Payback: f*****g The Hockey Wolf Twins

Isla. "Everybody, gather around please." My body was thrown midair as Becca's screeching voice cut through our routine. My eyes widened in shock, my limbs went slack, and I barely managed to catch myself before I hit the floor like a complete i***t. What the hell is her problem now? "Ugh," Aubrey groaned, rolling her eyes as she landed beside me. "What does she want this time?" I straightened my skirt, watching Becca strut to the center of the mat with all the grace of a runway model and all the warmth of a frozen lake. Her perfectly curled hair bounced with every step, and her pink-glossed lips were already curved into that condescending smile I knew too well. "Do you have something to say, Aubrey?" Becca's brow shot up, her voice dripping with false sweetness. Aubrey's face went pale. "No," she squeaked. "Nothing." "That's what I thought." Becca's eyes swept across the team like a queen surveying her subjects. "Good." I crossed my arms, feeling my friends Elena and Nina move closer to me on either side. The three of us had been through everything together since we joined the cheer team freshman year. Right now, I had a sinking feeling we were about to go through something else. "I have an announcement," Becca declared, her twisted smile widening. "One of us is unfortunately leaving us today. It's a pity, really. But Ice Wolves have always been about values and morals, and I don't think this person has any." Oh no. No, no, no. Her cold brown eyes locked onto mine. Then she stretched out her finger, pointing directly at me. "Isla," she announced, her voice ringing through the silent gymnasium. "You're out of the team." Wait. What? I stared at her, my brain struggling to process the words. "What do you mean I'm out of the team?" The words came out sharper than I intended, but I didn't care. "It means I'm kicking you out of my team," Becca said, flipping her hair over her shoulder. "Bye now. Don't let the door hit you on the way out." "Um, no. I don't think so." I stepped forward, my heart pounding against my ribs. "You can't just kick me out like that. How dare you?" "I am the cheer captain." Becca's nose flared with anger, her composure cracking for just a second. "If I say you're out, you're out. Plus, you brought this upon yourself. Dating Mason." "Is that what this is about?" I threw my hands up in frustration. "My relationship with Mason has never affected my performance. I'm always team Wolves, not Hawks. You know that." Mason—my boyfriend, my absolute rock—played for our rival school's hockey team, the Firehawks. It was complicated. It was also none of Becca's damn business. "You're a security risk," Becca accused, stepping closer. "How do we know you're not telling him all our secrets? Sharing confidential information about our plays? Our players' weaknesses?" "Yeah, how are we sure?" Chloe's voice piped up from somewhere behind Becca. She and Tiffany flanked their queen like matching blond accessories, their tiny uniforms barely containing their pushed-up chests. They looked like plastic Barbies come to life, all fake tans and fake smiles. Chloe chewed her gum obnoxiously, her eyes narrowed at me. "We can't trust you. There's no way you're loyal to the team while you're spreading your legs for the enemy." My face burned with anger. "My relationship with Mason has never—" "Doesn't matter." Tiffany cut me off, popping her gum. "Even without the boyfriend issue, you've always been a liability. Always tripping over your own feet, never tumbling quite right." "Excuse me?" My voice rose. "I nailed that routine—" "Yeah, barely." Chloe smirked. "You're not that good, Isla. Just accept it." "The hell she's not." Elena's voice rang out, She stepped beside me, her dark eyes blazing. "Isla is the only one who knows every single routine by heart. She can execute a perfect triple flip in her sleep. And you can't just remove someone from the team without the whole team having a say. That's not how this works." Nina nodded, moving to my other side. "You're just a bully, Becca. You're not even worthy of being team captain." Becca's eyes narrowed to dangerous slits.. "All cheer members," she called out, her voice taking on that theatrical quality she used during games. "Raise your hand if you want Isla kicked off the team right now." No. She wouldn't. One by one, my teammates slowly raised their hands. I watched them, my stomach dropping with every arm that went up. Aubrey's hand rose last, guilt swimming in her eyes as she avoided my gaze. She couldn't even look at me. My chest felt completely empty. "What were you saying about leadership again?" Becca taunted, triumph glittering in her eyes. "She's out. And you two"—she gestured at Elena and Nina—"are free to join her if you disagree with my decisions." "Fine," Elena hissed. "You all suck. Have some goddamn backbones for once in your pathetic lives." She grabbed my arm, and Nina took the other, and together they started pulling me toward the door. My feet moved, but my mind was still stuck back on the mat, watching my teammates' hands rise like a slow-motion nightmare. I'd wanted this for so long. Worked so hard for it. And now... "Oh, and Isla?" Becca's voice stopped me cold. I turned, hating myself for it. "I wouldn't trust Mason if I were you." Her smile was pure poison. "The rumor is he's a man whore." Laughter erupted behind me as I pushed through the doors, stumbling into the empty hallway. "I'm so sorry. I just—" My voice cracked. "I need a second." I didn't wait for Elena or Nina to respond. I just ran. Ran until my lungs burned and my eyes blurred with tears I refused to shed. The first door I found—a storage closet, crammed with boxes—I threw myself inside. The door clicked shut behind me, and I collapsed onto a stack of cardboard boxes, pressing my palms against my eyes. What the hell just happened? Becca, Chloe, and Tiffany had been waiting for this. I knew that now. They'd been looking for any excuse to tear me down, and dating Mason was just the ammunition they needed. But that last comment... that dig about Mason cheating... No. I shook my head fiercely. Mason would never do that. He was the one good thing in my life. He was kind and patient and he loved me. We'd been together for over a year. I trusted him. The door creaked open. I scrambled to my feet, my hand instinctively wiping at my face. But it wasn't Elena or Nina standing there. "Tyler?" Tyler Churchill leaned against the doorframe, a slow grin spreading across his face. He was one of Ice Wolves' star hockey players—and one of the most notorious predators on campus. Every girl knew to stay far, far away from him. "Well, hello there, sugar." He pushed the door closed behind him, the lock clicking into place. "I saw you come in here and thought I'd come say hi." "Oh, hi Tyler." I forced my voice to stay steady, backing away slowly. "I'm fine, actually. I was just leaving." I tried to edge around him, but he moved to block me, his broad frame filling the narrow space. "Whoa there, pretty thing. You can't just run off like that." His eyes raked over me, making my skin crawl. "Tell me what's wrong." "Nothing's wrong. I just want to leave." His grin faded. "I said no." His voice dropped, taking on that hard edge I'd heard horror stories about. "The fun's just about to begin." "Please, Tyler." I kept my voice calm, even as my heart raced. "I have no intention of having fun with you." I made a break for it, but he was faster. His hand shot out, grabbing my forearm and slamming me against the wall. The impact knocked the air from my lungs, and I gasped. "You're not leaving here." He crowded my space, his breath hot and sour against my face. "Such a pretty little thing. Always so friendly to everyone except me. I've been watching you, Isla. And I'm tired of waiting." His hand tightened on my arm. I could feel the bruises forming already. Think, Isla. Think.