Page 37

Chapter Twenty-Seven

I wake up wishing last night was just a bad dream, but the ache in my chest tells me it wasn’t.

Julian is dead and the video was real. The only silver lining is that Callan is beginning to remember.

Last night I was able to recall what he told me about Julian just before the crash. That he had orders from the Ice Lords to kill him and return with his tongue. My stomach turns just thinking about it.

I burned Julian's tongue.

Oh my God, that makes me an accomplice in some sick and twisted way.

Callan didn't kill him—said he couldn't do it. But he did do enough to get slapped with an attempted murder charge. He told me he did the only thing he could. He cut out Julian’s tongue and dumped him at a hospital, not even sure if the guy would survive.

Now we know he did. Except he wasn’t able to survive whoever's hunting us.

Last night changed everything. This isn’t some depraved prank or scary threat. Callan was targeted and nearly died, and now someone has. Part of me wonders if it’s time to involve the authorities before we’re next. The other part wants revenge and justice served the Ice Lords' way.

They deserve that honor. For the first time, I’ll admit I’m on their side. I might not know what happened to Evan, but I believed Callan when he said it was an accident.

I sit up slowly, the morning light bleeding through the curtains as my thoughts race.

Callan looked at me last night like he knew I was more than a girl he used to hate, someone more than just his sister's best friend.

Then there’s Sebastian. God, Sebastian.

The way he looked at me under the stars. The way he kissed me like it meant something. I still feel it in the pit of my stomach. My feelings for him aren’t just a complication anymore; they’re real. Messy and inconvenient, but real.

I tug a hoodie over my tank top, brush my teeth in the bathroom, and head downstairs. The house is quiet except for a few low voices drifting from the living room.

As I round the corner, I see Aidric, Slade, Killian, and even Noah, crowded around the tv, eyes locked on the screen.

A news alert flashes, freezing me on the bottom step.

"Local student found dead at charity hockey event. Police are asking anyone with any information to come forward."

I gasp, hand flying to my mouth.

Sebastian glances over his shoulder and when he sees me, he reaches out and curls his fingers, beckoning me. I walk to him and sink onto the couch, curling into his side.

He wraps an arm around me and I press my cheek against his chest, listening to the beat of his heart beneath the chaos. It’s the only thing that doesn’t feel like it’s about to fall apart.

The room is quiet and still, except for the news anchor's voice cutting through the silence.

"…the victim has been identified as Julian Lorenson, a former North Ridge University student and member of the university’s hockey team. Authorities are currently investigating his death as foul play."

Aidric curses under his breath and runs a hand through his hair, pacing behind the couch. "Who the fuck's tongue did Callan bring us?" he mutters.

Sebastian looks at him and shrugs. "There's only one person who can answer that question."

I don't tell them that I can answer for Callan, because it's not my place to. Callan confided in me, and while I want to solve this puzzle as much as everyone else, I'm not about to reveal details that aren't mine.

Slade just stares at the screen, jaw clenched, arms folded tight like he’s trying to keep it together.

Noah’s shaking his leg so hard the floor vibrates. "We’re screwed," he mutters, barely above a whisper. "We’re so fucking screwed."

Killian looks over at him. "Shut up, man."

"No, seriously." Noah’s voice cracks. "That video paired with Julian’s body is our fucking death sentence. You think they’re gonna believe this is just a coincidence?"

"They won’t," Aidric says, his voice low and stern. "Which is exactly why we need to get ahead of it."

"Get ahead of what?" I blurt. "We don’t even know who did this."

Sebastian’s arm tightens around me. "Not yet. But we will."

I pull away slightly so I can see their faces. "You all saw what that video looked like to anyone who doesn’t know the full story. It made Evan look like the victim and you all look like monsters."

Aidric’s gaze snaps to mine. "We didn’t push him off that cliff."

"I know," I say quickly. "But someone wants people to think you did. And now, that same someone wants people to think you guys killed Julian."

Aidric and Sebastian share a look. They don't even need words because I know exactly what they're thinking.

Callan. They don’t know I know the full story, but we’re all aware now that Callan didn’t finish the job. He didn’t kill Julian, but someone else did.

Sebastian shakes his head, eyes fixed on the screen. "Someone out there is trying to dismantle everything we built by twisting it and burning it to the ground."

"And they’re doing a damn good job of it," Slade mutters.

The screen cuts to a shaky cell phone clip of flashing lights and a stretcher being wheeled out of the arena. Julian’s body is covered, but I still have to look away.

"This is only going to get worse," Sebastian says finally. "And we can’t afford to wait around for the next body."

Noah leans forward, elbows on his knees. "So what do we do?"

A long pause stretches through the room. Then Aidric answers, calm and cold, "We find the fucker before they find us."

I glance back at the tv, Julian’s name now flashing across the bottom in a red banner.

A tremor works its way through me. Not from fear, but from rage. Whoever’s doing this thinks we’re just pawns in their game. But we’re not, and I’m done sitting back, waiting to be picked off next.

I pull my phone out of the front pocket of my hoodie and type out a text to Uncle Dave, asking if he's got any information yet. Then I slide it back into my pocket and exhale slowly, trying to steady my nerves.

"Everything alright?" Sebastian asks, looking down at me.

I nod once, my gaze locked on the screen.

Noah stands, his knees nearly knocking as he rolls his neck, cracking the tension. "We gotta do something. We can't just stand by and wait. I'm not cut out for prison. I'll get eaten alive. And fuck," he whines. "I don't wanna die."

"Hey!" Sebastian snaps, loud enough to cut through the room. "Get your shit together, Noah."

Noah freezes mid-step, eyes wide and chest heaving.

