Rink Of The Damned: My Lycan Right Winger

CHAPTER 1: The Right Winger Leota's POV The crowd around the hockey rink roared with their voices blending into one chant. “Jason! Jason! Jason!” The sound rolled across the ice, loud enough to shake the cold air, and I hugged my jacket tighter, staring at the players speeding over the frozen surface. I didn’t even know who Jason was… I was still new at Laycon College… but the way they were calling his name made me curious. And then I saw him for the first time. Number 11 was gliding across the rink with a stick in his hands, and his name was written across the back of his jersey in bold white letters: RYBACK. I guessed that meant Jason Ryback. Even I had to admit he looked incredible out there, moving like he owned the ice and never losing control of the puck. For a moment, I forgot about the bitter memories my mind held, all the sad memories I had dragged here with me… the ones I wanted to leave behind… slipped back a little as I watched him twist past another player and send the puck straight into the net. The crowd went wild and I almost smiled... almost. It felt strange, standing in a crowd full of strangers and pretending I belonged. I kept telling myself Laycon College could be a safe place, a place to hide everything I was trying to escape, and maybe if I kept my head down, nobody would guess what I’d run from. But when Jason scored again, I found myself clapping with everyone else. I couldn’t help it. There was something about the way he played so free and powerful that made it impossible not to. By the time the referee blew the whistle, my fingers were numb from the cold and my cheeks were sore from the small smile I’d been fighting. The game ended with Laycon College winning, and people rushed toward the barriers, shouting, laughing and calling Jason’s name over and over. I slipped out before the crowd grew heavier. I just wanted to go back to my dorm, wrap myself in a blanket, and breathe in relief, but as I rounded the side of the bleachers, a voice called out. “Hey… new girl!” I turned and saw Mr. Adrian, the patron of the school newspaper team, standing there with his scarf hanging loose and a small digital camera in his hand… my camera. “Sir?” I asked, walking toward him. He grinned and shoved the camera into my palms. “You left this in the hall after the press team meeting. Hold on to it better next time, okay?” Shame colored my cheeks. “Sorry. I didn’t even notice I left it.” “Don’t apologize. Just don’t lose it again.” He tapped the lens gently with his gloved finger. “You’re in luck, though. You get to prove yourself right away after joining the team. Said you were a good reporter in your previous school, yeah?” “Prove myself?” I asked skeptically. “The paper needs someone to cover an article on the school hockey team.” He pointed toward the rink where some players were skating slow laps and cooling down. “You’re going to write it.” “Me? Already?” “Why not? You said you wanted to be on the press team. Here’s your chance.” He started backing away, clearly in a hurry. “You’ll be focusing on one player in particular.” “Who?” I asked quickly. “The best Right Winger this school has ever had.” He gave me a wink. “Go now… You don’t want to miss talking to him after the first match of the season.” “Wait, what’s his name?” I called, but he was already halfway across the field, waving me off. I sighed. Great. No name, just “best Right Winger.” I tucked the camera safely in my bag and started walking, weaving through clumps of students heading in all directions and somewhere behind me, people were still cheering Jason’s name. I spotted Maya near the exit path, balancing a paper cup of hot chocolate. She was my first friend here... cheerful, loud, and impossible not to like, and she waved when she saw me. “Lee!” she called. “That game was insane!” I smiled a little at her energy. “You liked it?” “Liked it? I loved it! Did you see the guys out there? Total eye candy.” She took a long sip from her cup. “Especially Jason Ryback. Oh my God.” That name again. “Maya,” I said, stepping closer. “Do you know who the best right-winger is?” She froze mid-sip, staring at me like I had grown two heads. “You’ve got to be freaking kidding me.” “What?” I frowned. “It’s Jason Ryback!” she said, shaking her head in disbelief. “Everybody knows that! He’s like… the star of Laycon College hockey.” I blinked. So Mr. Adrian wanted me to write about him. “Where can I find him?” I asked. She grinned, leaning closer like she was about to share a secret. “Locker room. He always goes there first after games. But brace yourself, girl. Jason’s… well, Jason.” “What’s that supposed to mean?” “You’ll see.” She smirked and gave me a playful nudge. “Good luck, journalist.” “Thanks, I guess,” I murmured. As I walked toward the locker rooms, my stomach tightened. Meeting someone new wasn’t usually a big deal, but this felt different. I didn’t know if it was because of the way everyone had cheered for him or because I’d already seen how good he was on the ice. The hallway leading to the locker rooms was fairly crowded, and I hesitated outside the door, drawing in a shaky breath. You’re just here for an article, I told myself. Nothing more, and then I stepped inside. The room is noisy, with steam rising from showers in the back. Players were talking, changing out of their gear and tossing wet towels into bins. I searched the room until my gaze landed on him. Jason Ryback stood with his back to me, still in his uniform. He was talking to two of his teammates about something. The number 11 stretched across his jersey, and his helmet was still on, hiding most of his face. My hands tightened around the strap of my bag, and I walked closer, trying to steady my voice. “Hi,” I said softly. He didn’t hear me over the chatter, so I tried again and louder this time. “Hi. Jason?” He turned at last. Slowly, he lifted the helmet off his head, and dark and damp hair tumbled out, falling slightly over his forehead. I caught a glimpse of strong features, a sharp jawline and eyes that seemed brighter than they should have been after such a tough game. And then I gasped…