Page 28 of Puck’N Enemy (Thunder Knights #2)

Logan

One week later

The cold air inside the arena bites my cheeks, but I barely notice it. The stadium lights gleam on the ice, throwing sharp reflections off the players' visors as they skate hard across the rink. A sea of fans, covered in green and silver, roars around me, but all my focus is trained on one person.

Dylan.

Wearing the bold green and silver of the Bears, #19 is fast, agile, and relentless. He weaves between defenders like water slipping through fingers. My heart throbs in sync with every move he makes during the game, keeping me on edge.

“There he goes,” Mitchikov mutters from beside me, his eyes narrowed, posture stiff with excitement. “Goddamn! That kid’s got some legs on him.”

A proud grin flickers on my lips.

“He’s been like that since he was in high school,” Coach Becker says from my other side.

“Yeah,” I say, reminiscing about those days. “Dylan used to wake me up at five to go shoot pucks with him. That’s how he got so good.”

“Sounds like true love,” Mitchikov says, chuckling.

“Sounds like torture,” Maddie chimes in from beside Mitchikov. “But yeah, your boyfriend’s a machine, I’ll admit that.”

A chuckle escapes me as I turn my attention back to the rink.

Tonight, the Silver Bears of Silverlake University are playing against the Rowan Devils from Rowan Academy in Jersey. Dylan has been practicing hard over the past week for this game and it’s showing.

Mitchikov, Maddie, and Coach Becker joined me tonight to cheer him on. At first, I was the only one who was supposed to come but when Dylan mentioned he’s never had any friends or family cheer him during the games like his other teammates, I knew I had to do something about it.

Dylan has to know he’s not alone anymore. There are people who love him for who he is. Mitchikov readily agreed to come to the game, while Maddie was so excited, she talked about it to all her friends at school. Coach Becker also made sure he was feeling well enough to join us to cheer Dylan.

A loud cry from the crowd jolts me out of my thoughts. Looking toward the rink, I look for the puck and find it bouncing off the boards with forwards from both teams lunging for it.

Dylan is fastest, though, catching it cleanly on the blade of his stick. He dips around a defender and rockets toward the net. The crowd watches with bated breath as he takes his shot.

The puck slams into the top corner of the net with deadly precision. The entire Bears section erupts into cheers, the goal horn blaring as Dylan raises a triumphant fist into the air. His teammates mob him, slapping his helmet, yelling praises.

Maddie and Mitchikov are on their feet too, shouting and cheering with the rest of the crowd. Coach Becker has a faint smile on his lined face and his eyes glow with pride and victory.

As for me, my heart nearly bursts with happiness and pride. “He did it,” I whisper. I didn’t mean to say it aloud, but the words came anyway, breathless and reverent. “He really did it.”

Coach Becker claps a heavy hand on my shoulder. “I’ve said this for a long time. That kid just needed someone who believed in him and he’d do miracles.”

My throat tightens as past memories flash by in my mind.

Dylan used to be a scared, skinny foster kid with bruises on his body and no place to call home. He used to look at the world like it might swallow him whole, so he fought back twice as hard. And now...now he’s on the ice, radiant and fierce, scoring goals like he was born to do it.

Leaning back in my seat, I continue to watch him. Every pass Dylan makes, every pivot and hit, I soak it in like sunlight.

Mitchikov nudges me with his elbow. “You know what the scouts are calling him?”

I raise an eyebrow.

“The Phantom,” Mitchikov says, chuckling. “They say he ghosts defenders before they even know he’s there.”

I nod. “Sounds about right.”

“Think he’ll go pro?”

“He wants to be a coach,” I tell him. “But I think he can gain invaluable experience by playing in the league for a couple of years.”

“I’ve been telling him the same thing,” Coach Becker says in a grim voice. “He needs to play in the leagues and learn how it’s different from playing college hockey. It’s the only way he can train players to reach their best heights. I believe he’s thinking about going pro.”

“I want him to go pro too,” I say, grinning. “He’s gonna own the damn league if he goes for it.”

From the ice, Dylan glances up at me, just for a second, and our eyes meet.

I lift two fingers in a subtle salute. Dylan grins widely, returns the gesture, and returns to the game.

In this moment, I can feel every inch of the journey we survived together. We suffered through so much pain, violence, and fear, but in the end, our undying love for each other got us through everything.

The horn blares again, signaling another goal for the Silver Bears.

The crowd goes wild, but I barely hear it over the thunderous pounding in my chest.

Mitchikov whistles loudly. “Damn. That’s three goals. Your Dylan’s running the show tonight.”

I grin, my heart aching and full.

Coach Becker lets out a shaky breath. “That kid’s not just playing for the score. He’s playing like he’s finally free.”

My throat chokes up at those words. “He is.”

Coach turns toward me. “You got him here, Logan. You held him up when no one else did.”

I glance at him and see tears sliding down his wrinkled face. His illness has taken a lot from him, but not this moment. There’s a quiet, fierce pride in his eyes as he watches one of his boys become more than anyone expected.

“I didn’t do anything,” I say hoarsely. “He saved himself.”

“I’ll never get tired of watching him play,” Coach says, wiping his tears. “I may not have a lot of time to watch his other games but God, I’m glad I got to see this one.”

Mitchikov clears his throat gruffly. “Nah, you’ve got to live a long life, old man. Dylan’s going places. The scouts have their eyes on him already. So, you'd better buck up and watch your kid grab his place in the league.”

I nod, a quiet fire building in my chest. “My friend’s right. Dylan’s going to make it. All the way.”

“He already did,” Coach says softly.

I fall quiet, knowing I can’t argue with that.

Dylan clawed his way out of the shadows, fought back against monsters, and came out alive, radiant, and victorious. I’ll make sure no one ever threatens to take his light from him again. I’ll protect him with everything I’ve got and love him for as long as I breathe.