The Mate He Can't Claim

The whistle cut through the air like a sharp knife. Lyra Vale rushed forward her skates digging into the ice. She hit the puck hard with her stick sending it flying toward the net.. Before she could even react a big body crashed into her from the side. The impact was huge rattling her teeth and sending her crashing into the boards. Pain exploded across her ribs. She pushed back immediately refusing to give up. This wasn't a casual practice. This was the tryout scrimmage that would decide if she made it onto the Frostfang Wolves or went back to her scholarship. She had barely unpacked her bag in the dorm before Coach Harlan made the whole team get on the ice for what he called "blooding the blood". Now she understood why. The Wolves didn't welcome outsiders, not a girl who smelled human. "Get off the ice runt," one of the players snarled as he skated past. His eyes flashed yellow for a split second. Lyra blinked, thinking it was just a trick of the lights. She shook it off. Pushed harder. The puck was hers again. She dodged left and right her breath fogging in front of her face. The crowd of students in the stands was small. Their stares burned. Most of them wore the black and silver Frostfang jackets. Most of them looked ready to see her fail. Then he appeared. Kael Draven. Captain. Legend. The one every scout whispered about. He moved like shadow his skates eating up the distance between them in three powerful strides. His dark hair was wet with sweat. His jaw was clenched so tight she could see the muscle jump. He didn't say a word. He just stole the puck from her with a stick check that felt personal. Their shoulders. Electricity shot down her spine. Her breath caught. What was that? She spun around chasing him. No way was she letting him humiliate her on day one. Her legs burned,. She pushed harder. When she reached him she threw her body into a hard hip check. The contact jarred her to the bone. Kael stumbled,. Only for a second. Then he whipped around. Their eyes locked. His were stormy gray, flecked with something. For one second the world narrowed to the two of them. Her heart was pounding loud she was sure he could hear it. Heat flooded her cheeks. A pulse started beating lower a traitorous pulse that had nothing to do with the game. "Mine," she thought, but hated herself for it. She didn't know this guy. He was the reason half the team had glared at her in the locker room earlier muttering about humans ruining the bloodlines. Yet her body betrayed her her skin tingling where they had collided. Kael bared his teeth in a smile that wasn't friendly. "Not bad Vale " he growled, his voice low. ". This is wolf territory. Stay out of my way. I'll put you through the glass." "Try it " she shot back her chest heaving. "I earned this spot same as you." Coach Harlan blew the whistle again. Drills reset.. The tension didn't fade. Lyra could feel it crackling between her and Kael like static before a storm. She lined up for the face-off knees bent stick ready. Across from her Kael mirrored her stance eyes never leaving hers. The puck dropped. They collided again this time harder. Sticks clashed. Elbows jabbed. Someone shouted a warning. Lyra barely heard it. All she felt was the burn in her muscles and the strange tug low in her belly every time Kael got close. It wasn't fear. It was something something that made her want to both fight him and press closer. The team cheered,. Lyra heard the undercurrent of growls mixed in. These guys weren't athletes. She had heard rumors about Frostfang, the way players healed fast the way their eyes sometimes caught the light like animals. She had dismissed it as hazing nonsense. Doubt crept in, cold and sharp. After the scrimmage ended Coach Harlan called them in. "Good work, blood " he said, clapping Lyra on the shoulder hard enough to make her wince. "You held your own against the captain. That's than most manage on day one." Kael stood a feet away a towel slung around his neck sweat glistening on his chest. His gaze slid over her slowly assessing. She lifted her chin refusing to shrink. Something in his expression shifted, like surprise. Then it hardened again. He turned away without another word. She caught the way his hands flexed at his sides as if he was fighting the urge to reach for her. In the locker room the hostility thickened. The guys stripped down without shame bodies built like warriors scarred from years of checks. Lyra kept her eyes on her locker changing as fast as she could. Still she felt stares. "Human on our team " one of them muttered loud for her to hear. "What is the academy thinking? She'll get us all killed when the Riverrun pack comes sniffing around month." She slammed her locker shut. "I'm standing here " she said, voice steady. ". I scored three times today. If you have a problem take it up with Coach, not me." Rylan Voss, the one with the smirk and messy brown hair chuckled from the bench. "Feisty. I like it " he said, tossing her a water bottle. "Don't mind them Vale. They're just pissed a girl outplayed half of them." Kael emerged from the showers, hair wet and dark eyes scanning the room until they landed on her again. The air thickened. She couldn't look away. Her skin prickled as if invisible threads were pulling taut between them. She wanted to step and shove him away at the same time. The conflicting urges left her breathless. That night in her cramped dorm room Lyra lay on the narrow bed staring at the ceiling. Her body ached from the hits. Her mind wouldn't quiet. Every time she closed her eyes she saw Kaels face, inches from hers that glint in his eyes. The way his breath had brushed her cheek. The heat that had pooled low in her stomach when their bodies slammed together. It was ridiculous. She had known him less than a day. Already he occupied every thought like some invasive force. A soft knock sounded on her door. She sat up heart jumping. When she opened it Rylan stood there holding a Frostfang hoodie. "Captain said you might need this " he told her with a wink. "Team colors.. Maybe a warning. Kael doesn't do attachments. Whatever you felt there on the ice tonight forget it. It's not worth the pack war it would start." She took the hoodie fingers brushing the fabric. "What do you mean, pack war?" she asked. Rylan just smiled,. It didn't reach his eyes. "Welcome to Frostfang, Vale. Try not to get eaten alive " he. Left her standing in the doorway pulse thundering. Lyra closed the door. Pulled the hoodie over her head. It smelled faintly of cedar and something like the ice itself. Kaels scent she realized with a jolt. The realization sent another wave of heat through her. She climbed back into bed telling herself it was exhaustion.. Deep down she knew the truth. Something had snapped into place the moment she and Kael had collided.. Whatever it was it was only beginning. Outside her window the academy grounds stretched dark. Silent, under a sliver of moon. In the distance the ice rink lights still glowed faint and blue. Lyra pressed a hand to her chest, where her heart still raced. She had come here for hockey. For a future. Now it felt like she had stepped into something more dangerous.