"We’re not gonna solve anything if you lose it," Sebastian growls. "So calm the fuck down."

Just then, the news anchor reappears on screen and Aidric’s voice booms over the room. "Everyone shut the fuck up. We need to hear this."

"Authorities report the victim was killed by a single arrow to the chest. The fatal shot pierced directly through the heart. More details will be shared as they become available."

I shoot upward and Sebastian's arm falls behind me. "Oh my god!" I cry out, my breath caught in my throat, heart pounding fiercely against my rib cage.

My gaze snaps to Sebastian and his brows furrow, jaw tight. "Don't overthink it," he says, as if his words will suddenly stop me from doing just that.

"An arrow?" Noah says, voice trembling. "Who the hell kills someone with an arrow?"

Aidric’s eyes dart toward me, and I know why. This is far too specific to be a coincidence.

In my next breath, Aidric storms out of the room.

"Where’s he going?" I ask, but no one answers.

Everything falls dead silent as the news anchor continues, her tone graver than before.

"Sources indicate the victim had undergone a glossectomy and used a prosthetic tongue. However, it has been confirmed that was not the cause of death."

My stomach lurches and I shoot to my feet. "Jesus Christ. And I burned his damn tongue to ash."

My vision blurs and my knees buckle. Sebastian catches me fast, lowering me back onto the couch.

"Try not to panic," he says softly, cupping my face in his hands. "We’ll figure this out."

"How?" I snap. "And when? We’re running out of time."

Thunderous footsteps come down the hall right before Aidric bursts back in, face flushed, chest heaving, and piece of paper crumpled in his hand.

"They were here," he growls. "They got into our fucking house again !"

My spine stiffens. Sebastian immediately unlocks his phone, fingers flying. "How is that even possible? I have cameras on every inch of this house."

While he scans the security footage, Aidric steps in front of the television, holds up the paper and begins reading.

"One. Two. I’m coming for you.

Three. Four. Don’t you score.

Five. Six. Put down your sticks.

Seven. Eight. Forfeit Westgate."

"What…what does that mean?" I stutter.

"They want us to forfeit the game?" Killian blurts out. "No fucking way."

Aidric holds up his hand. "There's more." He reads the final line, voice taut. "Forfeit the game, or find out who's next."

Sebastian stands with fire in his eyes. "Hell no! Not only will we be playing, we'll be winning. Let's drag this bastard out of the shadows ourselves."

"We need a plan," Killian says, now on his feet. "A real one, because this psycho’s getting bolder."

"How about a trap?" Sebastian suggests. "Let's give him the game he wants. High stakes and high visibility, but what he doesn’t know is we’ll be ready."

"Ready how?" Noah asks, still pale from earlier.

"We control the environment," Aidric replies. "Have eyes at every access point—the entrance, exits, locker rooms, everything ."

I sit up straighter. "You’re assuming he’ll be at the game. What if he doesn’t show?"

Sebastian’s eyes find mine. "Then we draw him out another way."

My brows knit. "How? How are you going to stop him from going after someone else if you play that game?"

A beat of silence passes before Aidric says flatly, "You."

My stomach tightens. "Me?"

He nods. "You’ve always been his favorite target. If we’re all at the game and you’re alone, he’ll come for you."

"No way," Sebastian mutters. "That’s suicide."

"She wouldn’t be alone," Killian cuts in. "We’d wire her with a mic and camera—real-time feed. Someone will be watching her location at all times."

I bark a dry laugh. "You want me to just go about my day and pretend I'm not being hunted by a deranged psycho who's been five steps ahead of us at all times?"

"This can work," Aidric says calmly. "Keep everything as normal as possible. Get coffee, read a book in the student center, take a walk through campus. Routine gives predators a boost of confidence. That’s when we catch him."

The more I think about it, the more I think this could actually work.

I have zero faith in Aidric, but I believe Sebastian will keep me safe.

While I have no idea why I was the first person this stalker went after, I have to assume there was a reason.

Maybe this isn’t so much about the guys as it is about me.

But I don’t know who I could have pissed off so much that they would go to these lengths.

Fuck it.

We aren’t getting anywhere sitting here and Uncle Dave is moving too slow so I really have no choice.

"I’m in," I blurt. "But I think we should get Klein involved. He's a detective and he's got experience. And Aidric's dad said we could trust him."

"But can we trust your dad?" Noah asks, the question fair.

"He’s a legacy member of the Ice Society, just like Klein," Aidric replies, unbothered. "He wouldn’t steer us wrong. The Ice Society gave him his job and the power he has; he wouldn’t risk giving that up for bad intel."

"I say we go for it," Killian agrees. "Klein wants to help? Let him prove his worth."

Aidric exhales sharply. "We loop him in carefully. No police reports and no official case. He's only part of this for backup."

"We give him very limited intel," Sebastian says. "We bring him the plan and see if he can help us out without going full badge."

Killian nods. "We’ll need someone to tail Avery in the shadows too, just in case the feed goes dark."

"Me," Sebastian offers. "I’ll follow at a distance. He won’t see me, but I’ll see him."

"Hell no," Aidric scoffs. "We need you at the game if we plan on winning."

Sebastian curses under his breath, dragging a hand down his jaw. "Didn’t think of that." He glances around the room before saying, "Drake can do it. He’s benched with a wrist injury and I trust him with my…" He pauses and corrects himself, "with Avery."

I'm almost positive Sebastian was about to call me his girl. I wouldn’t have corrected him either. Of course, I still consider myself Callan’s girl, too.

Because why not be framed for murder and in a love triangle at the same time?

"So we’ve got a plan?" Aidric asks.

Everyone nods in agreement.

I stand, squaring my shoulders. "Let’s flush this bastard out."