Laurent speaks first.
"I do not mind." His voice is quiet but certain, carrying the weight of a decision that has been forming beneath the surface. "If it ensures she can get checkups, get her knee properly monitored, get the treatment she needs to heal. Mae used to figure skate at a professional level. I think she wants to rediscover that part of herself again. If being listed as her pack means she can pursue that without administrative barriers, then I am comfortable maintaining the arrangement."
Knox nods slowly, his amber eyes thoughtful.
"Besides," he adds, "she was doing Coach Mercer a favor when she got injured. That demonstration on the ice was at his request. And the puck that hit her had to be from one of Rafe's wannabe followers. Some jealous asshole who could not handle watching an Omega outskate their captain."
His jaw tightens with the anger of an Alpha who has identified an offense but does not yet know who to direct his fury toward.
"If someone sabotaged her intentionally, that is not something we can ignore."
I nod, filing the information away.
"I will deal with that later," I say, and the promise in my voice is enough to make both of them pause. "Whoever left that puck on the ice will be identified. And they will answer for it."
Neither of them asks for elaboration.
Neither of them looks like they want it.
Good. Some things are better handled without an audience.
The nurse's office door opens before the conversation can continue.
The petite, silver-haired woman emerges with a clipboard in hand and a professional smile on her face that suggests she is accustomed to delivering news to anxious Alphas.
"Everything looks good," she announces, glancing between the three of us. "She did pull the ligament slightly, so I am recommending a week off the ice to let it heal properly. I have supplied some anti-inflammatory creams she can apply to the knee, which will speed the recovery process. It would be beneficial if one of you helped her apply the cream and bandage it properly, especially for the first few days. The positioning can be tricky for her to manage on her own."
"I can take care of that," I say immediately.
Knox's eyebrow twitches, but he does not argue.
"However," I continue, addressing the practical complication, "I just arrived today and have not been assigned a room. My accommodations are not finalized yet, which makes the logistics of assisting with her care somewhat complicated."
The nurse's expression shifts to one of surprise.
"Oh!" She blinks, then her smile returns with renewed brightness. "I can fix that right now. Of course you need to be with your pack. Let me just pull up the housing system."
She turns to the computer on the desk, her fingers already moving across the keyboard before anyone can clarify the situation.
"So it is Raphaël Calder, yes?" She glances at me over her shoulder. "C-A-L-D-E-R?"
"Yes."
"Silly administrators," she mutters, clicking through screens with the efficiency of someone who navigates bureaucratic systems regularly. "They must have misspelled your name or entered it into the wrong housing block. I will fix it now. It only takes a moment to add a pack member to an existing unit. Just need to verify your student ID and update the roster."
Knox opens his mouth.
Laurent's hand covers it before sound can emerge.
I watch the interaction from my peripheral vision, fighting the smirk that threatens to surface. Knox's eyebrows climb his forehead in confusion, his amber eyes darting between Laurent's silencing hand and my carefully neutral expression. Laurent, for his part, maintains perfect composure, his storm-blue gaze fixed on the nurse's back with the focused stillness of someone who has made a decision and intends to see it through.
Smart. The younger Laurent is definitely smart. He sees an opportunity and is seizing it without letting Knox's instinctive objections interfere.
He probably does not realize I know his older brother. Bastien Laurent is a notorious figure in European hockey circles, his reputation preceding him across multiple countries and leagues. A talented but volatile player whose departure from Valenridge left a crater that the current pack is still trying to fill. The younger brother appears to be the opposite. Measured where Bastien was explosive. Strategic where Bastien was impulsive.
Tamed and smart, as I suspected.
"There you go!" The nurse turns back with a satisfied smile, holding out a printed form. "You are officially registered in the same residential unit as the rest of your pack. You can pick up your keycard from the housing office later, or Miss Phillips can bring it to your door if you prefer. She handles most of the athlete housing coordination."
