the stands. “Didn’t know you were into sloppy seconds. Though I guess beggars can’t be choosers with a fat—”

I didn’t let him finish. I dropped my stick and gloves and launched myself at Josh, slamming into him so hard we both went down on the ice with me on top throwing punches.

The referees and other players rushed over to pull us apart while the crowd screamed. Both benches had emptied with players shoving each other.

“Number 17, you’re ejected from the game!” the referee shouted while two other refs held me back. “Off the ice now!”

But I wasn’t done yet. I wasn’t satisfied with the punches I’d thrown at that ugly cunt. My wolf wanted blood, and so did I.

I hadn’t reached the bench when the game resumed. I saw Josh gain control of the puck and move toward the goalie, and something completely snapped in me.

I wouldn’t let that punk score a goal.

I jumped back onto the ice despite being ejected and skated straight for Josh with uncontrollable rage.

But Josh saw me coming and tried to dodge. I was too fast, coming like a bulldozer. I checked Josh so viciously that everyone in the arena heard the crack of bone. Josh went down screaming.

The whistle blew immediately. The referee was shouting and my coach was yelling, but I just stood there over Josh’s writhing body, feeling a little satisfied.

The medical staff rushed onto the ice. Josh was moaning in pain, clutching his shoulder which hung at an odd angle as they brought out a stretcher to carry him off the ice.

They wheeled him out of the rink and toward the ambulance outside. The crowd was in absolute chaos—some booing, some cheering.

Rosie had been on her feet the entire time. She’d screamed when I got ejected but then had watched with fierce satisfaction as Josh got exactly what he deserved. When they wheeled Josh past their section, she’d heard him whimpering pathetically and felt absolutely nothing but relief that it was over.

Despite me being thrown out of the game, my team still won easily without me, destroying Silverwestern 5-2 by the final buzzer.

I didn’t even listen to my coach lecturing me about control and consequences and losing potential scouting opportunities. Right now, all that mattered was Rosie. And I skated straight over to where Rosie was standing at the barrier waiting for me and pulled off my helmet.

“Did you see that?” I asked, and my eyes were still wild and bright.

Rosie nodded while smiling widely, her eyes twinkling with excitement. “I saw everything.”

“Good,” I responded fiercely. “That’s what he deserves for hurting you.”

Before she could respond, I pulled off my jersey and handed it to her through the barrier, my hair messy and my face flushed from exertion and adrenaline.

Rosie took the jersey and immediately brought it to her face and inhaled deeply, breathing in my scent of sweat and something wild and masculine that made her feel safe and claimed. The gesture made blood rush straight to my groin and I groaned out loud.

“Please, the sexual tension is literally choking me,” Maya piped up from beside Rosie, making a gagging gesture. “Get a room, you two.”

Rosie blushed bright red but smiled and murmured that she’d wait for me outside while I showered and changed.

Before she could step away, I wanted to reach through the barrier, pull her close and kiss her hard and possessively right there in front of everyone, the crowd still cheering around us and cameras flashing. But I knew my mate wouldn’t be comfortable with that yet.

I swallowed the lump of possessiveness in me and smiled. “Wait for me,” I said. “I’ll be quick.”

Then I skated back toward the locker room while Rosie stood there clutching my jersey like her favorite Christmas present.