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Yas
Saturdays are our busiest time. While it’s great for business, it also keeps me busy. I’m usually rushed off my feet with sprains and twisted ankles, bumps and bruises, and occasional cuts and broken bones. Today, though, is busy, but quiet on the accident front. Hopefully it stays that way. So far everyone on the ice is being sensible and safe, which I like.
With so little to do, I lean against the barrier and watch the world go by. It’s a pretty nice April day. Dry and warm.
I thought the novelty of the rink might have worn off by now with the town’s residents, but it seems that the magically spelled year-round ice rink is set to be a hit.
I never expected the people to rally behind our sports team so much either. There’s a game tomorrow, and it promises to be a brilliant grudge match. We’re almost sold out, though of course I’ll have front row seats from the medic’s spot on the bench. It’s a shame really that I can’t play, but Quilo gets to sit on the subs bench and play occasionally. I guess being a crin wolf shifter, he can bring more to the game than I can. I’m probably only good for knocking people out of the way, but I’m too big to control it and not take out my own teammates. No, I’m much better on the bench, ready and waiting for any accidents that may occur.
I turn my attention back to the rink as Quilo steps onto the ice hand in hand with a woman and her daughter. It takes me a minute to place her without the bright red coat, but I soon realize that it’s the injured skater from the other night. I have a pretty good memory and an eye for faces, but I don’t usually remember every skater I patch up. There was something about her though—besides her douchebag date—that really stuck with me.
I watch as Quilo reluctantly lets go of the woman’s hand to skate with the kid, and...what was her name again? It was something unusual…the mom skates off on her own. She’s really good on the ice. I know accidents can happen to anyone, but it just confirms my suspicions that her date must have been fucking around for her to get hurt before. She’s too good to be careless.
The other night I thought she was attractive. I could see why Quilo was interested the moment I saw her on the ice. Quilo gets a lot of attention from women, always has. And the women of Silver Springs don’t even know that he’s a rock star in hiding. When the rink first opened, he definitely capitalized on all of the attention he was getting, but he’s settled down a bit in the last month or so. I can’t even remember the last date he went on. Still, I’ve never seen him show an interest in a woman like this before. He seems to be going after her. And she has a kid too. It doesn’t bother me, but Quilo didn’t strike me as the ‘wanting to be a step-daddy’ type.
It’s proving hard to take my eyes off her. I’m supposed to be watching the ice the way a lifeguard patrols the ocean, but my eyes just keep being magnetically drawn back to her. She’s beautiful. Sexy. Just the sort of woman I’d like to find as my mate. I don’t hold much hope of that down here though. My parents keep telling me, if I want to find my mate, I need to move home, back up onto the ice to be with the rest of the polar pack. I can’t bring myself to do it though, not while Quilo and Whit are going through so much stuff and need me.
Thinking of Whit seems to materialize him into being. It seems like he appears out of thin air, which isn’t impossible for him. He’s suddenly on the edge of the ice and hurriedly crossing the rink in his ice shoes, head buried in his phone. It’s probably his family bothering him about his commitments as usual.
Like my own parents, they’re putting increasing pressure on him to return home and marry. They just can’t understand that neither of us want that life. You don’t get to be God of the North Wind and Winter without a few responsibilities falling on your shoulders, but I agree with him that an arranged marriage shouldn’t be one of them. Thank goodness I only have the king and queen of the polar bears to worry about. Aka, good ol’ Mom and Dad.
Whit slams into the girl I’ve been unable to take my eyes off with enough force to send her flying and I’m already on the ice before she lands. The resounding crack that fills the air makes dread pool in my stomach as I race across the ice to get to her. My other senses dull and my beast roars to be let out to get us there faster, but the rink is far too busy for me to shift into my giant polar bear form right now. Instead, I borrow his strength and speed, and lock the urge to shift back down.
I reach her body as Whit drops to his knees and leans over her.
“Lumi! Lumi! Oh my gods above I’m so sorry I didn’t see you...are you okay?”
Ah, that was it, her name is Lumi.
“Do you know her?” I ask Whit.
“She’s the doga instructor,” he replies, making my heart sink. I kneel on the ice beside her, instantly soaking my slacks. That’s odd. The ice shouldn’t be this wet. I look at Lumi and realize she’s literally lying in a puddle of water. Shit.
I wouldn’t have made a move on her with Quilo being so interested, but now seeing the panicked way Whit was checking her over, I know it isn’t meant to be for sure. Both of my best friends are seriously into this woman. Which means that I can’t be. I push my emotions down and turn my focus onto the patient, just as Quilo skates over to see how Lumi is.
Her hands are tangled in Whit’s blond hair, the pair of them making out on the ice. What the hell? I mean, obviously it’s completely shocking, but it sends a mix of jealousy and arousal coursing through my veins. It’s one hell of a kiss.
Quil clears his throat loudly and they break apart. Whit looks sheepish while Lumi looks to be in total shock, as if she can’t believe what’s just happened or what she was just doing.
“Are you okay?” I ask softly.
“Y-yeah,” she stammers back, blinking rapidly and frowning.
“Did you hit your head?” I run my fingers lightly down each of her legs, studying her face intently for any signs of pain.
“No.”
“I heard the crack. I was worried…” I trail off. If her head didn’t make that deafening crack, what the hell did?
Carefully, I unlace the tatty old boots that are on her feet, noticing the frayed lace. I shake my head in anger.
“What?” Quilo probes.
“These damn boots! They’re downright dangerous. I want them thrown out!”
“Okay, doc,” he says placatingly while I take deep breaths and try to focus. “Whatever you say.”
As I check Lumi over, questions race through my mind. Does she like Whit? Slight swelling of the right ankle, possible sprain. Why were they kissing? No lacerations or blood visible. Have they kissed before? No scalp hematoma felt. Why do I care so much?
