LOGINChapter 35: Forever Twenty years later, the cabin still stood. It was smaller than the houses in Seattle, tucked into a grove of pine trees by a frozen lake. The porch had been rebuilt twice, the roof had been replaced. But the bones were the same. Eli sat in his rocking chair, a blanket over his legs, watching the sun set over the water. His hair was white, his face was lined and his eyes were still sharp. Mack sat beside him, wrapped in a sweater, his hand resting on Eli's knee. His hair turned white too, his back ached most days. But he still walked to the lake every morning. "It's so cold today," Eli said exhaling slightly. "You say that every day." Mack responded "Because it is cold every day." Mack laughed. "You are still impossible.""And I know you still love it." "Yes but I love you more." The lake was frozen, the mountains were dusted with snow. The sky was soft pink and orange as the sun began to set. Sunny was long gone. They had buried her under the
Chapter 34: The New Season A year passed so fast like a dream. The Stanley Cup victory was now a faded memory, replaced by the quiet rhythm of everyday life. Eli and Mack moved into a small house near the arena. It had a backyard, a porch, and enough space for a dog. They adopted a golden retriever puppy and named her Sunny. Daniel was in prison. The trial had been quick, his lawyers tried to argue that Eli had fabricated the evidence, but the recording and the bank records were too damning. He was sentenced to five years. Eli did not visit him and he did not plan to. Eli's parents visits Eli once a month. His mother brought food and his father brought loads of questions about hockey. They still did not fully understand the relationship between Eli and Mack, but they had stopped trying to, they just accepted it anyway... And that was enough. The new season started in October. Eli was back in net, sharper than ever. Mack on the other hand was on defense, steady and calm as alway
Chapter 33: The Championship Run The Stanley Cup Finals arrived faster than anyone expected. Seattle had swept through the first two rounds. Edmonton in six and Vancouver in five. Now they faced Montreal, a historic franchise, a team with sixteen championships, a city that lived and breathed hockey. The media was everywhere. Every interview, every practice, every warmup was dissected. Reporters asked about the half-brother story, about the relationship and the pressure. Eli answered every question the same way. "We are focused on hockey." Mack also gave the same answer but they were lying. Hockey was not all... it was just what they needed to say at the moment.The first two games were in Montreal. The arena was crowded and loud. Eli stood in his crease, his body loose, his mind sharp. Mack was on the ice, blocking shots, clearing the crease, doing what he did best. Game One went to overtime. Seattle won on a breakaway goal from Louie. Game Two wasnt an easy one. Montrea
Chapter 32: Redefining LoveThe drive back to Seattle was a quiet one.Eli sat in the passenger seat, staring out the window, the lights of the city blurring past while Mack's hand rested on his thigh, warm and steady. They had not spoken since they left his parents' house. There was too much to say, and none of it could be said in a car.Mack pulled into the parking lot of his apartment building and turned off the engine."Are you okay?" Mack asked."I am better than okay." Eli turned to look at him. "My father accepted us, even my mother hugged you. I never thought that would happen so easily."Mack smiled. "Neither did I."Eli leaned over and kissed him softly at first, then deeper."Come inside," Eli said. "I want us talk."The apartment was dark and quiet.Eli sat on the couch and Mack sat beside him, close enough to touch each other."I have been thinking," Eli said. "About us, about what we are."Mack's jaw tightened. "Eli.""Let me finish." Eli took his hand. "You are my broth
Chapter 31: The ReunionSunday dinner at Eli's parents' house was the most terrifying thing he had ever done in his life.Eli stood in front of the door, his hand raised to knock, his heart pounding. Mack stood beside him, his face pale, his jaw tight."We can still leave," Mack said lowly."We are not leaving.""Your father might hate me.""He already knows you from the press conference he watched, he called me himself.""Watching and meeting are two different things."Eli turned to look at him. "Mack. Whatever happens in there, we face it together."Mack took a breath. "Alright then."Eli knocked and his mother opened the door.She was small, with grey-streaked hair and Eli's eyes. She looked at Eli first, her face crumpling with emotion. Then she looked at Mack. Her eyes went wide."You must be Mack," she said."Yes, ma'am."She pulled him into a hug. Mack froze, his arms stiff at his sides."Thank you," she whispered. "For taking care of my son."Mack's face softened. "He takes ca
Chapter 30: Eli's ChoiceThe morning of the press conference, Eli woke before the sun.He lay in Mack's bed, staring at nothing in particular, his heart pounding heavily. The city was quiet outside and the media was already camped outside the building, but here, in this room, there was total silence.Mack stirred beside him. His arm tightened around Eli's waist."Are you awake?" Mack asked."Have been for hours, a little nervous." he said in a low voice."You dont have to be, we will eventually pull through," Mack said as he rolled over and kissed him softly at first, then deeper. Eli let himself sink into it, into the warmth of Mack's body, into the certainty of his love."When this is over," Mack said, "we are going to take a vacation to somewhere warm, somewhere no one knows us."Eli smiled. "I would like that.""Then it is a plan."---They dressed in silence.Eli wore his best suit and Mack wore a simple button-down. They did not need to impress anyone, they just needed to be hon
The arena was loud.Sebastian stepped onto the ice for warmups and felt the energy buzzing through the stands. The Vancouver crowd was hungry for a win. The Storm had lost three of their last four, and the fans were getting restless. A win against Calgary would quiet some of the noise.But Calgary
Julian woke up the next morning and knew something was wrong. His knee had been hurting for months. It started after a hard hit in last season’s playoffs. At first he ignored it, the way hockey players always do. Put ice on it, wrap it up, take pain medicine, and get back on the ice. That was the
(Before the present)The first Sunday dinner after the wedding was the worst.Sebastian showed up late on purpose. He parked his old truck next to Julian's new car, the one Richard had bought him as a graduation gift, and sat there for a full minute before getting out. The mansion loomed above him,
(Before the present) The suit was going to kill him. Sebastian stood in front of the mirror in the guest room of the Frost mansion, tugging at his collar for the hundredth time. The jacket was too tight across the shoulders. The pants were the wrong shade of grey. The tie felt like a noose. He lo







