Page 71 of Rookie Rules

Rowan shook his head, but the approval in his face arrived before the captain could hide it.

Cameras crowded Luca's stall ten minutes later.

"Opening-night goal and assist," a reporter said. "What clicked with Hale on the winner?"

Luca looked past the microphones.

Rowan stood at his own stall answering another group, expression composed, captain restored.

"He sees the ice early," Luca said. "You learn to be where the puck's going."

"What does he give you as a mentor?"

The truthful answer was too large.

"Fewer excuses."

The room laughed.

Another reporter asked whether the goal relieved pressure. Luca gave them the polished answer: one game, good start, lots to clean up. He did not say that pressure had changed shape. Scoring alone had once felt like proof no one could take from him. Tonight the proof belonged to a sequence shared with two other players, and it felt less fragile for being divided.

Later, after media cleared and players began leaving, Luca found a message on his phone.

Good patience on the winner.

No name needed.

Luca set the game puck on the shelf above his stall and typed: Your shot was acceptable.

Three dots appeared, vanished, returned.

Sleep. Recovery at nine.

Luca smiled at the screen.

Romance, Northstar style.

He typed: Is that a suggestion or a game responsibility?

This time the answer came quickly.

Both.

Luca put the phone away and looked around the locker room. Finn was arguing with Jace about whose goal had been uglier. Eli carried two sticks toward equipment. Gabriel sat quietly at his stall with the game puck beside him. Rowan had already left.

Luca touched the puck on his own shelf once before turning off the light above his stall.

He had wanted opening night to prove he could be undeniable alone.

Instead, the best moments had required Rowan to see what he saw, and Luca to trust what Rowan saw next.

He hated needing anyone that much.

He loved what happened when he did.

Chapter 12: Recovery Room

At nine the morning after opening night, the Wolves looked less like professional athletes than evidence collected from several unrelated accidents.