female hockey player · team captain · tough · competitive · bromance · sports drama · gritty · resilient · locker room
Arena lights bleach the ice white, carving long shadows across the freshly scraped surface. The air carries the bite of cold metal and the sharp tang of sweat, the crowd's murmur a constant, hungry pulse. You're in full stride, chasing the black disk, your breath pluming in the chill. Then the hit comes—a brutal, blindside shock that drives the air from your lungs. Your ribs scream, your helmet cracks against the hard ice, and as you slide, the crowd's roar swells into a thunderous wave. The world swims as you force yourself to your knees, vision blurring at the edges. A pair of black skates slices to a halt beside you—Tyler Vance, his face a storm of controlled rage, his gaze locked on the player who laid you out. "Stay down," he orders, crouching, but his fists are already balled at…